Okay, the much anticipated post about my TRIP!
#270829 - 06/24/06 02:16 PM
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So clearly it has been a very busy week since I am just now getting around to this and I was back last Sunday evening. But you won't be sorry that you waited
So in 13 days we (my 18yr old brother Kent and I) visited 8 countries. In case you missed it, this was our graduation gift from our parents (him from high school and me from college). Overall it was a very good time, even though I was feeling quite awful for about 64% of the trip. But anyways, onto the pictures!
London - Big Ben (we did one good day of sightseeing in London after our plane got in that day)
Trafalgar Square
Windsor Castle the next day (this was a really good time)
3rd day Taking the ferry to cross the English Channel from Dover to Calais, France. The rest of the day was spent getting through Belgium and then to Amsterdam by the evening.
Holland - Amsterdam the next day
On a canal cruise in Amsterdam
Now by that same evening we're in Andernach, Germany in a cute hotel on the Rhine River.
More pics of the Rhine...it really was beautiful.
Then a cruise on the Rhine the next morning (we seemed to go on a LOT of boat rides)
The medieval town of Rothenburg (still Germany) then we went to Munich that night.
The next day we were off to Innsbruck, Austria in the alps.
Then the afternoon was spent getting through the Alps with a stop here in Cortina, Italy, before ending in Venice that night.
Now Venice the next day and the late afternoon we were off to Florence and got there in the early evening.
Florence the next day. I LOVE this place. I lived here for a summer 2 years ago when I studied abroad, so it was great to come back and bring my brother along to show him everything.
That view above is after we climbed to the top of THIS..the bell tower of the Duomo (famous cathedral)
And the view of the Duomo from up there too...I like to call this my mothership
Then the next day was onto Switzerland. I LOVED Switzerland. We passed Lake Como in Italy on the way which now I can see why George Clooney would own a house there. Then to Lake Lugano in Switzerland which I found to be equally as amazing...
Followed by a harrowing drive through the Alps (we had to take this pass since the original one was closed, and it took us WAY up the moutains where there was tons of snow and ice and waterfalls cutting through the snow with REALLY long drops over the edges of the road but SO amazing)...
Then we got to Lake Lucerne that night and the next day we explored the town
And took another boat ride...
Then we left there and were in Paris by the evening. The next day we were out and about
Made a little trip to the palace of Versailles for a couple of hours
And the famous Hall of Mirrors (Louis XIV was crazy)
Then back to Paris for a trip up the Eiffel Tower and a boat ride on the Seine.
I think that about sums it up. It was really exhausting, but so great to be able to go so many places. Back to the real world now, and applying for jobs and planning my move to DC. I'm starting to think I really enjoyed life as a student more
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Great pics! Sounds like a fabulous trip. When I get back from Spain I'll have to ask you how to put the pics in the posts! Thanks for sharing!
-------------------- Flipada - IBS-C "It's a gas, gas, gas"
**Lauren**
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Wow, what an itinerary! Did you go on an organised tour or did you independent it the whole way? You have seen more of Europe than I have and I live here. Great way to explain your trip in photos too, it made it very real.
Where was your favourite place? You really took some lovely photos and you look like you enjoyed the trip a lot.
Thanks for the report (sorry for the pressure )
Good luck with the jobhunt and move.
-------------------- S.
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LOVED THEM....thanks for taking the time to post them....sorry if we were pressurising them...no need to apologise...You took some great ones brit...those will be great to look back on...so sorry you werent well for some of the trip....I take it you're okay now...what was wrong?? You'll have to email me a proper update sometime...but dont worry...only if you get a chance too...I still havent sent that email about my friends situation...and I keep saying I will. Anyways...soooo glad the trip went well apart from the illness and just so sad I couldnt meet you when you were here. What did you think of London then?? Looks like you had fab weather for that day...which slightly gives the wrong impression for this country as it makes a change! Lol!! Im soooooooo jealous you got to go to all those places....I'd love to do a tour like that some day.
Lotsa hugs...speak soon
(((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))
-------------------- Natalie
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Sinead
#270835 - 06/24/06 03:43 PM
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Thanks! I'm glad you liked them. Yeah we did an organized tour thing. It started out as a plan to do it on our own, but we saw how ambitious our plans were, and since my brother had never been, I didn't want to be solely responisible for making sure I didn't get us lost on trains and such. So it seemed like an easier way to enjoy it and let someone else worry about the little things. I don't know if I'd do the tour thing again, but for this purpose it worked out well.
As for my favorite place...that's tough. My heart belongs to Florence, but I would really love to spend some more time in Germany, I REALLY need to make it back to Austria for the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, and I was surprised at how much I loved Switzerland. Paris was as great as last time and it's hard to not love it there but I really want to spend some time up in the Brittany coast area and stuff like that. So hard to choose...
Haha and don't worry, there was no pressure, it was nice to know you were all excited to hear about it!
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Thanks!
#270836 - 06/24/06 03:45 PM
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Thanks! Does it get you excited for your trip?? You'll have a great time I'm sure. I wish I'd gotten to make it to Spain but I'll have to save that for another time I guess.
I can't wait to hear about your trip too and I'll definitely tell you how to post the pictures, it is really easy. How long are you gone on your trip??
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Haha don't worry, no pressure was felt, I just am glad that you all cared so much and wanted to hear about it!
I think my sick issues stemmed from me not eating enough and have too much acid or something in my stomach which made me feel awful awful awful and I was having these really weird cramp/pain type things, and I was dizzy and lightheaded a lot and then feeling sick and then top all that off with a little travel anxiety from having to be on buses and boats and I was a mess. But somehow I made it through and didn't give into my urges to take the first flight home. So most of the trip I was like drugged out on tons of tylenol and stuff. Haha looking back at the photos I can see so many of those fake smiles where I was just dying for the picture to be taken so I could go sit down or something. I seriously thought I was like falling apart.
But on a lighter note, the weather everywhere we went was really really perfect. I enjoyed London, though I think I had a better picture of it in my head, but it was still neat. A lot like NYC in my opinion in much of it. I loved getting into the countryside more and going to Windsor Castle and stuff - much more England-y in my opinion
Well I will definitely get with the program and send you a real email soon. And you're right, I'm still waiting on some updates from you too!! I'm sure you'll be so busy with all those jobs too, I read that post the other day. Good luck with all of that. I'm sure it will be nice to have all that $$$ coming in.
We'll catch up soon, I promise!
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-------------------- Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”. Mary Anne Radmacher
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Re: Thanks!
#270840 - 06/24/06 05:10 PM
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Flipada
Reged: 03/02/06
Posts: 1026
Loc: West Michigan, USA
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Yes, I'm excited. Nervous, too.I leave on Friday and I'll be there for 3 1/2 weeks. I'm there studying at a university in the Basque Country (Bilbao). I'm also making a weekend journey to London to visit with a friend. I'd love to get to France, even for a day but I'd be going alone and I'm not really that adventurous. I do better with someone. But...I teach French as well as Spanish and I've never been. Gotta try to jump over the border!
-------------------- Flipada - IBS-C "It's a gas, gas, gas"
**Lauren**
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oh my goodness.. that was like a European power hour!! I can understand why you are exhausted.. 8 countries in 13 days.. thats NUTS!!
It looks amazing though and like so much fun!! I'd love to do something like that, because i've never been to any of those places. I'm dying to go to Italy, Spain and Greece. Hopefully someday. It would also be fun to go to Germany/Austria/Sweden as well though considering that is my heritage.
WOW!! Great trip.. thanks for sharing the photos.. it looks like fun! Did you have time to relax and enjoy yourself?
--------------------
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You got some really amazing shots! They look fantastic! Sorry to hear you weren't well, but it seems like you enjoyed yourself, anyway!
You're very pretty, too!
-------------------- Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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Re: Sinead
#270863 - 06/25/06 03:37 AM
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cailin
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 3563
Loc: Dublin, Ireland
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I think tours are great when you want to get a lot done in a short time, we did one in Peru. Also great when there are language barriers I think.
I haven't been to Germany at all nor Switzerland, Austria. They are on my list for weekend breaks so they are so close. I love Italy and Venice is one of my favourite places on the planet!
-------------------- S.
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By the way, I think it's great that our "couple week" names have lived on so long
But yeah it was really busy and we were getting up at like 5:45 or 6 every morning and hitting the pillows aroung midnight (it's like up your way where it stays light outside until like 10pm and the sun is coming up at like 5:30 am) so we had the longest days which was good.
I've been using the whole past week to catch up on my sleep and I think I'm finally back to normal now. I knew going in that this wasn't a "vacation" trip and I was not mistaken
You should definitely go when you get the chance. I am still really wanting to go to Greece and Spain. And at some point I want to go through eastern Europe (Prague and Russia and the Czech Republic..that sorta thing) and Egypt too at some point. It was great though to go to the countries of our heritage (we're French and German and English).
Feel free to print out my picture and show to our husband when you see him
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Haha you are too nice!! It was hard to feel pretty after hours on end in a bus and a limited travel wardrobe
It definitely was a fantastic time though and I managed to enjoy myself despite how I felt.
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Yeah the tour was great with the language barriers too. I only speak a little of the languages so it was great to let other people deal with it.
I love that Germany and Austria can be a weekend trip for you all You'll love all of those countries I'm sure. They were just so beautiful and the scenery changed constantly. We were only in western Germany which I think is probably the better part to see if you only have a short time.
And Italy is hard to beat - seriously my heart hurts every time I think of Florence And it's hard to not like Venice, it has to be one of the strangest and most interesting places ever.
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-------------------- Carol
nós somos o que nós somos e o descanso é merda
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haha I know.. its funny how these names were supposed to be a temporary thing, and they've lasted awhile! Oh well, I like them! They are cute and catchy!
Anyways, the concert is july 9th and hopefully i'll be able to get up close and personal with Elliot. It's doubtful, but if I do, i'll give him your number as well
Also, I keep iming you.. you have to teach me how to make a tank top.. I have GOT to get decked out in elliot-wear for the concert so drop me some info if you get a chance!
I'm glad the trip was fun.. it looks awesome even though it was tiring.
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I love that the subject line doesn't have to change...it works both ways! And you can DEFINITELY hook Elliot up with my digits (do people call them digits anymore??)
As for the shirt I will share my knowledge. You just need some hardware store lacquer thinner, a wooden spoon, and a crappy grocery store quality copy machine (for the carbon - so no fancy high-tech laser prints). And I really think you need some fabric glue and rhinestones..I had no time to glam yours up.
I'll fill you in more later!
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hahha.. hmm it sounds confusing.. what the heck is lacquer thinner... AHHHHH.
rinstones and jewels.. i'll be an elliot loving 80's queen.
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-------------------- ***********************
If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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