Profile for squatterjohn - Help me plan my European Adventure

squatterjohn aka I'm supposed to care but I never make you scream is a boy, has been a member since July 13, 2007, has scored 1,432 submissions, giving an average score of 2.67, helping 106 designs get printed.

Jan 13 '10 by squatterjohn
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Help me plan my European Adventure

So my sister got me Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestring guide for Christmas. I have no idea when I could afford it and when I could go but I'm starting to plan.

I really want to go to London for the 2012 Olympics so if I did I probably would remain in England and maybe just do Paris and the Low countries from there. There's lots to do in England, just in London even, and I'd be confident driving there unlike on the continent where they drive backwards. So I want to go to Germany before then.

However, it is easy to get a direct flight to London. I figure the other easy cities to get to direct are Amsterdam and Frankfurt but I haven't investigated other options like South-east Asian airlines which may be able to get me other places. But I may end up flying into London anyway even if it's not 2012.

Or I may not be able to afford it before 2012, or not be able to afford two trips so I may need to combine them. I want to keep it to northern Europe as I have already been to Italy and surrounding countries.

I'd go by train generally.

Anyway, what should I do and see?

Here's what I'm thinking, hopefully you can click and make it bigger. This would be flying into Amsterdam:

MeiSomething on Jan 13 '10 at 9:38am

I am so jealous.

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 9:40am

Don't be jealous. Right now all I have is a book and a google map.

jodabaum on Jan 13 '10 at 9:41am

I've only been to Italy and it was FANTASTIC, I know you said you already went, but in case you didn't see VENICE, you MUST!! its AMAZING!

MeiSomething on Jan 13 '10 at 9:43am

But why are you so keen on Germany?

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 9:44am

I loved Venice so much that I went back. It was the first city I went to after flying into Vienna and I loved it so I went back towards the end of my trip for another week.

There was so much in Italy I feel I missed out on though. And I'm learning Italian too. I'd love to go back, I just feel like I really should go some other places instead.

tracerbullet on Jan 13 '10 at 9:45am

pshhhhh we don't drive backwards! you drive backwards!

mullmuggins on Jan 13 '10 at 9:47am

If you are going through Poland, I would definitely recommend stopping in Krakow. Beautiful city and interesting history. (Auschwitz is nearby, which although depressing, really has to be seen).

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 9:48am

Germany is where 20th century history happened. From the World Wars to the Cold War to reunification. It's also just bigger than most other countries in Europe so there's a lot of it to travel through. The Low countries, the Baltic states, Denmark are all very small but nearby so they're easy to get to and travel through from Germany but they won't take nearly as long.

mullmuggins on Jan 13 '10 at 9:49am

And put London on that map!!! It's easy and cheap from Amsterdam or Paris on the eurostar... You can't visit all those cities and not visit London!!! More exclamation points!!!

B 7 on Jan 13 '10 at 9:50am

Have fun in England, there's load of cool stuff here. And I'm pretty jealous if you go to Germany.

How about going to the Czech Republic? There and France are the only mainland European countries i've visited but I can recommend both!

jodabaum on Jan 13 '10 at 9:50am

Yea, I loved Italy and I have family there so my next Euro trip will either begin there or end there.. But i agree if you already seen Italy, go see some other parts of europe, Id personally love to see, Barcelona or Madrid in Spain, England, Germany and France....

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 9:52am

I'd put London there, but it's a separate trip in itslef. Ideally what I would do is fly to London, then get that Eurostar to PAris, then go up to Belgium and Amsterdam and take it back to London.

Flying into Amsterdam means doing most oof that anyway, flying into Frankfurt maybe means doign away with it.

It all depends on if I can afford two trips or afford one really long trip.

I haev all these other options.

celandinestern on Jan 13 '10 at 9:53am

seriously, what's in Germany?

that aside, my BIG BIG recommendation for Europe would be Prague. I know it's not exactly right next to London, but it's probably the most beautiful city in Europe, amazing architecture, amazing atmosphere, just all-round amazing. My big dream is Spain, particularly Barcelona, but I've never been so I can't give details. Instead of Germany (or beside it?) what about Austria? If you're keen on art, Vienna is the capital of the world, really. Paris is cool, but the French countryside is even better... like driving through the Loire valley and all those amazing castles there.

MeiSomething on Jan 13 '10 at 9:56am

lol @ London Cheerleader

Germany is where 20th century history happened. From the World Wars to the Cold War to reunification. It's also just bigger than most other countries in Europe so there's a lot of it to travel through. The Low countries, the Baltic states, Denmark are all very small but nearby so they're easy to get to and travel through from Germany but they won't take nearly as long.

This reminds me, I should start reading all those Frederick Forsyth books I downloaded off the P2P - I feel like I would know everything I need to know about Europe if I just read his books. :D

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 9:56am

This was my option if I had to do everything at once. Fly into/out of London.

It would take in Krakow. Thing with going to Krakow is that it makes Berlin difficult.

I am riddled with problems. I don't want to go somewhere then turn around and go back the way I came to somewhere I've been to then continue on somewhere else. I have to go somewhere new. I have to go in a circle. I have to fly out of where I came from. I don't REALLY need to do any of this, but when planning, you try to be as efficient as possible.

B 7 on Jan 13 '10 at 9:57am

Yes Prague! That's where i went! It totally is beautiful

trindli on Jan 13 '10 at 9:58am

Switzerland is missing on your map

MeiSomething on Jan 13 '10 at 9:58am

so. jealous.

B 7 on Jan 13 '10 at 9:58am

Also there is someone I'd like to go visit in Germany,, that's why for me

tesco on Jan 13 '10 at 9:59am

this should be your theme song

mz. kat-ii on Jan 13 '10 at 10:00am

VENICE! i love it even though the water looks like shiet. Def go to Gay Paree!

Go everywhere except Niece (however you spell it), the people there were the biggest jerk offs on the planet.

Tonteau on Jan 13 '10 at 10:01am

Stay the hell away from my country, convict.

mullmuggins on Jan 13 '10 at 10:02am

I get where you are coming from, SJ, but I wouldn't get too caught up with worrying that you might retrace your steps a little. A zig and a zag here and there isn't the end of the world - especially if it means you add something special to the trip.

MeiSomething on Jan 13 '10 at 10:03am

don't mind me- i just feel the need to whine. like twice. i'm done now.

Tonteau on Jan 13 '10 at 10:05am

Just kidding, of course. Get the boat over from Tallinn to Helsinki. It's a lovely city with lots to see....expensive, though.

tesco on Jan 13 '10 at 10:09am

Personally I'd do the warmer countries like spain, south of france, southern italy, but then I am currently suffering the worst winter of my life. I she you're going to Amshterdam though, that'll be good.

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 10:14am

Yeah, it's not really a problem retracing steps and going around. I did it before, I went to Venice full intending to go south through Italy to Malta, but then had to go all the way to Sicily to meet somone else then went all the way back up to Venice because loved it so much I came all the way back up before going south again to Rome.

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 10:19am

I want to go back to Venice.

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 10:22am

I come from a warm country and I've been to Italy, so I'm not really concerned about goign to a warm country. Of course I do want to avoid weather like you've got in the UK now. There's no way I'd go over during Winter. I'd probably go in Autumn or Spring.

mullmuggins on Jan 13 '10 at 10:24am

I think you might be right, stick to the mainland and save the UK for another time - there's heaps more to see than just London.

I hear that Copenhagen is gorgeous if you are looking for cities to add to the route....

trindli on Jan 13 '10 at 10:26am

just ignore my comment :(

squatterjohn on Jan 13 '10 at 10:34am

Sorry Corinne. Switzerland seems to me to be this impenetrable fortress surrounded by Alps that you can only get to via tunnels or France. My friend went there though via Germany, She was on a Contiki tour and didn't stay in any cities, just a little town. She sent me a postcard fro there and it was beautiful. I just don't know how I could fit it in. I never went to Milan and since I've convinced myself to go back to Venice, maybe Northern Italy/Switzerland/South of Fracne one day.

Copenhagen is most definitely on the route though. Princess Mary, Legoland, awesome stuff.

67 days later

quick-brown-fox on Mar 21 '10 at 3:28pm

Don't miss out on coming to the north west of England. Come to Manchester on the train and see some countryside on the way, then visit the city, especially the Richard Goodall Gallery. Whilst you're in the north west visit Liverpool too. Both have plenty of culture and history to take in. If you need any pointers, just ask!

d3d on Mar 21 '10 at 4:03pm

i'm doing this in about 6 weeks

juliejeremiah on Mar 21 '10 at 4:10pm

Leon, consider stopping in Cinque Terra if you haven't already planned to do so. Freaking georgeous.

juliejeremiah on Mar 21 '10 at 4:11pm

hahah georgeous. you know what i mean.

juliejeremiah on Mar 21 '10 at 4:12pm

Uuugggghhhhh i wanna go travelling again so bad!!! :( :( :(

I wish money and distance and time and safetly weren't issues to consider.

d3d on Mar 21 '10 at 4:35pm

i may well plan a stop there. i want a chance to meet up with ricco anyway and he's in la spezia just to the east. we're going to spend a day or two around milan and the lakes before heading to Nice and monaco, so we'll try and take it slow in between.

mullmuggins on Mar 21 '10 at 5:34pm

Oh man, that looks awesome, Leon! South of France for the win. If you want any London help, just give me or Al a shout and we will try our best to be useful :)

d3d on Mar 21 '10 at 5:44pm

thanks, we'll probably be in touch.

d3d on Mar 22 '10 at 3:38am

chicago would be fun. i plan to fly over some day for a couple of days in LA, a couple at meetup, and then a couple in NY. this year if i can afford it.

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lemonalle on Jan 21 '08 at 8:59am
squatterjohn is always so right

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