Craig is moving to the UK on Thursday. He’s been flying back and forth for about a year now, and he’s now at a point where circumstances have forced him to make the move permanent. The actual original plan (pretty much since the day we met) was that we would end up in Europe eventually, so this is indeed according to plan. Except that I don’t want to go to the UK, Micole is writing her finals, I have my oncology care to consider etc etc. Craig wants us to go to Europe asap (he’s happy for it to be somewhere other than the UK), but I am definitely taking my time with any commitments.
Nevertheless, we do want to go in December, even just for a quick visit. But if one has three weeks to do as one pleases in Europe, what does one do? Honestly, I have too many ideas. Not for me, of course. I’ve done Europe. And I honestly feel too tired to do too much touristy stuff. But my kids! They want the whole shebang!
So I started to look around at the Eurorail as an option of travel. And…oh my God! I have never really travelled extensively by train, but the idea that you can buy a 15 day pass and go anywhere, anytime you want is actually just thrilling. The website has some sample itineraries, and suddenly I want to pack a suitcase and spend a full year getting lost. Can you imagine?
So how would I spend 3 weeks in Europe? I’d fly into London, take the Eurostar to Paris, travel south to Monaco and North Italy, hit Zurich, then through Germany to Prague and then back West along some route that would end me up in Amsterdam, and then somehow back to London. I realise this is more like a 3 month trip rather than a 3 week trip, and I could get pretty tired of it all rather quickly, but at this stage I am still choosing to romanticise it 🙂
I think what holds the most appeal for me here is that I would not have to visit an airport during my trip. I would also not have to do much driving. I actually do love to take road trips, but for this December trip I just want o chill. And honestly…what better place to chill than a gently rolling train swooshing past European scenery. Wonder how long it will take Zac to be bored out of his mind.
(Speaking of trains, I am reminded of the episode of Travels with my Father, Netflix. The one where they go to Vietnam and have to wait for a train. If you have watched the episode (Season 1) then you are laughing with me. If you haven’t …do! It’s hilarious. We were on the floor!)
Obviously a big part of the appeal of a trip like this is the actual planning. Or lack thereof! Would we plan our itinerary, book the cozy AirBnBs or fancy hotels (our preference can go either way at any time), or do we throw caution to the wind and just wing the whole trip at our own pace? I can see my kids turning the planning experience into a fine tuned operation of epic proportions.
Anyway…it’s an option that requires a tad more research. But even if December is not quite the right time for it, it’s definitely a bucket list item that will need to be crossed off sometime in 2020.
