Going overseas - Anyone got a bit of advice (Jan/09/2007 )
This isn't a travel travel forum, i know, but still...
I'm going overseas for the first time (
), and am wondering if anyone has advice.
Basically i'm gone for 3 weeks at the end of august to the beginning of september... it's a long way off, i know. But this is a reward for working my arse off for the past 7 years, so i'm exited.
I'm gong to have a stop over in New York on a sunday... then going up to Montreal for a few days... a stop over in London... the train to Paris, spend a few days (will spend a day in Compiegne)... the train to Rome... spend a few days... a day in Munich, and then off home.
I picked up the e-tickets yesterday (a complete let down, i wanted real paper tickets!!), and blew the dust of my passport, tried not to look at the photo 
.
The thing is, I still don't know what i want to do in each place. My list of things to do includes everything, but i'm guessing that should be cut down. So, if there are any must see things to do, or things to avoid... like, don't were green on mondays in rome (i don't know), or you have to have a hot chocolate in such and such cafe... I would love to know about it.
V
I'm going overseas for the first time (
), and am wondering if anyone has advice.Basically i'm gone for 3 weeks at the end of august to the beginning of september... it's a long way off, i know. But this is a reward for working my arse off for the past 7 years, so i'm exited.
I'm gong to have a stop over in New York on a sunday... then going up to Montreal for a few days... a stop over in London... the train to Paris, spend a few days (will spend a day in Compiegne)... the train to Rome... spend a few days... a day in Munich, and then off home.
I picked up the e-tickets yesterday (a complete let down, i wanted real paper tickets!!), and blew the dust of my passport, tried not to look at the photo
.The thing is, I still don't know what i want to do in each place. My list of things to do includes everything, but i'm guessing that should be cut down. So, if there are any must see things to do, or things to avoid... like, don't were green on mondays in rome (i don't know), or you have to have a hot chocolate in such and such cafe... I would love to know about it.
V
congratulations on your travel!!! it will be so fun.
of all the places mentioned I have been to Italy twice. There I met with my boyfriend (yes my husband now and we spent all our time travelling all over italy by camping. I highly recommend camping! It's such fun. Dont spend your money on hotels. you can book hostels of course, i can recommend one hostel in rome where i stayed before meeting my bf in florence. But frankly in spite that Rome and Venise are being so loved, I adored florence instead. Most beautiful time spent there! and also if you can travel to Cicily that is just wonderful too... completely different from northern Italy. I have been to Milano too, but didnt like it at all 
. Other places I am sure others have much information. please ask me whatever comes to your mind. you made me remember most wonderful time of my life!
i booked a convent to stay in rome. down the street is the colosseum ( 
). it's run by a group of ukranian and spanish nuns who don't speak much italian... which is good because i do know a bit of ukranian... actually, my mum used to live in naples, and she goes on and on about it. she claims, if i visit italy, i probably won't (want to) leave.
in paris i'm staying at a little hotel in the 8e, near garde st lazare. it was cheaper than a hostel, and a lot more quiet and clean (i hope).
in montreal, i'm at a hostel in st catherine street. near a mexican restaurant. i think it's quite close to mcgill (if anyone from mcgill needs a post doc in a couple of years... give me a pm!!)
london... geez that place is expensive. i have a hostel, but right now, not to sure where it is... near a train station somewhere.
in NY, it's just a stop over, but i've got a hotel/hostel booked in west 20th street (i have to check out old copies of Law & Order, see if the street is mentioned)
i'm thinking about splurging out in munich. it's only for 1 night before i'm on a everlasting flight back to oz. haven't decided anything yet, maybe show up with a backpack in a 5* hotel.
i had a very bad experience camping when i was younger. i learned 2 lessons: 1, never ever let my mum book a hotel. 2, my mum is compeltely nuts and will convince you that there are axe murderers lurking outside the tent.
now, what to do in each place?
oh, as the trip draws closer, if anyone collects post cards and the like, i'd be happy to send some.
V
I'm going overseas for the first time (
), and am wondering if anyone has advice.Basically i'm gone for 3 weeks at the end of august to the beginning of september... it's a long way off, i know. But this is a reward for working my arse off for the past 7 years, so i'm exited.
I'm gong to have a stop over in New York on a sunday... then going up to Montreal for a few days... a stop over in London... the train to Paris, spend a few days (will spend a day in Compiegne)... the train to Rome... spend a few days... a day in Munich, and then off home.
I picked up the e-tickets yesterday (a complete let down, i wanted real paper tickets!!), and blew the dust of my passport, tried not to look at the photo
.The thing is, I still don't know what i want to do in each place. My list of things to do includes everything, but i'm guessing that should be cut down. So, if there are any must see things to do, or things to avoid... like, don't were green on mondays in rome (i don't know), or you have to have a hot chocolate in such and such cafe... I would love to know about it.
V
New York: They have a pass that let's you in to a pile of really great places: museums etc. My recommendations, from a 4-day stopover include the Metropolitan Museum, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum. Places to go: Central Park (it's huge!), SoHo, Greenwich village. Try to see a show, even an off, off, off Broadway show (we saw the Umbilical Brothers' first US show,; the Yanks didn't know what hit them...). If you go shopping in Times Square, haggle the price. The price you see in the window is for suckers only. Tell them you can get a better deal somewhere else, and the price will plummet. Go to Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero (if you are into it), Empire State. You can get a ferry ride around the island of Manhattan.
Montreal: don't know much., never been, but I hear the view from Mount Real is pretty good!
London: where to begin! The London Eye is excellent. Kew gardens, Richmond (great pub, including one called Henry's), Putney (great pubs), Central London (great pubs). More museums than you can poke a stick at! Wander along the Thames, open-top bus tours area good way to get a feel for the place. national Gallery. August/September you might get into Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. go to see the Tower of London on a Sunday, say you want to go to the chapel service (about 11am). You'll get in for free. Once the service is over (it's pretty good, actually), you are free to see the Tower itself.
Paris: apart from the usual places, get a train to Giverny and see Monet's Garden.
Rome/Italy: If you can get the, go up to Tuscany! I ave a friend who raved about Italy, and Tuscany in particular (her eyes would sort of glaze over, and she'd smile deeply...). I thought she was crazy until we went there for a week. Totally the most fantastic place!!!!
I don't think you'll make Oktoberfest, but if you're in town while it's on, GO!
Only other advise: take more money than you think you'll need, or clear off your credit card. It sounds like this trip will need to be a "see it, like it, buy it" one. And as for accommodation, we found t hat Catholic hostels are really good cheap, CLEAN places to stay for a couple of days, if youth hostels are too busy.
I was in Paris and Rome 2 month ago (I miss them 
)
In Paris 
the must seen are arc triumph, tour eifel,Louvre (need at least 2.5h to see something, because it impossible to see all), Les Invalides palace and Notre Dame and if have time visit Montmartre is a boheme place and Versailles (is about 1/2h from paris), but is sooo beautiful!!!!. In Rome and the Vatican obviusly the Sixtine chapel(dont know if i write right) they open from 8:45am-12:30pm(is close on sundays) so go there first if you dont want to miss it and then St Peter basilic (?) don't matter the religion is just a so beautiful that is a must seen. Trevi's fountain and throw a coin and ask 3 wishes (return to rome, find the true love, and get divorce...I just ask the first 2). also visit the pantheon. There is so much to do in Paris and Rome that you will never be bore. Enjoy the travel,take a lot of photos ( I took about 700)( but I visit spain, france, italy and monaco ). and begin to save $$ for the return Paris and Rome and if you could go to Madrid
Gugghengeim Museum is in Bilbao (Spain), not in NY
You have chosen nice places, but why don´t you come to Spain? Once you are in France/Italy, Spain is near, things are cheaper here than in other places as London or Paris and there are very beautiful and a big variety of landscapes, beaches and cities (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla)
Hope you come here in another occasion
Thats true spain is beautiful, cheaper and have really good food, but the beaches????I don't know, but I did not see a really good beach,if you want to see a really good beach must go to the caribbean. For me the best beach is a almost secret beach and is in Vieques, Puerto Rico and its name is Media Luna (Half Moon). The sand is white and fine as flour and the water is so clear that you can see your toes. and the best of all to few people know it so you could see just a few visitors.
oh, i wanted to go to spain... but then i couldn't get a ticket back home (extra miles and not at the time i needed the plane). so spain in going to be on big trip #2. going to have to see puerto rico on that one.
i really need 3 months, not 3 weeks.
first really important question is... what's open on a sunday in NY?
i've got so many guide books and travel brouchures at home (my kitchen table looks like a tip)... well, it's definately something to think about when doing routine tissue culture work.
V
I would think that most things are open.....Ive been there a few times and I dont remember ever being short of things to do, even on a sunday. Hope you have a great trip. If you dont have time to catch a show in New York, be sure to see one in the west end in London - book your tickets in advance though - much less hassle than having to find the box office to collect them (learned that the hard way!) try and get to the top of the arc de triumph in Paris, and of course the eiffel tower
Gugghengeim Museum is in Bilbao (Spain), not in NY
You have chosen nice places, but why don´t you come to Spain? Once you are in France/Italy, Spain is near, things are cheaper here than in other places as London or Paris and there are very beautiful and a big variety of landscapes, beaches and cities (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla)
Hope you come here in another occasion
Sorry, but the <original> Guggenheim is in NY, on 5th Ave. Do you remember the scene at the start of MIB, when Will Smith is chasing a guy who runs straight up a circular wall, but he has to go in through the door and run up the spiral walkway inside? That's the Guggenheim. The full name is the Solomon Guggenheim Museum, whereas the Spanish one is the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.
An original image from 1959
Also, thinking about Paris, Versailles used to have the fountains working occasionally through summer. I think it was the first sunday of the month, but it might have been more frequent. There must be a website with that info. If you can swing it, the fountains are fantastic.