The Road to Europe : Part 2

With just under four months to go until we depart on our very first Euro trip, my friend Wok (check out his rad photoblog: astorytelling.tumblr.com), has kindly drawn up a simply wonderful Itinery. Have a look at it, feel free to use it...its our very on contiki tour through Italy, Spain and France. We managed to get return tickets for R6500, and we are looking at spending approximately R10000, inclusive of food and accommodation, while we are there. Not too bad hey.
Anyway, enjoy.

EUROTRIP  of  Awesomeness!!!!!!!

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Sat 23 June

Arrive in Rome. Catch a train to Naples ( need to book that train).

Sun 24 June

Do whatever you want to do in Naples. Maybe  buy food supplies (breakfast perhaps) at a supermarket

Mon 25 June

Peruse around Naples. Go out for pizza and talk about the fact that we are in Italy!

Tues 26 June to Wed 27 June

Day trips from Naples!

- Pompeii / Herculaneum

- Capri

- Amalfi Coast

Pompeii

€11. Open every day from 8.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. (last admission 6 p.m.)

By allowing 3-4 hours you will not feel rushed and will have an opportunity to steal some quiet moments. All the excavated stuff is in a museum in Naples… so we could check that out too, to get the full experience.

Alternatively, you could go to Herculaneum (or do both?). Pompeii is much more famous than nearby Herculaneum. Still, some people prefer Herculaneum as it’s smaller, less crowded, and has a bit more of what’s been excavated still on site (as opposed to in a museum somewhere else). For Herculanuem allow 2-3 hours to tour the site.

Capri

From Naples you can take a ferry (80 minutes, €11).

The most popular activities on the island involve the natural beauty of the place – hiking, boating, and swimming are all common ways to spend a day on Capri.

The most famous natural landmark on the island, however, is the Blue Grotto (The Grotta Azzurra). You have to wait in line to go on row boats… and pay around €15.

Amalfi Coast

The number one item on most agendas of people who arrive on the Amalfi Coast is simple – to relax.

If you get bored, however, there are other things to do in the area.

One of the best hikes in Italy is on the Amalfi Coast – it’s called the Path of the Gods and it’s easy enough that you don’t need to bring any specialty gear (other than good walking shoes). 2.5-hour hike.  Best in morning or late in the day.

Perhaps catch the train to Pompeii/Herculaneum in the morning… have lunch and then catch the train to Amalfi Coast for afternoon hike/relax?

Side note: Cinque Terre and Amalfi are similar in many ways. Both amazing scenery, but different in ways too.

The Cinque Terre is more "rustic and informal". The cuisine tends to be unique and of course emphasizes Pesto as this is where it was invented. There are no large Museums or Galleries, and the typical activities are hiking the trails between the villages, swimming and just relaxing and enjoying "Il Dolce Far Niente" (and of course the great food).

Thurs 28 June

Wake up and catch a train to Rome (1h20 trip). Eurail - need to book reservations. Fee = R100.

-  Say “When in Rome” a million times.

-  Hang Out in the Pantheon – Do what the Romans do.

-  Roman Forum + Colosseum + Palatine Hill (€12 for all of it)

-  Trevi Fountain people watching.

Catch train back to Naples (1h20 trip). Reservation fee = R100.

Fri 29 June

Vatican City - Eurail (1h20 trip) - need to book reservations. Fee = R100.

Need to dress conservatively for this one. No shorts or showing shoulders etc. Like if you were going to NG Kerk!

-  St. Peter’s Basilica

-  The Vatican Museums

-  Sistine Chapel

“For most travelers, touring the Vatican is one day out of a trip to Rome, and that’s exactly what I suggest when people ask me how much time they should spend in Vatican City. A guided tour is recommended. So you don’t miss the most important pieces (not to mention being told why they’re important) and avoid the potentially long lines at the museum entrance. “

Catch train back to Naples (1h20 trip). Reservation fee = R100.

Sat 30 July

Florence! - Eurail  (3 hour trip) - need to book reservations. Fee = R100.

Florence is best explored on foot.

Booking in advance to see Florence’s museums is highly, highly recommended.

Get a feel of the place. Check out some churches. Get some Gelato. Leave the art museums for the next day.

Will be best to stay in a hostel here. We found a R124 per night for 7 bed private (we must book ASAP). It’s 5 minutes away from everything and lots of free stuff. Instead of catching 2 hour trains back and forth to Milan (and R100 reservations for each trip)… and wastes precious time!

Sun 1 July

Florence Day 2 – Art Day (wake up and walk 5mins to art museums).

- Two main art museums (Uffizi and Accademia). MUST book in advanced!

- Chill after museum madness, get some more Gelato and wander a bit.

- Hike up the hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo… a lovely place to watch the sun set over the city.

Sleep the night (R124)

Mon 2 July

Tuscany Tour

Depart from Florence. 80 euros.

Visit Siena. Free time for shopping or relaxing in an open air cafe. A Tuscan lunch at a Chianti vineyard. Visit the enchanting hilltop town of San Gimignano. Scenic country drive & Pisa.

Go straight from Pisa to Cinque Terre and stay the night in a Hostel there (R250). Because it takes 3.5 hours to get there from Florence, and that’s wasting precious time – you really don’t want to rush things. The tour allows you to bring your bags for that purpose, so rock it! Also, Cinque Terre has lots to offer and you’ll want a whole day. So go straight to Cinque Terre, have dinner and sleep over.  

Tues 3 July

Cinque Terre!

Wake up. Hike between the villages, swim, eat the famous Pesto Pasta, relax, wander around, get lost… amazing.

Sleep the night (R250). You’ll be buggered.

Wed 4 July

Train to Milan - Eurail  (3 hour trip) - need to book reservations. Fee = R100.

I think we going to have to just drop bags and leave and rush off to Bergamo… google it.

A fantastic day trip from Milan is Bergamo. Takes 1 hour to get there. You use a slower regional train that runs between the two cities, so no reservations are required. If you’ve got a Eurail, all you need to do is hop on board!

The city is divided into two parts – the old high city (alta città) and the newer low city (bassa città). The newer parts of the city aren’t horrible by any stretch, but the historic and more pretty areas are in the alta città.

The main thing to do in the Bergamo alta città is just wander, so do yourself a favor and try to get lost. It’s virtually impossible to do, because the old city is encircled by the old city walls – so if you stray too far in any one direction you’ll just bump into a wall at some point and have to turn back. The streets themselves aren’t often flat, but if you’re letting the bus or funicular get you up and down the hill then a few little climbs on the streets of the alta città shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Thurs 5 July

Day trip to Venice. Eurail (2h30 trip) - need to book reservations. Fee = R100.

Eurail back to Milan (Reservations – R100)

Overnight sleeping train to Paris (R739). Leaves Milan at 23:38 and arrives in Paris 09:29.

Fri 6 July

Paris! Read this http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/paris/travel-tips-and-articles/69987 (Advise for one day in Paris - rad).

Sleep over in Paris Hostel. (R250)

Alternatively: Spend 2.5 days in Paris or spend 2.5 days in French Riviera. Instead of spending over 5 hours on a train between spots… and rather giving time to fully appreciate, go at own pace and not rush. Just a thought.

Sat 7 July

Train to Nice from Paris. Plus/minus R250. 5 hour trip. Nice seems to be the preferred option compared to Marseille, but Marseille is a closer 3 hours trip from Paris.

Will get there at about lunch time.

OPTION 1: Train to Nice. And stay there for the night. (R250)

OPTION 2: Train to Marseille, stay in a hostel there and day trip along the French Riviera.

Sun 8 July

French Riviera vibes.

Afternoon it’s time to make your way to Pamplona. This is the tricky part!

It used to be the case that you could take an overnight train to Pamplona that would get you to the city in the small hours of the morning just in time for the bull run. But alas, this is no longer possible.

So, taking a bus to Pamplona from Barcelona might be the best option.

The bus will take like 6 or 7 hours. So if we leave Barca at 11pm, you’ll get there at a good time to get ready for the bull run at 8am. Plus you’ll have some sleep on the bus on the way there. Optimistic, I know.

OPTION 1:  Catch a train to Barcelona. Then catch a bus to Pamplona through the night.

OPTION 2: Stay the night in Barcelona. Then the next day catch a train to Pamplona after lunchish. Join the party. Sleep somewhere close to Pamplona. Arrive in the morning for the Bull Run on Tues 10 July.

Pamplona hostels are over R600 a night. So you will need to find something outside…

Mon 9 July

8am Bull Run in Pamplona

Vibe the streets afterwards

Party and fireworks start at 11pm.

Or OPTION 2…

Tues 10 July

8am Bull Run in Pamplona

Vibe the streets afterwards

Head to Barcelona for the evening.

Wed 11 July to Fri 13 July

Barcelona for 3 days (perhaps a day trip somewhere).

http://www.spaintravelguide.com/3-days-in-barcelona-itinerary-ideas.html

Sat 14 July

Train to Madrid Airport and fly home! 

Watch this space for more wonderful posts about how great Europe is once we are actually there!

Thoughts on leaving the 031.

3months and a week or so until I have to say goodbye to the province that has been my home for the last 20 years, and say hello to "the windy city" better known as Cape Town. Sheesh, life just got real up in here.

I must admit I am not the most experienced mover, seeing as I have pretty much been living in the same complex for most of my life, so this was a pretty darn scary decision for me. It still is.
I made the decision to study my honours degree at UCT about a year ago, at a time when Durban just seemed very boring and I felt like I was stuck in a rut here. I think I visited Cape Town about five times last year, which made my friends here in Durbs really feel like they weren't that important to me. I am sorry about that guys, truly.

 It's funny how things can change though.
 This year I have discovered all the potential and awesomness ( can I say awesomness?) that this province has to offer, and in the process I have formed much closer relationships with my friends here as well as making a bunch of new friends whom I treasure a lot. In fact I even started thinking that maybe Cape Town wasn't such a good idea. Reality kicks in though and you realise you need to start making decisions not based solely on the moment but rather on what is best for your future, and, no matter what angle I looked at it in, Cape Town was the best place for me to get my honours degree and a job in the journalism field.

So here I find myself, not yet having received an acceptance letter from UCT, scouring for a digs to stay in, planning how I am going to transport everything I own without paying a gazillion rand for a moving van, and wondering how many visits to Durbs I can actually afford next year. Basically my mind is feeling very stressed at the moment, but through it all, God has given me such peace about this decision and I am confident that it's the right one.

As hard as it is, I think what I have realised is that you can't stay in the same place and have everything be exactly how it is now, for the rest of your life.Things change and people change. As cliched as that is, it's true. I have learnt to enjoy the moments I have going to Unit 11 gigs, hanging out with my friends here, feeling safe and comfortable and all the rest of it, but I know that everything has a season. So next year I will be building relationships with people in Cape Town, getting a job and working towards having a career ( I believe its called growing up). The great thing is that, thanks to our generations obsession with taking photos and videos, I will always have the memories of my life in Durbs - and who knows, maybe I'll be back here one day- and thanks to the advent of Social Media, the friendships I have formed will last a lifetime no matter where I am in the world.

I'm so excited for this new journey. Frikkin scared, but excited.

FUNSUNZI - everything great about Durban.

Being able to wear dresses and shorts in winter. Long walks along the beach. A coastline that never seems to end. Bean Green - the best coffee around. Gigs at Unit 11. Chip and Cheese Roti's. Indie kids. Friendly people. Monthly Night Markets. Falaffels. Dancing for hours to cheesy old school music. Iheart market. So much trendiness. Southcoast camping trips. The Midlands Meander. Long drives. Trips to the beach at night time. Wet 'n Wild waterworld. Strikes at varsity which allow you to have a mini holiday. Everyone gets along with everyone. The best people. Walking around barefoot without caring. Florida Road. Kif slang. The way we say the word "vibe". Surfers. Shopping for bargains in the CBD. The People-Mover. All the street-merchants. Never having to drive too far. Warm oceans. Shark nets. The Playhouse. Wakkaberry frozen yoghurt. Essenwood fleemarket.Playing in parks. Eating the best crumpets ever made at Botanical Gardens. Westville Baptist. The kids at Addington Primary School. Learning isiZulu. A province of all cultures. Braai's with mates. DVD nights. The laid back attitude of durbanites. East Coast Radio. Good-looking people. Mitchells Park Zoo. Blogging. The Sharks. Home-cooked meals. The best soccer stadium. Cycling 7km from Ushaka to Suncoast. Pavilion. wearing flip flops. Flat-peak caps. Moyo face paints. Making friends. Decent waves. Daytrips to Ballito. A holiday destination and a home.