Have you ever "backpacked" through Europe?

Q. And if so, what cities did you visit, how'd you get around, and what hotels/hostels did you stay in? I would love to, but haven't the slightest clue as to the best way to see Europe .

Answer
I actually was living in the UK and travelled when I could, so technically I didn't do it in one big go...just lots of little goes.

What I can say is I KNOW how overwhelming it seems. I remember getting there and trying to figure out where I would go first...I literally felt like a kid in a candy shop! I decided on Paris!

What I would also say, after having the experience of travelling around is it is better to see FEWER places and more thoroughly than seeing lots of places really quickly. Reasons why is that you spend a LOT of your time travelling from A to B to C etc ( things like travelling, waiting for trains/buses/planes) not including delays, waiting times to catch connecting, getting to and from your accommodiaiotn. It really adds up.

It depends on how long you are staying as well. You can do things to get you started like doing one of those bus companies that have a circuit and you get on and off where you want and find your own accommodation. It maybe an option. Otherwise look for a specific route you can take that gives you an actual plan and something you can work with.

Websties for accommdaiotn are www.hostels.com, ww.hostelworld.com, www.hostelbookers.com and www.lonelyplanet.com. What you can do is lok thru them to see options and costs for places. Some places will be more pricey than others eg I found Florence ( Italy) quite exepnsive and stayed in a campground ( in a cabin) 15km out of Florence. It was cheaper, but took up to 50mins by bus to get into town and cost over 4 euro per journey. so you weigh up distance from centre and cost of accommodaiotn...places closer are usually more expensive but agaisnt time to get to and from it, cost of transport sometimes its better to go more central. The websites have ratings for accommodation as well!

To get started maybe make a list of places you REALLY want to see. Look on a map for a possible route...its generally pretty easy to get from one place to another by whatever transport ( note a good website for european flights is www.skyscanner.net) so that is usually not a problem.

There are also places that are amazing that you may not have considered. Eg I had never thought of going to Croatia, Slovenia and Czech Republic, but they rate up there as my favourite places ( AND are cheaper than other places)....Prague is REALLY worth a look.
As a single female who travelled by myself for the majority of my trips, I liked the freedom of travelling by myself, but you can easily pick up people to go around with and meet up agian with in hostels....
I went to France ...Paris and central France ( around Figiac/Cahors in the Dordogne region....lovely
Italy.....HEAPS to offer here and can recommend all the places I went to..Verona, Venice, Sienna, Rome, Florence and Bologna.
Czech Republic.Prague and Cesky Krumulov
Slovenia: Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj
Croatia: Zargreb, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar
Amsterdam...only comment.It was the ONLY place I stayed where I felt I have overdone it..I was there for 3 nights, 2 too many in my opinion.
Belgium: Brussels, Bruges/Brugge
Ireland: Dublin, Kilkenny, Tralee, Limerick
Wales and England...I actually didn't see as much in England as I should have considering I was living there for nearly 2 years, but travel is expensive here, even for people living and earning the pound!!!!

So I would chose some places, ask for opinions to help narrow the search and for "extra" places you may not have considered. My sister always said if 3 different people tell you about a place....seriously consider it as a place to go!!!
Have fun!

traveling with kids?

sarahnsqui

we're going to be camping in Colorado for a family vacation with my husbands siblings/dad/etc...there will be a 14 month old and my baby who is 3 months...what are some ideas for activities?

Answer
14 mo old - We bought a child carrier backpack for my first son and that sures makes nature oriented stuff easier. My son loved the pack, and so if we went on a hike he just road along in the pack, the sites alone will keep them entertained for the most part.

At 3 months you can get a front carrier, and tote that one along.

Wherever you camp, scout out the area very well before you let the 14 mo old wander around, make sure there are not any dangerous critters or bushes or whatnot. Have a big tent so they can also just use the tent as a playarea.

Buy a few new toys (don't go overboard) and give them a new toy when you first get there, when they bore of that one, give them another new toy.... depends on the attention span of your child how long this will or if it will work at all. (my 16 mo old this would never work, his attention span is like 3 minutes.)

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Traveling tips && tricks ?

iloveyou

I've never travel for more then a few hours. I'm going to take an airplane to Europe soon and I was wondering what do you usually wear to be comfortable and what to do to keep entertain.. (:

Answer
As a frequent traveler and having rubbed shoulders with hard-core living off the suitcase type dudes, I've come to a list of travel tips. Although not quite like George Clooney in the 2009 Up in the Air, I earned my miles and am still in the top tiers.

Tip 1: Prepare Entertainment packs for kids
A couple of weeks well ahead of your trip, put together a small backpack for each kid of things to entertain him/her that is relevant to their age-group: such as coloring books, paper, colored pens and pencils, a small notebook or diary, reading books or comics, puzzles, card games, iPads/ iPhone with their favorite music, ripped videos, apps and games etc. Sometime I pack in addition what's called the "emergency pack" where I have with me extensively gift wrapped toy .. layers of gift-wrappers will keep the kids occupied.


Tip 2: Airline Food
If you foresee getting really hungry or on a night flight where you want to get the meal done quickly so you get to hit the sack. I'd recommend ordering a Vegan meal. Often you will probably be served first before other passengers. This may get you some envious looks from the passenger seated next to you but it does get you fed early.


Tip 3: Keeping Calm
Before you actually lose it, take a few deep breaths through your nose hold it for a few second and breathe out through your mouth. It helps to slow you down and think before you speak or act when temper sets in.


Tip 4: Time for luggage claim and recheck in
Often when you have connecting flight you may need to reclaim and recheck-in, this may take considerable time if the airport is huge. Just put in an extra hour into the time needed to make that connecting flight otherwise you would be rushing about the terminal like a fool.


Tip 5: Travel Light.
Some travelers have only one luggage. And to accommodate different travel needs this one luggage is often huge! This can be a problem when you are on short trips. By traveling light you may be able to expedite your entrance and departure from the airport by not using checked in baggage and stick with hand carry or carry on bags. You do save a lot of time and really beating the crowds. Think about the time when you stand at the carousel in the herd with the other travelers while you scrutinize ten thousand luggage looking identical to each other.


Tip 6: Money matters
I used to exchange local currency of the travel destination before the flight. This takes off some loads off my back but then again I realized that often withdrawing cash from the ATM locally within your bank network when you arrive does get better exchange rates. It may be worthwhile to check ahead of time what are the different rates offered.

Tip 7: Packing
Packing before flying back home in the hotel room often is the most tiring thing you could do on a trip. It's toward the end of a long trip and you can't wait to head back home. But you have to pack ....on hotel room tricks is to use the dry cleaning bag from the closet. Other than your sweaty workout clothes, you have soiled clothes which you need to stuff into your luggage alongside new ones? Most hotels offer a dry cleaning service and often they have plastic bags or recycling bags in the closet. Use this bag to isolate the smelly clothes from the new ones!


Tip 8: Protect Your Documentation.
It's a good Idea to make copies of all your passports and travel documents. You can then save them into a USB compatible storage device such as camera memory stick, or store them in the iPhone or iPad. Wherever you put yours make sure it isnât the same place as your passport. One of the things that make this so important is the brisk market for stolen travel documents. This is not a day in which you can easily explain how you identification became involved in the commitment of some fraud in a country far away from home.


Tip 9: Share the Plan.
Register with your government or state department. Tell your family and friends where you are heading. This will provide a way for you to be contacted should there be an emergency (you or your family).


Tip 10: Beware of travel scams
Do take precautions to avoid being a target of crime: Try not to wear conspicuous clothing or jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money. While traveling do not leave unattended luggage in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
Beware of travel scams like the infamous broken camera: When everyone is shooting away at sights and attractions, someone comes up with a camera and asks that you take his picture. But the camera or cell phone doesn't seem to work. When you hand it back, the "tourist" fumbles and drops it on the ground, where it breaks into pieces. Often he will either ask you to pay for repairs or pick your wallet while you are bending over.

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Backpacking The World?

Andrew H

I want to travel around the world by myself for about 6months and see everything that's out there. My major concern is that I will be going by myself. How am I supposed to meet people around where I stay, and what are some good types of places to stay? This is all going to be completely new to me, so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Answer
I usually travel solo and let me tell you it's the best way to do serious travel - as opposed to relax or party travel.
My tips:

Stay in backpackers hostels with high atmosphere ratings, common rooms, kitchens and meet other solo travellers. Avoid Hostelling International hostels unless you want to make friends with local school kids and young families - the only exception to this being the Iceland HI hostels, which are surprisinglyfun to stay at (they're also the only hostels in Iceland which helps their atmosphere rating a lot). Hostels that have bars or restaurants are great too.

It can be boring. Especially at night. I try to find events that are open at night and I'm keen in night photography.

Get an iPod touch or iPhone or some sort of palm device, load up the Stanza application (iPods) or get your hands on mobireader (for all other devices) and fill it up with ebooks - all free - or solitaire games or audiobooks. If you can handle the extra weight and deal with the associated security issues, you can take your laptop (I never do, they're just too bloody heavy and there's always the risk of them being stolen when you stay at hostels). Modern electronics are the solo backpackers friend for getting over boredom. Particularly if you seek out a hostel with wifi - in fact I'm spending a lazy night in Venice planning a trip to Spain.

You can also carry a pack of cards - UNO, anyone? - to sucker other solo travellers out of the solo-induced haze.

I'm very independent - I prefer to spend my day sightseeing or walking around alone (I get really irritated when I sight see with other people, generally). But I usually spend breakfast time (its good to go with hostels that include breakfast as its the main place youll socialise) and nights with other travellers, usually making 'single serve friends' in different places. A lot of people you meet you're never going to see again and chances are you're not going to have much uncommon with the people you do meet besides a love if travel. But you're going to meet some amazing people too, who you'll keep in contact with through facebook and one or two you're also probably going to make theeffort to go visit or they visit you sometime in the future (i did a USA trip just to see a former travel buddy as well as Europe.)

A tip that will help with cost is to get in on couch surfing - google it. I prefer hostels to couch surfing but when I go to really out of the way cities it's really nice to 'know' someone there.

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