Travel Plans

So part of my new job as a stay at home wife and student is to scope places to travel. Sucks doesn't it? Not really as I am getting super excited about traveling to all of these fantastic places. TJ and I have decided to take one long weekend trip a month that is more expensive, and then other "day trip excursions" to places that are close. So far we have our large trips booked through the end of the year, as it is more affordable that way and things book way in advance. We also found a gem of an airline called Ryan Air. It is the european discount carrier that is super cheap if you plan in advance. So if you are coming to visit and want to take excusion trips let us know in advance and we can get you a round trip flight for about 60 EUR/person.
So, where are we going?
October is Munich for the authentic Oktoberfest. We leave tomorrow morning and are taking a three hour train ride. I am very excited as we will sight see one day, and experience the festival the next.
In November we will spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Rome, Italy. This would be the one that I am most excited for as there is so much to see and so much food to eat! I am sure TJ and I will gain plenty of weight on this trip. Don't worry fellow catholics...I will be hitting the Vatican. How could I not with all of those years of catholic school? We leave Thanksgiving morning and are flying to Roma, then returning on Sunday. Obviously in Germany they do not celebrate Thanksgiving, but TJ refuses to work that day no matter what country we live in.
For December we will be spending the Christmas Holiday in Salzburg, Austria. Why Salzburg? Because TJ and I love snowboarding and will hit a few of the surrounding resort areas and also see the historic city during our stay. Christmas in Austria is supposed to be the best!
For January I am looking at Lucern, Switzerland (not just because it sounds a lot like Lucero), or at least somewhere in that country. I'll keep you posted.
The day trip excursions will include some of the older historic cities that are only a few hours away like Strasbourg, France, Rothenberg ob der Tauber, Luxembourg City, Nurnberg, Ludwigsburg, and Tubingen. December will be a busy month as many of these smaller towns have giant Christmas Markets. If you have been to any of these places and know of something I can't miss, please let me know!
As for the update on our "honeymoon trip" to Greece/Turkey or Spain, that will wait until after snowboarding season when it is a little warmer, but I hope to do that in April. It will be about a week long and we have decided to do one location on 2009, and the other 2010 so we both can win! Other places of interest to us are Copenhagen, Prague, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Paris, Berlin, Belgium, England, and snowboarding in Norway would also be fantastic...but cold. Again, if you have been somewhere that I shouldn't miss, please let me know!
I am sure that everyone is asking themselves, what will little Tut do while we are away? Well some of the day excursions we can take him, and we will drive to Salzburg for Christmas so he can go there (thank God...Christmas without Tut would be unthinkable). For the other trips that are long or we have to fly he will go to a pension in Heidelberg. We are taking him there tonight and I am sure he will love it as he will have space to run and they may match him with another dog to play with if he is being a good boy- it could go either way.
I may not post tomorrow as we will be in Munich, but I will try my best. The word on the street is that it is going to be cold and rainy...figures. TJ told me to look at the bright side as we will be in beer tents on Saturday, thanks, T!

I wish you all the best this weekend...especially my friends Kelly, Carrie, and Rebecca who will be seeing The Kathy Griffin in Iowa City on Saturday. Rebecca, I will be calling for a full report! I am so jealous! People if you haven't seen KG in person...you must go! And Jen, Cox, Emily, and Tesi have the best time at mania. (For those of you who don't know what mania is, it is basically a fitness workshop where you get to see, work out with, and take pictures of fitness celebrities.)

One more shout out to Carrie...have a very Happy Birthday on Saturday! I love and miss you very much!

Auf Wiedersehen