A drink in every country? Are you outta your mind or liver?? or Both..

Ok the title of this blog is DrinkingAcrossEurope. And while it seems like an noble, stupid, crazy, (insert adjective of your choice here) Task. Lets see just how its going to work out. I'm leaving on Tuesday on a one-way ticket, why one-way? Well honestly I dont know how long I'll be able to hold out, i'd hate to have booked a return ticket and know I still had a good 2 weeks left in me. And vice-versa I'd hate to have a return flight and realize what the hell am I going to do for another 2 weeks till my flight. So hopefully British Airways will still have availbility using my remaining Frequent Flyer miles when i'm ready to return.

Europe how to define it. Well lets start with the European Union.Europa They have list 25 countries as member states. Here they go.

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia , Finland
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands,
United Kingdom

Ok from that intial list, i'm going to have to cross off Malta and Cyprus, look at a map and you realize they are small islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea not connected by land to continental Europe. So we are down to 23 countries for my sake.

Now the E.U lists 5 candidate countries. So if these countries can solve their corruption, fix economy, stop drug trafficking, sex trafficking or whatever the criteria is, they can join. Turkey has been trying to get in the E.U for almost 20 years, with probably another decade to go. check out this to learn more.

Turkey on Wikipedia

Candidate Countries

Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia ,Romania, Turkey

Gotta cross Macedonia off the list as no direct flights or trains in/out. Cross Turkey off the list also as its more Asia then Europe.

Next we have a group of so called OTHER countries. they include

Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vatican City.

Of this group its easy to cross many of them off the list, as i know the Vatican doesnt have any bars within its 100 acres. Some are islands again way way away from the mainland, some still have land mines littering the country side, I just want a beer, not to get my legs blown off, some are so small I wonder if I could find the country, much less a bar, and some require a Visa to enter.. I could see myself at Border control now, why do you want to come to our country?? To sample your finest Vodkas!!!

So basically I have a group of 25 to 30 countries. In my June travel plans already I know I will knock 11 off the list. With scheduled stops in U.K(well really only a 5hr layover in Heathrow, hope I can find beer at 10am in England, I suspect a strong chance of that), Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium(yummy), Luxembourg, Czech Republic and Spain. While in spain visiting the Salvador Dali museum in Figures Dali Figures Museum I'll be a stone throw from France, so maybe i'll run over the border and find some ripe grapes.

The Month of July once the world cup is over, includes scheduled jaunts to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Croatia. So it leaves only a few tough to get to places in the mix. Hopefully my strength, liver and wallet will be allow me to trek on in July. Stick along for the ride, i'm looking forward to it and I hope you enjoy it