I guess it's time all of you know. It's not like it's a secret or anything. I have to get good at learning how to tell people about this crazy plan of mine.
It started as a dream, and now we're working at turning the dream into reality.
My mom had this idea, because I love to travel and I've wanted to go to everywhere in Europe for as long as I can remember, that I should just go. After I graduate from community college, take a year off before I go to missions college, and just go everywhere in Europe.
So I'm gonna do it. Me and my friend Lauren are going to do it together. We started planning about a week ago, and have got a rough itinerary and budget lined up (believe me, you don't want to see this budget). gosh this is going to cost a fortune.
but it's going to be worth it. and even though we're not taking laptops, there are internet cafes all over Europe, so I plan to blog and skype every step of the way.
yeah. I just thought you guys should know about it. and if you have any tips for traveling or lodging cheaply or earning money or saving money, we would love to hear about it! really, this trip is going to cost so much money.........yikes.
:D
well, i'd say sleep in cardboard boxes except someone might steal yours stuff . . . .
ReplyDeletebut it would make an interesting blog post!
but seriously, if you have sleeping bags, you can sleep just about anywhere you want to. i'd sleep in a car though.
yeah, we're planning on hostel-hopping presently, and staying with family and friends of family in a few places (like Germany lol). A lot of hostels don't allow sleeping bags because they transport bed bugs, and they are just too bulky for us to cart around.
ReplyDeletebut I am thinking about renting a car for at least one part of the trip and sleeping in the back with some space blankets - they are tiny. I just don't know if we'll be able to rent a car, because Lauren will only be 22. Driving in a different country is another issue too......hahahaha like NT2, right?
I'm seriously considering your cardboard box idea...
*is jealous*
ReplyDeleteI mean very jealous. I hope that I can do that to someday . . . how long are you going to be gone?
watch travel videos. There is one that goes almost everywhere in europe. They tell all kind of things for tight budgets. One thing they did was stay at a nunnery, but I don't think that is such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteHey thanks Katie, that's a good tip. I have seen some college dorms in London that offer cheap accommodation in the summer, which is hopefully when we'll be there. so that's a possibility.
ReplyDeleteWe're planning for a whole year, 365 days. But the budget is still morphing a ton, between accomodations and (more expensively) travel. We're planning for a year, but if we can't get all the money together by the time we need it, then probably something like 9 months. We might skip some of the smaller countries or places that are really similar.
if we ever get the itinerary finalized I'll put it up. hahaha...I'm not sure we will though....
Yeah, I think it would be fantastic if everyone could do this coming out of school. Lots of European countries take a "gap year," where they either travel all over the place, or go to another country to work and experience new culture for a year. I think Americans are really ingrained with the idea of go to school, go to college, get a good job, have a family, etc. I know too many adults who wish they had done this when they were younger, but very few who actually did. If you can go anywhere, even if it's just working for the summer in another country, go for it.
Oooh!!! I wish I could afford to do something like that!! But I suppose my idea of traveling is a little different. I think if I ever did go to another country (which I just might), I would combine the sight seeing with some sort of ministry. To me, that is a lot of money for a good amount of time to not do some sort of ministry. That is my personal opinion. :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I don't know if we'll end up hooking up with any people over there, but I think it would be really cool to at least spend time in prayer over each place we visit. And I know we'll meet so many people, in hostels, on trains, etc. who hopefully we will be able to start gospel-veered conversations with, if you know what I mean. :)
ReplyDeleteEurope has come so far away from the Christianity they started with, they need so much prayer. I really want to make a difference somehow, even if it's just one person. I'm coming to realize what worship as a lifestyle looks like - and that's the most effective mission of all.
Wow Kacy!! A whole year! Amazing. I hope someday I will be like a famous-ish author so I have money to do that. Go with one or two people and just experience.
ReplyDeleteGO KACY!!! I'll be praying for your trip. :)
Oh and I love your title btw. Is it from Amazing Grace?
ReplyDeleteYES. I love that movie SO MUCH!!!
ReplyDeleteIn my heart I want spiders' webs. Ioan Gruffudd is amazing. and so is that movie.
:-) Oh good, I can spot a movie quote. Haha
ReplyDeleteGosh I need to get on this blog more, Kacy!
ReplyDeleteWow. that sounds amazing! I so wish that I could do that. Anna and I keep talking and saying that the summer right after I graduate we should take a trip together and hang out in California. lol but that's nothing like yours! holy crud! I've not even been out of the tri-state area :-P I hope I can do some kind of cool trip when I graduate though.
...and Bo, your comment up there at the top about staying in a cardboard box.....LOL!!!!!! I guess you're right about it making an interesting blog post though...maybe one day you can do it ;-) jk. I wouldn't recommend it!
I wish I could go to Venice
ReplyDeleteYeah I guess some backpackers sleep at train stations sometimes. Freaky, right? my only experience with foreign train stations has been in India, and you REALLY don't want to sleep there.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that hostel sounds really nice...
I slept in the airport once. I was grumpy and sooo tired and had a long wait, and Boise did this amazing thing of putting usb ports and big cumfy chairs in the terminals. :)
ReplyDeleterotfl!
ReplyDeletethat's actually a really good idea Lindy. I read this one thing that said book overnight flights/trains/etc. so you don't have to pay for acommodations. maybe if we have to fly somewhere early in the morning....
:) what would I do without my friends and their wonderful ideas?