Travels and Tribulations

Posted by Erik | Filed under Uncategorized

So where to go? My coworker Jerry wants to take his 19 year old son to Europe, and he wants me to play tour guide. So with tax returns in hand, it would seem the plan is to go somewhere and use up our fiscal year vacation by August 31st. The issue is deciding exactly when and where to go and I’m stuck between ideas.

I originally intended to go to Ireland on my own again in late June for roughly ten nights. Going with Jerry and son, the trip should be two weeks, up to sixteen nights, provided my manager lets me squeak away with more time off than I officially have to use, though it sould be ok. I really feel that two weeks is the best baseline for a decent adventure and only a week just doesn’t cut it.

Anyhow, the dilemma is this. Do I guide them all around Ireland, possibly with a pass through Scottish or English towns? This is also an opportunity to wander to a bunch of new places I’ve never been, and I’d still play the tour guide role since I thrive on doing all the research and transportation / lodging planning. Ireland calls to me but so does the thrill of new places with new people and new cultures. I think the deciding factor, since I am ok to Ireland or elsewhere, is the thought of providing a greater culture shock and challenge to Jerry and his son. Jerry agrees that we should try to give Jeremy an exciting experience. Ireland and the UK are great and people definitely live differently but it’s the language that provides the comfort crutch. A rural town with no native English speaking people presents a much greater experience to learn and adapt.

Also, another coworker will be spending a couple of weeks between Prague and Vienna with his family and church group. If his dates get set, we could try to overlap a part of our time and meet up in one of those two places. I vote Vienna. I’m willing to go anywhere and everywhere, so long as a portion of where I go is new to me, whether in Ireland or in mainland Europe.

Just not sure what will happen with this. I’ll bring a stack of books in to work tomorrow. I really want Jerry and Jeremy to have some say in the planning. Jerry says he’s just not sure because he doesn’t know what’s where, how to get from point A to point B, and the like. I’ll ask him to come up with any random ideas he believes would interest him and I can build a couple of itinerary options around that.

No matter what, I’m anxious now for trip number seven to Europe!

Permalink | January 30th, 2006

11 Responses to “Travels and Tribulations”

  1. feluscious Says:
    February 4th, 2006 at 1:25 pm

    How exciting! I also revel in trip planning, which makes for a great gift for someone less inclined to agree.

    It is a good point you make about the comfort level…I vote for splitting some time in the UK and some in Vienna. ~as if I’m going, haha:)~ That way everyone experiences something new, and at least part of the time is cushioned w/the common english thread {although they may still think it’s a foreign language considering some of the heavy accents ;)}

    Erik, the main idea is that with you there I’m sure they’ll feel comfortable no matter what the country.

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