Am I crazy?? I'm traveling out for work this Thursday and will spend a week in London (working unfortunately) after that I'm planning on backpacking a bit in France and Spain. My first stop is Paris and I think i'll stay for a couple days - next Barcelona - after that Cannes (i'm meeting a co-worker there) should i fly or get the rail? I'm not sure what to do and it was so last minute that I think i'm starting to panic, but really want to make the most of the time i have...
also has anyone heard of couchsurfing.com? i'm trying to figure out if it's safe enough to meet up with people or if i should just go out on my own?!
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
A mistake some people make is not allowing sufficient time for the transportation time that it takes, in Europe as opposed to the US, to catch airplanes, trains, rent cars--that kind of transportation connection time. In Europe, these things often take longer than they do here, and this can sometimes blindside those who haven't been through the drill in Europe.
Posted by
Everett, Wa, usa
42 posts
I would be worried about crashing in with someone you don't know. My daughter went traveling after highschool with a couple of girlfriends and they were almost kidnapped for a prostituion ring in Paris by staying with a woman who appeared really sweet and helpful and seemed to be innocent enough. You just never know who these people might be.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
I'd steer clear of couchsurfing.com myself. It seems to be more used/sucessful for guys. In my opinion, if you can't afford to get a room in a hotel, pension, or hostel, you probably shouldn't go.
Posted by
Torrance, CA
79 posts
That is a lot to do in six days! Paris deserves more than a couples days, and I'm sure Barcelona does too.
I'm finding that to really make the most of the time you have somewhere, you should travel less. Enjoy the place you are. Traveling, as noted above, takes a lot of time. Why waste so much of your limited 6 days in airports or on trains? If anything, I would recommend cutting at least Barcelona. Six days between 2 cities is more doable, but still rushed. If it were me, I would spend all of those six days in Paris. But, since you're meeting your coworker, that's not as feasible.
I also would avoid couchsurfing.com. Sounds sketchy. Good luck with your (tough) decisions!