So, Yeah, I’m Going (back) to Europe…
 to Europe…)
It’s been a few weeks since I paid for my flight, but I’ve been a little reluctant to make it official. If, to me, it’s official once I write a blog post on it… well, then, I guess this makes it official. On April 17th, I head back to Europe, to backpack around the continent, almost 15 years since my epic 2 month trip in 1998.
Here’s a little run-down on what I have planned for this 24 day adventure.
Tjörnin- Downtown Reykjavik
Iceland-
As it was in 1998, I found the cheapest USA to Europe option through Icelandair. Flying with Iceland’s National carrier added a bonus, one that most people don’t know about- any flight from the USA to Europe can include a stopover of up to seven days at no extra cost.
I did this stopover back in 1998, but it was only a two-day stopover, and due to crippling nerves, jetleg, and a memorable meal on the first night, I wasn’t able to make the most of that stopover, but Iceland certainly caught my imagination then, and has been on my mind ever since.
Thingviller National Park, Iceland
I’m planning on seeing both Reykjavik, The Blue Lagoon, and The Golden Circle, which I saw last time around. I did The Golden Circle on a day trip from Reykjavik, like so most people do- this time, I’m going to rent a car and hopefully that will allow me more time to see the sights, and avoid the crowds. The rental car will hopefully give me some freedom on the third day of my four-day stopover to get even more adventurous.
Amsterdam-
Ohhh, Amsterdam. My relationship with this city is far too complicated for one blog post (for any blog post really), but I’m excited to be going back. I’m going to be making the most of my two days in the city. I’m not going to go into too much detail here but I will be revisiting the Aalsmeer Flower Market, one of the most fascinating excursions I have even done… anywhere. I’m also pumped for my time in Amsterdam, because, if the plans go as planned, I’ll be spending the time there with one of my favorite virtual friends and a gifted blogger. More on that once they book their flight 
Oh, yeah, Flowers in spring in The Netherlands… which means The Keukenhof (more on that coming later)…
The Grand Place, Brussels
Brussels (and Belgium)-
I’m not giving up much here (mostly because I’m still working on some pretty awesome stuff), but I have 2 1/2 days in the beer capital of the world. There are plenty of hints there, but that’s all you’re getting now.
Germany-
This is where the itinerary gets a little complicated. As of now, and there is still a lot of room for movement for during these days, I plan on doing a Rhine Cruise (which I did in 1986 & 1997), and hopefully visiting some more of my blogger friends (although this is still up in the air and not something I’m announcing until plans are more sure)…
… and an afternoon in Munich as well. That should be enough for a visit to the Hofbrauhaus, one of my best memories (twice) from 1998.
Venice-
I did a lot with this itinerary to include Venice, and I’m still not positive I’ll be able to pull it off. There a few places, on a continent of singular places, that are as singular as Venice. I intend to get every minute out of this day long visit.
San Marino, Florence & The Cinque Terre-
I’ve only been to Florence of these three. I wasn’t going back to Europe without visiting the Cinque Terre, and much like my day in Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand last year, I have some days built-in to make sure I’m able to maximize the weather conditions. That’s no guarantee, but I hope for the best.
Lake Geneva
Switzerland (and the amazing scenic trains there)-
My three days in Switzerland will be dominated by two amazing train trips- The Wilhelm Tell Express & The Golden Pass. Schedule permitting (and weather and about 1000 other factors) I’ll come back with some pretty amazing pictures.
Hopefully, 14 years later, they’ve removed the scaffolding from Notre Dame
Paris (and some)-
I end in Paris, since that is where my flight home leaves from. I have 4 1/2 days in France, and some of the time will be spent in Paris, but I also hope to visit two places that have long been on my bucket list- Mont Saint Michel and the D-Day Beaches of Normandy. Hopefully I have enough money left by the end of the trip to pull it off.
When I got back from New Zealand last June, I had my whole sights focused on finding a way to return to New Zealand. Somewhere over the year, I began consider a return to Europe, especially since it had been so long. As excited as I am about this trip, it’s hard for me to imagine any trip being as awesome as last year’s to New Zealand was.
As you can see from the pictures in this post, almost all of my Europe picture were shot with my old point and shoot film camera. They are decent for the time, but they do not scan well. In New Zealand, I had the opportunity to photograph many amazing landscapes. Europe provides a different photographic challenge, and that, I think, was the factor that made the decision for me.
I’ll have more pre-trip posts coming up in the next few weeks.
35 Responses to “So, Yeah, I’m Going (back) to Europe…”
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Two weeks! It’s … dare I say it : “The Final Countdown.” By Europe … naturally.
My boss keeps playing that song in the office
That guitar riff is now ringing in my head.
If I didn’t like you so much I’d hate you right now. Have fun and know I’m totally jealous.
Thanks! Now you know how I feel about your most of the rest of the year
Looks like a great itinerary, Erik. So psyched for you!!! I visited the Cinque Terre a while ago and loved it. It was so relaxing!!!
Can’t wait to see your photos, etc. Have a great trip!
Thanks, Lisa. It’s a pretty crowded itinerary, even I’m curious if I can pull it off!
Did you get a special Rail Pass? If so, I’d like to chat with you!
I do have a rail pass. I used to sell them also at the travel bookstore I used to work at in Chicago. Let’s try to chat this week as I leave Wednesday!
Wow! So many places to fit into 3 weeks of travel, would be interested in seeing your itinerary
It’s a crowded itinerary for sure. I’m fairly certain I won’t get to everything on it- but that ok, too. I like to set my goals high!
Can’t wait to read about this trip and hear about your meetups with fellow bloggers! It’s been a couple of years since I was able to meet up with someone
I’ve had precious few meet-ups. The biggest one comes at TBEX a few weeks after I get back. I sure hope I have the courage to go!
Sounds amazing. I wish I could do something similar–it’s like a dream trip! And there are quite a few places on your itinerary I haven’t been. Looking forward to hearing more about it.
Many of these places have been on my mind for over a decade since the last Eurail trip. A ton more got cut because of time and money restraints. One could travel in Europe endlessly it seems…
Wonderful sharing with lovely pictures Eirk ..thanx n great day !
Europe my all time favourite !!Cheers !!
Sounds like a great trip!
Thanks Kris! It should be… It should be interesting after the 15 year gap!
Erik, your trip sounds amazing! I hope it’s a great trip down memory lane with lots of new experiences thrown in to boot. You’ll have to PM me your whereabouts because we might be able to catch up! I’ll be heading to Amsterdam, Germany, and Paris around that time, and maybe even Switzerland for the train rides. It would be so cool to finally meet you!
That would be cool! Let’s see if we can make that work!
Exiting. Hope you find enough has changed to make it thrilling but enough has remained the same that you’ll find it comforting.
That’s just the thing about Europe, for the most part, time just seems to stand still. I’m sure it’ll feel like a bit of a time warp, with me being the only thing that has changed in the last 15 years
Awesome itinerary my friend…If you get stressed out in the planning stages, you know where to find me:)
Thanks Deej- it’s ambitious, but that is how I travel- make the most out of everyday!
Eric this looks like an amazing trip and you have much to look forward to. I’m particularly envious of the Iceland portion.
I’m especially excited to see Iceland again- I’m sure I will make more out of it this time than I did last time!
It sounds like a great trip. I have been thinking about trying to re-create the original trip that I took to Europe. I look forward to hearing about your trip.
Revisiting some of the places I visited those many years ago is appealing. Most of the time when I am planning trips, I focus on visiting new places. This should be a unique experience.
Sounds like you have a great and very busy trip lined up. I hope the weather stays nice for you, especially with the short stay cities.
It sounds like you got a great deal on your flights.
Yeah, the Icelandair free stopover certainly make them a great option.
It is busy, but that is how I like my trips- maximizing the time I have!
Oh aren’t you the lucky one! I’m really envious!!! I loved Iceland although found it horribly expensive.xxxxx
I’m sure it will be expensive, but from the prices I’ve looked at, it seems more in line with the rest of Europe than it was back on my first visit in 1998. They’ve been hit especially hard by the world economic recession and also some bad governmental decisions.
Sounds like you have a lot packed in. I’m looking forward to your Iceland trip report. It looks like a beautiful outdoors destination, and it’s a quick flight for me from the northeast. But I’m hesitant to go because it sounds like it would break the bank.
There are a lot of ways in Iceland to save some money, and I’m going to investigate them while I am there. It’s expensive, but worth it.