Here's a breakdown:
Stated objective: conduct research for dissertation on the BBC Big Screens program (primarily July 16-25)
Motivation for going: vacation, cultural exchange, personal enrichment, blah blah...[insert Eat Pray Love nonsense here], obsession with British television, love of pubs, irritation at constantly being asked "how are you an art historian who hasn't been to Europe?!?!"
Cultural exchange wish list: explain baseball to non-Americans, play pick-up cricket, sing a country song at a karaoke bar (I only know three), see a live rugby/cricket/hurling/football match
Modes of transportation: plane (NY-London, Dublin-NY), train (BritRail-England 8-day pass and Eurostar London and Paris), automobile (taxi to JFK), bus (to outskirts and tourist sites), boat (Holyhead-Dublin)
Accouterments: limited to what fits inside a carry-on suitcase, backpack, and small purse
Itinerary:
July 10-14: London, England
July 14-15: Bath, England
July 15-16: Salisbury, England
July 16-19: Plymouth, England
July 19-22: Bradford/Leeds, England
July 22-25: Birmingham, England
July 25-26: Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
July 26-30: Paris, France
July 30-August 1: ?????
August 1-2: Holyhead, Wales
August 2-5: Dublin, Ireland
Most of the accommodations are bed-and-breakfasts, though there are a few private rooms in hostels, one chain hotel, and one graciously-offered spare room. Almost everything's set, except I am still debating what to do for two days on the itinerary. I'm leaning towards either Liverpool or something nature-oriented...or I might just wing it.
Tonight I'm going to re-pack my suitcase, as it is an exercise in Tetris-style maneuvering I need to master, clean up my apartment, download some movies and audiobooks, and finally answer the question I've been debating all week: do I stay up all night or set 900 alarms to wake up in time to catch a 4:45am car to JFK?
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