G'day, Buonasera, Bonjour, Ni hao, Guten morgen etc.

I am thrilled to be making my first post on this board after a few months of visits in spare moments which were few and far between as I have been finishing a two-years Masters program while working full-time! Not a recipe for a balanced life!

Anyway, I have just typed the last paragraph of my final Masters paper today and so I am now free to indulge in the riches of this site to my heart's content... Yay!

So a little bit about me. I'm 29 and live in Melbourne, Australia (a great city - truly one of the most liveable cities in the world!) I'm an urban planner by background so I love cities, public spaces, and architecture, but I am also passionate about getting out of cities and into the countryside.

I have travelled extensively within Australia, China and the Philippines. My last big overseas trip was on the Trans-mongolian and Trans-siberian railway from Beijing through to St Petersburg, with many stops along the way, including a stint staying in a traditional Ger camp in the middle of Mongolia! Loved the trip - truly once in a lifetime!

My next big overseas trip will be next year, with a two and half month sojourn in Europe. My partner, V, will be joining me on the trip and we will be commencing in Spain in April to celebrate my 30th Birthday with tapas, sherry and dancing! We're there for a week and a bit staying with friends. From Spain we will journey to Paris, then on to Bruges, Amsterdam, Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Budapest, Bled, to Venice (staying in each place for 2 or more days). From Venice we will travel to Rome and then down to Pompeii and on to Praiano for a 1 week rental (which I found through this site), back to Rome and then up through Italy to Paris with stops (2 nights or more) in Lucca, Cinque Terra, Stresa, Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, Dijon and Reims. Three nights in Paris and then we fly out (wah!!) with a stopover in London. Phew - I got a little tired typing that!

And I know what you'll all say - you'll think we're trying to cram too much into our itinerary. Well, I have given that some thought and structured the trip around what I see as a "slow-fast-slow-fast" waltz. Some slow-time in Spain, followed by some "faster" stepping through Europe - what I like to see as a bit of a reconnaissance trip, given that I haven't visited Europe before and would like to work out where I want to visit on future trips. Italy will then be our transition back to slow because I have already fallen in love with Italy (without stepping on the soil yet!) After a bit of slow-time in Italy, we do a bit more slow-fast-waltzing as we travel up through Italy, Switzerland and France. So rest assured I have given thought to the slow travel principles in putting together my itinerary

Anyway, I think I've blathered on enough for now! Can you tell I'm excited? :

Oh, and I love learning languages and want to have a good bash at learning Italian and Spanish, plus refreshing my high-school french before I go!

I'm also passionate about cooking...and eating... so you'll be sure to find me engaging on these topics on the boards!

But yes, enough of me for now!

Ciao

Christine in Melbourne
(with a severe case of "traveller's verbal diarrhea"

Hi Christine,

A huge congratulations on finishing your thesis! I haven't written one myself, but have friends who have so know what a massive undertaking it is.

What a way to treat yourself - a 2 and 1/2 month trip around Europe - I'd be over the moon excited too!!

Nice to "meet" you!
Anne

Welcome to the board, Christine. I think what you are doing for your first trip to Europe, is just fine. We 'flew' through our first time and since then have 'slowed' down. We worked out where we wanted to visit and revisit for extended periods and went from there.

Good luck with the planning.

Elly

quote:

Originally posted by Christine in Australia:

I have travelled extensively within Australia, China and the Philippines. My last big overseas trip was on the Trans-mongolian and Trans-siberian railway from Beijing through to St Petersburg, with many stops along the way, including a stint staying in a traditional Ger camp in the middle of Mongolia! Loved the trip - truly once in a lifetime!

Welcome to Slow Travel, Christine, and congratulations in reaching this great moment in life when you can turn the last page of the Master's paper and say to you yourself: "Done!"

We look forward to your future questions and contributions. If you take some time to look up our Rest of the World forum, you will see that it could use contributions on the Far East. You obviously had exciting trips in that part of the world and I am lobbying for whatever you can add to our related information.

Congrats on completing your thesis! You definitely deserve to celebrate. For your first trip to Europe the slow-fast waltz is a good way to go. I look forward to hearing more of your plans & perhaps answering some of your queries (we've been back 6 months after a 3.5 month stink in Europe).

Welcome, from another Aussie Chris!

Welcome aboard Christine - lovely to meet you.

P.S. I'm in Canberra.

Thank you for the warm welcome you have all given me - I really admire the "sense of community" evident on this board

Anne - I should say "welcome" also to you as a relative "newby" on the board, and thank you for the congrats

Elly - thank you for your reassuring comments about your first trip to Europe - I felt a bit like a heretic setting out some parts of my proposed itinerary on this site!

Doru - thank you for your welcome and encouragement to contribute to the "Far East" section of the board - I will be sure to swing by there and would be thrilled to assist where I can. Perhaps I can even put together a trip report from my Trans-mongolian/Trans-siberian trip...

Chris B - lovely to "meet" another Aussie - and thank you for your comments and encouragement about the approach we plan to take

Leslie - Lovely to "meet" you also. I have already enjoyed reading your Amalfi Coast trip report (including making notes about some restaurants and shops to visit) and admired some of your purchases (including the gorgeous wallet in the secret indulgences thread...need I say more?

So thank you all for making me feel at home - which is kind of funny given this board is all about travel!

Christine
who is waiting for the change to come through after a sweltering 36 degree celsius day

quote:

Christine
who is waiting for the change to come through after a sweltering 36 degree celsius day

Hey Christine, I've got up at 5am just to be cool for the only time today. It's still dark outside! Wasn't yesterday a scorcher!

I'm taking my small bonair to work today - I can't stand the heat!

I really don't think it is fair that the Eastern states are getting OUR summer. WA just hasn't had their normal seasonal weather patterns the last few years.

Our son is enjoying himself at the beach in Melbourne at the moment. We live not far from the coast in Southwest WA and I haven't been to the beach for a few years now. (except for Italy last July)

Elly

I just sat on my balcony on the third floor for six days at Santa Margherita looking DOWN on the beach.

Hi Leslie - I'd be tempted to get up that early to enjoy the cool of the morning... if only I was a morning person! Some days I don't think I fully awaken until I'm on the train commuting in to work! Funny thing is that when I'm travelling I have no problem awakening early - must be that traveller's addrenalin kicking in!

And Elly - my brother lives in WA and I hear things have been a bit astray in terms of weather over the last few years. When he came to visit Melbourne for Christmas last year we joked that perhaps he brought the weather over with him! But seeing he's not over here at the moment, I just don't know what to say!

Hi Christine from another Australian
I'm from Perth and am also a confirmed Italophile. Your trip sounds quite exciting. You have crammed a lot in but I understand your point about checking places out to plan for future visits. I feel like a bit of a fraud being on this site - many people plan to the max but i'm a bit the opposite. My partner and I spent 3 months in Italy in 1980 and didn't prebook anything and had a great time. In 2004 we prebooked a few places but the best place that we stayed in was one that we just came across.
You'll love this site as it is full of enthusiastic people who love travelling and are happy to share their stories. Have fun
ciao Bertoli

Dear Bertoli,

Great to meet you! Looks like we have quite an Aussie contingent on slowtrav

And it sounds like your travel style has served you well. Like you say, it's often the unexpected and unplanned meals, accommodation or visits that are the most memorable - one of the joys of travel (even if I do tend towards a fair bit of planning!

Cheers
Christine

In terms of the weather....I should remember the old adage 'be careful what you wish for.'

It was a bit of a stinker today, but thankfully not humid.

Bertoli, I think it's great that you can travel without making too many plans. That way, you wouldn't have too many expectations subject to disappointments.

Elly

Hi Christine,
We have sprinkling of Aussies from around Australia so it's good to get a(?nother) victorian.

Jude and I got out of Sydney to the country. Jude's community developer and a wannabee urban planner. She did start a post-grad course at Sydney Uni.

Yours sounds a great trip. Two and a half months. I'm jealous.

Dear John,

Haven't come across any other Victorians on the board but I'll keep my eyes out

I enjoy urban planning - great forward-looking job where you get to think about the interactions between people, their communities and their natural and built environments.

And yes, I can barely wait for my big trip - especially after two years of minimal travel (only travel has really been for work and study and I don't count that!)

Cheers
Christine

Hello Christine from another Victorian. This is a fab site for all your trip planning or just to tag along on a trip with others
Looking forward to hearing all about your adventures
Cheers
RobynAP

Hello Christine. I lived in Melbourne till 4 years ago and now live in Queenscliff. I spent 6 weeks in France last year and 2 weeks in Italy (Chianti). Next year we are travelling to New York, Ireland and France. You have some wonderful trips ahead of you. Slowtrav is great with so many experienced travellers to help with information and hints to make travel easier.

Hi Robyn & Fletch - thanks for the warm welcome. And sorry for not replying sooner - I've been out and about enjoying the gloriously warm Melbourne summer weather and not spending much time in front of the computer.(Was very grateful though to watch the rain pour down on Saturday - much needed for the gardens... and fires...)
Cheers
Christine

Hello Christine waaaay on the other side of the world!
I visited your country for a month in 2000 - loved it! My white runners were never white again...
It was great to read your posting! Sounds like you'll have a wonderful trip with that kind of excitement. I did "A Taste of Europe" trip and it was a bit rushed...how is 8 countries in 10 days? It did it's job of giving me an idea but at least you'll have a bit more time than a day here and there.
Bertoli - just wanted to say your idea of not planning too much sounds good. I just started planning...it's hard to decide everything! I did a 2 week non planned stint like that in New Zealand that was the best time in my life - talk about freedom!
Here's to turning thirty this year Christine! (i too am turning 30!)
ps...tired of the heat? How about -17C by the weekend??? And tomorrow we'll have +5C? Yowch!