Solo female travel advice = happiness.

I usually travel alone. There are hundreds of reasons to do so, many of which I mention in these posts. But what it comes down to is: Either learn to get along in strange places without your friends, or stay home!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Leaving today

I leave today!  It's rainy and hopefully my flight won't be delayed.

Crash course: I'm working on my MA in French and Spanish from UNT.  In 4 weeks I can get 6 course credits, so I'm taking that opportunity and will be living on campus and taking classes at Strasbourg University.  I bought a railpass and plan to stay an extra 2 weeks because I'm frustrated that I've been to Europe twice already and only really been to 3 cities.  Also, I need to redeem myself for believing ex-boyfriends when they said they would take me to see my dream-countries (Ireland and England, in chronological order of exes) and while both did take those trips, my ticket never quite materialized.  This time, I go where I want.  By myself.  I have transportation plans but no hotel reservations: couchsurfing all the way baby!  Here's my itinerary:


July 2nd: Leave Dallas
July 5th: Classes at Strasbourg University begin.
July 16-18: Free weekend. Possibly Germany.
July 23 - 25: Free weekend. Possibly Besançon.
July 30: End of classes. Take train back and spend night in Paris.
July 31: Paris -> London, stay in London til
Aug 2: London ->Dublin, stay here until
Aug 4: Dublin -> Brussels
Aug 5: Brussels -> Luxembourg
Aug 6: Luxembourg -> Zurich
Aug 7: Zurich -> Milan -> Turin, stay in Turin until
Aug 9: Turin -> Ventimiglia -> Nice
Aug 10: Nice -> Avignon
Aug 11: Avignon -> Montpellier -> Barcelona
Aug 12: Barcelona -> Madrid, stay in Madrid until
Aug 14: Madrid -> Washington, D.C., -> Dallas DFW airport @ 8:45pm.

p.s.  Meet NudeDude, my travel gnome generously given by one of my best friends, Niki.  I can only hope I don't lose him on the way to the airport and cut his travels very short.