Overseas travel - Reasons for deciding to travel to Europe and pre-departure preparation review 1 (France, Italy) (유럽 여행 결정 계기와 출발 전 준비 후기 1 English ver.)

 

I would like to write this in the style of a monologue diary. I hope that the latest review in 2024 will be of some help to your trip!

I felt skeptical about whether it was right to continue doing this while working at the company. I was worried about the commute that took over 3 hours round trip and the structural issues. I had more and more thoughts, but I was busy trying to get through each day.

I realized that I couldn't continue living like I did now. I needed time to think and rest. It would have been okay to look for a new job and transfer, but I thought I needed to take some time to think about it. Since I've been so busy working, I decided to give myself some healing time with peace of mind.

I wrote down things I want to do at least once in my life. As I was reading Dale Carnegie's book, I was told to write down what I wanted to do on paper and rank the things that would make a big difference in my life. Among the things I wrote down, the thing I wanted to do the most and was most memorable was traveling to Europe.

When I was a child and made art with the Vatican's Peter's Basilica in art class, I always had the thought of wanting to see that building with my own eyes someday. In addition to that building, there seemed to be beautiful scenery overseas, including paintings drawn after the Renaissance period, baroque cathedrals, various buildings, museums, etc., and it seemed like it would be visually enjoyable no matter where I looked. I wanted to travel to a place different from my daily life. I decided to refresh my mind through new experiences and take the time to worry about the future and organize my thoughts.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, I couldn't travel abroad for quite a long time. Before Corona, I thought I should go abroad at least once, but then I ended up not being able to go at all. As it became possible to travel abroad after the coronavirus outbreak, I went on my first overseas trip to Australia in 2023. On my way to Australia, I also stopped by Singapore for one night. When I went there once, everything was new and I experienced a variety of cultures and was very impressed. The year I went on my first overseas trip, I also traveled to Taiwan and Japan.

Even walking on the subway or bus, a transportation method I was used to in Korea, was surprising and new because the method abroad was different and unfamiliar. Last year, I traveled overseas a few times and gained courage. I also felt proud of having traveled to countries with unfamiliar cultures. I planned my first trip to Europe with the intention of going to Europe before I became resentful of not being able to go because I didn't know when I would get the chance.

The flight was paid for with an Asiana airline ticket. Since my birthday was in June, I was able to purchase it cheaply with a birthday discount. I decided to quit my job in early June, and my departure date was set for July. I paid for my airline ticket in June and then planned my trip for about a month. My elementary school friend and I both quit our jobs, so we decided to go on a trip. The itinerary is about 15 days, including 6 days in Paris, France and 8 days in Italy, with an evening flight and one night.

- July 10, 2024 in Paris, France
- July 24, 2024 Out in Rome, Italy 
- July 25, 2024 Arrival at Incheon Airport, Korea

 For accommodations, I first checked comparative prices on several platforms through Google Maps. I mainly made reservations through Agoda because it was cheap and I used it often so I was familiar with it. When I looked at the map format showing the location of the accommodation, I ranked the location as the number one priority. I wanted to find it near a subway or bus stop. After that, I decided on a place with reasonable conditions and price. Accommodation reviews were based on photographs, focusing on interior design, air conditioning, and hygiene.

I looked for a 3-star hotel and was able to make a reservation for between 120,000 and 160,000 won per night for two people. City tax is charged separately and calculated upon check-in at the hotel. It is said to be a tax paid by the hotel to the government. Including city tax, it was between 140,000 and 180,000 won per night for two people. There were places where city tax could be paid with both card and cash, but there were also places where only cash was accepted.

-2 nights at an accommodation in the 15th arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower, 3 nights at another Paris accommodation in the 15th arrondissement, 1 night at Disneyland
 A total of 3 accommodations in France
-2 nights accommodation in Venice, Italy, 2 nights accommodation in Florence, 4 nights accommodation in Rome, 1 room change
A total of 3 accommodations in Italy

I will write an additional review later! I hope the latest review from 2024 will be of some help to your trip!