Thursday 15 November 2012

Travel Advice!

Hey y'all, I'm in Amsterdam now and am almost recovered from my illness.. still got some sniffles but they get less every day :-D a big yay for mumma's home-made cooking and catching up with episodes of Merlin with my dad!


(Yes I managed to wheel two suitcases and a big heavy rucksack all the way from Schlangenbad to Amsterdam, I am stronger than I thought! Unfortunately  mum has seriously bruised herself when she rolled the red one over her small toe in Amsterdam - Sorry mum!)



In the past couple of days I have been planning planning planning researching researching researching researching planning planning planning... and well the results aren't very solid yet but I think its getting there. (I've done so much planning and researching that my suitcases are still sitting here untouched and the only thing really taken out is my toothbrush and toothpaste)

But look how pretty my bedroom view is!

So if you are travelling yourself, planning a small trip or a longer one like me. Here's some things to watch out for:

SHOP AROUND! Especially when at Amsterdam Centraal station where you can get the SAME train ticket from the Inland Counter for 54 euros but if you go ONE COUNTER TO THE LEFT, you can get the SAME ticket at the the International Counter for 25 euros and if you go ONLINE you can get it for 21 euros - but only if you have the right passport or ID as British Passports aren't valid.

But we found a way to use a different credit card to pay to the one you could use as ID which you HAVE to show to the train-conductor when they ask for your ticket. (This is 100% for Germany, I don't know about using trains in other countries... that's coming later)

Now I find out in the next 3 days whether I'll be spending January and February in Morocco, then once I find out that, I can see if going to Kenya afterwards is a possibility.. I've found a voluntary Environmental Documentary opportunity which sounds amazing, but I need to get some more details on that before I commit! (Could be a big scam for all I know at the moment). After Africa, I am currently deciding which part of Italy to visit and to work in a hostel or a hotel and riding school or a Peace Garden... all these opportunities I have found on http://www.workaway.info/ - you pay a 22 euro registration fee, which lasts for 2 years and then you can search for Hosts all across the world who are willing to house you and feed you if you help them out on their farm/hostel/just with the family/their renovation/etc. The only complaints I read before paying the fee's was that some people didn't get any replies. However, I registered two days ago and have already found more than 5 opportunities that I am interested in and where I have gotten replies. Yes I have messaged more than 5 hosts but at least half have replied so it's worth it in my mind! Plus a few, such as Kenya, messaged me.

The other thing I am currently looking at for December is to get an interrail train card which allows me to travel on 10 days within 22 days all over Europe with the train lines.( http://www.interrailnet.com )
I'm just waiting on some plans to finalise and then I'll buy the ticket and probably be off in the last few days of November.

Before that I am going to Hannover on Monday 19th November to visit Jaqueline (I met her at IC11 and we spent New Years 2011-2012 together in England) and then to go to Cologne from Thursday 22nd to Sunday 25th with Anna (who I also met at IC11 but spoke more at IC12) - which includes Kadn's 18th Birthday party on the 23rd (Kadn is also from Camp).

SO yes, things are picking up again but I'll have to wait for Morocco's answer to really finalise the rest of my plans!

Travelling by train through Germany

Of course, I'll try and keep my blog updated at all times,
Lucy
   xxo

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