Big World... Big Decisions

I thought it would be relatively easy to plan a trip to Europe...

until I started planning the specifics.  

      I already knew I wanted to visit England, Ireland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and all the other countries in Europe.  So all I had to do was buy a plane ticket, rail pass, and research hotels or hostels.  Easy, right?

     But where in England?  Where in France?  Deciding on the specific towns and cities to visit has turned into the most difficult task I have encountered in this stage of planning... and by far the most fun!

My messy notes in my early planning stages.  I am pleased to announce I have now learned how to correctly spell
 (and pronounce) many of the words misspelled in my earlier notes.  :)

     It has really begun to sink in how complicated and time consuming planning a trip like this will be.  I have thumbed through countless books and websites.  The amount of information readily available in today's world is mind-numbing.   To keep myself at least semi-organized, I have kept a journal with pages of notes as I work my way through the information, helping me to keep track of everything from possible towns/cities, artwork, and architecture to suggestions on how to travel efficiently through Europe and avoid long lines at various attractions.  Traveling safely, efficiently, and with as much information as possible has been my goal from the start.

     Even though my trip is 10 - 13 months away, I often feel a brief bolt of stress run through my body when I think about all of the planning that still needs to be done.  With my last two semesters of school, DATs, and applying to dental school in my near future, I know spending tons of time on planning a trip to Europe will not be completely feasible.  So I am maximizing my summer vacation to plan as much as I can now so only the fine details are left to sort out later.   I have so much more to do, but here is a short summary of what I have accomplished thus far:

Some of my inspirations and research tools for the trip.  My little helper, Eddie, was a little upset that the maps were intruding on his napping space.  Those bright brown eyes are irresistible! 

      My dad surprised me by giving me an art history book he found and purchased at his office.  At first I thought it would just be fun to look through, and then I realized what an AWESOME and truly valuable planning tool I had been given.  I have been reading Rick Steves' "Europe 101 - History and Art for the Traveler" all week.   The book covers Europe's history and art produced from about 40,000 B.C to modern day Europe.  While watching videos or discussing Europe with others, I have been able to remember this information and recognize the various places, people, and art I read about in this book.  I know this will help me gain a deeper appreciation for the things I will see and do in Europe... I can't wait!!   As I read each chapter, I kept a list of the various museums, buildings, and artwork found in each city.  I now have a very handy list of everything from the Colosseum to Michelangelo's David and Pieta to modern art exhibits - all covered in this book.  With this list, I felt more ready to plan the specific places I wanted to visit and things I wanted to do and experience.

    Today I decided to read through my notebook as I poured over maps of Europe.  Some places were a no-brainer:  London, Paris, Rome, Vatican City, etc.  Others took a little more thought and research.  For example, I have always wanted to visit the Swiss Alps.  But where, specifically?  How would I get there?  The list of places I wanted to visit was very long.  A visit to Scotland, Ireland, and small towns throughout Germany sounds great.  But with only 4 - 6 weeks in Europe, it's just not feasible when prioritizing my long list of places I want to see and experience some day.

Map used to plan the various destinations of the trip.  

Using two markers, I circled the places I wanted to visit:  purple for the mandatory stops and green for those requiring more research.  I searched for pictures and watched videos about each location to help me narrow down my itinerary.  It was painful to cross off Copenhagen and Stuttgart from my list.  I have wanted to visit the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen ever since I first saw her picture.  But after researching other destinations, I decided she just wasn't worth the time spent traveling for only a day in Copenhagen.  It was a very difficult decision to make!

My dad studied in Stuttgart for a year and I have always wanted to see where he lived during that time.  Due to time constraints, I decided to save Stuttgart for another trip.  However, after researching the train routes within Germany, I discovered there is a slight possibility I will change trains there when traveling from Munich to Rothenburg.  I hope to at least have lunch or dinner  there before moving on.   Anything's possible!

    Depending on the route I decide to take, I was thinking about making a stop in either Nice, France or Cinque Terre, Italy for a full day as a "rest and recharge"visit.  Both have beautiful beaches, shops, and scenery.  I can't decide which I want to visit more.  One?  Both?  Neither?  Any suggestions?

Eddie was ready for a nap after a long day
 of researching and planning.

    I am so excited to see my dream trip becoming a reality.  With the wonderful help of the internet, travel books, and both of my parents' input, I was able to narrow down my long list of dreams into a wonderfully varied and exciting trip.

    It took a full day of tough decisions, brutal realities, and exciting discoveries, but I now have a rough outline of the trip ready to be polished.

Europe is calling my name,

and I am ready to answer!