Can i extend my AA breakdown cover to France?

My dad says 3 weeks is the most I'll be able to handle of Europe for backpacking with a few friends?

• I'm 18, male, live in the U.S. Since May of 2009, some of my friends and I have wanted to travel to Europe and backpack for several weeks over this summer, of 2010, as this year we're seniors in high school and we wanted to plan a "senior-trip". I have the financial resources to back this as I'm selling my car and have money saved up, but my dad won't allow me to go for more than 3 weeks (my friends' parents think more is fine). We wanted to go to cities such as Barcelona/Ibiza in Spain, Monaco in France, Prague in the Czech Republic, Bratislava in Slovakia, Budapest in Hungary, Bucharest in Romania, Kiev/Odessa in Ukraine, and maybe Moscow in Russia...and feel like 3 weeks is BARELY enough time to cover and actually enjoy each city. The most I'd be willing to go is probably 5 weeks, and none of this is set in stone, but my main question is, what are some good points/arguments to make with my dad so my time could be extended? He doesn't seem absolutely unwilling to hear a case made by me to extend my time, so I would like to have some facts and points in my head so that I could present them to him in a good way. I am only asking for pointers about how I could better convince my dad to extend the time--I know these are the places I want to visit and have done my research, so please, no responses questioning why I am going to all of these areas in the first place.Thanks!

• Answer:

  I think your best bet is to ask him why he thinks that three weeks is enough, hear him out. Then try to turn everything around. Be sure to focus on facts. "Three weeks is enough time -- you'll be able to see everywhere you want to see in that time." "Hmm, I'm not sure about that. See, I'm going to have to spend xx days simply in transit. If I want to spend at least x days in each city, then that'll take xx days. Add in one extra day to rest here and there, and it's five weeks." "You can't afford to stay there for five weeks." "Well, I can see that money is an important fact, and I agree that I have to think about my budget. That's one of the reasons that I want to stay for five weeks -- because my major expense is the airfare. I've calculated that a three-week trip would cost me xxx, and a five week trip would cost me xxx. That's only xxx difference -- for two more weeks, and a much more relaxed and meaningful trip. If I were to go back on another trip, it would cost me all that airfare again, which would cost a lot more." (BTW: You can really pretty much skip Bratislava. Stay longer in Budapest... it's awesome. So fun and lively. I stayed at Yep Hostel there and it was fun... great bar right around the corner with hilarious bathtub fixtures and stuff. Prague is prettier but not as much fun.)