|
|
Post by SoCalMusicLover on Apr 6, 2005 21:18:25 GMT -5
I'm taking my first trip to Europe in June, and will be traveling solo. I've set up an itinerary, and was hoping to get confirmation that it sounds reasonable. Thurs. June 9 - Arrive London Heathrow - 9 PM Friday June 10 - London (Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park Areas) Saturday June 11 - London (Trooping The Colour) Sunday June 12 - London - (Tower Of London, London Bridge Areas) Monday June 13 - London - 2:30 PM Train to Stratford Upon Avon - 7:30 PM Play Tuesday June 14 - Stratford Upon Avon - 6:30 PM Train to Liverpool Wednesday June 15 - Liverpool - 4:30 PM Train to Manchester - 6:00 PM U2 Concert Thursday June 16 - 11:30 AM Train to York - Royal Ascot - 11:30 PM Train to Huddersfield Friday June 17 - 10:30 AM Train to London - London Saturday June 18 - AM Train to Twickenham - 6:00 PM U2 Concert Sunday June 19 - AM Train to Wimbledon - Queue Overnight for Wimbledon Day #1 Monday June 20 - Wimbledon Tuesday June 21 - 10:30 AM Eurostar - Waterloo Station to Paris - Paris Wednesday June 22 - Paris - Louvre, Eiffel Tower - 10:00 PM Train to Disneyland Paris Thursday June 23 - Disneyland Paris - 8:00 PM Train to Paris Friday June 24 - 10:00 AM Shuttle to Beauvais - 1:30 PM Ryan Air Flight to Dublin - U2 Saturday June 25 - Dublin - 6:00 PM U2 Concert Sunday June 26 - Dublin Monday June 27 - Dublin - 5:00 PM Aer Lingus Flight to Amsterdam Tuesday June 28 - Amsterdam Wednesday June 29 - Amsterdam Thursday June 30 - Amsterdam - 8:30 PM Easy Jet Flight to London Gatwick Friday July 1 - 12 Noon Flight London Heathrow to Los Angeles  |
|
|
|
Post by CuriousToronto on Apr 7, 2005 0:43:01 GMT -5
I have to comment on Paris: You are spending 24 days in Europe and yet you have scheduled Paris in for ONLY one full day. Exactly the same amount of time you are devoting to Mickey Mouse!?!??! Seriously, I have spent months living in Paris and I still haven't seen anything. You can't even come close to doing it justice in one day! I think you're making the same mistake a lot of people do with Paris -- they think all they have to see is the Mona Lisa and the Eiffel tower. Truth is if that's all you see then you and Paris haven't yet made each other's acquaintance. In terms of sheer magnificence, I'm not sure there is another city like Paris. It takes more than a day to appreciate it's beauty. If you really can only spare that time (due to the U2) concert then maybe you shouldn't bother with Paris this time around. In fact maybe you should cut-out Amsterdam and make it a U.K trip. It seems to be where your interests lie anywayz. You don't have to see everything on this one trip. Europe will still be there the next time you head accross the pond. Cheers!  |
|
|
|
Post by MuvverRussia on Apr 7, 2005 5:43:33 GMT -5
Have you got U2 tickets already? They're pretty rare, especially for London and Dublin. Also they're incredibly expensive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jocelyne on Apr 7, 2005 7:46:42 GMT -5
Do you like U2 much?? lol
Only 1 day in Paris that is scary!
|
|
|
|
Post by SoCalMusicLover on Apr 7, 2005 20:36:28 GMT -5
My journey was obviously brought about in part because I want to see U2 on their home soil in Dublin, and I was able to get tickets. Also, I snagged the lowest possible frequent flyer reward(50,000 Miles R/T), so that's costing me nothing.
I am not under any illusions that I will come close to experiencing all Paris has to offer. I am traveling there because I will be in that region, and it is a $75, 2.5 hour Eurostar trip away. Even if I do spend a day at Disneyland Paris, does nobody think I'll get anything out of even 1 1/2 days in Paris? It almost sounds like you're saying if I can't spend a great deal of time there, don't even bother going. Sounds hard to believe, when I would think even 4 hours in the Louvre and a trip up the Eiffel Tower at night would be experiences worthy of the minimal cost and time investment. I am in Southern California, and frequent the Original Disneyland regularly, so that is why I have interest in spending time at the Paris one. There are some attractions there which the U.S. parks do not have.
|
|
|
|
Post by greg on Apr 8, 2005 10:33:24 GMT -5
if it only takes 5 hrs of total travel time, then 4 hours in the Louvre might be worth it, but beware of fatigue. All that travel makes people tired....and you'll be doing TONS of walking.
My first & only trip to Europe was a business trip to Paris...there is a lot of neat stuff. If you are only there 1 day, I might recommend skipping the Eiffel and spending more time in the Louvre or going to one of the other Museums (Musée d'Orsay), or going to Montmartre/Sacré-Coeur/Salvadore Dali museum. Notre Dame might be worth it. Walking from Arc de Triomphe all the way down the Champs-Elysees' to the Louvre is a heck of a site as well.
It would be worth your time to spend 2 full days in Paris.
It's like DC - walkable, but still very large. All the museum's, plus all the monuments to walk to, plus waiting in long summer lines. A few days is too little.
Check out some of the 3-day Paris itineraries at Fodors or Frommer's or something, and you'll see there is a ton of stuff worth doing.
|
|
|
|
Post by CuriousToronto on Apr 8, 2005 22:42:26 GMT -5
You know, at the end what you think is worth it is entirely up to you -- we all have very different priorities.
Would I do it? No. For me it's too much expense and hassle to get to a city I'll only spend one day in. And yeah, I do think it deserves more time and doing it in one day is scarcely worth it. Having said that -- it is worth it if you think it will be a REALLY long time until you're back in France!
If you want to go to Paris for a day then do so. And if you do I would suggest buying a museum pass for one day and trying to hit up as many as the biggies as possible. Get your Denon wing fill, cross the river and go to the Orsay (run up stairs and see all the Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, etc . . . stuff). Go to the eiffel tower but if you're looking for the best view at night -- stroll the Champs Elysees and go up the Arc de Triomphe. You'll actually be able to see the EIffel tower from there.
Anywayz, it's entirely up to you. Although I still believe that maybe it would be wise to wait for another trip.
To each their own.
Cheers!
|
|
|
|
Post by SoCalMusicLover on Apr 8, 2005 23:35:49 GMT -5
I should also point out that I will be there 3 Full Nights. I had heard a couple of the museums have hours until 9 PM, so it should make it a bit easier. As for when I will go back. Who knows? It has taken me 38 years to get there, and the idea of going solo still feels a bit weird. Even though I've done so a few times here in the U.S. Europe seems a bit more distant, and less familiar in many ways. Besides, going and missing so much would only make me want to go back that much more to see what was missed. Right?
Cheers!
|
|
Nicstar
Senior Travel Member
i like the sound of my own voice, i never gave anyone else a choice
Posts: 190
|
Post by Nicstar on Apr 9, 2005 1:43:49 GMT -5
ahhhh your trip reminds me of my 2001 trip...my sole purpose was to go over and see U2 in Manchester, Birmingham, London and Dublin since they weren't coming to Australia!! Took in 7 concerts in total! Have fun! I am so jealous!!!  |
|
Nicstar
Senior Travel Member
i like the sound of my own voice, i never gave anyone else a choice
Posts: 190
|
Post by Nicstar on Apr 9, 2005 1:58:25 GMT -5
actually just thinking about it all, and looking at your itinerary....do not underestimate how much those U2 concerts alone will take it out of you. add to that your wimbeldon thing, and well.... I would feel you've got a lot planned for this trip, not taking into account the back and forwards between London/Paris/Amsterdam.
When I went last tour, I purposely didn't add any extra cities or anything while I was there, so I had "downtime". If I'd had to do sightseeing and so forth on the off days, even when I had a week between concerts, I'd have been exhausted. I just incorporated places on the way to the next concert, if that makes sense- took four days to get to Dublin from where I was staying at on the east coast of England, stopping in places along the way to Manchester where my plane was leaving. I think it made it a much more enjoyable trip.
Besides, for me personally, all the thrill of the U2 concerts, *plus* the thrill of general travelling and seeing things would have been too draining, mentally! Its not to say I didn't do any other sightseeing at all, but I only did it if I woke up, felt great, and thought "heck might do a day trip to such and such".
I personally would leave out Paris and Amsterdam, and maybe spend some more time in Ireland and UK.
ahhhhhh I wish I was going!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Tracie on Apr 10, 2005 14:43:28 GMT -5
A few things about your Paris leg...
I've been to both the California and Paris Disneylands and found Euro Disney to be a little disappointing in comparison. If you do really want to go I would suggest just doing it as a daytrip instead of spending the night out there. The RER from Paris takes less than an hour and runs all the time. Then you don't have to take all your gear with you and you can stay at the same hotel/hostel for all of your Paris nights.
The other thing I would suggest would be to make a list of sites that are a priority for you to see in Paris and do some research. Some museums are closed on certain days or open late on others so knowing will help maximize your visit.
If it was me I would go to Paris for a day if I had a chance. Just know that you can't see everything and will have to plan another trip cause you will like it that much.
|
|
|
|
Post by nitsansh on Apr 11, 2005 18:34:38 GMT -5
Thursday June 16 - 11:30 AM Train to York - Royal Ascot - 11:30 PM Train to Huddersfield What's there to do in Huddersfield??? Mind you... Twickenham and Wimbledon are both in greater London... |
|
|
|
Post by SoCalMusicLover on Apr 11, 2005 21:05:55 GMT -5
What's there to do in Huddersfield???quote] Absolutely nothing. But it was the only reasonable place I could find that was close to York, and can be reached by train from York after the day and evening. Prices in York were over $200/night, and most places were booked. |
|
|
|
Post by MuvverRussia on Apr 12, 2005 6:02:10 GMT -5
Absolutely nothing. But it was the only reasonable place I could find that was close to York, and can be reached by train from York after the day and evening. Prices in York were over $200/night, and most places were booked. What accommodation are you looking at? Then again, pretty much everything will either be booked or will be sky high considering it's Royal Ascot. |
|
|
|
Post by SoCalMusicLover on Apr 12, 2005 9:40:02 GMT -5
I got a B&B in Huddersfield for 35 Pounds/night. Royal Ascot was something I found out about as I was making my itinerary, and obviously it is popular, so nothing is left in York. The ticket is going to be expensive also, since I'll have to buy it on EBay because Ladies Day is Sold Out, which is the day I'll be there.
|
|
