(posted by Ange)
100 years ago, as Gary (my dad) puts it (I think it's more like 40 years) him and his buddy packed up, flew to Europe, bought a van and spent 6 or 9 months (dad you can correct me here) on the road in Europe. Throughout my years I have heard all sorts of stories of his travels...where he's been, what he's seen, I've seen all the love letters home to mom and who can forget that awful collection of beer steins.
But NEVER have I heard that he went to Ibiza and while there, met Rod Stewart!!! How could this vital information have passed me by? I spent all of grade 11 and 12 listening to Rod, (since my dad "knows" him I figure we are on a first name basis) singing along to Maggie May and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. When I read Gary's comments on my last post, I became confused. Is this some other Gary? My dad has never met Rod Stewart. Who is writing this comment? Well, I confirmed it with mom...yes, he met Rod Stewart. Although at the time he wasn't really ROD STEWART, he was in some band my mom can't even remember the name to. Still....If outgoing Gary can hook up with Rod, who knows who my chatty patty Dave may be able to talk up. That is it! We are going to Ibiza.
(for Gary's comments, see post "Advice From Those in the Know: Part 2")
Monday, August 28, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Advice From Those in the Know: Part 2
(posted by Ange)
"Travelling is an indulgence. You're taking a period of time and saying 'this is a period of time that I am indulging in myself', which means while you are there you have to do the things you want to do". This says my dear friend Jason. I like it!
Jason in another transplanted Brit. Jason landed in Canada after being denied entry back to the U.S., where he was living. He was literally stranded in Canada with nothing but the clothes on his back. No car. No possessions. No job. He decided to tough out the situation and make Vancouver home. Now, I figure if Jason can land up in Canada, alone and with nothing, I will surely be able to survive any challenge that comes my way in Europe. I hope. Did I mention that Jason is much tougher and more resislient than I? Well, at least it's inspiration.
I talked to Jason a few weeks ago about travelling Europe. Of course half of what he said has since disappeared from my brain! Here is what I remember...
He seemed to think the car idea was a good one, since we were going for such a long time...he pointed out that if we were backpacking, it is harder to find lockers at the train stations these days due to all the post 9/11 terror (insert scary music) and so we would need to be prepared to carry our packs with us. He also suggested we get a car with a trunk to keep things hidden from sight. This seems like a pretty smart (not to mention obvious) suggestion. I can live with that.
He suggested signing up at Youth Hostelling to get better rates at hostels. I asked him what a hostel is really like and whether or not I was going to be able handle it (i.e. is it clean? are there bugs?). Jason knows me well and the look he gave me indicated I may not be thrilled with the accomodation a hostel typically provides. He then suggested that we should stay a night or two at the Cambie (a hostel downtown) to get an idea of what it is like. Stay at the Cambie? Ay yi yi. I'm not liking what I'm hearing here. I think it's a great idea, but then I'm also thinking maybe it should be left as a nice surprise upon my arrival in Europe! Also, when I'm in Europe I won't know that my nice, clean, bug-free apartment is just blocks away!
As for what to see...well, Jason was full of recommendations. On the list were Venice, Rome, Corsica, Tuscany, Paris and Ibiza. This last recommendation has been a destination "up for discussion" (read: Dave says it's too expensive. I really want to go.) so I was happy to have his support on this one.
Jason spoke mostly of Rome and Venice. Here is what I learned....
One cannot possibly go to Europe and not see Rome. As Jason says, it is "the world's biggest freestanding museum". Rome is an excellent walking city and many of the sights are just there...open to just walk through. Sounds exactly like what we're looking for - free transportation (our feet) and free stuff to see! Hopefully our car is parked outside of town and Dave is NOT trying to carry two packs on his back! Jason did suggest I read up on architecture and art history before I go so I know what I'm looking at. Dave again prefers to go with his "learn as I go" approach. I, on the other hand, am looking into courses! While I am appreciating the art and achitecture I have learned all about, Dave will be struggling to figure out what he is looking at! Don't worry, I'll share my knowledge with him.
Now Venice...apparently Venice is sinking (and I don't want to swim). Seriously, this fine city is built on a bed of pigskins atop a swamp. I kid you not. Who thought that a bed of pigskins would hold a city afloat?!! I would like to meet this man. Jason says Venice is a must see, but to expect it to be quite dark. Beautiful but oppressive. Sounds like a place for the depressed!
New words: Palatzo (sp?) means palace, but really is more of a grand house. I compared this description to houses in Shaunessy. Jason just laughed. I'm not sure what that means. Piazza is a square, usually with a fountain, cafe and a Baroque church at one end. (Note to self - look up Baroque church!)
All in all, Jason's comments jived with the ideas in my mind. Whew. Still, there is work to be done: research cost of car with trunk and learn about Roman architecture and art. Easy peesy.
Finally, I know these are damn long...I shall try to keep future posts a little shorter. Wouldn't want to lose my small but loyal readership! :)
"Travelling is an indulgence. You're taking a period of time and saying 'this is a period of time that I am indulging in myself', which means while you are there you have to do the things you want to do". This says my dear friend Jason. I like it!
Jason in another transplanted Brit. Jason landed in Canada after being denied entry back to the U.S., where he was living. He was literally stranded in Canada with nothing but the clothes on his back. No car. No possessions. No job. He decided to tough out the situation and make Vancouver home. Now, I figure if Jason can land up in Canada, alone and with nothing, I will surely be able to survive any challenge that comes my way in Europe. I hope. Did I mention that Jason is much tougher and more resislient than I? Well, at least it's inspiration.
I talked to Jason a few weeks ago about travelling Europe. Of course half of what he said has since disappeared from my brain! Here is what I remember...
He seemed to think the car idea was a good one, since we were going for such a long time...he pointed out that if we were backpacking, it is harder to find lockers at the train stations these days due to all the post 9/11 terror (insert scary music) and so we would need to be prepared to carry our packs with us. He also suggested we get a car with a trunk to keep things hidden from sight. This seems like a pretty smart (not to mention obvious) suggestion. I can live with that.
He suggested signing up at Youth Hostelling to get better rates at hostels. I asked him what a hostel is really like and whether or not I was going to be able handle it (i.e. is it clean? are there bugs?). Jason knows me well and the look he gave me indicated I may not be thrilled with the accomodation a hostel typically provides. He then suggested that we should stay a night or two at the Cambie (a hostel downtown) to get an idea of what it is like. Stay at the Cambie? Ay yi yi. I'm not liking what I'm hearing here. I think it's a great idea, but then I'm also thinking maybe it should be left as a nice surprise upon my arrival in Europe! Also, when I'm in Europe I won't know that my nice, clean, bug-free apartment is just blocks away!
As for what to see...well, Jason was full of recommendations. On the list were Venice, Rome, Corsica, Tuscany, Paris and Ibiza. This last recommendation has been a destination "up for discussion" (read: Dave says it's too expensive. I really want to go.) so I was happy to have his support on this one.
Jason spoke mostly of Rome and Venice. Here is what I learned....
One cannot possibly go to Europe and not see Rome. As Jason says, it is "the world's biggest freestanding museum". Rome is an excellent walking city and many of the sights are just there...open to just walk through. Sounds exactly like what we're looking for - free transportation (our feet) and free stuff to see! Hopefully our car is parked outside of town and Dave is NOT trying to carry two packs on his back! Jason did suggest I read up on architecture and art history before I go so I know what I'm looking at. Dave again prefers to go with his "learn as I go" approach. I, on the other hand, am looking into courses! While I am appreciating the art and achitecture I have learned all about, Dave will be struggling to figure out what he is looking at! Don't worry, I'll share my knowledge with him.
Now Venice...apparently Venice is sinking (and I don't want to swim). Seriously, this fine city is built on a bed of pigskins atop a swamp. I kid you not. Who thought that a bed of pigskins would hold a city afloat?!! I would like to meet this man. Jason says Venice is a must see, but to expect it to be quite dark. Beautiful but oppressive. Sounds like a place for the depressed!
New words: Palatzo (sp?) means palace, but really is more of a grand house. I compared this description to houses in Shaunessy. Jason just laughed. I'm not sure what that means. Piazza is a square, usually with a fountain, cafe and a Baroque church at one end. (Note to self - look up Baroque church!)
All in all, Jason's comments jived with the ideas in my mind. Whew. Still, there is work to be done: research cost of car with trunk and learn about Roman architecture and art. Easy peesy.
Finally, I know these are damn long...I shall try to keep future posts a little shorter. Wouldn't want to lose my small but loyal readership! :)
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Advice From Those in the Know: Part 1
(posted by Ange)
Well, it seems research leads to more research and the further I go, the deeper in I get. I have definitely opened a gigantic can of worms that appears will only get bigger! Suddenly Dave's "I'll find out about it when I get there" approach seems much less troublesome. Aaahhh, but I can't help myself...I need to organize and I want to know everything now!!
I decided that talking to people I know who have travelled through Europe would be a good place to start gathering "real" information. Surely they could give me important tips and facts, maybe make a few suggetions, and ultimately tell me our plan was definitely the best way to go. And of course, their opinions would all jive and I would feel with complete certainty that our plan was sound. Ya, right.
I decided to begin with the Europeans, figuring they would know the inside scoop on things. I have begun conversations with two ex-Brits who have both done a fair amount of travelling over in Europe. Their stories did not completely jive and certainly did not jive with my story! (The story I have made up for myself).
So, first off, let me tell you about my first couple of emails back and forth with my friend Nik. Nik recently became a Canadian (as did his wife Deborah), but has lived the majority of his life in England. He is extremely intelligent, well read, a master planner and has travelled extensively throughout Europe. I knew his information would be invaluable. I was also certain he would read my vague plan and give his stamp of approval.
Or...maybe not. First off, he suggests we put off our start date from August to September, as apparently flights in the summer are much more expensive, what with the kids being out of school and all. (Me to myself: "DUH! That one should have been obvious. But, NOOO , I want to go in August!) Will definitely need to research this. According to Nik, after September 1, "prices drop like a stone".
Nik then suggests that we go Eurorail. He likes the idea of the car, but would choose Eurorail himself. He has done this 3 times, so who am I to argue? Add to list: research Eurorail. Oh yes, and inter-railing - this is good too. (Me to self: is inter-railing and Euro-railing the same thing? Should I know this? Will asking for clarification qualify me as a complete idiot?!!!) It does sound fun: "meeting sooo many people, hanging out in overnight carriages with bottles of wine, sitting in Czech squares with candles and beer all night"; picking destinations by just picking names out of the Euro-rail time table. While it does sound like it could be more spontaneous than we first thought, I REALLY want to drive around in a car. "Road trip" means driving a car, does it not? Plus training means packing a pack instead of a suitcase. Less room for shoes. AND I don't think Dave can carry two packs on his back.
Finally, Nik warns of the post 9/11 immigration and customs issues...getting in without a return ticket may pose a problem. (Me to self: But I don't want a two way ticket...that does not scream spontaneity, which is what this trip is all about!) Jeez...we promise we will leave your great continent in 6 months time! Nik did have one suggestion to skirt around this...an ancestral Visa, which allows you to stay for up to one year, hassle free. Note to self: research ancestral visa (what is an ancestral visa?).
To recap, what we have learned thus far is:
1. Flights to Europe are cheaper after September 1. (Seems obvious, must look into this)
2. Euro-rail or inter-railing could be a better way to go than buying a car. (Must figure out if these are two different things and then look into this)
3. A one way ticket may pose difficulties at customs (Must look into this)
4. An ancestral visa may help avoid any difficulties with a one way ticket at customs (Define ancestral visa and look into this)
Whew. All that from two meager emails from one "advisor" on the list (who has barely scratched the surface!)
Stay tuned for thoughts from the next "advisor", my friend Jason...
Well, it seems research leads to more research and the further I go, the deeper in I get. I have definitely opened a gigantic can of worms that appears will only get bigger! Suddenly Dave's "I'll find out about it when I get there" approach seems much less troublesome. Aaahhh, but I can't help myself...I need to organize and I want to know everything now!!
I decided that talking to people I know who have travelled through Europe would be a good place to start gathering "real" information. Surely they could give me important tips and facts, maybe make a few suggetions, and ultimately tell me our plan was definitely the best way to go. And of course, their opinions would all jive and I would feel with complete certainty that our plan was sound. Ya, right.
I decided to begin with the Europeans, figuring they would know the inside scoop on things. I have begun conversations with two ex-Brits who have both done a fair amount of travelling over in Europe. Their stories did not completely jive and certainly did not jive with my story! (The story I have made up for myself).
So, first off, let me tell you about my first couple of emails back and forth with my friend Nik. Nik recently became a Canadian (as did his wife Deborah), but has lived the majority of his life in England. He is extremely intelligent, well read, a master planner and has travelled extensively throughout Europe. I knew his information would be invaluable. I was also certain he would read my vague plan and give his stamp of approval.
Or...maybe not. First off, he suggests we put off our start date from August to September, as apparently flights in the summer are much more expensive, what with the kids being out of school and all. (Me to myself: "DUH! That one should have been obvious. But, NOOO , I want to go in August!) Will definitely need to research this. According to Nik, after September 1, "prices drop like a stone".
Nik then suggests that we go Eurorail. He likes the idea of the car, but would choose Eurorail himself. He has done this 3 times, so who am I to argue? Add to list: research Eurorail. Oh yes, and inter-railing - this is good too. (Me to self: is inter-railing and Euro-railing the same thing? Should I know this? Will asking for clarification qualify me as a complete idiot?!!!) It does sound fun: "meeting sooo many people, hanging out in overnight carriages with bottles of wine, sitting in Czech squares with candles and beer all night"; picking destinations by just picking names out of the Euro-rail time table. While it does sound like it could be more spontaneous than we first thought, I REALLY want to drive around in a car. "Road trip" means driving a car, does it not? Plus training means packing a pack instead of a suitcase. Less room for shoes. AND I don't think Dave can carry two packs on his back.
Finally, Nik warns of the post 9/11 immigration and customs issues...getting in without a return ticket may pose a problem. (Me to self: But I don't want a two way ticket...that does not scream spontaneity, which is what this trip is all about!) Jeez...we promise we will leave your great continent in 6 months time! Nik did have one suggestion to skirt around this...an ancestral Visa, which allows you to stay for up to one year, hassle free. Note to self: research ancestral visa (what is an ancestral visa?).
To recap, what we have learned thus far is:
1. Flights to Europe are cheaper after September 1. (Seems obvious, must look into this)
2. Euro-rail or inter-railing could be a better way to go than buying a car. (Must figure out if these are two different things and then look into this)
3. A one way ticket may pose difficulties at customs (Must look into this)
4. An ancestral visa may help avoid any difficulties with a one way ticket at customs (Define ancestral visa and look into this)
Whew. All that from two meager emails from one "advisor" on the list (who has barely scratched the surface!)
Stay tuned for thoughts from the next "advisor", my friend Jason...
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Road Trip Requirement: A Car
(posted by Ange)
Yes, we are still eons away from the big road trip, but being the planner/organizer and just generally over-excited gal that I am, I believe we MUST start looking into our options for a vehicle immediately. What can we afford? Where will we buy it? How will we buy it? What about insurance? Is this even viable or will we be relegated to planes, trains and buses? You get the picture. Our first thought is to get on the internet and see what's out there. We need to know if this is even realistic (please be realistic!!!). Of course, going online to find a car in Europe poses one slight problem...neither of us speak anything but English. We have the idea of flying to Frankfurt (flights to Frankfurt are cheap and we figure the Germans build a good car) and buying a car there before heading to the Czech Republic. So we need a German translator....
Enter Petra, my fabulous friend who happens to be German and speaks/reads fluently. As Petra is currently bored out of her mind at work, I suggest a project for her...scan the used car ads in Frankfurt and give us an idea of what is out there. I ask Petra on a Tuesday night to incorporate this little project into one of her work days. By the next morning she has compiled a list with links for us to view a number of cars. Those Germans are so efficient, giving us more faith that buying in Frankfurt is the way to go!!! This is all preliminary of course, and we'll be begging her German speaking skills closer to the time of our departure. I'm sure bribing her with bottles of wine and perhaps some grappa will seal the deal!
What we have learned are our first few German words...
"Erstzulassung" tells you how old the car is
"Handschaltung" means it is a standard
"HU-Pruefung" tells you when they have to go to their next test (safety inspection).
$10 to any non-German who can pronounce these words correctly on the first try!!!! :)
What we have not learned are a whole bunch of other German words describing the car.
From what I can tell, a nice little compact (and pretty cute) used car is definitely in our budget (anyone know how the Euro translates into U.S. or CAD dollars?!!!). This also means I can pack a suitcase and not a backpack!!! Maybe there will be room for more than one pair of shoes!
So I believe we have confirmed that our idea of a real road trip is the way we are going. YAY! Now, chuckle to yourself as you picture 2 Canadians with only a map, a few phrase books (where is the bathroom?) and no European language skills tooling around the European countryside in a small second hand car. Also picture 2 people who both believe their navigational skills far exceed the other's. A recipe for a lot of laughter, if not disaster (ha ha ha). Stay tuned for "on the road" stories next year.
Yes, we are still eons away from the big road trip, but being the planner/organizer and just generally over-excited gal that I am, I believe we MUST start looking into our options for a vehicle immediately. What can we afford? Where will we buy it? How will we buy it? What about insurance? Is this even viable or will we be relegated to planes, trains and buses? You get the picture. Our first thought is to get on the internet and see what's out there. We need to know if this is even realistic (please be realistic!!!). Of course, going online to find a car in Europe poses one slight problem...neither of us speak anything but English. We have the idea of flying to Frankfurt (flights to Frankfurt are cheap and we figure the Germans build a good car) and buying a car there before heading to the Czech Republic. So we need a German translator....
Enter Petra, my fabulous friend who happens to be German and speaks/reads fluently. As Petra is currently bored out of her mind at work, I suggest a project for her...scan the used car ads in Frankfurt and give us an idea of what is out there. I ask Petra on a Tuesday night to incorporate this little project into one of her work days. By the next morning she has compiled a list with links for us to view a number of cars. Those Germans are so efficient, giving us more faith that buying in Frankfurt is the way to go!!! This is all preliminary of course, and we'll be begging her German speaking skills closer to the time of our departure. I'm sure bribing her with bottles of wine and perhaps some grappa will seal the deal!
What we have learned are our first few German words...
"Erstzulassung" tells you how old the car is
"Handschaltung" means it is a standard
"HU-Pruefung" tells you when they have to go to their next test (safety inspection).
$10 to any non-German who can pronounce these words correctly on the first try!!!! :)
What we have not learned are a whole bunch of other German words describing the car.
From what I can tell, a nice little compact (and pretty cute) used car is definitely in our budget (anyone know how the Euro translates into U.S. or CAD dollars?!!!). This also means I can pack a suitcase and not a backpack!!! Maybe there will be room for more than one pair of shoes!
So I believe we have confirmed that our idea of a real road trip is the way we are going. YAY! Now, chuckle to yourself as you picture 2 Canadians with only a map, a few phrase books (where is the bathroom?) and no European language skills tooling around the European countryside in a small second hand car. Also picture 2 people who both believe their navigational skills far exceed the other's. A recipe for a lot of laughter, if not disaster (ha ha ha). Stay tuned for "on the road" stories next year.
Monday, August 07, 2006
In the Beginning....
(Posted by Ange)
Shortly after meeting Dave, he suggested that I travel to Europe with him. He was planning a Fall trip, but could wait until Spring so I could save money and go with him. I quickly explained that saving money to go to Europe would likely take my entire life! Ah, but he is convincing and Europe is so enticing. We eventually decided that if I could save $2,000, we'd be okay and Dave would cover some of the extra costs. I would use my mom's airmiles to get my flight. It's amazing what a carrot like this in front of your face does! Suddenly I'm saving every extra $5 bill in my wallet and curbing my spending (or at least trying) like never before. I quickly russled up a box, wrote "Europe Fund" on it, and my savings started. Don't worry, I opened up an actual bank account this week so I don't have piles of $5 bills bursting out of a little box in my living room!
Being the planner that I am, I decided we must immediately go to Chapters and buy a book on traveling Europe. This we did and I have begun my research. This morning I was online printing weather charts for each country and some of the cities we intend to hit. I don't really want to be anywhere too cold, since we will be there over some winter months. Thankfully it doesn't cool down too much in the Mediterranean, where we will be near the end of our trip (if we end up following our vague plan that is!)
What we know for sure: We will land somewhere in Europe and buy a car. We will drive to the Czech republic to see some of Dave's family. We will then cut across Germany, to the Netherlands, and then drive the coast down and around France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and maybe over to Turkey, taking inland trips as we so desire. We'll be camping and hostelling for the most part, but since we'll have a car I will be able to pack a suitcase! (whew).
What we are winging: How long we'll stay in any given town or city. Where exactly we will go and where we will stay. What we'll see and do. This is going to be our excellent European road trip adventure, so I envision just driving around, stopping when we feel like it and going when we feel like. We have our general route planned and after that, who knows where the road will lead us...
Oh, one more thing. All those who know me, must be wondering how the hell I am going to save this money! Dave is going to move into my place in November...so with splitting costs, I should be able to save like crazy. And of course, while in Europe I'll still have my disability income! Hmmm...maybe there is something to be said about this whole Bipolar/can't work thing after all!
Shortly after meeting Dave, he suggested that I travel to Europe with him. He was planning a Fall trip, but could wait until Spring so I could save money and go with him. I quickly explained that saving money to go to Europe would likely take my entire life! Ah, but he is convincing and Europe is so enticing. We eventually decided that if I could save $2,000, we'd be okay and Dave would cover some of the extra costs. I would use my mom's airmiles to get my flight. It's amazing what a carrot like this in front of your face does! Suddenly I'm saving every extra $5 bill in my wallet and curbing my spending (or at least trying) like never before. I quickly russled up a box, wrote "Europe Fund" on it, and my savings started. Don't worry, I opened up an actual bank account this week so I don't have piles of $5 bills bursting out of a little box in my living room!
Being the planner that I am, I decided we must immediately go to Chapters and buy a book on traveling Europe. This we did and I have begun my research. This morning I was online printing weather charts for each country and some of the cities we intend to hit. I don't really want to be anywhere too cold, since we will be there over some winter months. Thankfully it doesn't cool down too much in the Mediterranean, where we will be near the end of our trip (if we end up following our vague plan that is!)
What we know for sure: We will land somewhere in Europe and buy a car. We will drive to the Czech republic to see some of Dave's family. We will then cut across Germany, to the Netherlands, and then drive the coast down and around France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and maybe over to Turkey, taking inland trips as we so desire. We'll be camping and hostelling for the most part, but since we'll have a car I will be able to pack a suitcase! (whew).
What we are winging: How long we'll stay in any given town or city. Where exactly we will go and where we will stay. What we'll see and do. This is going to be our excellent European road trip adventure, so I envision just driving around, stopping when we feel like it and going when we feel like. We have our general route planned and after that, who knows where the road will lead us...
Oh, one more thing. All those who know me, must be wondering how the hell I am going to save this money! Dave is going to move into my place in November...so with splitting costs, I should be able to save like crazy. And of course, while in Europe I'll still have my disability income! Hmmm...maybe there is something to be said about this whole Bipolar/can't work thing after all!
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