Booking a well-rated, clean and pretty hotel in Paris (in the apparently hip and fabulous 9th arrondissement) for four nights...?
$406.
(Um, SCORE!)
Being on something of a booking buzz (...zuh?) and proceeding to also book Eurostar tickets, with one-way fares from Paris to London and return fares from London to Brussels (no need for Amsterdam as Bruss-Amst trains run on the hour and it's not cheaper to pay in advance)...?
$355.
That distinct frisson of giddiness that sparks up in your belly when it hits you that you'll be traversing Europe by train -- the trains you just booked online from your lounge room -- and finally discovering all of those dazzling metropolises...?
PRICELESS.
There are some things in life money can't buy.
For everything else, there's Mas--
Yeah, okay, you catch my drift. Hee!
Also?
Seems that the pesky and heretofore absent travel bug (as referenced in the post below) is fiiiiinally rearing its furry little travelly head. A furry little travelly head with cute cartoonish googly eyes that bulge out with excitement. DUH.
Because we all have phantom band names. Wait, hoooold up...you don't? Pshaw! (I am not a thief...repeat, NOT a thief. Ha!)
I'm so jealous!!!!!!! That said, I should really be planning my trip, seeing as I'll have to leave basically straight after New Year and should try and get flights while they're cheapish. But I need to get a new passport before I can book anything, and I keep forgetting...
ReplyDelete<3
Ooh, I wanna know more about this trip of yours...! Details, por favor! Do a reminder in your mob or smthg for the passport. (I know, getting them can be a pain in the ass.) My passport expires next year...the photo I took in 2003, i.e. when I was 18, has me with slightly dishevelled hair because, you see, I just didn't care. I'd been chilling at home and knew I had to go take a photo for my passport, so I headed to the local Kmart with my falling-out ponytail and...yeah. Because apparently I was angling to be a bogan? Huh. ;-) xx
DeleteMum says I could only embark on my next journey when i graduate...which is about year-end. so...yeah. So envious of you.
ReplyDeleteps. im a new follower. :)
Natasha
http://picablocks.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Natasha! I really appreciate it. :-))) And hey, a year goes by way too fast so, before you know it, you'll be going on your own adventure!
DeleteOh awesome! So excited for you
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you! :-)
DeleteParis sounds awesome!! I've only ever been in Winter - so I'd like to go there in Summmer sometime. How many more weeks?
ReplyDeleteI can imagine it'd be stunning in winter, too. Le sigh! As for how many more weeks...6ish! Eeeeep! :D
DeleteThat sounds so awesome! How exciting!! When are you going?
ReplyDeleteThanks, dear! We depart Aug 14th and return Sept 19th. :-)
DeleteHey,
ReplyDeleteI nominated you for some blog awards if you want to go check it out!
www.cinnamonandspiceblog.blogspot.com
Ah, thaaaank youuuuu! :-)
DeleteOh, HIIIIIIIIIIIII!!! Back from the dead and rearing my head. Or something. I've missed you, my sweet little pretzel thief. So wonderful to see what you've done with the place. But really you shouldn't have. :) But I do love the fancy new header you have. Beaaaaautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me beyond excited for you. I love Europe. LOVE. IT. I was in Paris last October but it's ages now since I've visited England or Belgium. And traversing by train? The only way to travel. Make sure to bring your journal and your camera and take oodles of pictures so it'll feel like I'm there beside you.
If you have the chance, there is a DARLING medieval town called Brugge (I hope I'm spelling that correctly). I went there once--complete fluke--in my early 20s. I stepped off the train and followed a belltower. It led to one of the most magical places I've ever in my life stepped foot in. It's like a fairytale. And well worth a daytrip :)
Yaaaay, you're back here!! Heheheh. Missed you too, natch. Thank you for your sweet words! And yes, I shall indeed be journalling away while in Europe...fo' shizzle! Yogi, being the photographer extraordinaire, will capture all the beautiful details with his Canon SLR. (Btw, I got your email re. the contest and I've voted twice already -- once at work when I first saw the email and a second time from home!) Also, I know about Brugge but unforch we won't be able to make it this time. Your experience there sounds wonderful, though! :-)))
Deletewhat? can i come? i'm sure this hotel will be fabulous!!!!
ReplyDeletexo TJ
I'm sure we can smuggle you into one of our suitcases, heheheh. I'm looking forward to waking up every morning in this hotel and realising, "Holy spaceballs, we're in PARIS." xx
DeleteWow sounds like some really awesome deals. I remember I was trying to book Eurostar but it quoted me something like 500 USD for two roundtrip tickets (I was trying to book it like 2 weeks before though). Good you're finally getting excited about the Eurotrip (cuz it's like, Paris). :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, my brother advised me to book well in advance unless I wanted to pay premium (i.e. circa 500 bucks for only two roundtrip tickets)...I heeded his advice accordingly, heh heh. Originally I was gonna leave it till we got to Paris...bad idea jeans! ;-) And yes, Paris...PARIS!!
DeleteEurostar is expensive, it usually is cheaper to take a plane :/
ReplyDeleteA tip: the Belgian railways are having a promo right now for traintrips from Belgium to the Netherlands this summer (19€ single trip to any city in NL: http://www.b-europe.com/Travel/Promotions/Holland).
If you take the Thalys it is a lot faster to Amsterdam but you pay more and have to book in advance. Have fun!
Thanks, Kim! As for Eurostar, sure, it might slightly pricier than planes but we both love trains so wanted that train experience. :-)
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