Europe Trip
I am going to Europe to buy a car. That sounds kinda crazy doesn't it but it's actually something that I have thought about for a very long time. I've been needing wanting a new car for a long time now. My Honda has served me well for many years. It's been a fun, reliable car. I couldn't have asked for anything more from it but it's getting a little old. It's almost 12 years old and has turned 148,000 miles. If/When I buy a new car, I will most likely keep the Honda around unless someone makes me a great offer for it. I love that car too much to just let it go.
I'm planning to get a BMW and I placed a deposit on the car yesterday. Before anyone rags on me for getting a BMW and telling me I'm a hypocrite because I said that in Southern California you have to drive a BMW and have a girlfriend with surgically enhanced breasts to fit in, let me say that it was in reference to the Southern California attitude and not the car itself. BMWs are actually very nice cars. It's not the fault of the car that a lot of jerks buy them.
Anyway, BMW has a European Delivery program whereby you get a pretty sizable discount on a car if you take delivery of it in Munich, Germany. They also offer a 2 for 1 discount from Lufthansa airlines on the tickets as part of the program. My wife and I have been wanting to go to Europe so this seems like a good opportunity.
Unfortunately, I didn't really get serious about this idea until it was too late to order a car and have it built in time to go to Europe during the summer. It takes about 3 months and considering that it's October, I don't really want to visit Europe in the winter. I'm going to delay things till we can go when the weather is nicer. I'm thinking we will go in either the late spring or early summer of '09. This gives me plenty of time to research where we would like to go, what we would like to do, where we should stay, and so on.
I think I am going to have the time of my life on this trip. The idea of getting a powerful, sporty and refined car and then turning it loose out on the Autobahn and through the Alps just puts a huge smile on my face. Our Europe trip will have the attitude of seeing a little bit of a lot so that on our next trip we can spend more time in the places that we really enjoyed on this trip but you never know how things might change between now and then.
My very tentative plan is to take a direct flight from San Francisco to Munich. With fewer airports to have to navigate through the less chance there will be of things going wrong. Thank you Lufthansa! There is one direct flight, which leaves at 9:30PM and arrives at 5:15PM. The 9-hour time difference and the 11+ hour flight kills an entire day. (I wish they had matter energy transporters like they do in Star Trek. Beam to Munich Scotty.) I haven't been on a flight that long in forever. I get annoyed on any flight longer than 3 hours so it's going to be a challenge. Hopefully I can take some sleep aids to knock me out for the duration of the trip since it will be an overnight flight.
5PM Munich time will be more like 8AM San Francisco time. If we managed to get any sleep on the plane, we should be pretty ready to go out and have some fun. Depending on whether or not it's just my wife and I, (we might have some family coming with us) we'll either take a taxi or take the U-Bahn train to our hotel. I want to get a hotel that is somewhere close to all the action in Marienplatz in the heart of Munich. The train leaves from the airport and without transferring we can get to the Marienplatz station. Another reason to go in the summer is that it will hopefully still be light out when we arrive. I wouldn't want to have to look for our hotel at night in a foreign country. A taxi might be a better idea. I figure we will check into our room and get settled then it's off to find some authentic German food and of course some German beer. I am not a beer drinker by any means. In fact, I pretty much hate the stuff but I'm going to be in Germany, the land of beer. That's like going to San Francisco and not seeing the Golden Gate Bridge or going to Egypt without seeing the Pyramids. I've seen pictures of the beers in the Hofbräuhaus and they are huge. It looks like they serve it by the gallon.
The next morning, we'll be heading over to the BMW Welt to pick up the car and begin our driving adventure. According to what I have read and heard, the delivery process is an experience in and of itself. Apparently they treat you like royalty. I would want to take a factory tour but I have a feeling with time restraints it won't be possible and I will probably be the only one interested in seeing it.
What's the first thing that I should do with a new BMW in Germany? Let me think about that for a minute... HEY! THE AUTOBAHN! That's right. I will be testing the limits of this car legally on public roads. I won't push it too hard or for too long since it's a brand new car and needs to be broken in but I am sure some triple digit cruising will be in order. After all, we need to make up for lost time.
The first stop on our driving tour will be Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle was used by Walt Disney as a model for the castles in the Disneyland parks. It's a pretty awesome sight right at the foot of the Alps. I figure an hour or 2 there and into the Alps we will go.
Jeremy Clarkson said in an episode of Top Gear as he was driving a Lamborghini Gallardo through the Alps, "The hills are alive with the sound of horsepower." While I won't have 500+ hp in my BMW, I will have plenty to make some noise in the Alps. Next stop, Innsbruck, Austria.
I plan to make regular stops on the way about every hour and half so as not to tire out my passengers, the car, or myself. (The car and I will probably not get tired out at all but ....whatever) Innsbruck isn't on my list of places that I want to go to in Europe but it's on the way the castle to Venice. I figure it's at least worth a stop to have lunch. Next stop, Bolzano, Italy.
Bolzano is a small town in Northern Italy and was a strategic outpost during WWI. We'll stay here for the night as it's a great half way point between Munich and Venice and it will be our first chance to experience Itlaian culture in a nice small town. We'll probably stay at Parkhotel Laurin for the night as it was recommended. Next stop, Venrona, Italy.
We'll say good-bye to the Alps and head off to Verona. Verona is also another place that I don't know much about but fits nicely into the itinerary as a stop between Bolzano and Venice. We'll probably stop here for lunch, gas, and whatever else we might need. Next stop, Venice, Italy.
We should arrive in Venice in time for a late lunch or early dinner. There is no parking in Venice so we will have to park the car in a parking garage as we enter the town and take a ferry into the center of town. I'll have to say good-bye to my baby for the duration of our stay in Venice. I hope to stay somewhere near Piazza San Marco and we will probably spend 2 nights in Venice and probably do the Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride. Next stop, Bologna, Italy.
Bologna is another one of those places that I plan to stop at for a couple of hours to break the monotony of driving. I don't know what will be there for us to see but with some research I am sure I will find something that will occupy our time and make for a memorable experience. Next stop, Florence, Italy.
Florence is all about art. We'll spend the night here most likely at Hotel Via Fiesole and see Michelangelo’s David in the morning. One night is all that I have planned for Florence and I'm a little iffy about that choice. I think there might be more to see and will call for an extra day. Next stop, Orvieto, Italy.
Orvieto is a mystery to me. More research is needed as well for this stop. Next Stop, Rome, Italy.
What can I say about Rome? It's a place that I have always wanted to visit. The Roman Coliseum, which has been the inspiration for virtually every sports arena establishment since it’s existence, is high on my list. The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel are must-sees for me. 2 nights in Rome is all that I have allotted for but I think I might want to add another day here. I'll also have to research where we should stay. If it's more than 2 nights, I will want to look into a short-term apartment rental. I have heard that they have rentals from 3 nights to 2 or more weeks. This would also give us the chance to experience the Italian culture to it's fullest. We wouldn't be tourists so much anymore and we'd have a place to wash our clothes. Next stop, Grosseto, Italy.
Same story here with Grosseto. It's another stop over city to break from the driving. At the minimum, I'll find a nice place for us to stop and eat. Next stop, Pisa, Italy.
Pisa is all about the Leaning Tower and the adjoining cathedral. I think a couple of hours visiting here is all we will really need but we might spend a night here depending on whether we feel up to the drive to the next town. Next stop, Portofino.
Portofino is a beautiful little fishing village along the Mediterranean. I've only seen photos and a couple of videos but they were enough to make me want to at least stop here. I'm not sure if we will stay the night here because it might be hard to find a place in such a small town that is available and isn't crazy expensive. I hope we do. Next stop, Genoa.
Genoa is an industrial port city and we'll use it as an alternate overnight stop if we can't find a place in Portofino. Next stop, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
I think Monaco is a funny little country. It's smaller than Manhattan and full of rich and famous people. I want to check out the famous Monte Carlo Casino and act like I was James Bond. We can see the expensive cars and yachts and have a good time on the beaches. Nice and Monte Carlo are within about 13 miles of each other so we'll probably stay in Nice instead of Monte Carlo and drive out there when we want to see anything. Next stop, Nice, France.
Nice is also one of those places that I have always wanted to visit. I always heard about Southern France and how elegant and romantic it is. The Cote D'Azur should make for a nice stay. We'll probably spend a couple nights at Hotel Suisse in Nice, which will allow us easy access back to Monte Carlo if we so desire. I hear the beaches are full of stones and no said which might put a damper on the beach lounging that I had hoped for but I am sure some sandy beaches have to be around otherwise it wouldn't be such an attractive destination. In my original plan, I had wanted to drive more through the Alps on the Stelvio Pass and on to Lake Como and Milan, Italy but that would have made visiting Rome a bit of a stretch. Since I won't be able to visit those mountain passes, I plan on making a quick run along the Col de Turini in the mountains just north of Monte Carlo and Nice. If we have travel companions, I might leave my wife with them and take off and do this early one morning and get my drive on before that dreaded moment where I have to give up the keys to my car. Next stop, heartbreak city.
It's time to drop off my new baby and have her prepped and shipped out to California. It will be like having my heart ripped out of my chest. She'll be gone for 6-8 weeks. The drop off point in Nice is right next to the airport. After drop off, we'll either take a shuttle, which I hope they will have or take a taxi to the airport. There is no direct flight from Nice to San Francisco so we'll have a layover in either Germany or London. I hear that Heathrow airport is more like DeathRow so I'll try to avoid it at all costs. I'm not too worried about our luggage getting delayed since we'll be heading home. I've been pretty lucky with travel in recent years and I hope the trend continues.
After such a long trip, the last thing I am going to want is to jump right back into the grind of my daily routine. When I do that, I always say that I need a vacation from my vacation. I'm going to plan to take an extra day off work just to sit and home and relax and take it all in.
So that's my trip plan as it stands today. I am sure between now and the time that I hop on a plane, it will change many times over. Either way, I am sure I am going to have the time of my life.
I'm planning to get a BMW and I placed a deposit on the car yesterday. Before anyone rags on me for getting a BMW and telling me I'm a hypocrite because I said that in Southern California you have to drive a BMW and have a girlfriend with surgically enhanced breasts to fit in, let me say that it was in reference to the Southern California attitude and not the car itself. BMWs are actually very nice cars. It's not the fault of the car that a lot of jerks buy them.
Anyway, BMW has a European Delivery program whereby you get a pretty sizable discount on a car if you take delivery of it in Munich, Germany. They also offer a 2 for 1 discount from Lufthansa airlines on the tickets as part of the program. My wife and I have been wanting to go to Europe so this seems like a good opportunity.
Unfortunately, I didn't really get serious about this idea until it was too late to order a car and have it built in time to go to Europe during the summer. It takes about 3 months and considering that it's October, I don't really want to visit Europe in the winter. I'm going to delay things till we can go when the weather is nicer. I'm thinking we will go in either the late spring or early summer of '09. This gives me plenty of time to research where we would like to go, what we would like to do, where we should stay, and so on.
I think I am going to have the time of my life on this trip. The idea of getting a powerful, sporty and refined car and then turning it loose out on the Autobahn and through the Alps just puts a huge smile on my face. Our Europe trip will have the attitude of seeing a little bit of a lot so that on our next trip we can spend more time in the places that we really enjoyed on this trip but you never know how things might change between now and then.
My very tentative plan is to take a direct flight from San Francisco to Munich. With fewer airports to have to navigate through the less chance there will be of things going wrong. Thank you Lufthansa! There is one direct flight, which leaves at 9:30PM and arrives at 5:15PM. The 9-hour time difference and the 11+ hour flight kills an entire day. (I wish they had matter energy transporters like they do in Star Trek. Beam to Munich Scotty.) I haven't been on a flight that long in forever. I get annoyed on any flight longer than 3 hours so it's going to be a challenge. Hopefully I can take some sleep aids to knock me out for the duration of the trip since it will be an overnight flight.
5PM Munich time will be more like 8AM San Francisco time. If we managed to get any sleep on the plane, we should be pretty ready to go out and have some fun. Depending on whether or not it's just my wife and I, (we might have some family coming with us) we'll either take a taxi or take the U-Bahn train to our hotel. I want to get a hotel that is somewhere close to all the action in Marienplatz in the heart of Munich. The train leaves from the airport and without transferring we can get to the Marienplatz station. Another reason to go in the summer is that it will hopefully still be light out when we arrive. I wouldn't want to have to look for our hotel at night in a foreign country. A taxi might be a better idea. I figure we will check into our room and get settled then it's off to find some authentic German food and of course some German beer. I am not a beer drinker by any means. In fact, I pretty much hate the stuff but I'm going to be in Germany, the land of beer. That's like going to San Francisco and not seeing the Golden Gate Bridge or going to Egypt without seeing the Pyramids. I've seen pictures of the beers in the Hofbräuhaus and they are huge. It looks like they serve it by the gallon.
The next morning, we'll be heading over to the BMW Welt to pick up the car and begin our driving adventure. According to what I have read and heard, the delivery process is an experience in and of itself. Apparently they treat you like royalty. I would want to take a factory tour but I have a feeling with time restraints it won't be possible and I will probably be the only one interested in seeing it.
What's the first thing that I should do with a new BMW in Germany? Let me think about that for a minute... HEY! THE AUTOBAHN! That's right. I will be testing the limits of this car legally on public roads. I won't push it too hard or for too long since it's a brand new car and needs to be broken in but I am sure some triple digit cruising will be in order. After all, we need to make up for lost time.
The first stop on our driving tour will be Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle was used by Walt Disney as a model for the castles in the Disneyland parks. It's a pretty awesome sight right at the foot of the Alps. I figure an hour or 2 there and into the Alps we will go.
Jeremy Clarkson said in an episode of Top Gear as he was driving a Lamborghini Gallardo through the Alps, "The hills are alive with the sound of horsepower." While I won't have 500+ hp in my BMW, I will have plenty to make some noise in the Alps. Next stop, Innsbruck, Austria.
I plan to make regular stops on the way about every hour and half so as not to tire out my passengers, the car, or myself. (The car and I will probably not get tired out at all but ....whatever) Innsbruck isn't on my list of places that I want to go to in Europe but it's on the way the castle to Venice. I figure it's at least worth a stop to have lunch. Next stop, Bolzano, Italy.
Bolzano is a small town in Northern Italy and was a strategic outpost during WWI. We'll stay here for the night as it's a great half way point between Munich and Venice and it will be our first chance to experience Itlaian culture in a nice small town. We'll probably stay at Parkhotel Laurin for the night as it was recommended. Next stop, Venrona, Italy.
We'll say good-bye to the Alps and head off to Verona. Verona is also another place that I don't know much about but fits nicely into the itinerary as a stop between Bolzano and Venice. We'll probably stop here for lunch, gas, and whatever else we might need. Next stop, Venice, Italy.
We should arrive in Venice in time for a late lunch or early dinner. There is no parking in Venice so we will have to park the car in a parking garage as we enter the town and take a ferry into the center of town. I'll have to say good-bye to my baby for the duration of our stay in Venice. I hope to stay somewhere near Piazza San Marco and we will probably spend 2 nights in Venice and probably do the Venice Walking Tour and Gondola Ride. Next stop, Bologna, Italy.
Bologna is another one of those places that I plan to stop at for a couple of hours to break the monotony of driving. I don't know what will be there for us to see but with some research I am sure I will find something that will occupy our time and make for a memorable experience. Next stop, Florence, Italy.
Florence is all about art. We'll spend the night here most likely at Hotel Via Fiesole and see Michelangelo’s David in the morning. One night is all that I have planned for Florence and I'm a little iffy about that choice. I think there might be more to see and will call for an extra day. Next stop, Orvieto, Italy.
Orvieto is a mystery to me. More research is needed as well for this stop. Next Stop, Rome, Italy.
What can I say about Rome? It's a place that I have always wanted to visit. The Roman Coliseum, which has been the inspiration for virtually every sports arena establishment since it’s existence, is high on my list. The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel are must-sees for me. 2 nights in Rome is all that I have allotted for but I think I might want to add another day here. I'll also have to research where we should stay. If it's more than 2 nights, I will want to look into a short-term apartment rental. I have heard that they have rentals from 3 nights to 2 or more weeks. This would also give us the chance to experience the Italian culture to it's fullest. We wouldn't be tourists so much anymore and we'd have a place to wash our clothes. Next stop, Grosseto, Italy.
Same story here with Grosseto. It's another stop over city to break from the driving. At the minimum, I'll find a nice place for us to stop and eat. Next stop, Pisa, Italy.
Pisa is all about the Leaning Tower and the adjoining cathedral. I think a couple of hours visiting here is all we will really need but we might spend a night here depending on whether we feel up to the drive to the next town. Next stop, Portofino.
Portofino is a beautiful little fishing village along the Mediterranean. I've only seen photos and a couple of videos but they were enough to make me want to at least stop here. I'm not sure if we will stay the night here because it might be hard to find a place in such a small town that is available and isn't crazy expensive. I hope we do. Next stop, Genoa.
Genoa is an industrial port city and we'll use it as an alternate overnight stop if we can't find a place in Portofino. Next stop, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
I think Monaco is a funny little country. It's smaller than Manhattan and full of rich and famous people. I want to check out the famous Monte Carlo Casino and act like I was James Bond. We can see the expensive cars and yachts and have a good time on the beaches. Nice and Monte Carlo are within about 13 miles of each other so we'll probably stay in Nice instead of Monte Carlo and drive out there when we want to see anything. Next stop, Nice, France.
Nice is also one of those places that I have always wanted to visit. I always heard about Southern France and how elegant and romantic it is. The Cote D'Azur should make for a nice stay. We'll probably spend a couple nights at Hotel Suisse in Nice, which will allow us easy access back to Monte Carlo if we so desire. I hear the beaches are full of stones and no said which might put a damper on the beach lounging that I had hoped for but I am sure some sandy beaches have to be around otherwise it wouldn't be such an attractive destination. In my original plan, I had wanted to drive more through the Alps on the Stelvio Pass and on to Lake Como and Milan, Italy but that would have made visiting Rome a bit of a stretch. Since I won't be able to visit those mountain passes, I plan on making a quick run along the Col de Turini in the mountains just north of Monte Carlo and Nice. If we have travel companions, I might leave my wife with them and take off and do this early one morning and get my drive on before that dreaded moment where I have to give up the keys to my car. Next stop, heartbreak city.
It's time to drop off my new baby and have her prepped and shipped out to California. It will be like having my heart ripped out of my chest. She'll be gone for 6-8 weeks. The drop off point in Nice is right next to the airport. After drop off, we'll either take a shuttle, which I hope they will have or take a taxi to the airport. There is no direct flight from Nice to San Francisco so we'll have a layover in either Germany or London. I hear that Heathrow airport is more like DeathRow so I'll try to avoid it at all costs. I'm not too worried about our luggage getting delayed since we'll be heading home. I've been pretty lucky with travel in recent years and I hope the trend continues.
After such a long trip, the last thing I am going to want is to jump right back into the grind of my daily routine. When I do that, I always say that I need a vacation from my vacation. I'm going to plan to take an extra day off work just to sit and home and relax and take it all in.
So that's my trip plan as it stands today. I am sure between now and the time that I hop on a plane, it will change many times over. Either way, I am sure I am going to have the time of my life.
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