As I've been chattering non-stop about since winter break, I've decided to spend 3 months traveling around (some of) Eastern Europe this summer. I'm going at it alone for the most part, but a few friends have said that they might come join me for a few days or a week here or there.
The past few months I've been shopping for travel-friendly footwear, clothing, a towel, a backpack, a little netbook, a travel guide, small books with tiny print, a money belt, sunglasses, etc. It should be an interesting challenge trying to get almost everything I need for 3 months packed into one bag. I've never been a light packer... I've been known to bring an entire suitcase and a full backpack home to Ottawa from Kingston for the weekend.
For the dates below, I'm listing the nights that I'll be staying in each place. So when I say for example July 6th-8th, I mean that I'll be staying for the nights of the 6th, 7th, and 8th, and leaving for the next place during the day on the 9th.
Anyway, my itinerary so far:
May 9th-15th - Austria (4 nights Vienna, 3 nights Salzburg)
May 16th-22nd - Czech Republic (5 nights Prague, 2 nights Brno)
May 23rd-28th - Slovakia (6 nights Bratislava)
May 29th-June 4th - Hungary (7 nights Budapest)
June 5th-June 10th - Slovenia (2 nights Ptuj, 2 nights Ljublana, 2 nights Kobarid)
June 11th-25th - Croatia (2 nights Zagreb, 2 nights Rijeka, 4 nights Veli Losinj, 3 nights Dubrovnik, 4 nights Hvar)
June 26th-30th - Bosnia (5 nights Sarajevo)
July 1st-5th - Serbia (5 nights Belgrade)
July 6th-8th - Montenegro (3 nights Tivat)
July 9th-11th - Albania (3 nights Berat)
July 12th-25th - Greece (5 nights Corfu, 5 nights Corinth, 4 nights Thessaloniki)
July 26th-29th - Macedonia (4 nights Skopje)
---- going to Bulgaria for part of a day to take the overnight train from there to Turkey
July 30th-Aug 6th - Turkey (4 nights Istanbul, 4 nights Selcuk)
Aug 7th-8th - Austria again (2 nights Vienna)
If anyone is going to be in or near any of these places around the same time, please let me know! Familiar faces will be a serious luxury after being away from home for so long.
Otherwise, feel free to leave your mailing address in the comments below (or email it to me) if you'd like a few post cards.
I still have yet to figure out quite a few things, such as getting a mobile phone over there, how I'll be travelling from place to place (ie bus, train, plane, hitchhike...kidding...probably), how I'm going to manage money, and whether I'll need any vaccinations beforehand.
More news to come soon!
