earnfromhome

I was talking with a good friend last week and our random conversation went into a serious discussion of a possibility of back-packing together in Europe.

My friend has been to Europe before and tells me of her exciting experiences going from one country to another. My heart twitches with envy since I wanted to do the same thing when I went to France a few years back. I wanted to go to Germany, United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.

My trip to France was an adventure that I would really recommend to anyone worth doing before you grow too old to walk without the cane.

Have you tried having authentic French dinner in a real castle by the fireplace? And what about having wine tasting inside a cave? Or even having a romantic dinner in a real cave?

Going up the Eiffel Tower and seeing the city lights isn’t complete without your partner holding your hand. Walking the cobble stoned streets has its magic with the street lamps reflecting its serene lights on the shiny stones. Paris has romance in the air, everywhere.

I loved the dinner in the Seine river cruise with a beautiful French woman serenading us while seeing the Eiffel Tower light up, reflecting its moving lights on the water.

One thing I could not stand in France is feeling tipsy even before my dinner is actually served! Haha… With the so many wine glasses of different shapes and sizes, with the waiters pouring wines one after another, me sipping them, enjoying the music, laughing with my friends, I’m feeling the alcohol go to my head even before I start to enjoy the carefully prepared gastronomic delights!

Aha! And have you tasted the best chocolate croissant? That’s what I have been feasting on in the hotel breakfast for 3 straight days of stay in that hotel! How I wish I could bring them home and enjoy a lifetime supply of that.

Too bad, I just have to go back to France to taste them again. And I will! This time, with better planning.

Day tours in the Loire Valley and Versailles are a must. Of course, you have to spend almost the whole day in The Louvre if you want to visit every room in that awesome museum. The crystal pyramid is one place you should have your photo taken. That is just the entrance to Paris’ magnificent collection. I never realized how far they have kept Mona Lisa until I had to walk all the way back through the large hall after seeing the famous painting.

Anyway, going back to my regret — my biggest regret was not being able to go to other European countries during that trip.

As my friend and I were thinking of having a month-long trip to Europe, we found this website that guarantees cheapest rates compared to anywhere in the internet. The site is http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk (This could be what you call The Law of Attraction. That’s another great topic to discuss in the future.)

We found out that we can actually choose the hotels by its star-rating and budget, which is important to me. Also, we can find last minute deals and year-round offers, plus, find only those that are available for certain block of dates.

I was telling my friend that when I travel with my kids, I make sure that I book the entire trip ahead. I don’t go for packaged tours. I prefer that I book the flights; I book and pay my hotel online ahead of time, and book my chosen day tours or night tours while still in the comfort of my bedroom.

This allows my kids to make the most of the trip and me enjoying a hassle-free and stress-free vacation. I don’t have to follow any tour guide’s schedule. I set the time and the pace of the entire trip. This way, I can focus on my family and see their faces light up in every adventure that we experience together.

With this kind of planning, I find http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk to be very helpful since I can choose their year-round prices tab and input the inclusive travel dates and find so many hotels of different star-ratings and budget to choose from.

I also travel alone a lot of times. I’m a free-spirit. I’m spontaneous. Being one, I sometimes end up having difficulty finding a room for myself during my last-minute bookings. Using the phone to call one hotel after another, trying to find a room is really time-consuming and tiring too… especially after a long day.

And this is where I find the last minute deals truly valuable! Their website features LAST-MINUTE DEALS! You can try it here.

Saving on hotel prices is important to me. Why? Because what I save on hotels means more shopping for me. I just love the perfumes and cosmetics in the Champs Elysee. Especially the brands that I use are mostly made in, where else, but France.

I mentioned that I wanted to go to Germany. Right? Well, the truth is I did. But only to Frankfurt airport!!! Waaa… I should have planned my trip and extended it to have given me time to ACTUALLY go around Germany and visit Berlin.

I want to “feel” the Berlin Wall. I have read somewhere that more than seeing it, the feeling that it gives is worth the trip.

I plan to visit Charlottenburg Palace and Reichstag Dome — both offering great architecture and rich history in contrasting manner. The first one being old and of royalty; the latter being a modern architectural wonder housing the parliament.

There are hotels that offer free wi-fi service. And what better way to communicate with our loved ones back home than through web-cam chatting. Traveling requires light packing. McBilly.com recommends a very light and affordable e-gadget for the travelers who can’t live without their laptop notebooks.

And this time, being wiser, I will find the cheapest hotels definitely, with the help of some websites that guarantee the cheapest rate just like http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk.