Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Planes

I don't think I ever posted my final flight itinerary. All of my plan flights are purchased, and I verified with the travel agent that there's a little bit of room for modifying the itinerary if (for instance) I decide that I want to spend a little more time in Hong Kong or spend a little extra time in California.

Here's where I'm flying:
7/12/08 8:30AM New York JFK to
8:30PM London Heathrow on American Airlines
8/9/08 11:20PM Bodrum, Turkey to
12:20AM (8/10) Istanbul Turkey on Pegasus Air
8/10/08 5:25PM Istanbul, Turkey to
7:35PM London Heathrow on British Airways
8/10/08 9:35PM London Heathrow to
5:15AM (8/12) Sydney, Australia (via Singapore) on British Airways
8/15/08 8:35AM Sydney, Australia to
1:35PM Christchurch, New Zealand on Quantus
8/20/08 2:35PM Christchurch, New Zealand to
11:15PM Bangkok, Thailand (via Sydney) on Quantus
8/28/08 11:30AM Bangkok, Thailand to
3:20PM Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific
8/29/08 4:25PM Hong Kong to
1:50PM San Francisco (same day) on American Airlines
9/5/08 9:50AM San Francisco to
8:50PM Washington Dulles (via Dallas) on American Airlines

Trains

My BritRail and my Greece-Italy EuRail Passes are here, which I ordered from the ISE card people. I picked up the Fed-Ex Envelope last week and found all sorts of goodies inside. The $20 discount came in the form of a personal check, which I have to go to the bank and deposit. I got my Hostel Res Card membership card, a second ISE calling card, a big map of Europe with all the rail and ferry lines, a booklet of Eurail time tables, a discount code for ordering an international cell phone, a coupon for 11% off regular, sale, and clearance priced merchandice at Macy's, and a couple of advertisements for other products (travel protection insurance, Britain's Heritage Pass).

I have a good idea of how I'm going to be traveling in Britain, but as I mentioned in my previous blog, Greece and Italy are a bit fuzzy... but the ISE agent and many of my Greek friends have assured me that fuzzy is ok. I'm excited I like fuzz! It makes getting from point A to B that much more adventurous!

Automobiles

A very large part of me wants to take a motorcycle class right now, buy a motorcycle and use that for my east coast road trip, which I plan to leave for on July 2. I keep telling myself that I have to save something exciting for the fall, so the whole motorcycle thing will be the new hobby I look forward to in September/October. For now, I'll rely on my trusty, high gas mileage '97 Nissan Sentra - windows open the whole way!

On July 2, I'll be playing one last frisbee game with my lab group, one last soccer game with my team, and then showing up smelly at my friend's house in Franklin, MA. I've been showing up at her house before or after soccer since the 10th grade, so she's used to it. She's the one who told me that she didn't mind this, I just "smell like Cappy, only stronger."

Between July 3 and July 10 I want to try to make it to: Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, Portsmouth, VA, North Caroline, Atlanta, GA, and Ashburn, VA. This trip is fuzzy too because I just want to wander for a bit, but still visit as many friends and family as I can. I also want to take some roads I've never taken - like going through Pennsylvania on my way to Virginia, or skipping DC to get to Portsmouth, VA by way of the Virginia Peninsula and Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

On July 10, I'll stash my car at my parents' place in Ashburn, VA, and take a bus from DC to New York city in time for my brother's birthday in New York. And then I'm off! On a plane. Since I'm flying to Dulles on the way back, I'll pick up my car and head back to Boston and I may or may not stop along the way - whatever fits my fancy. I just have to be back for work on September 15, so there's no rush and I could do a mini road trip (or I could rush back to Boston and start with the motorcycle lessons then!)