April 2009 onwards for a few months. Help!

[seriously]

Hey

I'm going to post this thread here too now that I realise i am "PRE TRAVEL PLANNING" ..

Hey there.

New to the boards, but have been reading for a few months and researching online & into what some of you experts say. I followed your instructions about cutbacks (it's very difficult i've realised) and I've come up with a very rough, pull-me-apart-and-call-me-over ambitious itenary that i'm sure you can all give me advice on if need be..

So, to understand a bit about me here goes. I am 22 travelling from Oz (I've only been to UK before). I am flying to London from NYC (I am spending a fortnight in LA & NYC, also budget).

Arriving in London around April 09.
I have family & friends in London & Kent (they've promised me a room plus a "base") as I plan to return to LDN after travelling to work (aiming for a Brit passport, eligible because my mum is still a brit). I've worked out I should have someone with me at almost all times thru journey. It'll be a few months, trying to ensure it doesn't get too get exhausted. I've travelled alone before.

My work plans means I have cut the UK areas from my travel list simply to allow for my time in the rest of europe. I am hoping to catch that later thru work.

Anyhow be honest I know it's long, but I am thinking the following:

NYC to LDN (then to Amsterdam)

Start in Amsterdam

Amsterdam 2days
Bruges
Paris 5-7 days (incl. day trips)
Tolouse (friend)
Barcelona 2 days
Madrid 2days (daytrip to toledo n segovia)
Granada
Lisbon
Geneva (friends) - Switzerland, probably some of France
Italy (Amalfi Coast, Venice, Florence)
Italy (Pompeii, Rome)
Croatia (Dubrovnik/coast) - hoping to just chill here? summer vacation-ish, but I suppose it'l be busy in summer.
Budapest
Vienna
Prague
Poland (family there, but this is unlikely on this visit so may not go)
Berlin 4 days

End Berlin

Saving around AUD$20k - is that too much too little? I need to have some left over to kick start job in London (researching that now too).

Some things: I want to visit Budapest so that isn't changing. Lisbon is a 'must' as I love it's history. I have put "no. of days" next to places I have heard you guys speak about. The ones without I need recommendations.. plus, I really, really want to see Greece on this trip.. is that possible or too ambitious?

Please help.. I am in need of help to make this cheaper, smarter, fun-er, smoother. thanks guys.

[herrbert]

Hi Seriously,

Let's say you spend 15K (9,000 euros) on the trip, and keep 3000 euros for your start in London. I think this will allow for a couple of months of travelling. If this money includes the tickets to Europe, and a railpass, I think you have about a 6,500 - 7,000 euros left, enough for about 90 days. (ofcourse it all depends on your spendings/actual prices of your tickets/which railpass etc.

I would spend some time trying to find out the best order to travel. It is pretty easy to get a cheap flight from Italy to Spain, so I would try to visit Geneva and Toulouse before getting to Spain, and then hop over to Italy.

Dubrovnik is a pretty isolated town in your itinerary, and getting to Budapest from there, is a long trip if you do it by land. Check on SKyeurope if they have flights for a direct connection to Budapest. This also means that if you like to see something of the Croatian coast, you need to travel by land from Italy. Triest Zadar and Split, might be some good places to stop.

To comment on the places:

You need to have more time for Barcelona and Madrid. If you like to go to Toledo and Segovia (and I always recommend doing so), you need 2 extra days in Madrid. Granada is a beautiful place, and needs 2 days. If you are already there I would suggest to go to Sevilla from there spend 2 or 3 days there, and then take a plane to Lisbon (3 days). From Lisbon it might be best to get a flight to either Madrid or Barcelona, before getting a cheap flight to Rome or Naples.

[madamtrashheap]

Welcome to GFE, Seriously,

As you haven't listed what towns in France (apart form Paris) you'd like to see, can I suggest considering something a little different and from Geneva (get up into the surrounding mountains to places like Gyron, etc, too) you could make your way down to Chamonix and even take the Aiguille du Midi over to Italy. This will involve, most likely, staying in Chamonix overnight to make sure that you're not rushed and to also enjoy the scenery. Depending on what time you reach this area (late April from my calculations), you should check the opening/closing times of the cable car to plan your day.

From the French side in Chamonix you take the cable car up to Aiguille du Midi (part of Mont Blanc, but not the summit) for the viewing platforms, restaurant, cafe and ubiquitous souvenir shop. Once up there, you can take another cable car (or gondola as they are small pods) across to the Italian side at Point/Punta Helbronner. From there another cable car takes you down to a small place in the Aosta Valley (in Italy) called La Palud, just above the village of Entrèves. From there you can continue your Italian sector and visit the northern cities (Florence, Cinque Terre) before going to Rome and the Amalfi Coast (Sorrento, Pompei) then across to Venice and then over to Croatia.

It's just a suggestion and by no means a "must", but check it out and see if it suits you.

[seriously]

Hey,

Thanks very much to you both for replying! Heavens knows I need advice on this.

I have been reading what you are saying and it's made it a little clearer. I am actually taking America out of my trip entirely now, so in turn I can put more attention on Europe.

So basically I will be flying to LDN from Australia end of March. (probably via Japan with JAL).

Herrbert,

Thanks for you help. You mentioned a rough idea of how many euro, and also said "depending on railpass". That is something I did want to ask. With this kind of itinerary, which kind of rail pass would suit me? I have been trying to work it out, but it's all very confusing to me.

Madamtrashheap,

thanks for your help. Are you able to recommend anywhere else in France I need to see? I mean, there are so many towns (beside Paris) people recommend, you've surely gotta narrow it down?

Now that I am flying end of March to Europe, can I ask a quick question? For this time of year, how early in advance to you need to book hostels? I am really concerned about this, I want to make sure I am prepared going from place to place, but at the same time want to leave room for a change in route if something comes up..

Anyhow, hope I'm making sense?