Friday, August 14, 2009

The Open Road: A dream

I should probably be eating an apple for my lunch but i went to the computer, shock horror, and i can't help but dream of spending my life exploring the world.


I don't really want to be a nurse. And even if i want to be a writer i may need more to write than my imagination.

I've mentioned my American Road Trip before. DS and myself have been talking about it on off since Transition year.

And now, really thinking of our futures it really is a dream we want to fulfill. Even Gammaman a devote Photography lover has expressed an interest to tour the world also.

In lieu of this i have thought how best to start out?

What journeys do we take?

Of course how do we fund this?

And how will we do it?



First off Either Inter-Railing or E30:

Everyone knows of inter-railing. It's a well known Student journey around Europe's rail networks. And often very cheap and life changing and so on. Well it's a must do, but it's also pretty easy so to speak. All the cool kids are doing it.


How about the E30. A linking of motorways from Cork City, County Cork, Ireland to Moscow, Russia. It's a designated route and technically on maps. Cork to Rosslare, Rosslare to Fishguard in Wales, maybe a stop in London, Then Felixstowe to Hook of Holland, divert to Amsterdam, then back on the road to Hannover to Potsdam, Germany or Berlin then Frankfurt-on-Oder, Warsaw,Poland to Brest and then Minsk, then Smolensk and finally Moscow.

Now it's not exactly a sight seeing route, but it's a route. And as a test bed idea it would be good to see if a group of friends can stand each others company by doing a mad dash across Europe on Motorways. It would most likely cost the same amount as Inter-Railing, possibly less.

As Europeans we have free pass all the way to Belarus!


Inter-railing is also an interesting venture as it's a free rail pass for 20 days or more over 20 countries. You can go around in circle's basically, pop around the place over those days, a different city and or Country every day. More of the Journey than the sight seeing. And also the company of thousands of unique fellow travelers.




The Next big journey, and the original, Trans-America:


This could start anywhere. All depending on money really.


The Cheapest place to start from would most likely be Orlando, Florida. There is "cheap" flights from Liverpool and Edinburgh for British Tourists. It's a way of cheating so to speak.

But the real journey would be to start in Boston.
Take in
Salem,
Boston,
Providence,
New York,
(Buffalo + Niagara Falls, ? Toronto? Visa permitting)
Philadelphia,
Baltimore,
Washington D.C,
Richmond,
Greensboro,
Charlotte,
Myrtle Beach,
Jacksonville,

Spur 1:
(Montgomery)
(Birmingham)
(Memphis)
(Little Rock)
(to Oklahoma)

Or Spur 2:
Daytona
Orlando,
Cape Canaveral
Orlando,

Tallahassee
Mobile
New Orleans
Baton Rouge
Houston
Dallas
(Oklahoma City)
Albuquerque
Phoenix,
Las Vegas,
Los Angeles,

Spur 3:
(San Diego)
(Tijuana? visa to Mexico permitting)


And then there's the Question of How you get home? Do you fly from L.A or do you do the California Coast Road and then Up To Washington State?

Then Take in Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Denver, then the cities you missed in a round about way Like Kansas City and St Louis and end up In Chicago, then Cincinnati and back to New York?

Either way its a journey not to be missed.



Journey 3:

London To Sydney, Overland!:

London to Sydney via OZ-Bus, "only" £4399.

London, England
France
Belgium
Germany
Czech Republic
Austria
Hungary
Bulgaria
Turkey
Iran
Pakistan
India
Nepal
India
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
Australia
Sydney


Now once you get to Sydney or a stop else where in Australia do you finish there or do you do more?

They offer the London to Syndey trip to coincide with New years in Sydney Harbour, a September start time. Or if you went earlier and also took In The east coast of Australia.

Left the Tour at Adelaide, Went down the coast to the Twelve Apostle's "close" to Melbourne, and then Join my sister In Melbourne, Then onto Canberra, Then The Real Coast road, Sydney to Brisbane and take in the Great Barrier Reef. Then Fly back to Sydney for New years and then spend some of the summer, back "home" in Melbourne.

I'd so do that! Also if i got nursing and with my sister being a naturalised Aussie now, i could end it all off there, or keep going...


There is still South America to see. Still Africa.

And Of course China or The Trans-Siberian Railway.



The ultimate Dream Would be to fill an entire passport with countries within it's lifespan. A souvenir to show off to your grand kids. A blog and photo's won't last forever, but that passport could last a long time.



But it's not impossible. Hell why not throw in an Olympics along the way?

2016 is either Chicago, Tokyo or Rio de Jeneiro.

Or even 2020 or 2024.

My New passport has be from 2010 onwards, 10 years is there maximum for an adult isn't it, or can it be extended? How far can one go in 10 years?

Now of course i don't qualify till 2011, there's several long periods of Saving that would have to be included.

However if i wasn't tied down to much, then all my income could go to these trips?? Well not all, but if i was able to extend my overextended welcome in my own Home it could easily be economically possible.

My first income from 4th Year and employment Part-time and qualified, goes towards the €6 grand or so of the past year. Then in late 2011 i should basically be out of debt and ready to start saving.

For the 3 journey's i listed extensively we're talking a lot of money.

Basically €700 or more for inter-railing, adding MINOR expense's.

£4399 in 3 instalments for Oz-Bus. Plus additional €2,000 ( $(aus)4,000+ )or more for the coastal road trip and flight back to Sydney or Melbourne, then €1,000 or so to get home, or use up a work year in Australia in order to be able to return home or start the next trip.


America could be hard to calculate. But I'm guessing around €3,000 or more. Which by that time could be anything in US dollars.


A dream i would love to live. Document in blogs, photo's, a book or two, and to tell my children or grand children.

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