Travel PLANS, Christmas and beyond.

I am writing all this down here so I can keep track of my plans, and so I can get feedback as necessary.



For Christmas, I am going to Paris.  One of my friends is letting me stay in his apartment.  I am super psyched!


After Paris, I am heading to Copenhagen to spend New Years with some friends I made while studying abroad there.


Later, I might try and meet up with another friend who recently moved to Switzerland.




Beyond this Europe-excursion, I am toying with the idea of taking another big road trip out west.  I need to visit schools anyway, and I want to check in with all my friends and relatives who've scattered across the country.  I need to remember to try and hit Uni-towns on weekdays and friends on weekends.


My current dream itinerary is:
DC-->Charlottesville, VA-->Chapel Hill and Durham, NC-->Athens, GA-->Tuscaloosa, AL-->Austin, TX-->Phoenix, AZ-->Santa Barbara, CA-->San Francisco, CA-->Zion NP, UT/Grand Canyon NP, AZ-->Pueblo, CO-->Boulder, CO-->Fort Collins, CO-->Omaha, NE-->Bloomington, IN-->HOME!

Alternate slightly shorter route:
DC-->Charlottesville, VA-->Chapel Hill and Durham, NC-->Athens, GA-->Tuscaloosa, AL-->Austin, TX-->Phoenix, AZ-->Santa Barbara, CA-->San Francisco, CA-->Zion National Park, UT-->Pueblo, CO-->Fort Collins, CO-->Omaha, NE-->Bloomington, IN-->HOME!

Alternate shorter route:
DC--> Charlottesville, VA-->Chapel Hill and Durham, NC-->Athens, GA-->Tuscaloosa, AL-->Austin, TX-->Phoenix, AZ-->Santa Barbara, CA-->Grand Canyon-->Pueblo, CO-->Fort Collins, CO-->Omaha, NE-->Bloomington, IN-->HOME!

Red = University visit
Blue = friend
Purple = both!


I want to spend some time hiking around the Southwest.  I didn't get to do enough of that on my last trip.