<p>Following college graduation, S and friend went backpacking in Eastern Europe and Europe this summer. Eurorail was too much $ so they often took 2-3 day combo train/bus rides from one place to another. They also arranged formal “ride shares” from one country to another. They stayed in hostels and learned that it helped to make hostel reservations in advance. They also had several mishaps which they worked out (son has diabetes and left/forgot monitor at home so ended up in Italian hospital; ATM machine in Greece ate his card). All in all, it was a successful trip and the two boys are still friends. We were a bit apprehensive and because of his diabetes insisted that he have a cell phone which proved useful for medical problems. H & I went to Europe several times when we were in college and trips were memorable.</p>
<p>Do it. Do it do it do it do it. But be careful.</p>
<p>I went ostensibly for a summer and in all I spent 2 years traveling through Europe (I was based in France and had an apt there.) SO MUCH FUN!</p>
<p>I echo those above: DO IT!! </p>
<p>If my D decides to go, I would suggest she go with a group and that there be a guy or two in her group.</p>
<p>I lived in France for a year during college, and also traveled throughout the country and to Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, England, Austria and Germany on various vacations during that year. However, I never traveled alone–always with at least one friend and more often in a group of 3 or 4. We stayed in hostels, homes, cheap hotels–and then there was one memorable night in the Venice train station ;). Sometimes I was with French (new) friends, and sometimes with other Americans. </p>
<p>I also know kids your age who have traveled in similar fashion throughout Europe, although often they had contacts with whom they stayed in the various countries they were visiting . </p>
<p>We used Eurailpasses on the long legs of the trips, and local public transportation and very occasionally we did hitchhike (that was a safer era). Part of our college program included lectures on cultural sensitivity and awareness and we tried very hard not to be “ugly Americans”–the type that are rude and loud. We were treated nicely almost everywhere but I think that we were nice, too. It’s funny that we traveled in the era before computers, cell phones, faxes, etc—our parents never heard from us except via post card or the VERY occasional call home! </p>
<p>In those days, the “Bibles” for traveling in the world were the Harvard student guides (e.g., Let’s Go: Europe). We read them before we went anywhere and took them with us. If you go, educate yourself about the places you will be traveling and do watch travelers’ advisories, etc. I think now Lonely Planet is also very good. We also used Frommer’s a lot–their inexpensive hotel picks were often really great.</p>
<p>some tips from Rick Steves to save money when traveling
<a href=“http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/thrifty50.htm[/url]”>http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/thrifty50.htm</a></p>
<p>I think of that often…how I traveled all over Europe for ten weeks with no cell phone, fax, etc. I never contacted home once, except to say that the air traffic controllers were on strike and I wouldn’t be on my expected flight home!</p>
<p>As a mother now, that lack of communication might worry me, although I would still be a cheerleader for my kids taking this type of trip. I just like that there are cellphones now! :)</p>