An Actual Adventure? Europe 2012!

I’ve recently discovered that my old blog posts are downright depressing (no need to bother reading them to confirm this).  I sound so hopeful about opportunities to come only for them to fall apart every time. It seems like I was getting used to disappointment: accepting that there would be no Italy, summer co-op, or amazing Me to We job.  I was 99% resigned to living a jobless, pathetic four months in Toronto until…

YYZ Deals changed my life.

A saintly friend on Facebook posted about how ridiculous it was that you could fly round-trip to Europe for cheaper than flying to Vancouver. I smiled at the familiar problem of finding inexpensive TO-Van airfare then prepared to scroll on.  But, as luck would have it, I decided to give her link a click.  Just to see…how cheap could it really be?

HOLYCRAPOHMYGOODNESSTHISISRIDICULOUS kind of cheap! 

$199 Canadian, taxes included from Toronto to London

$215 Canadian, taxes included from Lisbon to Toronto

ROUND-TRIP TO EUROPE FOR $415!!!!!!!!!

After double checking that the numbers were not a joke (called the airline and everything) I decided I wanted to go! The Europe I have always dreamed about was actually obtainable. I had been planning this trip and mapping out flights all year but now it was real. I could actually press “Continue with Payment” instead of just creating mock itineraries.  The only tiny obstacles to my click-happy finger were mom and dad.

Yes, I am 19 and yes, I do live by myself (granted, in residence) on the other side of the country for the majority of the year.  But, something about trekking off to Europe for 3 weeks seems like it needs parental approval.  After a quick phone call to mom and discussion during NBA Finals half-time with dad, everyone was (more or less) on board and Europe was a go!

From there I have gone into full-on planning mode including attempting to lure friends into joining me (no luck), purchasing all my train/plane tickets for in-between country transportation (Paris to Nice is still proving difficult), creating dream itineraries (Harry Potter studio tour in London? Hell yes!) and attempting to find dirt cheap accommodation.  I’ve only been at it a day or so and I’m already exhausted. But it’s a fun kind of exhausted!  How could I not be having fun while doing this? I spend half the time frustrated with the travel roadblocks/scaring myself with solo-travel nightmares and the other half with a stupid grin on my face because I am going to Europe! 

Plan to post again soon (whenever I need a planning break) with updates on my transportation, accommodations, itinerary and what I have left to do before I leave in 5 days!

HOLY CRAP!