nemesis331

[color=blue][font=Geneva][size=7]Anybody have advice for me? anything from packs to good hostels, especially ways to save $$$$! This will be my first trip to Europe and i could use all the help i can get. i'm addicted to traveling and i have been reading everything i can. you guys are awesome and i know that you'll have the best advice out there.

Here's to beers in Europe!

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--Bates-- </span>

wong name

as far as hostels there is section on front page where you want to look for good and bad hostels
i would stay away from germany if your going in june to the middle of july( they are hosting the world cup) this means everything will be full and expensive
going in summer will be very crowded and expensive
what countries are you going to???
what are your interests??
do you like theater?? or historical landmarks?? art history??
do you just want explore other cultures or just party in different cultures
i have found that most every country speaks english if that is your language( you'll be able to get by in almost all big cities)
other will disagree but i think most food in europe sucks. i have found the best food to be a simple sandwich or waffle.. the bread is usually fresh and the cheeses are the best.
most transportion is by train, but you sometimes you can find good airline deals ( i dont know about in summer though. i always go in the off season)
make sure you validate your train ticket,or tram(if you dont know where or how its a great way to meet people) i used to just jump on trains not paying for them if i was traveling a short distance. until i was busted( in italy they make you pay there right on the spot, so if dont have enough ready cash your going to jail)
dont worry about looking like a tourist, most locals will know your a tourist and thats the best way to meet locals, or other touists and stirke up a conversation.

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nemesis331

I am most interested in just seeing other cultures and i like both history and landmarks. We will definetly party while we are there, so i think we will keep a balance of small towns and cities. so far we plan on going to England, France, Spain, Italy, Amsterdam, Prague and maybe stopping in Switzerland. one tip iv gotten from people who have traveled before was to buy loafs of bread and sandwhich meats at the market and make sandwiches for the next few days to save yourself money. we were planning on leaving during the last week of may till the end of june. any ideas for itinerary and such?[font=Geneva][size=7][color=blue]

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--Bates-- </span>

Kevin-L

Do yourself a favor and buy a small pack. I always pack to much, you wont use it and if you need it you can buy it there. i'm saving for a trip i want to do this summer, so i quit smoking, got a five gallon jug and i dump my change, one's and five's into it. you'll be amazed with what you can do with out. and on payday i put aside what ever i can. two really good books are Vagabonding and Rite of Passage. bread and cheese is cheap and really good. avoid soda ($2+ for a can) and shop at supermarkets, its a half the price. Welcome to the boards!

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agriadam

Quick thread Hijack: Nice pic of the tower from the arch kevin. that has always been one of my favorite pictures.

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Jen05

There's a ton you can figure out just by looking at old posts, and what not. And from the experience of planning my own Europe trip last year, the tpunk community is definitely willing to answer questions, and are full of valuable advice! Definitely check out the hostel links from travelpunk, as they give tons of valuable info. Also, I'd check into getting a Eurail pass if it's available. It's so convienient, and definitely worth your while. In terms of how long in each country, well I guess it depends on what you want to see. I guess what I'm trying to say in all this rambling, is check out the rest of this site beyond the message boards to get an idea of where to start, then keep posting here with questions. That's what I did and I had a fabulous trip!

Kevin-L

Hijack reply: its from Sacre Coeur, after i saw the view from there i didn't bother going up the arch.

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Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.
-Ernest Hemingway