So, I've started working on our official trip itenerary and it's coming along nicely. Now that we have all of the big items planned (flights, hotels, etc.), I feel like we can start to hammer out the details. This is really getting down to the nitty-gritty of details, details, details.
So, if you want to see what we have planned thus far, you can go here: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcb5b7z2_0dmsk5ncq
I am also starting a mental list of clothing and pretty much everything that needs to be packed. I need to put this into a list soon too, so I'll be working on that. I have been trying to decide what shoes to take. It is going to be VERY important to have comfortable shoes that I can wear for several hours per day without blisters. I expect that my feet will ache from all of the walking, but I don't want any unnecessary issues.
I only want to take two pairs. Definitely one pair of tennis shoes and one pair of causal flats. I got these for Christmas thinking that they were going to be a for-sure choice for the trip. However, they are not as comfortable as I had hoped. And, they're a little heavy. I just really loved the neutral color:
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/28213749/c/146207.html
These are the "casual" tennis shoes I recently ordered. I think the neutral colors will be great. I have read in several instances that you will "stick out like a sore thumb" in Europe with white tennis shoes. So, here's what I've been breaking in that I'm pretty sure will be going:
http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/product.jsp?productRef=CROSS%3A&category=&prodId=173690&brand=300255
Last but not least, I picked these up for about $20 at TJ Maxx one day thinking they would be good for casual days at work and occasional Saturdays. However, they have proved to be quite comfortable. Although I have not walked all day in them, my feet feel fairly good after a full day at work, so they are in the running:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.footwearetc.com/footwear/items/WomensShoes-PrivoPrivobyClarksHop2BlackMesh_medium_image1_11144.gif&imgrefurl=http://shoes.footwearetc.com/footwear/Hop&usg=__ZG5TDhnh_sxj-ZzKpjRxq4a-jgA=&h=125&w=125&sz=6&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=NGLGgJdu9iKSrM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dprivo%2Bpenny%2Bshoes%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
That's all for now. Only 32 days until departure!!!!!
You know how I love a good itinerary! This sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Love you!
ReplyDeleteShoes are so important! I'm glad you're paying attention to them. I'm sure you saw that I did an entire post on them. I ended up taking 3 pairs. 2 casual ones for the day to day walking (one pair of Keens and one pair of Privos). They were wonderful! I tried them out beforehand on a weekend trip to D.C. and am so glad I did. I got blisters all over from the Privos, but I broke them in and they never gave me a bit of trouble in Europe. The 3rd pair I took were casual black flats for evenings. They packed down to nothing so I could hardly justify leaving them behind.
ReplyDeleteMight I suggest considering another "day shoe"? You are right. Your feet will ache at the end of the day. And they will revolt if you try to stick them in the same shoe that night or the next day. It was a nice "rest" to rotate the day shoes. It gave the footsies a well deserved break. Might I also suggest Keens? I took the Barcelona Mary Jane's. They were wonderful. I wear them all the time even now. Cute, have the "European look", and are extremely comfortable.
I would also suggest doing some serious walking in all of your shoes before you go. And...don't forget to take bandaids and blister treatment stuff in your daypack. So important! I can't recommend Band Aid Advanced Healing Blister band-aids enough. They are a miracle product. I used them in D.C. and knew not to leave them behind when I went to Europe. Turns out I didn't need them there, but I came home with NONE because I gave them away to other tourists who were bent over their poor feet along the sites...
So excited for you!