I don't care what they're going to say, those office clothes never fit me anyway.

[Raincloak]

I've been unemployed for a while now, partly because after two layoffs in three months last winter, I decided I was sick of the only decent-paying skill set I had, namely office work.  I looked at some new jobs, but my heart just wasn't in it.

 

After a truly frustrating week, I'm now plotting to quit messing around and leave for the overseas trip I have long dreamed about.  Departure is in three weeks!  (omgwtfbbq.)  The family is traveling to a wedding, but when they go home, I'm staying in Europe.

 

Meanwhile, I finally decided to pick up the clothes that have been decorating my floor for, um, a really long time.  I'm in declutter mode so I tried on all my old office slacks and am getting rid of several pairs that I not only hated to wear, they never really fit in the first place.  (One reason I got tired of office work was the clothes.  However hard I tried, I couldn't find work-appropriate clothes that looked good and were comfortable on me.  I don't know why, my size is quite common, but they seem to cut the darn clothes for stick-thin girls or older women with pear shapes, neither of which describes me.)

 

let this discarding of ill-fitting dress slacks make way for the life I really want.  I don't know exactly what that will be, but I'm hoping it won't involve nylon.

[smazzon1]

Have fun on your trip! That's awesome that you're going for it, I think a lot of people hesitate and eventually lose the chance to do something like that. I'm sure it'll be a great time!

[Manarelle]

I can totally sympathize with you on the "nothing fits." I wonder if everyone feels that way, and mass-made clothing really just is one size fits no one? Anyhow, good luck and congrats on the trip! I hope you have an absolutely fantastic journey.

[NeverThatBored]

Office clothes suck. Even when they "fit" they don't seem to really fit. Makes you wonder who they're even designed for.

 

Good for you for going on the trip you've been dreaming about!

[Raincloak]

checking the numbers, it looks like my trip will be a bit shorter than I imagined, as I'll have to come back to the states for a family reunion in late June.  That still gives me a good month and a half to toodle around and see a boatload of sights, though.  I will have to prioritize a bit more and go back for the rest another time.

 

So much prepping and planning to do, but I feel better now that I've set a timetable.  I really function better in the world of "X happened, so let's figure out what's next" rather than "Y might happen someday so let's plan for it."  As usual, well-meaning relatives are trying to overload me with information and options, but I'm practicing not letting it get to me.

[Raincloak]

still getting overwhelmed, but have done some reading and booked the first few bits of transportation.  good god, flights to Europe are f--king expensive.  (Don't give me that "airline miles hacking" business ... I've tried, and the airlines and credit scum just run rings around me.)  Fortunately I'm cheap to feed, shelter and entertain.

 

Current itinerary: London/Bristol (12 days), Paris (x days, probably 5-7), rest of France (0-10 days), Spain (at least 7 days, probably more like 16), Portugal (3-7 days), and at least a day in Morocco via ferry from Spain.  We'll see how well I remember my Spanish (and how fast I can learn French ... setting a goal of 200 words, shouldn't be impossible with my memory and three weeks to practice).

 

I'll have to very sadly pass on the Germanic lands, Scandinavia, the eastern Mediterranean, and central/eastern Europe.  Everyone's like "holy shit you're going for SIX WHOLE WEEKS?!" but it's just not enough time to visit a whole continent.  Guess that just means I'll have to go again later xD

 

wheeeeeeeee!  So terrified but also very pleased.  Just gotta keep reminding myself that whatever I choose is already perfect.

[Manarelle]

Sounds like fun (and also I'm super jealous!). For what it's worth, I speak fluent French, and have been able to communicate with Spanish/Hispanic people fairly well in the past. It takes some gesturing and working around complex word structures, but it's not impossible to get by with two people speaking the different languages. I'm sure you'll do wonderfully!

 

Good luck, and have a blast!

[wanderbound]

That sounds amazing!  I just got back from a trip backpacking with my little brother -- we definitely tried to cram way too much into a five week trip, but he rarely gets to travel and wanted to see as much as possible.  There's nothing like the feeling of being independent in a strange city, free of expectation and obligation... you will have an awesome time!!

 

I loved Spain, would have loved to see more than just Barcelona, which is where our trip started...  And Portugal is totally on my bucket list.  If you are staying at hostels, I will tell you that we had a poor experience with St Christopher's at Gard du Nor in Paris -- lots of groups of teenage kids, a very overpriced bar and no kitchens/no food in the rooms.  They have a second location, but that one in particular was a negative for us.

[minimuggle]

Your trip sounds amazing!  I'm very jealous!  Have a fantastic time!!

[Lady Aislyn]

let this discarding of ill-fitting dress slacks make way for the life I really want.  I don't know exactly what that will be, but I'm hoping it won't involve nylon.

 

Touche!  Good for you & have fun on your trip!

[Raincloak]

cleaning house and running mega errands.  I'm only going for six weeks but it feels like I'm going to be gone for a year.

 

That sounds amazing!  I just got back from a trip backpacking with my little brother -- we definitely tried to cram way too much into a five week trip, but he rarely gets to travel and wanted to see as much as possible.  There's nothing like the feeling of being independent in a strange city, free of expectation and obligation... you will have an awesome time!!

 

I loved Spain, would have loved to see more than just Barcelona, which is where our trip started...  And Portugal is totally on my bucket list.  If you are staying at hostels, I will tell you that we had a poor experience with St Christopher's at Gard du Nor in Paris -- lots of groups of teenage kids, a very overpriced bar and no kitchens/no food in the rooms.  They have a second location, but that one in particular was a negative for us.

 

good tip, thank you!  I still haven't chosen a bed in Paris, some of the hostels look a bit scary and others are expensive!  But I see some airbnb entries that look promising, if I can fight through that language barrier.  I'll probably crash near Gare du Nord for at least the first night.

 

anxiety is srsly biting my ass, but I have a to-do list and I know how to use it!  I'll be so glad when I'm safely across the Atlantic and all I have to worry about is where my next meal and bed are at.

[wanderbound]

cleaning house and running mega errands.  I'm only going for six weeks but it feels like I'm going to be gone for a year.

 

 

good tip, thank you!  I still haven't chosen a bed in Paris, some of the hostels look a bit scary and others are expensive!  But I see some airbnb entries that look promising, if I can fight through that language barrier.  I'll probably crash near Gare du Nord for at least the first night.

 

anxiety is srsly biting my ass, but I have a to-do list and I know how to use it!  I'll be so glad when I'm safely across the Atlantic and all I have to worry about is where my next meal and bed are at.

 

I think our hostel in Paris was second most expensive in the trip behind the one in Amsterdam, and both were St. Christopher's.  The Gare du Nord location was excellent, convenient when coming in and good metro coverage.  I've also had really good Air B&B experiences -- if we hadn't been doing a shoestring trip I totally would have gone with Air B&B instead!

 

My only other Paris tip is that while we were planning on getting a Visite pass for the public transport, a local friend turned us on to the Mobilis pass instead -- the Visite pass includes discounts at various attractions, but it would be pretty tough to use the discount for enough attractions per day to make the pass worth it.  If you go with Mobilis you will break even at three or four one way rides, which for us turned out to be a much better deal, especially since you can find coupons for other attractions online and with your hotels etc...  I don't think we ever left zones 1-2 during our stay, so we went with the cheapest possible pass and saved every day.

 

MAN!  Just talking about it makes me envious!!

[Raincloak]

soooo ... guess who didn't get all her errands done?  *waves*   yeah that's me.

 

1.5 days left.  eep!

[ringular]

I spent a few weeks all across Andalusia, Spain and I totally fell in love with it. I hope you will have some time to check it out. But since you will travel tarifa- tanger (I suppose) you will.

Good luck, have the best of times and save travels

[Jett]

Ooh, crunch time! Get those priorities done, and let the rest sort itself out.

 

Personally, I prefer to visit one or two locations in depth, rather than running around accross an entire continent. But I understand - getting to and from Europe is expensive; you have to fit as much of that visiting as you can into one go! I am also jealous; I hope you have a great time!

[Raincloak]

I spent a few weeks all across Andalusia, Spain and I totally fell in love with it. I hope you will have some time to check it out. But since you will travel tarifa- tanger (I suppose) you will.

Good luck, have the best of times and save travels

 

ooooooh so what should I make sure not to miss in Spain??  I'm getting a guidebook (Rick Steves ftw), but I definitely want more input, esp from nerds.  Currently topping my list are Barcelona (friends raved about it) and Granada (history nerd, absolutely positively seeing Alhambra).  Sites of historical interest, museums, famous gardens/parks, and exceptional food are my beacons.

[Igaduma]

ooooooh so what should I make sure not to miss in Spain??  I'm getting a guidebook (Rick Steves ftw), but I definitely want more input, esp from nerds.  Currently topping my list are Barcelona (friends raved about it) and Granada (history nerd, absolutely positively seeing Alhambra).  Sites of historical interest, museums, famous gardens/parks, and exceptional food are my beacons.

Barcelona is great.  Make sure to visit Granada if possible (it's on the other side of Spain though), but you already planned on visiting those two.

Toledo is nice and I like San Sebastian a lot too.

 

Iggy

[ringular]

Citywise Seville is very nice to visit. Ronda is a small city with such an impressive bridge architecture.

Gibraltar is worth a days visit too to climb the rock and shake hands with the rock apes and you have that weird mixture of Spanish and British lifestyle.

If you're interested in sherry you should visit the Osborne distillery in jerez. The whole scenery in andalucia is what made it so rememberable. Old small cities hold in simple moorish architecture on mountains, in contrast the influence of the Christian Church with their churches and the royal buildings of the monarchs of the past, the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast lines, simply a lot to take in. The donana national park was very pretty. That's just from the top of my head.

[Raincloak]

people keep telling me how great Spain is, I can't wait to see it.   But saying goodbye to Paris will make me sad, I'm loving it here.  Except the smokers everywhere.  I could do without those.

 

Now I'm thinking maybe skip Lisbon and see Seville instead.  Oh, if only I had more time... but like the Terminator, I will be back.  Except not like the Terminator, because instead of killing things I'm just here to eat, sightsee, and photograph like crazy.

[Raincloak]

I'm baaaaaaack!!  What a ride that was!  I needed a few days of sleeping and lounging before I could even think about Responsible Stuff.  But now it's time to sort photos, write blog, and get back to work.  Phooey, work... I gotta get moving on that dream job thing.

 

Spain was great.  Never got to three of the big cities I wanted to see (Seville, Toledo, Cordoba) but did see Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, and cute little Tarifa.  The day trip to Tangier, Morocco was less exciting than I imagined, but educational nonetheless.

 

Tip for travelers in Europe: BlaBlaCar is the shit (in a good way).  It's like AirBnB but for hitchhikers.  It saved my ass a few times when buses weren't available.  The only catch is communicating with the driver.  My Spanish was adequate for most purposes, including many phone calls, but I had to get help with a driver who refused to enunciate and had an accent that involves dropping a lot of consonants.  Sorry Spain, but I hate your accent.  At least in Mexico they pronounce (most) things like they're spelled.