The cost

Here is an overview of spending on the trip. We had a budget of a maximum of 75,000, - the total for everything. We did very well. It's even cheaper in Eastern Europe than we had expected.


Transportation: (interrail tickets + seat bookings, bus and taxi): 13.390, -
Flight t / r: 12.260, -
Accommodation: 24.110, -
Entertainment (zoos, amusement park) 2095 -
Clothing + assorted stuff 3785 -
Food, drinks and necessities 10.445, -

Total: 66.085, -

We feel satisfied with the economy. May seem like a lot of money for a vacation, and it's by all means a lot of money, but we are, after all, 2 adults and 3 children who have been away for 25 days. We have experienced a lot, and has probably become even more well assembled as a family. You live close to each other, and for many it may feel tight and cramped. I can still say with hand on heart that we never grew tired of each other on this trip. We have only had a fantastic time! :)

Home

We had to get up very early again Monday morning. We took the bus from the train station before 7! Recommend it a lot. Comfortable, effective, fair price and many departures. When we got to the airport  I was a little intimidated by a huge long chekin-line. Those who have been at Gardermoen, or other Norwegian airports, understands that I thought that it was a matter of hours until our turn. It only was a few minutes. Incredibly effective! A long line of 10 different counters.

The trip home went quickly, a little break at Kastrup, and so we could finally (?) Land on Norwegian soil again. The question mark is placed there, as the boys sat on the plane back to Norway and discussed where we should go on the next interrail! We fell totally for this way of traveling, everyone, and there will be a trip  in 2013 or 2014 we have decided! :)

Munich

The train left at 8:35 in the morning, and we had a break in Bologna. To Bologna we had a compartment to ourselves, and it's always great! It was a short trip to Bologna, and we put our luggage at the station, so we could wander a little in the city. There was not much we could see, the train proceeded at 11:46 to Munich. Incredibly fascinating to see the landscape change like that. From the plains of Italy and the Alps. We drove through Innsbruck. Dinner was also purchased. And the boys got free ice cream, so they were thrilled! :)

The hotel was right next to the station in Munich, and we found it easily. There was only one small problem ... There had been a water leak, so several floors were closed. They were still very professional, and had already ordered new hotel to us, closer to the center, 2 rooms next to each other, including breakfast. It was pretty well :) We were staying at the Hotel Deutsches Theater. Feel free to stay here again!

Day 1: Breakfast was good (especially when it was free, we should not really had breakfast at the other hotel). We ate well, and waited until 9:30 before we went into the city. We wandered around at random in the pedestrian streets, and did a lot of "window-shopping" in expensive designer shops, before we ended up at C & A and got a lot of clothes for everyone. On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a huge toy store, where the boys got to pick one toy each. They chose some lego and back at the hotel they built with Lego.

It started raining in the evening, so we ate dinner at Subway, which was just down the street to the hotel and when we came back, the sky totaly opened! It was a tremendous thunder and lightning show. It reverberated from the walls. Tremendously.


Day 2: We got up early and ate breakfast before we went down through the streets of Munich's Deutsches Museum. A gigantic technical museum. Fun for both young and old here. Here they had everything from old to new boats, airplanes, balloons, cars and rockets. Huge! In addition, they had a large play area for children. Much could be pick and poke at! Wonderful! We were here the whole 5 hours :)

     

Back to the hotel to watch Tour de France, play with Lego, and pack our bags. Last day before going home. Strange, but delicious!

Florence

We got up, and went to the station at about. 10 in the morning. There are many trains between Rome and Florence, so we had plenty of time. At the station we were a bit demotivated when we saw the huge queues in front of desks (we had to have seat reservations), but a man who bustled around there showed us how we could order on a machine. No queues, no stress;) We got seats on a train an hour later. It was a short, pleasant trip of about one and a half hour.

Arriving in Florence was very close to the hotel. Hotel Desiree was just a few blocks from the station. The room was not ready when we arrived, but we were putting the bags from us at the reception and wandered around the city. Florence is very nice. Narrow streets, stalls, small shops, lively, beautiful architecture and some huge buildings in between.

The Wow factor was high, even in the youngest. Especially when we rounded a corner and got the huge The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in front of us. Fantastic building.












A few hours later we went back to the hotel. The room was ready, and they'd managed to put 5 beds in a regular hotel room. Cramped, but fair enough. Air Conditioning and we are happy;)








Day 2 we got up relatively early for a delicious breakfast. Homemade bread, various cereals, fruit, cold cuts and some cakes. They like it sweet for breakfast in Italy ... We went early into the city to avoid large crowds, and it was great. We just went along the streets and enjoyed the atmosphere. For the first time the boys started to mention that they are homesick. It's not complaining, but we all can feel that we have been traveling for 3 weeks. They are still as good as ever, and they cheered when they got their Super Mario - T-shirt as a reward for beeing so clever and nice. (that kind of rewards they should really have had every day. They are amazing to travel with!) the father was also got a T-shirt with "The Evolution marriage." ;)

Packing the bags in the evening, getting ready for departure in the morning.

Rome - part two

Fortunately, we spent some time eating a good breakfast in the morning. At nine the sky suddenly opened, and it was raining cats and dogs! It started with hail, but changed to heavy rain with lightning and thunder! We curled ourselves well together on the sofa and read a little Dr Proctor's Fart Powder.(By Jo Nesbø) Recommended as a holiday discourses (or really "anytimeatallreading"), fun for both young and old :)

Around half past 10 it stopped raining, and we took on our long walk. The plans were great! We started to walk past the Forum, up to the "Victor Emmanuel Monument." A giant white building in honor of the first king of the united Italy.

Furthermore, we went to the Pantheon. An ancient temple with impressive architecture. Magnificent!



The road winds its way on to the Trevi Fountain. World Famous and beautiful! We threw coins, and took pictures. It is huge with people everywhere, and our youngest disappeared for a few seconds. (felt more like hours ...) but he was fortunately good, and went straight to the agreed meeting place, if something were to happen. (It is best to choose an ice cream parlor, as this is a place kids remember!;))









A short, but well-deserved ice-break, before we trudged on to the Spanish Steps. Is it not this a bit overrated? It's just a flight of stairs? We did not really understand this, but we had now seen it and managed to be bothered by 4 merchants before we began the trip back. The boys are fantastic! No complaining. We have the best kids in the world! :)

Rome - part one

We got up early to try to reach the Colosseum before the rush. Have read and heard that there are huge queues here throughout the day. That's right! We were there around 9:30, and  it wasn't much of a queue. In addition, there was a guy who ran around and asked if anyone had the excact amount for the entrance fee, for they had not got their spare change that morning! We said that we had, and we got to jump ahead in the queue. This was indeed a partial truth ... It cost 24 Euro. I ran out, bought a calendar for1Euro, ran back in and then we had the right amout ... ;)

It is difficult to describe the Colosseum. It is gigantic! The boys also were impressed. But it must be experienced! It did help for the boys that my husbond, knows the history, and could talk about gladiators, wild animals, slaves and emperors so they got a little more understanding of what it was we saw. We were here an hour, but then it started to get quite full of "sheep flock" as the kids called the rest of the tourists, that we went out.

From the Colosseum we walked up to the Forum and Palatine Hill. Fortunately, we read on the poster outside, for it turned put that there was a joint ticket for these three sites! So if you are going to Rome; If you see one of them,  you might as well see the rest as well! 12 Euro for adults and free for children. It's worth it! There is a lot of impressive buildings, though mostly in ruins. The atmosphere is incredible. The boys were fascinated and looked around at the large rocks and were puzzled as to why people bothered to move them to build houses. They could only use the boards! :)

It's hot in Rome, we are longing to get back to Split... Back in the apartment we relaxed and played, before we went out at a restaurant around the corner as the lady with the keys recommended to us. Ristorante Luzzi is highly recommended. Simple and easy. Nothing fancy, but you get nice food at a very nice price! We ordered three pizzas, lasagna for 2, 6 sodasand 1 liter of water, and paid less than 300 kr. Great!

Ancona - Rome

We woke up early at the hotel, ate a little early breakfast, before we went to the train station. We thought we had plenty of time, but we had certainly not ... It was a little bit farther to go than the guy in the hotel lobby tried to explain to us ... approximately 2 miles to the ... We just lost the train we were going to take to Rome, and had to wait 3 hours for the next! That happens unfortunately. We sat on the platform, where we played, read and looked at the strange people! (many of them ..)




The advantage of losing the train, was that the train we had to take was an IC-train with seat reservation and AC. It's okay. The train sped through a typical Italian landscape. Open expanses of vines and some small peaks here and there.

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We arrived in Rome at about 14:00 and decided to walk to the apartment which was right at the Colosseum. It's hot here! We managed to be both sweaty and thirsty before we arrived. It was a very nice apartment, and we could actually see the Colosseum from the apartment window.  2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and air conditioning is great. Nice lady who showed us around the apartment, explained how everything worked, and gave us tips on places to visit and places to eat.




We walked to the colosseum and forum, but only looked from the outside.