[SUÐURLAND] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 30 September 2017

Golden Circle Tour (Reykjavik Excursions) - 9,025.00

Gullfoss Kaffi (Ham & Cheese Toast) - 770.00

Northern Lights Tour (Reykjavik Excursions) - 6,555.00

ISK16,350.00

Estimate of ISK1 = PhP0.50

TOTAL – PhP8,175.00

[SUÐURLAND] Chasing Aurora + The Golden Circle

Aurora, that frigid bitch. Chasing the northern lights was not really part of the itinerary. I didn't even know that they can be seen in late September, but the schedule of the tour starting at 10 PM was so convenient. It's not as if I would be partying in Reykjavik, you know. Since I decided to get two consecutive days-off, I had no excuse not to stay out late. Unfortunately, Aurora was a no-show. I guess those green Avada Kedavra lights will just have to remain on my bucket list for a while.

[REYKJAVIK] Budget and Itinerary

FRIDAY: 29 September 2017

Airport Transfer (Reykjavik Excursions) - 2,500.00

Airbnb (2 Nights) - 11,960.00

Nesti (Bacon Cheesedog x2 + Coke) - 1,245.00

Bus 3 (BSI - Skeifan) - 440.00

ISK16,145.00

[REYKJAVIK] Of Whale Steaks and Wiener Warmers

Aside from Wikitravel, at times I would normally just look at Google Maps and see whatever attractions are in bold letters. If they are prominent on the map, they are probably worth the visit, right? This place called Hið Íslenzka Reðasafn was quite prominent on the map and not that far away from Hallgrimskirkja, and so I thought why not give it a shot? I don’t speak Icelandic, so after seeing the English translation at the door, I found out that it was the Icelandic Phallological Museum. In short, a museum for dicks.

[BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG] Budget and Itinerary

ESTIMATES

Wizz Air (Skopje - Basel) - 155.00

University of Freiburg (Summer German Course) - 650.00

University of Freiburg (Accommodation) - 350.00

Food Allowance (EUR10 x 25 Days) - 250.00

EUR1,405.00

[FREIBURG] German at Uni Freiburg

I'm trying to recall how I ended up in Freiburg this September, but I just can't find the answer. All I remember is that the other two options were language institutes in Munich and Aachen. Maybe I just wanted a university atmosphere once again? In the end it was a good decision because Freiburg turned out to be a more enjoyable experience that I imagined it would be. The classes and seminars were great. Everyone was friendly. The extra-curricular activities were plenty, and so were the travel options.

[FREIBURG] Jewel of the Black Forest

What happened in Freiburg was pretty much the same thing as what happened in Vienna three years ago. Every weekend was spent outside the city and I didn't go sightseeing until the second to the last day. Hooray, me. I guess the difference is that the campus of Uni Freiburg is already in the old city center, which means you don't even have to exert that much of an effort to go on tourist mode when you happen to be in the vicinity every day anyway. As a little university town, I actually like Freiburg.

[LUXEMBOURG] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 23 September 2017

DB (Freiburg - Luxembourg) - 29.90
KFC (Chicken Strips w/Fries & Coke) - 7.99
Chinese Resto (Beef Noodles w/Coke) - 16.00

EUR53.89

[VADUZ] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 16 September 2017

Airbnb (1 Night - Buchs) - 26.00

EUR26.00

[VADUZ] Call Me Vadoots

“You’re in Zürich?!” I told my friend that I was just passing by and that I was going to Liechtenstein, to which he replied, “Why does everyone go to Liechtenstein, there’s bloody nothing to see there!” And I was, like, Meh. But I think he’s well aware that I am just collecting countries here so I really don’t give a damn. True enough, I spent less than two hours in Vaduz. It feels somehow unfortunate but when there’s nothing to see, there’s nothing to see. Drop by, take photos, and then move on with your life.

[VORARLBERG] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 16 September 2017

Flixbus (Zurich - Feldkirch) - 9.90
Bakery (Nuss Schneke) - 2.00
Manga (Crispy Duck Rice w/Coke) - 8.00
Konditorei Mangold (Hot Choco w/Cake Roll) - 4.90
EC 164 (Feldkirch - Buchs SG) - 4.40

EUR29.20

[FELDKIRCH] That Medieval Town Next to Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein was supposed to be the highlight of this itinerary but I think I liked Feldkirch more. And so Feldkirch became the highlight; Liechtenstein, the side trip. In any case, visiting both cities in one weekend is doable. Liechtenstein Bus 11 connects the two. The journey is around 45 minutes and costs CHF 4.30 (~PHP 235). You can pay the driver directly in either Euros or Swiss Francs. The stop in Feldkirch is at the main train station. In Vaduz, you get off or get on at Schaan or Vaduz Post.

mother!

♣♣♣♣/♣♣♣♣♣

A Poet (Javier Bardem) and his Wife (Jennifer Lawrence) live a quiet existence in the middle of nowhere. The isolation aids him in his creative process as a writer, while the boredom gives her enough drive to restore their house piece by piece after it is consumed by a great fire. Their life of peace is disturbed by the arrival of a Man (Ed Harris), whom they allow to spend the night. The next day, a Woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) who claims to be his wife joins him and is welcomed with open arms. As the strangers’ presence quickly transforms the ambiance from uncomfortable to downright intrusive, the Wife must find a way to regain order in what was once her paradise. When the pair’s two sons come over unannounced and prompt a violent altercation in the premises, it becomes clear that a line must be drawn between hospitality and privacy. But can she do it alone when her husband is so inexplicably smitten with their new house guests?

[GRAND-EST] Budget and Itinerary

SUNDAY: 10 September 2017

Flixbus (Freiburg - Strasbourg) - 9.90

McDonalds (McBacon w/Pancakes & Coke) - 5.70

Flixbus (Strasbourg - Freiburg) - 11.90

SUBTOTAL - EUR27.50

Estimate of EUR1 = PhP60.00

TOTAL – PhP1,650.00

[STRASBOURG] The French Daytrip

Strasbourg has a long history of switching sides. I think this is true for the entire region of Alsace-Lorraine, though. It must be inevitable when you are a city lying just across the border. With the long history of animosity between the Germans and the French, this area has always been crucial in defining their political borders. But one thing hasn’t really changed and that is the mere fact that this region has always been on the tourist map. Nowadays it’s a mini metropolis just an hour away from Freiburg. Daytrip!

[BASEL-STADT] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 9 September 2017

Flixbus (Freiburg - Basel) - 8.00
Subway (Menu des Tages) - 10.00
Flixbus (Basel - Freiburg) - 11.25
McCafe (Hot Ovaltine w/Mini Donut) - 6.40
Xiao Lu's (Chicken Fried Rice) - 20.50

CHF56.15

Estimate of CHF1 = PhP54.00

TOTAL – PhP3,032.10

[BASEL] The Swiss Daytrip

Basel is one of several daytrip options you have if you are based in Freiburg. This is yet another tri-border zone, this time shared by France, Germany, and Switzerland. Basel’s airport serves as the gateway to the regionand also causes some headaches from time to time because it has three IATA codes which can make it confusing for the traveler. That aside, there are connections aplenty, and Basel itself is a tourist destination in its own right. And so what is there to see?

[SKOPJE] Budget and Itinerary

FRIDAY: 1 September 2017

Simeonidis (Thessaloniki - Skopje) - 1,250.00

Vero (Grocery) - 243.00

Goodys (Fries & Coke) - 140.00

MKD1,633.00

[PRIŠTINA] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 2 September 2017

Rule Turs (Skopje - Pristina - Skopje) - 8.50

Walkers (Nuggets w/Fries & Coke) - 3.80

Taxi (City Center - Bus Station) - 2.00

Qendresa (Doner + Coke + Water) - 6.00

EUR20.30

Estimate of EUR1 = PhP60.00

TOTAL – PhP1,218.00

[PRIŠTINA] The Kosovo Daytrip

The 9 AM bus was cancelled. The 10:10 bus never arrived. Waiting for more than an hour, we all just pounced on the first vehicle that had the word PRIŠTINA on its windshield. It could have been an ox cart for all we cared, we just didn’t have the patience to wait anymore. Apparently, it doesn’t matter what your ticket is for. It seems as though buses, mini buses, and mini vans just get their half of the ticket and maybe exchange it for cash at the office later on. When in doubt, just ask the driver.