Getting ready

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To me, half the fun of traveling is the planning and anticipation. Last summer I knew that I wanted to take a big trip in 2017 so I started toying with destinations. Where to go? I don't tend to re-visit but there are many places still to see. I've traveled extensively here in the USA but there are still six states on my "To Do" list including Alaska, Oregon, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Maine. I will visit these states but not in 2017. I've been to most of the Caribbean islands but I live in Florida so not high on my list. Central America is awesome and my excursions to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize did not disappoint but that area is close by and relatively easy and inexpensive to visit. The only country in South America I have been to is Venezuela so there are many exotic destinations I considered. I had earned enough frequent flyer miles to qualify for an international flight so...



To be honest, Africa was Number 1 on my list but, for what I wanted to do, cost prohibitive. Also, my research basically led me to believe that traveling alone, especially a solo woman, was not perhaps the best idea. One of my best experiences was when I traveled to Vietnam and South Korea several years ago (alone) so, in that portion of the world, considered China, the Philippines, and Indonesia. I have been to most of the western European countries. So, where to go?



I do have requirements such as warmth and safety. Despite the fact that I only speak English, I have managed to make myself understood in all of the countries I have visited (believe me, it is not as easy as the guidebooks say to find English speakers in Vietnam!) Anyway, language isn't now, and never had been, a huge factor in my travel decisions.



After a few months of dithering, I suddenly realized that I have always wanted to travel by train. So, I settled on a journey from Prague to Budapest, then Bucharest, and on to Istanbul. Sadly, but luckily, before I had made any definitive reservations, this happened: "There is high risk to your security in Ankara and Istanbul due to the heightened threat of terrorism and potential for civil unrest. We advise against all tourist and other non-essential travel to these cities."



Ok, terrorism and unrest in the world does have to play a factor in my little vacation. But, I had already fixated on train travel so I started looking at a more northern route within Europe. I ultimately decided on Amsterdam as my starting point and Budapest as my ending point but, when I made my air reservations, I was traveling through London so added a stay in that glorious city.

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