HovsWorld

Thanks to everyone who replied to my posting and gave me some great advice, which made it easy for me to book my trip! Sorry for posting twice but I needed to book before sunday the 8th and I needed advice in a hurry!

So I went ahead and booked a flight from SFO-LONDON April 21, then flying out of PARIS back to SFO MAY 4th which should give me 10-11 days of travel rather than the 9 I had originally planned for... so I gave myself 2 extra days!

Now that I have my airfare out of the way, I have 2 weeks to figure out the where's and what's nuts and bolts of my trip and how I will divide my legs.

I want my trip to be flexible so I think I will only book my hotel for the first 2 days and my last 2 days, so I can let the wind take me where ever and whenever I wish to go in between.

I was thinking LONDON-AMSTERDAM-PARIS... how I divide my trip will be determined later... this is where I am open to suggestion and any advice you have will be very much appreciated.

Again I am single, 36, p/t pro photographer and a f/t wine distributor (yet I am not here for wine work, nor do I want to go to Bordeaux.

Any ideas or sugggestions, pleae send them my way as far as where to go, trains, food, social life, etc etc!

Thanks,

HovsWorld

janisj

Congrats! - now, you propably should post this over on the "Europe" forum where the folks who helped you will see it

janisj

oops - that should be " . . probably . . . "

suze

I was following your various itineraries on the Europe forum over the weekend. This sounds great and pretty straight-forward. London, Amsterdam, Paris in ten days. Is there a reason you don't want to book hotel rooms? With such a short trip, it seems ashame to "waste" time looking for places to stay (that's just my thinking) when you could be out sight-seeing.

janisj

I was going to mention that too - but was going to wait until you reposted over on the other forum.

Booking rooms on the fly definitely works in a lot of places - like in rural areas/small towns w/ a few B&Bs and fewer visitors. But in places like London and Paris - pot luck may end up being either pretty nasty, or pretty expensive -- or both. Walk up rates are usually not bargains - but you don't really mention being a budget traveler so that might not be an issue. But wandering around looking for rooms - or taking whatever the Tourist Offices find for you - can be a real time waster.

HovsWorld

Ladies good points! and yes I did just post this on the original posting. So it looks like I SHOULD book in advance.

I simply want some flexibility. For example if I book it then decide to blow off one of the cities and move on easrly, I cant! I will already be committted to staying?!

janisj

Most hotels (as opposed to villas, resorts, some B&Bs etc) have pretty generous cancellation policies. Normally you don't pay a deposit - just leave a credit card number. Then and as long as you notify them a day or two in advance of changed plans there is no penalty.

This does not apply in many/most resort areas -- but in major cities like London and Paris you can still have some flexibility.

I would 100% definitely pre-book in London and Paris . . . .

suze

I think not booking ahead and wandering around looking for places to stay is fine on a 2+ month extended trip.

I would not waste time doing so myself with only a precious 10 days in Europe!