My wide open itenarary

[LHR02]

Hi Kim,
   Getting pretty close now, under a month.  I am still looking at a pretty much unstructured trip for the most part but do have some very general ideas and wanted your input.  As I have told you, I am spending the first month in UK and will be in Edinburgh for Xmas (have reservations there).  Then fly to Copenhagen for NY eve (also reserved) but beyond that, nothing set or reserved.  Plan on backing out of Denmark from Copenhagen, into BeNeLux for a few days, then off across northern Germany, into Poland, and on around through the edges of Europe, ending in Paris in mid-March.  I am thinking along the lines of about a month for Poland, Czech, and Hungary, another month for Italy, and maybe Croatia, and the last month in Spain/Port and France.  Except for a couple of 'must see agains' in Germany and Switz I don't plan on spending much time there at all.  Lived there six years, pretty much did/saw what I wanted there already.  And I am not a big fan of France, so except for the D-day beaches which I really want to see, it's not big on my list.  I know, MANY people think it is the best place to go, but I personally don't plan on allowing too much time there.  Will allow several days for Paris, since I will be there anyway for my flight figure I might as well take a look around.   In fact I deliberately booked my flight out of there so I would be forced to go!  I have a bit of a problem with the French.....sorry.  <br>   Anway, too much/too little time anywhere?  I've researched so much by this point my head swirls with names and places, so thought, hell with it, I have the pack and the ticket and I will just see where I end up.    If in March I am not ready to come home, I'll just buy another pass, send winter clothes home and get summer ones and head off again.  ;D

Yep, my kids still think their old mom has lost her damn mind!  29 days and counting!

ginger

[Kim]

Hi Ginger,

I think your intinary sounds great-and this time of year, you have more of a luxury of planning as you go than you might during the summer months. Things change as you are travelling and it's funny how you research and plan, then nothing works out how you thought! (Not that that is a bad thing!)

I would love to be in Copenhagen for NY's, it's a gorgeous city. No one talks much about it but it's one of those hidden (if a big city can be hidden!) favorites!

I know you have it reserved Ginger but if anyone else is interested in a budget place in staying, we stayed in a wonderful pension. Here is the info:

Morten Fredricksen Guesthouse
Ph: 45 32 95 32 73
Address: Torvegade 36, Copenhagen
Email:[e-mail]
Webpage:www.chickens.dk/

There are no private bathrooms and only about 4 rooms. It feels like you are staying at home with the cosy down duvets!

Anyway, Ginger-you better keep in touch while you are on the road, I will miss your frequent emails!

Kim

[LHR02]

Thanks Kim....guess I just feel the need for someone to tell me it sounds okay.  Having never tried anything quite so long and 'involved' before travel wise I am so excited and anxious, but there is always that tiny bit of aprehension.  

Of course I will stay in touch along the way!  Have no doubt that I will be emailing for 'help on the road' frequently!   And I will continue to pick your brain on a regular basis.  

thanks,
 ginger

[nitsansh]

I would suggest that you go to Portugal, Spain and Italy in January and spare central/eastern Europe for later, when it gets a little warmer. Even in warm clothes, it's cold out there in January!
And don't hurry to send the winter clothes home, it's still quite cool in April. I was in Prague in mid-April and temperatures were just above 0 Celsius.

[Kim]

That's interesting about it still being cool in April. When we were there in July, they were having record highs and it was close to 40! Smokin' hot-it did cool down more at night than places like Madrid did though.

[LHR02]

Due to the weather and winter conditions I did consider 'reversing' the route and going counter clockwise from BeNeLux.  But having lived in Germany for so many years I am pretty familiar with the weather in the area, and in fact I have never minded the cold....much prefer it to the heat.  But, the biggest reason I haven't decided to do that is because my return is from Paris and I don't want to be shooting pell mell across middle Europe at the end to get back to the airport!  I'd much rather arrive there in a more leisurly way at the natural 'end' of my route.  

Do you really think there is all that much difference between mid January and late February/early March in the weather in Central Europe?  I know there is not much difference during this time period in southern Germany.  But maybe I am incorrect in thinking this about Poland, Czech, etc.

ginger

[nitsansh]

Inland Europe has continental climate, which means extreme temperatures. It's colder in winter and hotter in summer, and the differences between night and day temperatures are quite significant. I was unlucky with the weather in Prague... a week or two earlier temperatures were as high as 17.
I was once in London in May and it was freezing, but some 2 weeks later in Scotland it was sunny and warm.
I had a hail storm in Venice in July, snow in St. Moritz in August... weather is unpredictable, you know...
So even in summer, you need some warm clothes in case you go up the mountains, and a raincoat or umbrella should be handy anytime.

[nitsansh]

If you're used to cold winter, perhaps it won't be a problem for you. Difference in climate in January between Poland, Czech Republic & Hungary and Spain&Portugal is very big (although inland Spain may be quite cold as well, but the mediterreanian coast stays mild all winter).
For those living in north America, it's like Minnesota and California.