Preparation: The Plan

All packed up and ready to go! Before now, I've only ever had to pack for a 3 week trip. Packing for 2 months and for 2 different seasons was a new challenge, but mission accomplished! I definitely over-packed, per usual, but due to my superior packing skills, it all fit in one pack, 30 pounds, and one small carry-on, 5 pounds. Not bad considering I had to pack for 90-degree days on the Mediterranean and 40-degree days in the Alps, all in one bag.

Boarding passes printed, passport in pocket, camera charged, phone charged, money exchanged, shoes on, annnnd we're off. Now the hurry-up-and-wait begins. Driving to Chicago from Grand Rapids, then a non-stop overnight flight to Dublin. Thankfully I sleep like a baby on planes.

So here is the rough itinerary/list of places I will be traveling to in Europe:

Ireland: Dublin and the West Coast
Belgium: Brussels
Netherlands: Amsterdam
Spain: Madrid and Barcelona
Italy: Pisa, Rome, Florence, Venice
Austria: Vienna
Czech Republic: Prague
Poland: Krakow, Wroclaw
Finland: Helsinki
Sweden: Stockholm, Gothenburg
Denmark: Copenhagen
Germany: (cities TBD)
Luxembourg (possibly)
Switzerland (cities TBD)

In most of these cities, I'll have the luxury of staying with people that I know, mostly international students that I met at North Park and friends that are studying abroad or working abroad. I specifically planned my itinerary around cities where I knew I could stay with someone I know. This has major financial benefits, but I'll also have a local to show me around, which is an even bigger benefit. In the cities where I don't know anyone, I will either be CouchSurfing (www.couchsurfing.org) or finding a cheap hostel. I won't be living in luxury by any means, but I'm on a tight budget and have no complaints. In my opinion, it will be more of an adventure to travel this way anyway, and that is my goal after all, isn't it?

I can't wait for the adventures to come. Even as I write this, knowing that in less than 24 hours I will be in Europe, it still doesn't feel real. Someone pinch me. Off I go!