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Thursday, January 17, 2013

My 2013 Travel Destinations - Parts 2 & 3



On my last post, I showed you the first leg of my RTW tour – The Friends and Family Discount! I will sache around Middle Earth, hang out with a statue of an Akita, and roll around in mud at a music festival! Good stuff! On the next leg, I will get down and dirty all over Europe. This is still a very rough itinerary, but if Help Exchange permits, these are the places I want to visit. Welcome to the second leg of My 2013 Destinations:

Part 2: The Helpex Backpacking Europe Experience 


Italy



Photo from www.chrystal-clear.com

I’ve been to Venice and Florence, and only spent a couple days there. This time around, I want to visit areas that are not as touristy. I really want to learn more about the Italian culture… their food, their lifestyle… and I want to know how the Italian women maintain their voluptuous figures, having 24 hour access to pizza, pasta, olive oil and wine!


Croatia


Photo from www.akademifantasia.org

They say Croatia is the new Ibiza. I’ll have to find out for myself!

Greece




Santorini - Photo from hdwallpapers.com

Of course I’m going to Greece. How can I not?? I’m obsessed with Greek Mythology, and am convinced I am one of Poseidon’s great great granddaughters. I want to go to the Oracle at Delphi and say hey.


Israel



Photo from www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com


I want to go to Israel and do the Holy Land tour. This is the one country that my dad recommends I visit, and as the most traveled man I know, I trust his judgement. I think it will be pretty epic. I’m already getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

Egypt



Photo from Flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com


The Pyramids! Santiago! The Alchemist! Buried Treasure! My Personal Legend!

Iceland


Photo from www.inspiredbyiceland.com

I have heard so many wonderful things about how amazing Iceland is… and just this past weekend at the LA Travel andAdventure Show, I met a really cool Icelandic local who talked passionately about his country! I’ve been having reservations about visiting Iceland just because it’s so far away from everywhere else in Europe. It’s a completely separate island, and I’d have to fly there. But after speaking with my new friend, I’ve decided to go for it… Yes. I will go to Iceland! Hopefully I can see the Aurora Borealis while I’m there!!!

Spain


Photo from www.travel.nationalgeographic.com


I’ve only been to Barcelona… I’d like to explore different areas like Madrid, Ibiza or Sevilla too. Everywhere I go, I get mistaken for a Latina anyway… might as well spend time in Spain and hang with people who sort of look like me? Haha!


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Like I said, this is a very rough itinerary… I don’t want to set things in stone because I don’t know how things would work out with Help Exchange, and I’m still trying to figure things out, money-wise. But if all goes well, I’m hoping to be able to visit these places between the months of July and December. I plan to spend the Christmas holidays in the UK with friends and family, that way I won’t get too lonesome on the road by myself. Let’s hope I get a real white Christmas this time! :)


After the holidays, I’ll still have a few months to spare before my RTW year ends… and there are a few more places I want to visit outside of Europe that I’d like to visit before going back to California. That brings me to the bonus, third leg of my tour:

PART 3: The Magical Mystery Tour – Journey Home


I don’t know if I can accomplish this because I don’t even know if my funds will last me this long… but if I’m lucky, then these are the remaining countries on my list.


Costa Rica



Costa Rican Waterfalls - www.deviantart.com


Studies show that Costa Rica is the Happiest Place on Earth. Yes – it beat Disneyland, and I want to personally find that out for myself!

Brazil


Photo from Funzine.hu


I am going to Carnival!!! I am going to make this happen, you just watch me. I will rock a feathery costume and dance till I drop! :)

Alaska



Photo from brandonsetter.com
OK I know this is a State – but I wanna visit anyway! I haven’t been here and I hear it’s amazing! Maybe if I don't see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland, I might see it here! :)

Canada



Photo by Allie Greenman

I have tons of friends in Canada and I would love to go and see all of them before I go back home!



Aaaaand that concludes my RTW trip itinerary! Parts 2 and 3 aren’t really set in stone yet, but I figured it’s good to at least have a goal, right? That way I have something to aim for. There are a few castles in Denmark and Germany that I’d like to see along the way too… A friend of mine is staying in France for the summer and I want to visit him there… And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stop by Switzerland and Austria again just to see familiar faces and familiar places… 

In a way, I’m glad this is all just a draft. That gives me a lot of room to go with the flow, you know?

I know I’m starting my big Eurotrip in the UK, but I honestly don’t know where I’ll end up. I plan to go to Egypt, but who knows? I may like picking grapes in Italy so much, I may end up staying there longer! I think it’s good to have an outline, but I also like the fact that I don’t really know what’s going to happen for sure. I like a little mystery in my life, don’t you?

All I know for sure is that this is going to be one EPIC trip, and I will have the time of my life :)



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Did I miss something? Where else do you think I should go? Leave your suggestions on the comments below! :)


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Hi There! Have we met before? You look familiar! Those shoes look great on you, by the way!
I’m Eartha and I recently decided to quit my job to travel the worrrrld! Join me in my adventures by checking back on my blog, and leaving me a comment or two!

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