Drastic Travel Changes
While in Thessaloniki we received some bad news while attempting to buy passes for the sleeper train to Bulgaria. Turns out our EuRail passes are only valid in 20 European countries. With time running low and Bulgaria and Serbia not free to travel, yet clearly on the way to Budapest, we had some tough decisions to make. Pay for the train tickets out of pocket at last minute prices? Fly somewhere else (that takes our passes) and resume the train travel there? Or stay in Greece and eat Gyros for another month?
Also, while in Thessaloniki we received a phone call from a huge media giant, urging us to come back to LA for an interview. Back to LA? We already had a lot of planning and rearranging to do. Could we really just fly back to LA for a weekend? What about the rest of Europe? How much would it cost? Here’s what we decided upon!
Original Plan
| Country | City | Arrive | Depart | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | Mykonos | 26-Sep | Jet Boat | |
| Greece | Athens | 26-Sep | 27-Sep | Train |
| Greece | Thessaloniki | 27-Sep | 30-Sep | Sleeper Train |
| Bulgaria | Sofia | 30-Sep | 2-Oct | Sleeper Train |
| Serbia | Belgrade | 2-Oct | 4-Oct | Sleeper Train |
| Hungary | Buda & Pest | 4-Oct | 9-Oct | Sleeper Train |
| Chech | Prague | 9-Oct | 14-Oct | Train |
| Germany | Dresden | 14-Oct | 17-Oct | Train |
| Germany | Berlin | 17-Oct | 22-Oct | Plane |
| Estonia | Tallin | 22-Oct | 24-Oct | Ferry Boat |
| Finland | Hellsinki | 24-Oct | 24-Oct | Plane |
| China | Hong Kong | 25-Oct |
New Plan
| Country | City | Arrive | Depart | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | Mykonos | 26-Sep | Jet Boat | |
| Greece | Athens | 26-Sep | 27-Sep | Train |
| Greece | Thessaloniki | 27-Sep | 1-Oct | Plane |
| Hungary | Budapest | 1-Oct | 6-Oct | Train |
| Austria | Vienna | 6-Oct | 10-Oct | Train |
| Chech | Prague | 10-Oct | 15-Oct | Train |
| Germany | Dresden | 15-Oct | 17-Oct | Train |
| Germany | Berlin | 17-Oct | 23-Oct | Plane |
| U.S. | Los Angeles | 23-Oct | 27-Oct | Plane |
| China | Hong Kong | 28-Oct |
As you can see we removed quite a few destinations from the original schedule. This is upsetting, yet at the same time we were trying to see too much in too little time. As insane as it is to fly 13 hours back to LA, it was even crazier to think we could travel to 13 cities, through 9 countries, in only 28 days. Just to put that in perspective, we would have gone from the southernmost point in Europe to about as far North as one can go within the same continent; and 80% of the 3,000km would have been traveled by slow moving trains (thanks communism).
Instead we get to slow our pace and have more days in the cities we do see. We also added Vienna which rates as the #2 most liveable city in the world. Last but not least, we get to see some friends who thought they wouldn’t see us for at least another 4 months!
So who’s in charge of our homecoming party?
WHAT?!?! WHAT?!!? WHAT??!?! Flying back to LA in the middle of your round-the-world tour??? It just gets weirder by the minute. And just who is this huge media giant? We want details, boys, details!
-Your Adoring Public
— kag
October 7, 2008 4:24 pm.