Hello Lovely Ladies & Gents,
Sorry that I have been so scarce this past week – but I have
great reasoning!
My travel plans have finally been set in motion! My plane ticket back over to the great big jungle of London has now been booked and I have found my absolute dream Contiki tour which I am in the process of booking as I hurriedly type this out to share the news!
My travel plans have finally been set in motion! My plane ticket back over to the great big jungle of London has now been booked and I have found my absolute dream Contiki tour which I am in the process of booking as I hurriedly type this out to share the news!
Now that it has become reality and it is just a matter of
weeks to go, my nerves are starting to kick in.
It worked out to be a lot more pricey than I had ever bargained for and I have yet to figure out how on earth I am going to afford nearly three weeks in London on top of a 21 day camping euro tour! It’s mainly food that is the biggest concern. Obviously I am slightly gutted not to be able to go and splash around in Primarks and Topshop but some sacrifices need to be made in order to live the dream.
I’m going to travel NOT shop. This is not a shopping trip; it is a trip of exploring, going on an adventure! It is a trip to see a small slice of the world and to find the independence that I just couldn’t muster up when I tried to go back to London at eighteen years old.
I have been given a second chance – and I am going to do everything I possibly can to make the most of it.
Along my journey I will see London, Paris, The French Riveira, The Swiss Alps, Florence, Rome, Venice, Munich, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam!
I won’t have any extra spending money for souvenirs’ or to do a lot of the optional activities like the cabaret show in Paris for example (that show is nearly R1000.00 alone!!!) literally everything I have saved has got to go towards food and some of the optional tour guided activities that I’d be more interested in - and I have to be clever about it too. I can’t go and indulge in a Big Mac here and there; everything I eat has got to be cheap and cheerful. I have to wave goodbye to my fellow contiki group while they go and view museums etc and save my euro’s for the things that truly interest me such a Gondola ride in Venice (21 Euro’s) etc etc etc…
It worked out to be a lot more pricey than I had ever bargained for and I have yet to figure out how on earth I am going to afford nearly three weeks in London on top of a 21 day camping euro tour! It’s mainly food that is the biggest concern. Obviously I am slightly gutted not to be able to go and splash around in Primarks and Topshop but some sacrifices need to be made in order to live the dream.
I’m going to travel NOT shop. This is not a shopping trip; it is a trip of exploring, going on an adventure! It is a trip to see a small slice of the world and to find the independence that I just couldn’t muster up when I tried to go back to London at eighteen years old.
I have been given a second chance – and I am going to do everything I possibly can to make the most of it.
Along my journey I will see London, Paris, The French Riveira, The Swiss Alps, Florence, Rome, Venice, Munich, Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam!
I won’t have any extra spending money for souvenirs’ or to do a lot of the optional activities like the cabaret show in Paris for example (that show is nearly R1000.00 alone!!!) literally everything I have saved has got to go towards food and some of the optional tour guided activities that I’d be more interested in - and I have to be clever about it too. I can’t go and indulge in a Big Mac here and there; everything I eat has got to be cheap and cheerful. I have to wave goodbye to my fellow contiki group while they go and view museums etc and save my euro’s for the things that truly interest me such a Gondola ride in Venice (21 Euro’s) etc etc etc…
57 days and counting…
I feel like a swarm of frantic, confused butterflies have
just been released in my stomach. I’m a cocktail mixture of excited, overwhelmed,
nervous, scared and just f***** happy! I’ve been shaken AND STIRRED!
Has anyone else done a contiki tour before?
Does anyone have any packing advice? Things you never
thought you’d need until you got here? Need all the advice I can get!
Hope you are all having a gorgeous weekend.
J
This is soooooooo exciting, this trip will be something you will never ever forget I can guarantee it! I haven't done this type of travelling before (although I have travelled a lot) so not many tips for packing but small bottle opener/corkscrew is obviously a must! If you are saving money then there is nothing better than buying some cheap beers or wine from a local supermarket of wherever you are at and choosing a scenic place to sit and drink it at sunset with new found friends. Even on our luxury mini breaks we still do this, we walk to the local supermarket and choose a wine or beer we have never heard of (must be cheap lol) and then go sit on a monument or in a pretty park and snuggle up and have a drink. Sometimes we even meet new people to show us around the city we are in that way. Great fun.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear more about this trip, I am excited for you!
Janine xx
Bake, Glue and Trend!
A corkscrew has been added to my list :)
DeleteI don't think buying the occasional bottle of wine is going to happen too often though unfortunately... when I say I'm barely scraping through, I really mean it!!
If only I could pack bottles with me hahaha silly liquid plane rules...
oooh so lucky to be seeing such lovely cities. I need a break just like the one you are about to embark on. Enjoy it Jade. I think I would get myself in to a lot of debt though if I did this, as there is no way I could travel and not shop for clothes - that might explain why I am sitting here on a Saturday night typing in Birmingham! x
ReplyDeletehttp://forcailini.blogspot.com
I also had a very relaxed Saturday night, in bed by 9pm. Had an hours rest before a summer storm rolled in and I sat up all night watching the lightening and depleting a bottle of dad's brandy. Ooops.
DeleteWow that meas we'll be seeing nice places to be posted here. I am excited for you dear. I also love to travel. If I have all the time ad money, I will travel half of my life. Haha. By the way, I followed you. Would you mind checking my blog again and follow me back, too? I'll be glad.
ReplyDeleteXX, IamJenniya
Done! Thank you for your comment!
DeleteYes I'll be doing some amazing posts :)
J x
How exciting for you!!
DeleteIf you'd like to meet up whilst you're in London let me know, I live nearby and would be happy to visit you, I know lots of cheap/free things to do that are fun.
Lx
www.whatlisawrote.blogspot.co.uk