Tell me what I need to know about backpacking in Europe alone.

Parent Cafe
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<p>Wasn’t sure where to post this, but I thought the parents of the boards might have the best advice for me! </p>

<p>I’m a college junior and I am graduating May '14. For exactly one month during the summer (I was thinking either July and August) I want to go backpacking around Europe. I’ve wanted to do this since high school, but due to funding, parents, and a severe lack of independence, I could not. I have been waiting for the right time to do this and now I think I may finally have the opportunity! </p>

<p>Fortunately (with a little help from CC along the way!) I managed to get a full ride scholarship. Without having college as a large expense, I have been able to save up a nest egg with part-time jobs over the past few years. if I continue to work part time over the next year, I project that I will have saved enough to have a decent experience in Europe. </p>

<p>The problem: I have no idea where exactly I’m going, when to start planning, or what to do in general. The trip itself would be over a year away, but regardless, I need to start doing a little prep and planning to figure out where I’m going to be going and all of the other trip details.</p>

<p>Here’s what I have so far:</p>

<p>-I know I’ll have to get a passport at least six month ahead of time. </p>

<p>-Buying tickets ahead of time. Always the cheaper option, no? </p>

<p>-I plan on really utilizing the website couchsurfing.org. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it and I think it would really give me the experience i’m looking for, since I want to network and meet people I wouldn’t otherwise meet. It’s part of the adventure! </p>

<p>-As for other places to stay, definitely hostels. Definitely not interested in staying in a hotel unless it’s an emergency or I cannot find another place to stay. </p>

<p>As you can tell, I have nothing else figured out so far. Food, local travel/transportation… I will also be going alone, as most of my friends are not in the position to go with me. Should I be nervous about this? I consider myself a pretty intelligent, capable girl but a lot of people in my life are telling me that this is not a good idea. I also have never been out of the country before. I would really be breaking my travel hymen on this one.</p>

<p>So… any advice? Where should I start?</p>

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<p>Couchsurfing is a wonderful resource! With a little advance planning, you shouldn’t have to use hotels or hostels at all. You might also want to look into [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.servas.org/]Servas[/url”&gt;http://www.servas.org/]Servas[/url</a>] - it’s an older organization, but same principle. There’s a nominal membership fee, and all members are screened before joining. I’d recommend it. Between the two (couchsurfing & servas), you should be covered anywhere you end up! And since you’ll be staying with hosts wherever you go, you won’t ever really be alone.</p>

<p>You’ll want a Eurail pass, as well.</p>

<p>The only difficulty that I can foresee is that a lot of Europeans vacation during the summer - particularly during July and August, which could make it more difficult to find hosts as you’re traveling. I’d recommend going as early in the summer as possible - July, rather than August, and if you could manage to leave in mid-June, that would be even better.</p>

<p>My only other advice would be not to rush. A month isn’t really that much time. Focus on a few locations, and plan on spending at least a couple of days everywhere you go, and allow room to stay a bit longer if you decide you want to. So don’t let yourself get into a situation where you have to rush to get from one place to the next. Take the time to enjoy your visits and to get to know your hosts.</p>

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<p>If you find yourself in a hostel with beautiful women, don’t be seduced by them and leave immediately.</p>

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<p>What about beautiful men? I want to get laid on this trip obviously… (though I’m not ignorant to the dangers of Sex Trafficking)</p>

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<p>@Dodgersmom </p>

<p>Thanks for the info! I will definitely check out servas! </p>

<p>As for as Eurail goes, is it true that it’s a pain to actually get a reservation? That seems like the main complaint I come across when I google reviews.</p>

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<p>Heh that was a reference to the ‘horror’ movie Hostel.</p>

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<p>I figured :P</p>

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<p>I know I’d worry if my D went to Europe alone, with limited resources. Didn’t worry as much when S went traveling alone, but he was meeting up with a friend and brought along enough money. I guess I always worry about a woman traveling alone on a limited budget far from home–potential assault, rape, and all that.</p>

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<p>I don’t think this is for real. A little too rude to be a sincere request + 0 previous posts. This sounds like a guy talking, not a girl.</p>

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<p>I would love to do this over the summer!! I actually spoke to a cousin I have living in Hungary to see if she was interested</p>

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<p>Read the Amanda Knox thread to know how different the legal system is in Italy.</p>

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<p>Do college juniors still refer to themselves as boys & girls?
Especially when in the next breath they are talking about getting laid?
:p</p>

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<p>I would not recommend backpacking through Europe alone. And my advice would be the same to a male or a female.</p>

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<p>Buy a copy of “Let’s Go Europe.” It will have lots of ideas for you. Can you get a friend to go with you? It would be safer, and probably more fun, too.</p>

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<p>I’m going to reiterate, a traveler who’s set up accommodations in advance - using either couchsurfing or Servas - is not alone. Well, yes, perhaps during the few hours of travel from one town to another, but not after arriving at his/her destination. And if there’s concern about staying with “strangers,” since all Servas hosts are screened in advance, that shouldn’t be a concern.</p>

<p>And, of course, use common sense. If you’re a woman traveling alone, don’t stay with a host who describes himself as a single male living in a house full of other single males. Why would you do that, anyway? Stay with women, couples, families . . . and you’ll be perfectly safe. And, frankly, given the choice, why would you stay with a group of young men whose “spare bed” may be nothing more than an air mattress, when you can stay with a family with a comfortable guest room? When I traveled with my adult daughter a few years ago, she quickly came to the conclusion that the older the hosts, the more comfortable the accommodations! (And she never forgave me for the one young male host we stayed with . . . who offered us not even on an air mattress, but an inflatable raft!)</p>

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<p>@bookersmom Did my request really come off as rude? Lol. I reread my post and don’t really see it… </p>

<p>As for the “laid” comment, I was just joking with the other poster because he/she mentioned only women, instead of men. I thought it was funny because I’m a female. </p>

<p>And if I were going to ■■■■■, I think I would have chose something a little more… controversial? If this was, it would be kind of lame… </p>

<p>My request is sincere. I’m planning a trip for a year in advance and just came here for advice.</p>

<p>As for the “girl” comment- sorry emerald, but you’re reaching :P</p>

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<p>@Hunt </p>

<p>I will check out that book, thanks!</p>

<p>I’ve been trying to talk one friend into going with me, but I don’t think it will work out since she’ so glued to her fiance (and probably will still be by the time this trip takes place). I’ve been asking around and none of my other friends are really up for it. </p>

<p>This trip is something that I really do and I think I deserve it, especially everything I have done over the past few years. It’s going to be a graduation gift to myself :)</p>

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<p>Personally, I love traveling solo, and most of my trips are solo trips. I have traveled solo in the continental US, Alaska, Spain, and am planning more trips soon.</p>

<p>I would suggest checking out the Hostelworld website and review. You want to be safe, so definitely pick hostels with high ratings (I would say 80% to 90%) and definitely look specifically at the security ratings.</p>

<p>Otherwise, I guess just do your research and use common sense as far as walking late or in secluded areas. I can’t give you much advice as far as going to bars/parties, because I don’t drink, but I would imagine that would be some of the more high-risk places, just because alcohol/impairement is involved, but that’s just a guess. However, even putting aside my personal thoughts on this, I would say just purely as a safety prcaution, don’t go anywhere privaet/secluded with someone (or a group of people) you don’t know.</p>

<p>Oh, and don’t overpack! I have a very small internal-frame backpack, and it makes it so much easier to be able to take it as a carry-on.</p>

<p>By the way, I am a female too, and I wouldn’t give up solo travel for anything.</p>

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<p>for the “girl” comment- sorry emerald, but you’re reaching :stuck_out_tongue:</p>

<p>Then perhaps you can explain why you choose that word to describe yourself instead of one that describes an adult female?
:confused:</p>

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<p>I’m a mom and when I was your age, did backpack alone for a while, in Europe, even camped alone. The key is in never assuming. Always have your butt covered, one way or another.</p>

<p>I met kids on trains (in those days, the Eurail was 2nd class and we all were in compartments together.) We’d trade tips. “Let’s Go” and “Europe on $x/day” were the bibles. For a few days, I traveled with some other Americans (guys; one spoke German and we were in Germany/Austria and I couldn’t speak a word of it, at that point.) Also met and spent tourist time with kids met at hostels. When I needed to unload my stuff, I used the baggage hold areas (for a fee) at the train station. </p>

<p>The safety thing is to always know early each day, how you will spend the night and what your fall back is, if that doesn’t work. I had times when the hostel was full, so I hopped a distance overnight train or paid for a safe hotel. (No internet, back then, no advance reservations, no ratings systems, other than word of mouth.) I always had taxi money set aside. If I was truly alone, I was inside before it got too dark.</p>

<p>Last year, my daughter and a friend stayed in a hostel in Spain and had the same sort of experience I had had- the difference is there are more services now (well, in her case,) - eg, a front desk staffed 24/7, no curfew. More families stayed in the hostel than was common in my day. She adored the experience, made some great international friends. I believe this hostel is part of Hostelworld. In fact, if you look at the site, most hostel guests are hikers and short-trippers, a whole subculture of hostel users, folks who do it regularly- and have expectations.</p>

<p>After ensuring your safety (if you aren’t mature enough, don’t do it,) the issue is staying satisfied. There’s a zen to solo travel, it takes some work to make it work.</p>