Ok to travel to a few countries?

[BBTM]

ACWIV, thanks for so detail posting from you. But my main purpose is for those landmarks in each country. Therefore, I still need to get to Germany for the Berlin wall and Brandenburg for time lapse (or video). My trip mostly by train as I going to get the Europe pass. Spain need to skip, over budget plus I can't find any landmark so far. Switzerland, Germany and Italy, total numbers of days will be the most. Once I reach certain area, I try not to travel so far out as I am alone. For now, I feels ok with my itinerary. Only concern is the train over there as I heard stories of bags been stolen (even saw it happens in amazing race). Maybe when I over there, could meet you up for a cup of coffee.

Add on : I just remember that I can't be at each city so early due to hotel check in. So, it's just fine with the train ride. I targeted to reach each hotel around 2 to 3 pm and then off to photo taking.

 

[ACWIV]

Yes please feel free to contact me when you are in England, I'll happily show you around London.

I see, now I know it's more city than landscape, Germany makes more sense. You will certainly be getting a good taste of Europe, sounds like a great trip.

If you like Architecture, Barcelona has the unofficial '8th' wonder of the world by Gaudi. (only if you end up finding you have space in your budget of course)

For the long trains I recommend you get a PacSafe to secure your camera bag, incase you want to sleep or rest while travelling. Very useful. The trains can indeed be hotspots for theft.

 

[BBTM]

Cause during my usa trip, I was with tour group. So, during the bus ride, i setup my video camera to record the journey. Hopes I am able to do so during Europe train ride even i sleeping. Finger cross, or shouldn't i do so? :think:

 

[BBTM]

Just did some serious amendments. But still have to depends whether the train service at that time will be running that route and time. If confirmed, i will be booking hotels and air ticket on March, around July, I will then get my Europe pass. Maybe another dslr if possible. Will be doing a lot of walking, night (in the morning 3+) photo taking, cycling etc. I just a crazy old man. Ha ha!

 

[ManWearPants]

TS, I covered 8 cities in 4 countries in 24 days last year. There is much more to enjoy than just the capital in each country so you may want to pick 2-3 cities in each country and you can take the rail to connect you up between locations instead of worrying about flights schedule and check-in times. Travel really light helps so you worry less about hotel check-in time. Arrive at a location early, just deposit your bag at the hotel or rail station and head out to take pictures. And give yourself some days to rest as it can be very tiring from all the walking. In fact, my last few days of the trip are just rest and relax as I am worn out. Forget about Europass. I find it cheaper to purchase train tickets locally. The train schedule is also more flexible.

And I would avoid the pubs or any sleazy places at night.

 

[BBTM]

The route is "set".

Scotland(2) - Liverpools(1) - London(2) - Belgium(1) - Rotterdam(2)- Berlin(1) - Prague(2) - Vienna (2) - Fussen(3) - Venice(2) - Rome(2) - Pisa(1) - Modena(1) - Interlakern(4) - Paris (2)

Amendment in red, haha! Cause of the train ride and also, I want to spend more time on Jungfraujoch and so, I will be staying overnight there for sunset and sunrise. Now got to see how on train ride. Maybe only 3 nights in Switzerland, the extra one day, transfer to Paris.

 

[BBTM]

Updated my itinerary quite a lot. Will try to reach each city before 4pm if possible and so, I does have extra time for a sunset time lapse. Planned to do sunset (sunrise on some) time lapse on the hill/mountain at Edinburgh, Prague, Fussen and Jungfraujoch (Interlaken). Still searching for higher ground for the rest but as per now, can't find any. If got extra budget, might consider an action camera since I will be walking around a lot of places.

 

[neubdetat]

Amendment in red, haha! Cause of the train ride and also, I want to spend more time on Jungfraujoch and so, I will be staying overnight there for sunset and sunrise. Now got to see how on train ride. Maybe only 3 nights in Switzerland, the extra one day, transfer to Paris.

TS, first things first, are you taking overnight trains? Have you worked out your train schedule to actually accomplish even half of what you set out to do? This is a basic requirement to even feasibly conquering half of what you want to do.

The thing is that for most of the places you want to go, there is no direct Eurostar train. You will have to terminate at one station then wait for the next train, and so on and so on.

Such connecting journeys will add an inconceivably long amount of time to you travel plans. What is a 6-7 hour car drive can become a 12 hour epic train dash.

You run the very real risk of burnout before hitting even half of the cities, nomatter your fitness level. Worse, trains do delay and are very occasionally interrupted. This could really screw up any accomodation plans.

Second, some of the places you intend to go are very large, with some even being relatively impossible to move around without a car (Fussen comes to mind immediately and Switzerland and France). Others are really really big cities that would make it hard for you to get good time-lapses in all the tourist traps, let alone the out of the way gems.

The distances you are looking at are huge and are really no joke. Europe does not run like Tokyo or Hong Kong (ESPECIALLY IN ITALY AND FRANCE).

What you have is a perfect schedule. Meant for perfect weather and perfect timings. The reality is, nothing in Europe is perfect save for the beer and wine.

So I would advise you, as a first time traveller, you should seriously cut down and don't rush through these places.

Even if you manage to accomplish what you want to do, being a first time traveller is like being a flowering boy choosing between taking the time to learn a girl or making a quick trip around Geylang. Sure you can cut short and rush through the process, but you will lose all the magic.

 

[number2]

Hey BBTM, you had planned to leave in July 2014, if my memory serves. How close are you to finalising your travels? You may find the Thomas Cook Railway Timetable for Summer (they have different one out for each season) useful for your planning.

Are you also preparing your body for this trip? May all go well for you.

 

[BBTM]

Hey BBTM, you had planned to leave in July 2014, if my memory serves. How close are you to finalising your travels? You may find the Thomas Cook Railway Timetable for Summer (they have different one out for each season) useful for your planning.

Are you also preparing your body for this trip? May all go well for you.

Hotels/lodging done, except mountain hut. Air plane ticket soon, July then can book for train ticket. Need to get international driving license too, for ferrari experience. Now is planning out in detail for photo taking (time n hyper lapse). Going in sep, left with 5 months of preparation.

 

[BBTM]

No way I near to his standard, haha!

https://vimeo.com/channels/staffpicks/92179785

 

[dilphinus]

Did you even include time for rest/sleep?

 

[BBTM]

Did you even include time for rest/sleep?

Of course la. During train ride also enough rest esp long distance one. I even marked out 2 places for laundry, heh heh!

 

[number2]

Of course la. During train ride also enough rest esp long distance one. I even marked out 2 places for laundry, heh heh!

Laundry? What laundry? Would it be possible to bring along some old clothes to wear and dispose?

And one pair of jeans will do for the whole trip! You might want to disinfect the pair of jeans when you come home though

If you are comfortable with them, try using disposable undies. Not the fibre ones, I never liked those, the more expensive cotton ones feel better. But if you get lucky, they don't look too nice. Solution:- turn down/off the lights before you start to strip...

 

[BBTM]

Laundry? What laundry? Would it be possible to bring along some old clothes to wear and dispose?

And one pair of jeans will do for the whole trip! You might want to disinfect the pair of jeans when you come home though

If you are comfortable with them, try using disposable undies. Not the fibre ones, I never liked those, the more expensive cotton ones feel better. But if you get lucky, they don't look too nice. Solution:- turn down/off the lights before you start to strip...

Old clothes can't fix in anymore, haha! Will get disposable undies anyway, those from Watson, wear it before, not bad for a day (even overnight outside). Now just waiting for the right time to book all train ticket and pass. Hate those reservation fees but no choice, cannot risk it, wait no seat, no need to move liao and also, save my trouble on getting ticket over there. Camera brought, waiting for time lapse machine, Axis 360. Most places and route are written down, plus the timing too, haha! Should be a smooth trip for me, hope so, fingers/legs cross, haha!

 

[jthinker]

Do have an alternate plan, or at least be mentally prepared for any unexpected.

I took a train from Innsbruck to Vienna in Austria last month and the train broke down half way for 45min.
A friend of mine experienced a train broke down during his France's trip and almost missed his connected train.

As for reservation of seat. If I am not wrong , you can still travel as long as you have the EuroPass cover the day. But you might have to stand all the way. Or find an empty seat and be prepared to get chased at the next station if someone has made a reservation of that seat from that station onward. I saw some backpacker did that when I was travelling around Austria on train last month.

Enjoy and all the best.

 

[BBTM]

Do have an alternate plan, or at least be mentally prepared for any unexpected.

I took a train from Innsbruck to Vienna in Austria last month and the train broke down half way for 45min.
A friend of mine experienced a train broke down during his France's trip and almost missed his connected train.

As for reservation of seat. If I am not wrong , you can still travel as long as you have the EuroPass cover the day. But you might have to stand all the way. Or find an empty seat and be prepared to get chased at the next station if someone has made a reservation of that seat from that station onward. I saw some backpacker did that when I was travelling around Austria on train last month.

Enjoy and all the best.

Yup, will try for at least an hour for next train (if required) but mostly direct till last part of the trip. Btw, local MRT also breaks down often mah, haha!

 

[askpaul]

Bro, I lived in Europe for 2 years and find your itinerary unrealistic. Even if you only hit the tourist spots, by roughly 2 days per country, it is quite a waste. Take Switzerland for example, it is advisable to spend at least 4 days. Just going up the famous Jungfrau mountain alone is one day already. For France, you will only go Paris? Even Paris also need at least 2 days to enjoy, while there are other cities like Nice and Lyon. I just don't know how you are going to do it. And with so many places in mind, you are so going to spend too much time on transport like trains. That will be half of your time gone. Bro, please research more.

 

[number2]

Bro, I lived in Europe for 2 years and find your itinerary unrealistic. Even if you only hit the tourist spots, by roughly 2 days per country, it is quite a waste. Take Switzerland for example, it is advisable to spend at least 4 days. Just going up the famous Jungfrau mountain alone is one day already. For France, you will only go Paris? Even Paris also need at least 2 days to enjoy, while there are other cities like Nice and Lyon. I just don't know how you are going to do it. And with so many places in mind, you are so going to spend too much time on transport like trains. That will be half of your time gone. Bro, please research more.

I would agree that the itinerary is unrealistic if the OP/thread starter had intended this trip to be a normal sightseeing trip, hitting the famous landmarks etc. for every city planned on the list.

As I understand it, the OP/thread starter's plan is to go take timelapse photos. Since this the primary purpose of the trip, I suppose it is just about manageable. I think this would be an adventure by itself.

I lived in Europe for 11 years, and have travelled to quite a number of countries there. Initially, my purpose was to see the sights I heard/read of. After some travelling, I decided I wanted to do something else, not sightseeing. I once set a target to cycle in three countries all in one day, and that became an adventure by itself.

The OP's timelapse photography plan is as much an adventure as my cycling in three countries in a day. I look forward to hearing his travel tales upon his return. The opportunity to see the photographs would be nice too.

BBTM, do you plan to take a notebook with you (paper or silicone, your choice) to jot down your experiences? You would be surprise how much you can forget in just 6 months even though it was a great trip.

 

[BBTM]

I might bring along a gps tracker, so that I can roughly know my route when back. 4 days at Switzerland, overnight on top of it, slot confirmed. Paris, also 4 days, wouldn't be moving much also. Eurail pass, reservations n uk train booked, too late to replan.

On the move, will be mostly rx100 mk1 or/and A7r w 24-70. Standby 135mm inside if required at some. Got order an axis 360 for time lapse and I wouldn't be goondu like previous, for one spot, take so long. Will move spot to spot or do multiple time lapse on a spot. After trip, can retire the A850 or less usage on it. 2 tripods as to ensure capture as much as I could.

Just like my bmt first month, come back sure fit fit, ha ha! Any more questions?