A Roadmap to Kurt's European Odyssey

As you know by now, in the wake of the volcanic eruption I had to find an alternative way to get back to Oxford.  Well, I made it back yesterday morning, and now that I have the comforts of using my own laptop again,  I made a google map to show you what my trip looked like.  You can see how a trip that was supposed to visit two countries and three cities over ten days turned into one that saw five countries over a period of almost two weeks!

You can see view the map here.  By clicking that link you, too, can experience the chaos and confusion that can be known only as Kurt's European Odyssey!

My bed on the sleeper car from Rome to Milan.

Some views of the Swiss Alps on the way to Geneva.

Check-in at Eurolines, the international bus company that shuttles people from Paris to London and back.

The bus - it was a double decker one and every seat was full!

My apologies for the poor quality, but that is what the ferry I took looked like.  The buses park on one deck, the passengers get off and spend the ferry ride on another.

The view from the top deck of the ferry.  Those lights are the coast of Calais, France.

Once Upon a Time a Volcano Ate My Homework...

Wow.
I never thought I would ever write that sentence, but in essence, that's the truth.

My flight from Rome to London was cancelled because of the volcanic ash over Europe.  I still can't believe it... the situation is too absurd to be true.  I'm not mad about it - when I think about it, it makes me laugh - but it does throw a rather large wrench into the conclusion of my Euro trip!

Instead of flying back, I'm taking the train.  That's right, travelling from Rome to London by train.  I leave Rome in about 2 hours and get to Milan, Italy at 7am in the morning over here.  From there, I take another train to Geneva, Switzwerland and another to Paris, getting into Paris around 4pm European time on Wednesday. That's three trains crossing three countries in over 20 hours - this will be quite the capstone to my Euro trip!

Then I'm stuck in Paris until Saturday, because that was the earliest day I could get to London.  Yes, it is stuck in Paris... Don't give me any of that mock sympathy saying how much you'd love to be "stuck" in Paris.  Though, I am glad I get to visit Paris again.  Earlier this semester I was lamenting about how I wasn't able to make it to Paris over spring break.... funny how things work out!

My tutors at Oxford have been extremely flexible about this whole fiasco, which is wonderful.  Had I been able to fly, I would have gotten back in just in time for 0th week (the week where we meet with tutors and arrange times for tutorials over the term) but now I get in just in time for the beginning of 1st week, the actual term.

I'll make it home in time for term... it's just going to cost me a small fortune to do it!

I'm Back... But Not for Long!

If you didn't read it on facebook, I'm back in the UK!  I arrived yesterday morning severely jet lagged. Despite many earnest attempts, I couldn't seem to fall asleep on the plane over here.  With only a short nap, I made it through the day and now I'm fully back on UK time.  Coming to the UK is much harder transitioning (time-wise) than flying to the US.

My visit to the US was wonderful.  It was great to see so many friends and family over such a brief visit - especially since a substantial number of my friends who are graduating will be living abroad for the next year or so!  (Congrats, guys!) It was also nice to once again eat spicy food, listen to NPR on the radio, and ride the DC Metro.

As  soon as I unpacked from the US, I packed up again for the last trip of my vacation. Starting tomorrow, and for the following week and a half, I'm visiting Berlin, Rome, and Florence.  After this trip, I'll have been to nearly every major country in Western Europe!

I'll be busy sight-seeing and soaking up the cultures, but every once in a while I'll resurface on Facebook and maybe blog, so check back here again soon.