<p>anybody with college kids who did this? i’m going to graduate from college next year, so i want to do it before i enter the real world. </p>
<p>any advice on things to prepare for or watch out for, tips on trip-planning (e.g. length, when to go, places to visit) or any other advice that i should be aware of would be appreciated. thanks!</p>
<p>I did it for 4 months before college. Where are you planning to go?</p>
<p>If you plan to stay more than a few months, make sure you check VISA requirements for each country as far as length of stay. Things have changed in the last couple years. Things have gotten much tighter and sometimes “popping over the border” like the old days won’t restart the clock on your VISA. </p>
<p>Eastern Europe has gotten high marks from friends traveling there.</p>
<p>Euro pass and hostels</p>
<p>Let’s Go Europe, and Rick Steves. One backpack.</p>
<p>My son is hoping to do this when he graduates from college in two years. His problem will be that he plans to do it with a backpack AND a trumpet case. I should take notes for him on suggestions in this thread, because I know nothing on this subject. But it does sound like fun!</p>
<p>I’m going abroad to London in the fall (for the full academic year) – and will try something a little different. I’ll use London as a hub (Ryanair makes it really cheap to travel around) to go to other places. But I’ll be watching for tips here. :)</p>
<p>My guy and 2 of his best college buds left right after their graduation - for a few weeks - full backpacks - passport - camera - euro pass - hostel directory and a bit of $ - and off they went - they just went wherever the wind blew them - no set itinerary - got see alot - traveled at nite to be able to enjoys their days. He had a great time :)</p>
<p>I did this for three months the summer after college, and loved it. Even back in the dark ages, “Let’s Go Europe”, a Europass and hostels were the way to go. We also had no set itinerary, and just went “wherever the wind blew” us, meeting people along the way, which sometimes influenced where we went next.</p>
<p>I don’t know that I would feel so comfortable with my own kids doing that same trip now, but it was sure a fantastic experience. </p>
<p>Have a terrific time!</p>
<p>My 18-year-old daughter and her best friend just came back from a 2 1/2 week trip to Europe that they worked and saved up for for over a year. They had a blast. I asked her what advice she’d give to future travelers. This is what she said:</p>
<p>– Make sure you have enough money; Europe can be very expensive.
– Book your hostels in advance – and before you book <em>any</em>, log onto Hostelworld.com for reviews of the places you’re considering. You’ll get a better idea of whether the hostel under consideration is in a safe neighborhood and/or has any of the amenities you want (and some do have them). The reviews, she says, are very accurate.
– Make sure that you and your traveling companion are compatible!
– Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know where you are, or that you feel stupid. And don’t let pride get in the way of asking questions.</p>
<p>And here’s a suggestion from me:
– If you book any flights on British Airways – and especially if you go through Heathrow Airport – expect to lose your baggage, at least temporarily! My daughter’s bag didn’t make it home with her on the return trip; she got it a week later.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>I did it for 2 months, years ago, but didn’t get a eurailpass because we stayed in places for fairly significant periods of time – a week just in Florence, for example. Also it doesn’t cover travel in England where we landed and stayed for a week. </p>
<p>I did it with a round-trip ticket and a place to stay at the start and no other plans. </p>
<p>It’s very important to travel as light as possible. One and two star hotels can be cheaper than hostels if you are with a traveling companion with whom you would share a room. If you can avoid high season, rates are cheaper and places are less crowded. Wear a money belt. Don’t depend on one source of funds, like a debit card. Even in very touristy areas, there are places to eat and hang out where there are almost no tourists and they have great, relatively inexpensive food. The international student id gives discounts on museum entries and some travel discounts, too.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t really recommend a Eurail pass unless someone is really attracted to the romance of train rides or has some other compelling reason related to their itinerary. I hate train rides and nowadays, with the prevalence of cheap airlines like Ryanair, they really aren’t very affordable, relatively. I’d only recommend them for someone who really wants the “train experience” or will be getting a pass to go within a few neighboring countries. </p>
<p>Camping is always an option, especially in countries like Sweden which allow people to camp pretty much anywhere for free (for a limited amount of nights). There are some very light tents available. Hostels are great for meeting fellow travelers, though. </p>
<p>Europe IS expensive, though, especially considering how weak the dollar is relative to the pound and the euro. Always count on paying more than you expect.</p>
<p>There are so many good hostels now, travel options, visitor information centers, friendly police who speak some English, etc. than there were 30 years ago! It is certainly safer, and in many places actually cheaper (because there are hostels where there used to be none) than it used to be. </p>
<p>Mainland Greece and Crete during low seasons (not mid-summer) are terrific bargains. Italy can be inexpensive if you use hostels in a surrounding town rather than the major thoroughly (i.e. stay in Cortona, and go into Florence in the daytime). England can be the most difficult to do inexpensively.</p>
<p>You can also join a network of international travelers if you like to meet people. I’ve been a member of SERVAS for a very long time, and there are hosts that will house you, and show you their town and engage in conversation about their homes and country. There are members in every country in Europe. <a href=“http://www.usservas.org%5B/url%5D”>www.usservas.org</a> (14,000 hosts worldwide)</p>
<p>My S (20 years old and alone) is one week from returning from a 2 month backpacking trip to Europe. He went with a pack, a rail pass, a round-trip plane ticket to Amsterdam and, at my insistence, hostel reservations for the first few nights and the last 2. As far as I can tell, he makes train and hostel reservations the day before he wants to go somewhere. This worked at first, but now during the high season, he has had to skip two major cities because he could not find a cheap bed. If you want to be flexible instead of planning things out, be prepared with alternatives. Fortunately there are many. Time your trip so that you are in Eastern Europe during the high season and Western Europe during the “shoulder” season if possible. Or make your whole trip before July or after August.
There are pluses and minuses to being solo and going with a friend. From my experience, going solo is better. You can go where and when you want and meet many more people that way. You just have to realize that you are going to be lonely sometimes. If you go with a friend, be very careful. Small differences are greatly magnified when travelling and depending on each other.
As for length of time, either 2 weeks or 2 months or more. There is a curve of excitement-frustration-relaxation that you go through travelling. 2 weeks keeps you in that excitement phase and 2 months lets you move on to the relaxation stage. If you travel for more than 2 weeks, be sure to plan in plenty of down time and longer stays in one place.
Have an e-mail account that you can check at internet cafes. E-mail copies of everything important to you (first page of passport, debit card, reservations, etc.) so you will have them at your fingertips in case of emergency. Take a debit card and at least one means of emergency funding (prepaid debit card, credit card, traveller’s checks).
And most important, keep in touch!</p>
<p>If you are interested in the ultimate “on the cheap” experience. Check out <a href=“http://www.couchsurfing.com%5B/url%5D”>www.couchsurfing.com</a>. A friend of mine started this site after emailing 100 college students in Iceland looking for a place to crash. It’s not for everyone, but Casey has had some great experiences. The potential for bad experiences are there too, so be careful and smart.</p>
<p>Can anyone comment on the safety of two young women (age 18 / 19) traveling alone? My d. has always had the dream of packing through Europe, and is now planning for a trip next summer. She has never traveled outside the US, or on her own before, so of course parents are VERY nervous about the idea… and jealous ;-)</p>
<p>double post oops</p>
<p>A friend’s son did this last summer and had quite a good time. The only downside was when a friend who was traveling with him had to bail out. Other than hostels and Eurorail pass which have already been mentioned, I have little to add.</p>
<p>Also consider biking too. A friend’s brother did that many years ago.</p>
<p>kjofkw: If one of the prospective travelers has never traveled on her own before but the trip would be next summer, she has time to take a few trips, whether by bus, train, plane, subway, or some combination. She can learn how to buy tickets, get to the right station, transfer to a different form of transportation, etc. Also, both can read some guidebooks and websites. This one <a href=“http://www.backpackeurope.com/[/url]”>http://www.backpackeurope.com/</a> has lots of information and discussion boards. As others note, it is a good idea to have some lodging set up, especially for the initial period in Europe, but one can leave a lot flexible.</p>
<p>My d. (17) traveled alone through Cambodia, India, and Thailand, and at 18, through Italy, Greece, Crete, Czech Republic, and Austria. </p>
<p>Most of the world is a VERY safe place, far safer than 30-40 years ago. (Then, my wife, at 17, spent six months hitchhiking across Europe herself.)</p>