Hello again -
Working on the details of the trip (original 21ish days to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich/Salzburg area, Venice, Florence, Rome - see earlier thread). After making cuts and some important considerations - I am thinking I might need to break it up into two legs (or one leg and focus on that, bonus if I can do the second leg too).
Considerations: I am Deaf, (going blind) and will be going with a group of Deaf/Hearing folks (the trip will be set up through a Deaf travel agency). Most of those going can go up to 21 days (actually 18 1/2 days if one thinks about it). I can do longer, but need to keep costs down and timing for them. Hence the back-to-back legs (2 groups with option for those like me to go on both legs).
Since I already cut Switzerland for the first trip, I am thinking of cutting Amsterdam and save that for when I can go and do Keukenhof for the tulips. That leaves the first leg: the 21 days to London, Paris, Rome, Florence, and Venice. Would that be more manageable? (That would also solve my "Paris dilemma" over in the France forum (re: Versailles) and keep Versailles after all, and spread out the London activities a bit).
The second leg - most likely 10 days (8 not counting to/from days) would cover the Bavarian Alps area - ie Munich, Salzburg, Neuschwanstein/Hohenschwangau, and possible a town on the German side (that resembles Rothenburg ob der Tauber or my Playmobil villages/castle) and Halstatt on the Austrian side as day trips?
So with that mind -
Day 1 Arrive in London
Day 2-5 in London
Day 6 transfer to Paris; 1/2 day Paris
Day 7-10 in Paris
Day 11 travel day
Day 12-13 Venice
Day 14 transfer/ 1/2 day (most likely Venice)
Day 15-16 Florence
Day 17 transfer/ 1/2 day (most likely Florence)
Day 18-20 Rome
Day 21 Rome/flight or move on to next leg.
Thoughts? As much as I would love to squeeze in the others, I would rather have quality time and take my time rather than rush through the cities... If someone has a better solution, please do share!
('m fine with the long rail day - I see it as a day of rest to catch up on journaling and chatting with folks - I did the 10 hours between my hometown and Washington DC solo and survived with sanity intact).