girls backpack next image
piinkegobo
My friend and I are going next summer to to Europe to visit as many countries as possible, however we are on a cheap budget. We still want to get as much sight-seeing and food tasting done as possible while still having enough money to afford everything else.
Also, we are from the US, so do we need to get any vaccinations or buy any medicine before we go?? Thanks for your help!
Answer
This is gonna be a long response, but the best thing I can tell you is: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Everything you'll need to know can be found on the internet, if you're willing to look a bit. I found http://www.backpackeurope.com to be the most helpful. Everything you need to know is there, vaccines, women travellers, travel trips, discounts, what to pack. But I'm sure there's many more out there. I speak from experience- I spent a month backpacking Europe with three 20-year-old girlfriends last summer....
1. Get international student cards (you'll save several Euros everytime you use it.... especially in museums.) http://www.isiccard.com/
2. If you're going between the UK and the rest of Europe, book flights with Ryan Air (you can get no-frills flights at around 25-50$). http://www.ryanair.com
3. In conjunction to #2, find out if you can get reduced train prices if you're catching a train to an airport (ie- in Glasgow, Scotland, if you're catching a train to Prestwick Airport it will cost you 2.50 Pounds vs. the regular fare of 11.50 Pounds. (That's 5$ vs. 23$ US)).
4. Buy a Eurail Flexipass for train travel. You can tailor it to how many days you need to use it and how many countries you plan to travel through. Also try to catch overnight trains... couchettes (sleeper trains) will cost you less than a hostel room and you'll arrive at your destination after a long sleep. So you save time AND money. http://www.eurail.com
5. Hostels are the best way to go. They're cheaper than a hotel- but you get breakfast, you meet people, they're friendlier and they will direct you to the best and cheapest the area has to offer. Just be sure to check them out beforehand, they can range from amazing to nightmareish (also book ahead, it's nearly impossible to find a room in a hostel last-minute in the summer) http://www.hostels.net and http://tripadvisor.com have reviews written by people who have stayed in each hostel, so they're all unbiased first-hand accounts.
6. Buy your food from grocery stores etc... and do picnic lunches. Also don't buy food from vendors in close proximity to tourist attractions (My friends bought ice cream next to the Coloseum in Rome... it cost them 5 Euros, each... I waited to buy mine 2-3 blocks from the Coloseum and paid 2 Euros for the same amount). Same thing goes for train food (which is gross, BTW). In Paris, we managed a bottle of wine, 2 baguettes, a jar of olives, a chunk of brie, some coldcuts, apples and pate for a total of 12 Euros... split between 4 girls (do the math) for a VERY filling lunch. We usually did this for lunch, but went out for dinner most nights.
7. Mooch off people you know in Europe. Think of it this way- everytime you sleep somewhere for free, you save about 25 Euros EACH per night.
8. Be creative, there's always a way to cut costs WITHOUT sacrificing fun.
*If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.
This is gonna be a long response, but the best thing I can tell you is: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Everything you'll need to know can be found on the internet, if you're willing to look a bit. I found http://www.backpackeurope.com to be the most helpful. Everything you need to know is there, vaccines, women travellers, travel trips, discounts, what to pack. But I'm sure there's many more out there. I speak from experience- I spent a month backpacking Europe with three 20-year-old girlfriends last summer....
1. Get international student cards (you'll save several Euros everytime you use it.... especially in museums.) http://www.isiccard.com/
2. If you're going between the UK and the rest of Europe, book flights with Ryan Air (you can get no-frills flights at around 25-50$). http://www.ryanair.com
3. In conjunction to #2, find out if you can get reduced train prices if you're catching a train to an airport (ie- in Glasgow, Scotland, if you're catching a train to Prestwick Airport it will cost you 2.50 Pounds vs. the regular fare of 11.50 Pounds. (That's 5$ vs. 23$ US)).
4. Buy a Eurail Flexipass for train travel. You can tailor it to how many days you need to use it and how many countries you plan to travel through. Also try to catch overnight trains... couchettes (sleeper trains) will cost you less than a hostel room and you'll arrive at your destination after a long sleep. So you save time AND money. http://www.eurail.com
5. Hostels are the best way to go. They're cheaper than a hotel- but you get breakfast, you meet people, they're friendlier and they will direct you to the best and cheapest the area has to offer. Just be sure to check them out beforehand, they can range from amazing to nightmareish (also book ahead, it's nearly impossible to find a room in a hostel last-minute in the summer) http://www.hostels.net and http://tripadvisor.com have reviews written by people who have stayed in each hostel, so they're all unbiased first-hand accounts.
6. Buy your food from grocery stores etc... and do picnic lunches. Also don't buy food from vendors in close proximity to tourist attractions (My friends bought ice cream next to the Coloseum in Rome... it cost them 5 Euros, each... I waited to buy mine 2-3 blocks from the Coloseum and paid 2 Euros for the same amount). Same thing goes for train food (which is gross, BTW). In Paris, we managed a bottle of wine, 2 baguettes, a jar of olives, a chunk of brie, some coldcuts, apples and pate for a total of 12 Euros... split between 4 girls (do the math) for a VERY filling lunch. We usually did this for lunch, but went out for dinner most nights.
7. Mooch off people you know in Europe. Think of it this way- everytime you sleep somewhere for free, you save about 25 Euros EACH per night.
8. Be creative, there's always a way to cut costs WITHOUT sacrificing fun.
*If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.
Ladies, did you carry a backpack in college?
Taylor_18
I will be going to college next year and my mom thinks I should get a backpack to put my books in...I've never saw a girl carrying a backpack when I drive around the college campuses here or maybe I just haven't realized.
Is this a normal thing?
Answer
I had a backpack. But I lived off campus, so I had to carry everything for my whole day with me. Some girls who live on campus might not, they might just carry whatever they need for their one class.
If you're going to be carrying a few books, or a laptop or anything, I would recommend getting a backpack.
I had a backpack. But I lived off campus, so I had to carry everything for my whole day with me. Some girls who live on campus might not, they might just carry whatever they need for their one class.
If you're going to be carrying a few books, or a laptop or anything, I would recommend getting a backpack.
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