Europe!

My dream for the past 6 years is finally coming true! My friends and I are traveling to Europe in May 2011. I want to be able to document our journey from the very beginning. We have wanted to go since Freshman year, and this year it is working out! Today was our first "official" meeting to plan our itinerary. Before the meeting, we all gathered rather broad information on Europe. We are using Rick Steves books mainly and going off the advice of family and friends. After meeting for 3.5 hours, we have our itinerary nailed down! Here it is:

Europe Itinerary

May 3rd- Tuesday
-leave Jackson in the AM

May 4th- Wednesday
-arrive in London- (Heathrow Airport LHR) in the AM
-all day in London

May 5th- Thursday
-London

May 6th- Friday
-leave London via the Chunnel in the AM for a 2.5 hr ride to Paris
-Paris

May 7th-Saturday
-Paris

May 8th-Sunday
-leave in the AM for Rothenburg; 5.5 hr ride
-Rothenburg

May 9th- Monday
-leave Rothenburg in the early afternoon for a bus ride to Dinkbulhl via the Romantic road in the early afternoon
-train from D to Munich; 3 hrs.

May 10th- Tuesday
-spend day in Munich
-night train to Salzburg 8 hrs.

May 11th- Wednesday
-arrive in Salzburg in the AM and spend the night

May 12- Thursday
-leave Salzburg in AM for Hallstatt
-night train from Hallstatt to Venice 8-10 hrs.

May 13- Friday
-arrive in Venice in the AM

May 14th- Saturday
-late afternoon train from Venice to Florence (Santa Maria Novella train station) 3.5 hrs
-PM in Florence

May 15-Sunday
-Florence
-leave Florence by 3:30 for Cinque Terre

May 16- Monday
-spend day traveling through the Cinque Terre
-leave Monterossa by 3:30 for Rome; 4.5 hrs

May 17th- Tuesday
-Rome

May 18th- Wednesday
-Rome

May 19th-Thursday
-leave Rome (FCO) for Home

May 20th-Friday
-arrive in Jackson

We have written down our itinerary on a google doc. Under the itinerary we have the cities written down, and we have notes under the cities. This way we can write what we find. In early January, we will book plane tickets, buy EuroRail passes, and book hostels. It is advised to book hostels months in advance, so we are going with that advice.

It is important to have someone in the group who will be assertive with reservations, schedules, timing, etc. Out of the 3 of us going, I am the one who loves to plan so I am planning our trip! I want to make sure that Martha and Rebekah do not think that I am taking over the trip. It is important to listen to everyones ideas and all compromise. We are planning on staying in cheap hostels/hotels and backpacking our way through. This will be a whirlwind of an adventure, but we are so looking forward to it. This is our first time in Europe, and we want to see as much as we can.