Oh yeah, I’m going to Europe ✈️
Before you start calling me moneybags (which would be a terrible nickname, btw, please don’t get any ideas LOL), I am off to Europe this week because I scored the most epic flight deal of all time. I still don’t even know if I believe that it’s real. I’ve saved all the screenshots of the booking just in case I get to the airport and they try to say it’s not valid.
Back in August, Alex texted me about a YVR Deal that came through. She ended up booking a trip over some random days in November and suggested that I do the same. I had never even considered impulse buying airline tickets before, but when the deal is THAT good, how could I not? Couldn’t manage to secure the exact dates that she did, but I ended up with roundtrip Vancouver to Dublin on British Airways for $288. That’s right, $288. Booked it and decided to figure out the rest later.
Along with the surreal task of filling in 2 magical weeks in Europe with the destinations of my choice (!!!), my biggest goal was to make this trip as budget friendly as possible. This has been challenging, to say the least, but also incredibly fun. The itinerary has only JUST been finalized and includes a very quick moment in London and Dublin. I will then spend half of the trip with Alex in beautiful Malta. We wanted a spot that we’d both never been to that would be *fingers crossed* a touch warmer, maybe even sunny? Then, we’re parting ways and I had 5 days alone to figure out. My original thought was Barcelona because I’ve always wanted to go to Spain and it was an inexpensive flight. Then when the Catalonia chaos broke out, I decided that maybe it wasn’t meant to be this time. I ended up going with another city I’ve never explored, Amsterdam! I’m very last minute and still haven’t finalized accommodation, but hopefully I can narrow something down soon!
I’m so excited for the natural high that travel brings and to be pushed outside of my comfort zone. Being solo in a foreign place always forces me to be more open and to really face fears and anxieties. I’ve been plagued with stress over packing, as I’m aiming to only carry on. Bringing clothes for two whole weeks and two very different climates is really starting to feel like mission impossible. If I manage to pull this off, I will be sure to do a very detailed post about what I packed because it will be actual magic.
Posts here have been a bit sparse because I’ve been writing like mad to plan ahead. There will be tons of blog content while I’m away and of course, live photos on Instagram. Including some really exciting partnerships and giveaways so stay tuned! Can’t wait to get away for a bit and for you guys to follow along. Oh, and if you have any recommendations for London, Dublin, Malta, and/or Amsterdam, would love to hear them!
That’s an amazing deal, so don’t blame you at all for booking it on a whim! When my husband and I lived in England, we booked two return flights to Dublin for 2£!?? You couldn’t even get on the bus for that little!
Ok, so I’ve been to every city you’re hitting, and I’m more of a wandering traveller (I don’t really plan too much ahead). The food and people in Dublin are amazing, so wander around and soak in as much as you can. Day trips are affordable. We did Wicklow Mountains and a monastic site which was well worth it. Drink a pint of Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse – it’s a national treasure and tastes much better than in North America.
My family happens to be from Malta, and so I’ve been many times. Sadly, it really is a place to visit in the summer time as the beaches are incredible, but you’ll have less tourists to deal with which is also nice. The last two times I visited were during November and December, and boy was it cold!! I wore a winter jacket in November b/c the island can get very windy. Valetta is the capital and has loads of shopping and food. Sliema is another big city that has a promenade and is nice to walk around. You can find nightlife/bars/pubs in Paceville. Mdina ‘the silent city’ is another cool place to check out if you like history. You can ferry over to Gozo and spend a day there as well. It’s an easy country to navigate by bus and everyone speaks English, so if you get lost – don’t be afraid to ask for help!
London and Amsterdam are so cool, you won’t be at a loss for what to do there. Have fun and can’t wait to see a recap of your trip!