Chaos is going to Europe baby!

[Chaos in 1983!]

From July 14th to August 5th, three of my mates and myself are going on a backpacking trip throughout Europe. :mrgreen:

We´ll arrive on July 15th in Madrid, and then head on to Barcelona, Marseille, Nice, Monaco, Milan, Lugano, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Brussel, London, Paris and back to Madrid...or something on that route since we haven´t really decided yet, and I also think that´s too many places for three weeks, and i don´t think we should rush things either... :?

We´re planning on getting Eurail passes to move around from country to country. And we are using the Eurostar to get to london from mainland europe and back again. About this, does it get too crowded during these dates? should I make reservations?

This one goes to dani, on train, how long does it take from Madrid to Barcelona? I also need to know how long it takes to get from Paris to Madrid?

And what better place to find out what to do and where to go in Europe than JW?

So, I need to know where to go...apart from the sightseeing guide. Were to eat, automotive related sites/museums or events during those dates, where to PARTY! :twisted: ...I would have no idea where to party, for example in Monaco, I bet it's ultra expensive to party there...right salegosse? or London?
I would also like to ski again, I haven't done that in like 10 years, I suppose I could do this in Switzerland, right TT?

Thanks a bunch, any advice will be greatly appreciated!...I hope I´ll be able to meet some of you guys during my stay in Europe.
:D

[pzgren]

I would also like to ski again, I haven't done that in like 10 years, I suppose I could do this in Switzerland

for shure you can. but when you'll be here it's summer time. so you'll have to go on a glacier. Saas Fee http://www.saas-fee.ch will be an option.

Drop a PM if you're really going to visit Zurich, it's not far from where i live. would be nice to meet a photoshop contender from overseas.

[Max Power]

haha, 'chaos is going to europe baby'

Prague was pretty sweet, so I suggest u visit it if u can...

[dropot2]

And if you come to Barcelona and wanna meet... just drop me a PM! :P

And I would love to be part of this JW meeting in Barcelona :wink:

[TT]

Good plan you have there. Quite a challenge! You are free to contact me via MSN for details infos about Switzerland of course.

To ski here during summer it is not that obvious. There are only a couple of places that allows that since you need to go very high. I actually never skied during summer, so if it's a must for you, confirm me and I'll look into it!

As for party places in Lugano and Zurich, dang, not beeing a party boy, again I can't really help LOL! But I can come back with some infos for you anyway, from trustworthy sources ;)

Too bad you don't plan to pass closer to Lausanne because both Zurich and Lugano are a bit far away for me to just come and wave at you while you'll pass on the rails :D

[MartijnGizmo]

We´re planning on getting Eurail passes to move around from country to country. And we are using the Eurostar to get to london from mainland europe and back again. About this, does it get too crowded during these dates? should I make reservations?

As far as I know, you always need to make reservations for the Eurostar.

[ARMAN]

haha, 'chaos is going to europe baby'

Prague was pretty sweet, so I suggest u visit it if u can...

Yep, Prague is the nicest city from those you mentioned Chaos :mrgreen: jk :lol:

If you will have time for Prague just let me know and we can meet :wink:

[Chaos in 1983!]

Thanks for the info dudes...I know it's too many places for three weeks, I know we´ll have to cut down, I think Germany will be left out, we are still deciding where to go, because we really want to see the most of the cities we travel to, but the places we are pretty sure we'll visit are London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona and Monaco...the rest is yet to be discussed.

I would love to visit Prague, but that´s a bit off our route...I know it´s one of europe´s most beautiful cities, but well, some other time it´ll be. And it seems that skiing will be postponed as well...too bad.

TT sadly Lussanne or Geneva for that matter is a bit far away, since we are visiting some family in Zurich going all the way there would throw us off course...thanks for the invitation though!


As time gets nearer to my departure date, I´ll be asking more specific questions about each country we visit...the things I´m mainly interested in (besides sightseeing) are food, party and of course automotive stuff...

I want to visit at least one restaurant in each city or country where I can try local traditional food...I want to try a bit of the nightlife of each city and visit exotic dealerships and that sort of stuf, if anyone knows about any car related event, motorshows and such please let me know...

And of course I will try to meet up with JW members along the way, I will stick a huge ass JW Logo sticker or patch on my backpack just in case anyone see´s me walk by...LOL

Anyways, I´m getting my ticket next week, to either London or Madrid, then I´ll have a few months to think were we will be going. I still have a lot of planning to do...

Any tip or recomendation is greatly appreciated! where to eat, what to eat, what to drink, what to see, where to go, how to get there, who to meet! anything!

Thanks a bunch dudes... :D

[Wutputt]

Seems like a huge trip!

If you’re going through Germany, why don't you visit the Nürburgring. It doesn't mind what day, there are always hot cars to see during summer time!

As for Belgium, though there are some exotic dealership, there aren't that many on exotics on the road, except maybe for a few places. On the 29th and 30th of July there are the 24h of Spa on the other hand. Food is easy: fries and of course lots of Belgian beer and chocolate :D As for partying, you'll find plenty of it in every city and during summertime there are a lot of festivals.


As MartijnGizmo said: you have to always reserve your tickets for the Eurostar in advance!

[salegosse]

I would have no idea where to party, for example in Monaco, I bet it's ultra expensive to party there...right salegosse?

Depend what sort of party you are looking for ?

[TT]

Ok, for Lugano:

Morandi disco club
via Trevano 56, 6900 Lugano
http://www.morandidiscoclub.ch/

La Piccionaia
Corso Pestalozzi 21
http://www.classcafe.ch/

La Romantica dance club (summer club)
Via Cantonale 6815 Melide (just 100 meters outside Lugano toward south)
http://romantica-danceclub.ch/


La Romantica beeing a very good bet and apparently really mavellous during summer, BUT, a pretty big BUT, almost every is closed during weekdays! So either you'll be there a Friday or Saturday, either it is a bit fucked and you'll have to just go for a restaurant or something less "dancy"

[Chaos in 1983!]

Dudes, I bought my ticket about a month and a half ago, and now it's time to get into details.

I'll be arriving in London on July 13 and plan to stay two or three nights in London depending on how good of a time I have there...so people from London, help me out here...

WHAT SHOULD I DO, AND WHERE SHOULD I GO IN LONDON? from July 13th to July 16th...please be specific folks.

Can anyone recommend a good an budget hotel/hostel?

A good pub? What do I drink in London? I hear the beer is very good, any brand in particular?

Must do's in London?

What's the cheapest way to cross to mainland europe?


thanks again for your help fellas!

[Shinigami]

Good luck!

What airline are you taking?

I'm currently writing this post on Lufthansa flight 713 from Seoul in Korea, back to Europe ;)

Although I only spent one week there, it was still quite an experience *thumbsup*

[Shinigami]

They have wireless internet in business class :D

It's pretty cool ;)

I'm working on my laptop, reading and writing e-mails, drinking champagne and watching movies (already watched Aeon Flux, The Man, and now watching The Return of Zorro).

[Chaos in 1983!]

Good luck!
What airline are you taking?


I´m flying with TACA from Managua to New York. I´m spending a day in NY and then I´m flying with AA to London.


London people, come on where are ya? :?

[Max Power]

remember to visit Central Perk while in NYC :wink:

[TT]

No time now actually, but noticed you'll pass through Lugano and I might be there actually. We could maybe meet there, who knows...

[stradale]

I don't visit Amsterdam too often, so I have no restaurants, pubs etc. to recommend. About the hotels, I'll ask a friend of mine for you. She worked in the hotel business and lives in Amsterdam. Perhaps she knows some good ones for backpackers.

PM me if you want to meet up. If we can make it happen, I'll buy you a drink as a thank you for making this great sig! :D

[jon_s]

Dude, just read this :oops: A bit late. But when I get a moment, I will add my London thoughts :mrgreen:

[Chaos in 1983!]

Well after searching the net a bit, I think I have narrowed my sightseeing in london a bit...I have decided to go to these places (if there's time of course):

1. The London Eye, the ride takes just 30 min and you get to see all London from the sky, I hear the best time to go is when it's getting dark and you get to see the Parliament light up.

2. The Tower of London, I have always loved medieval history, and so many cruel stories lie within those walls. I read it takes about 4 hours to take the tour but I guess it's worth it, plus the crown jewels are there so that might be interesting too.

3. Parliament & Big Ben, I don't know if it's worth going inside but I will walk around them for sure.

4. Tower Bridge, well I have to go there since it's one of London's most famous sites, but I don't know if it's worth going all the way up.

5. Natural History Museum, I have always been a nature buff and I have always wanted to see dinosaurs.

6. Westminster Abbey, I read it is a must see and that it is one of the most wonderful pieces of architecture in the world.

8. St. Paul's Cathedral

7. Trafalgar Square & London's various Parks.

What do you think? now I don't know if there'll be time for more stuff or even all that, but opinions are always welcome.

Is the Macca F1 still on display in the London dealer? any automotive museums and that sort of stuff there?


Now I have a question about transportation, after London I need to get to Paris, I know the most convenient way is to take the Eurostar, according to their website, a Eurail pass holder's one way ticket costs GBP 50 which is around USD 90 and that's a lot compared to an airplane ride with easyjet to Paris which cost merely GBP 22 or USD 40, but then I'd have to take a bus or train to London Luton Airport at 3am to be able to catch the flight that leaves at 6:45am, are there buses or trains at those hours in London? how much do they cost? do you think the savings are worth the hassle of all this?

And then I would have to get back to London from Amsterdam and that's another dilemma.

Sorry for the rant, I'm kinda frustrated!...

I think my best bet is to take the Eurostar from Paris to London, and then take the easyjet which cost a mere USD26 back to London from Amsterdam at the end of my trip...what do you think?

[TT]

...

TT sadly Lussanne or Geneva for that matter is a bit far away, since we are visiting some family in Zurich going all the way there would throw us off course...thanks for the invitation though!...

Ah nono, I mean I will be in Ticino, between Lugano and Mendrisio during summer, most of the time ;) so much easier to cross ways ;)

[stradale]

Sant Paul's Cathedral - don't forget to go up to the top of the dome... there're some IMPRESSIVE views of the city from there - so impressive that I hardly could step into the small narrow balcony :wink:


LOL! I know the feeling. However, the thing about St Paul's that I was most impressed with, was the wispering gallery. It's the inside ring of the dome and when you sit next to the wall you can wisper and another person on the other side of the dome can hear you loud and clear because of the acoustics. You have to try it to believe it.

[Chaos in 1983!]

Alright bitches...it is time! I'm leaving in 7 days, and I'm counting the days by the minutes.

I leave on July 11th, and will spend a day in New York, and I'll be in Europe exactly 25 days, from July 13th to August 6th, I have modified my schedule a bit to include Prague since I've been told by friends and relatives that have been there that it is one of Europe's most beutiful cities, so now my route is more or less London, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Zurich, Lugano, Monaco/Nice, Barcelona, Madrid and back to London.

dropot and dani, I'll PM you guys or catch dani on msn before I get to Barcelona so we can arrange a mini meet, at least to have a beer somewhere.

TT, now that you moved to Lugano, I'm sure it'll be easier to meet. I'll drop you a PM before I get there or talk to you via msn.

ARMAN, I'm staying in Prague for three nights I think, so I'll PM you as well before I get there.

You'll recognize me when you see a short, white, black haired dude with a huge ass backpack on his back with a JW sticker on it!...damn the JW shirt would've been perfect for this ocation.


So please, shoot your last thoughts on these places please!


Thanks a bunch!

[bultaco_metralla]

HEY Chaos, if you need something in Madrid, like metro (underground) info, interesting sites, even a visit to the old Jarama if you want hehehe... if you stay in Madrid tell me dude!! and also if youre going to rent a car be carefull cause it has been aproved some new traffic laws and its full of police checking speeds, car documentation, seatbelts etc...

[gucom]

i was in london more or less 2 years ago, the McLaren dealer on Park Lane isn't there anymore, you can only see where the F1 sign used to be on the wall, because it's the only white spot on a wall covered in gray/black smoke dirt :P

have alot of fun :D 8)

[stradale]

I e-mailed my friend as promised but haven't heard back. :( She's now somewhere in Vietnam, so I can't reach her now... Sorry dude. I hope you'll find a good hostel/hotel anyway.

Have a blast!!!