mwrayski4584

A female friend of mine and I are wanting to travel Europe for a year after we get out of school. Starting sometime in May of 2006 and lasting between 8-12 months. We want to travel most of Europe to experience the people and the culture that there is. We have decided to travel within hostels and take day jobs everynow and then to help pay for costs. We wont have but maybe 5000$ US dollars a piece before we leave. We want to experience all that Europe has to offer.

For those of you that have experienced travel in Europe or who are planning a trip such as mine, are there any good books or magazines to look into before I leave? Maybe even talk to AAA or a website to look at. Also, are we going to need more money than we have saved up for?

By the time 2006 rolls around, we will be 22 and 23 years old. And taking a year off to travel. Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thanks.
Matthew R.

Somnambulation

Help with...

sexing her?




If so, Quaaludes


If not, you might want to try one of the other forums.

ashpunk

LOL

...no thats what I need help with!

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Ash
"Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still"
"Not all who wander are lost"

worldwidemike

I'd suggest start by going to the library and checking out some travelogues...you know, ones written by people who spent X amount of time traveling in an area. Just to get a "feel" for how some people do it. Then, go the internet and search some travelogues (feel free to check out any of mine on my website below), to get a feel for how us ordinary people -- not published authors -- do it.

Then, decide what area of the world you'd like to start, and read some travelogues on it, some guidebooks to get an idea, and so on. You've got lots of time, so you don't have to start reading a Lonely Planet now, you won't really have the "context" to get the full value of it.

And, of course, feel free to post here and ask questions!

worldwidemike

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tumblezweedz

Depends a lot on where you want to spend your time, too. Scandinavia and the western European hot spots are sooooo expensive, but you can live for a song in the southern and eastern countries, especially outside the main cities.

While I'd agree that you don't want to buy any guidebooks now, you can still check some out at the library to get a general sense of costs as they stand at the moment.

One way to save money on accommodations is to take overnight trains and sleep in your seat (provided you can get one!) The sleeping cars are pretty expensive, generally, but if you don't need to see everything in just a couple of days, you can afford to spend the night on the train and plan a lazy day if you're tired when you get in. In spring/summer, it's always nice to just laze a couple of hours away in a park and you'll see much more of the locals than if you just hit the tourist places. In the winter, of course, this isn't such a pleasant proposition!

But, there too, rates tend to be cheaper in the off-season, so there is a benefit to travel then. That applies more to hotels, though - hostels don't usually fluctuate as much.

Though it may sound extravagant, I'd even recommend planning a couple of nights staying in a comfortable hotel - not the Ritz, but clean and with soft mattresses. It's amazing what a morale lift this can be, after weeks of sometimes uncomfortable hostel living. Why not ask your parents or friends to pay for a night at a modest but pleasant hotel for a birthday present? It won't cost them much, and you'll welcome it a lot more than a new shirt or a couple of CDs! And as there are two of you, unless you share a birthday, you can look forward to at least two nights of guaranteed comfort during your trip! And if you're having a difficult time, as almost always happens in such a long journey, having something extravagant to look forward to can give you a real lift.

Good luck!

Carisia

It's also helpful to visit an STA Travel office during non-peak times and speak to their helpful agents and pick up their literature. Even if you'll not be using their services or tours, it's helpful to look at how they package their trips, routes, etc.

Bgirl

Disregarding the price of the fligh ticket and eurailpass you should spend:

>Food (not fancy places, you have to buy your food at the supermarket or fast food) US$ 13,20 /per day
>Internet, phone calls, laundry, films, post cards, needs in general. US$ 12,20 /per day
>Youth hostel( if your lucky you can find a good price. I have the phone number of really cheap places, if you need pm me! It depends on each country you want to vist) US$ 15,00 /per day
>Train reservation(To travel among the cities, some trains (usually the longest and night trains) they demand a reservation with a small payment. For example To go from London to Paris you have to pay US$ 70 because it is not covered by Eurailpass. US$ 3,70 /per day
>Entrances US$ 4,50 /per day
>Transport in the cities (you have to pay bus, subway and other kinds of transportation unavoidably.) US$ 3,00 /per day
GOOD LUCK!

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AdamTheCultured

Good Advice BGIRL!!!!

BUT, dont forget to factor in partying expenses....which will vary from person to person......Club cover fees, bar tabs, beer nuts, condoms, ya know that sorta thing hehe

Oh, and I would definately be interested in some of those hostel prices you've got BGirl!!!



WOO HOO........after over 5 monthes of participating in this messageboard I have finally achieved the high rank of DELTA FORCE......I've prepared a speech for this momentous occasion, but I will spare you all the torment.....But seriously, thanks for all the information and help.....and most importantly, MAD PROPS TO YOU TONY FOR STARTING THIS THING UP AND FINNANCIALLY SUPPORTING IT AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.........Cheers to you brother!!!

ChasinJason1313

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I thought I should pass this info on because it is affecting my trip this summer.

There's an agreement called Schengen (I'm assuming that you don't have an EU passport) that limits non-Europeans to 3 months TOTAL in most of the European countries. This does not include the UK, Ireland, or Switzerland. But if you get caught they can deport you on the spot. Do a search for Schengen for more info....lonley planet's forum has good info

Other than that, take a look at Rick Steve's books and web site for some out of the way places to see.

I'm looking (because of the terrible exchange rates) at about a 50 euro-per-day budget for my three months. That's not bear bones but its not nearly extravagant either. If you break down your cost by day and then mulitply it by the number of days you want to spend, this will help with a budget

Have a great time

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Carisia

Good info. jw1313! Thanks!