European tours

[rockONsaint]

Wow! Thanks for sharing your stories and even tips. My family and I are planning to have our Euro trip if not next year, perhaps sometime in 2011. Ipon muna. Hehe.

Ang target naming visit:Paris (France), Barcelona and Madrid (Spain), Rome and Venice (Italy), Vatican City and Germany.

Medyo nagreresearch na rin ako kasi DIY tong gagawin namin. Ayaw kasi namin sa mga group tours. Nagtanda na kami sa mga packaged tours eh. Hehe. We might allot 3 days in each country. Mabilisan din pero at least visit lang namin yung mga gusto naming puntahan. April or May ang target namin.

May mga questions po ako so I hope you can answer them all. And medyo may pagka-elementary ang mga tanong ko so pasensiya na. 

1. Sakay kami ng train sana to go to the bordering countries. Nagresearch ako sa Eurail, meron silang Select pass. Four countries ang pick ko diba. Tapos meron dun yung good for 5 days, etc. Para kasi sulit ang pasyalan, balak namin mag night train. Nacheck ko na rin yung mga schedules nila. Kung overnight yun, kunwari byahe kami ng 7pm from let' say Paris tapos makakarating kami ng Barcelona by 10am, considered ba yun as 2 days na?

2. May mga websites po ba kayong alam for night trains kasi ala akong makita kahit sa Eurail or sa RailEurope? And any idea kung magkano?

3. Sa Germany kasi, gusto namin makakita ng castles. I've read na yung famous castle ni King Ludwig yung Neuschwanstein Castle is located ni Bavaria. Mukhang maganda rin kasi yung Romantic Road kung saan restored yung mga lumang bahay parang from Medieval times pa. Magkalapit lang ba tong Bavaria and Romantic Road? Do you also have any tips when it comes to castle tours kahit one day lang?

4. Sa Spain, siyempre we don't want to miss the bullfight. Sa Madrid, sa month of May pa yun diba? Gusto rin kasi namin mawitness (and if ever, makasama) sa takbuhan ng mga tao habang yung bull nasa likod nila. Eto yung patakbo ata sila sa ring. Meron kasi akong napanood sa TV na ganon. Kelan to and aside from Madrid, san pa kaya magandang manood ng bullfight?

5. Nacheck ko yung map ng Italy. Gusto kasi namin kahit magstop over sa Pisa, para picture taking lang sa famous leaning tower. According to my research, if we take a train from Rome, two hours pa ang biyahe. Worth it kaya to make a brief stop with all our luggage while en route to Venice?

6. Ang point of entry namin is Germany. I've read that Munich is the closest airport to Bavaria or pwede rin bang Frankfurt? Kelangan ba Germany din ang labas namin to go to the Philippines? Sabi kasi ng roommate ko, mas mura daw pag sa Germany ang flight.

Hay, pasensiya na ang hahaba pa ng mga explanations ko to support my questions. I'd really appreciate your replies. 

[mama squeak!]

^sis, same tayo DIY din kami ni hubby and a couple of friends next year. We'll be watching the Oberammergau Passion Play naman which happens to be an hour away from Neuschwanstein Castle. Anyway, to answer some of your Qs:

1.  Eurail counts your departure date not the arrival date. So your departure on the sleeper train counts as 1 day only.

2. Check these websites:

  http://www.eurorailways.com/kb/brochures/sleeper/city_night_line.pdf

http://fahrplan.oebb.at

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

http://sncf.com/


3. The Romantic road starts in Frankfurt and ends in Bavaria. Bavaria is on the south end part of Germany. The best medieval town you want to visit on this route is Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which is less than a two hour drive southeast of Frankfurt. Hubby and I plan to rent a car for a week to do the Romantic Road tour. We'll be driving from Mainz on the Rhine valley down to Fussen which is just 3kms from Neuschwanstein Castle.

For the castle tour, check this website:

http://www.tourismus-fuessen.de

4. Re Pisa, it's nearer Venice than Rome. So if you'll be coming from Germany do Venice first then Pisa then Rome.

5. Sis, tama yung friend mo. It's cheaper to get a round trip ticket than an open jaw one. Round trip  for example Manila-Frankfurt-Manila. While an open jaw ticket is like two one way tickets for example Manila-Frankfurt, surface travel, Rome-Manila.

 

[mama squeak!]

^correction lang sis on no. 4, same distance lang Pisa with Rome and Venice. Kaya lang longer travel from Venice because may change train in Firenze/Florence not like from Rome where there is a direct service.

But again since you'll be coming from Germany particularly around the Bavarian area, it's more convenient to go to Venice first then pababa na kayo towards Pisa via Florence then Rome. You can do Pisa in two hours max, as what you said picture-picture lang. I think there are baggage lockers at the train station where you can store your bags while sightseeing. The Pisa Tower is a good 15-20 minute walk from the train station or you can get the bus just outside the station for a 5 minute ride.

 

[rockONsaint]

^Sis, thanks for the info. I will also check the sites you posted. 

[mama squeak!]

^Really? That would be great! But how cheap is cheap? Can you give a price range for hotels in Munich, Brussels and Paris for mid-September please?

Thanks!   

[teacherteacher]

It's almost August and I haven't secured a passport yet!

This year, target naming makapunta sa Europe---yan ang condition ko before getting pregnant

Pwede pa kaya akong humabol despite the fact na I don't even have a passport yet (syempre wala pa ring visa)?  Target namin mga October pumunta para hindi pa winter.

[kristala]

^kaya pa yan sis, process mo na passport mo ngayon.. 14days lang naman antayin mo for passport.. kung gusto mo mas mabilis (mas mahal ng 250).. 7 days lang yun..pa expedite mo

[teacherteacher]

^Thank you!  Then hanap pa ako ng tour package.  Pwede kayang tour package pero hihiwalay after?  I have relatives in the UK and a very close friend in GErmany who's getting married kasi eh.

[mama squeak!]

^Why don't you forego the tour totally? sayang naman ibabayad mo then di naman kayo sasama. Just buy the airfare. Then ask your relatives in the UK and friend in Germany to vouch for you or sponsor you. Yan na ang i-present mo sa embassy when you apply for your visa.

 

[teacherteacher]

^Working din kasi sila dun and honestly, ayokong umasa na sila magto-tour sa amin.  Ang usually kasing nangyayari pag ganyan, hindi kumpleto.  When we go to Europe, gusto ko sana yung talagang marami kaming mapapasyalan.  Parang after ng tour, saka na ako punta sa kanila.  Yan sana ang plan ko.

[kristala]

^Maybe you can ask sis the schedule of the tour youre having.. for sure naman merong mga free time yan sa itinerary.. pwede mo na ipasok dun sched mo to visit your friends/relatives.. 

[mama squeak!]

^^Oh that's what you meant pala, di kasi masyado clear your post. Oo naman you can stay behind after the tour, just arrange it with the tour operator before you go. Not sure about free time during the tour itself. If ever meron baka one morning or evening lang since tours are usually time constrained cramming sights to see in a given period of time.

If you're the adventurous kind, I would encourage you to DIY your trip. Personally I find it more fun and rewarding.

[chinita8]

you can also arrive in Europe a day or two before the tour begins so you can give time to your friends there, or if not, stay a day or two after your tour.

[fabulosity]

On the tours that I've joined, free time, I'd say, is just enough for some shopping or some sightseeing like (figure about 2-6 hours).

I suggest taking a tour that'll spend at least 2 days in one city so one day can be allotted to see family and friends at leisure. Another option is the one mentioned on the previous post. Arriving a day/s early or leaving a day/s late would be another good option.

[krishakulit]

^ ganyan ginawa namin before..

either before or after the scheduled tour meet nyo nalang un family nyo..kami we went a few days earlier sa family namin.. dyahe din kasi sa family doon,medyo busy sila..then we went to meet the tour group..

[st3ph_17]

Hi,
I need help about the plugs in Europe (mostly Italy and France). Did you guys buy adapters or converters (from flat to round) here in Manila so that you can use your chargers in Europe? We bought one kasi but someone said that although the prongs are round, the body is not oblong. Ours is more squarish. Tapos they said kasi na the outlet in Europe is parang nakalubog sa wall. Hindi daw siya yung nasa surface lang ng wall. Kaya kung hindi daw same yung shape nung adapter sa lubog sa wall, hindi daw yun papasok. Tama ba ito? Or pwede na kahit anong adapter basta rounded na yung prongs?

If kelangan oblong or rounded din yung body, where do I buy na cheap lang?

Thanks!
Stephanie

[mama squeak!]

^sis, I didn't have any problem with our cellphone, camera and netbook chargers. I have those travel plug adapters you can buy from any travel store or hardware store. If I remember right I got mine at True Value. It comes with one main adapter with different prong configuration, bale you just slide in/out the prong configuration that you will need.

[krishakulit]

i experienced that sis..^^ di maka pasok un body nung nabili kong saksakan..but mostly sa france ko na na experience ito..pag ganon,try mo nalang isaksak sa saksakan ng pang shave...un daw universal na saksakan...(kc ako i did not buy the universal charger type..bumili lang ako ng round prongs dito sa manila it worked most of the time naman except in france lang.. )

i think bka un nabili nyo,bka ok na un..kc un body kamo squarish, ..(round un prongs, tapos un body medyo rectangle needed..kc un sa akin round un body..kya di nagkasya..)

( un ichura nun rectangle na body,un ichura ng charger ng  original sony ericson fon chargers..na round prongs..so to use it here diba we have to connect another prong na pang outlets natin..)

or pag talagang no choice,you can probably barrow un saksakan sa reception ng hotels..un iba meron available kyalang limited..kya unahan with other guest..un ibang hotels naman,ituturo ka sa gift shop nila dun ka daw  bumili...hehe
hope this helps..

[chinita8]

^^^just buy a Universal Adoptor sis so no worries anymore. you can always use it on your other trips. Locally, True Value has. Abroad, any Duty Free Shop carries one.

[st3ph_17]

thanks mama squeak, krishakulit and chinita8! I will try to see yung nasa true value. But oo nga if I have problems, siguro ask sa reception na lang. thank you so much!

Btw, mga how much yung nasa true value na universal?