7. Pack light.
Remember, anything you take with you you're going to have to lug around. If you're on a cruise, you can just leave it in your room the whole time. But if you're traveling, really traveling, everything you take with is one more thing to carry. Take just the essentials.
I traveled for ten weeks with a single pack. Because I stayed in hostels, I had my own sheets in there, along with towel and washcloth. I brought just one pair of shoes (but a second pair of shoe inserts). My clothes were all light (no jeans). I did not buy many souvenirs, knowing that I'd have to take them with me from place to place.
Packing light may mean that you do laundry often, or (gasp) wear clothing two or three days at a time. Not to worry--Europeans don't have the same need to shower every single day, and a little bit of body odor isn't going to kill you or them.
My big indulgence? An MP3 player and a big set of headphones.
8. Be street smart.
Most of this is common sense. Crime and scams can happen anywhere, but Eastern Europe, Italy, Spain, and any touristy area are going to have a high rate.
Realize that almost all crime is non-violent. Don't take a purse or wallet. Put your valuables inside a money pouch, and put the money pouch in front of you, underneath your clothing. Pickpockets and purse-snatchers are plentiful. Don't chance it. I think someone tried to rob me in a subway station. A woman in her mid-twenties kind of collided with me, and ran off as she said "sorry". My money and passport were safely in my money pouch, and she went away empty-handed.
Be suspicious whenever dealing with money. Beggars are often disguised thieves. People selling stuff on the streets are often out to scam tourists. I bought a 20 euro painting that the man claimed was hand-painted...and realized ten minutes later that there's no way a hand-painted painting like that would go for just 20 euros. I then saw the same type of painting for sale for 4 euros. Ouch. I'm proud to say that that was the only scam I fell for in those ten weeks.
I ordered a single-scoop ice cream cone in Venice, and was told a crazy-high price as the lady handed me a cone with three scoops. I didn't take the cone. She started yelling at me...I walked out. If they're used to tourists, a lot of them will try to rip you off. Don't stand for it.
Europeans are generally honest, good people. Most won't take off with your luggage or try to scam you. But, as a tourist, you need to be aware and a bit suspicious.
9. Enjoy the people.
It's hard to meet the natives if you're traveling in a pack.
I got lost in a Swiss town. I walked from the train station to the post office, and tried to get my bearings from a map posted outside the building. A young lady walked out and said something in French. It being only a few miles outside of German-speaking Switzerland, I asked her if she could speak German (I should've asked for English...I think her English was better than my German). She showed me where my hostel was, and then offered to drive me there.
I had a bit of the same problem in Karlsruhe, a large non-touristy city in Germany. I bought a map in the train station and walked outside. Within two minutes, two different people came up and asked if I needed directions.
I bought lunch at a recommended restaurant in Venice. The owner came out and talked to me for a couple of minutes, just to say hi.
I rented a bike in the Netherlands, and promptly got a flat. I started walking my bike, and a man asked me what the problem was. I asked him if he spoke English. He gave me detailed directions to a bike store where I could get the flat fixed. The store couldn't fix my flat without a bit of a wait, but they sold me some parts and let me borrow their pump.
I left my journal on a bench outside of a museum in Vienna. I went back to the scene, and asked three old ladies sitting on the bench if they'd seen it. They had, and they'd given it to the man at the front desk at the museum for safe-keeping.
Just some examples of the kindness of strangers.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Directions for a perfect vacation: Part 2
4. Plan out every detail beforehand.
Too much structure? Trust me; ignoring this can cost you. It did me. It really stinks when you're sick to the stomach on a hot day, you have a heavy pack, the hostel is a good mile from the train station (if not more), and when you get there...it's full. No reservations? That's just too bad. You spend half-an-hour on a phone, trying to find some cheap hotel that costs twice as much money--and is another mile away. More hiking. Later you throw up in the hotel sink.
After that situation, I spent a few hours at an internet cafe, making reservations for the next month. Every day planned out.
Make reservations early. Plane flight (the earlier, the cheaper, and we're talking hundreds of dollars). Hotels/B&Bs/hostels (so they don't fill up and leave you stranded). Even a few popular sights require reservations.
Plan what restaurants to visit, what sights to see, how long to spend at each sight. The guidebook I used recommended a pretty suicidal schedule...the Louvre was definitely worth more than the two hours it gave me. Take your time, enjoy the experience, and don't rush it. Don't plan too much in one day.
Be sure to apply for your passport early. It may take a few months to obtain.
Also plan your transportation out early. Car rental? Train? Buses? Have all the details and reservations worked out before you leave. One exception. If you're using public transportation, and are not using a railpass, you'll probably want to buy most tickets in train stations. Exceptions would be for very long train rides, including overnight trains where beds are available. Even these are probably best to buy in Europe, as buying them from the United States can be expensive. Just buy them in advance.
5. See what you want to see, not what the guidebook recommends.
My guidebook recommended Versailles highly. I wasn't impressed. Tons of tourists, but still incredibly boring.
On the other hand, it gave just a slight recommendation to the natural history museum in Vienna. That was one of my favorite sights in Europe. It's housed in an awesome building, and it's practically tourist-less. And, at least to this biology teacher, the museum rocked. Interestingly, a similar museum in London received much higher recommendations, and yet I didn't enjoy it nearly as much; the hordes of people and the cool yet gimmicky dinosaurs drove me off fairly quickly.
If you're seeing the big sights during peak time (May through September), expect crowds. Waking up early and getting there before the tourist hordes is highly recommended.
6. Consider bed and breakfasts.
Hotels are usually comfortable and safe, but they are also expensive...and sterile. You don't get too much of the culture...and culture, hopefully, is one of the reasons you're in Europe. To be fair, some small hotels are nice...I stayed in a good one...but most of them won't help you appreciate Europe more, and they'll cost you big bucks.
If you're alone and on the cheap, hostels may have to do. Some of these are filled with drunken idiots (usually Americans). Many are co-ed (some may have issues with it--I just dealt with it). Most people who stay in these are young and wild (late nights spent drinking). I did, however, meet some great people, including a cute Asian (I forget the nationality) who had a crush on me, and a friendly Scandinavian teenager who, instead of drinking, spent his last hour before an early bedtime listening to music on his headphones. If you're traveling alone, hostels are a great way to meet people. Of course, you'll also have to deal with roommates who come in late, drunk. One of my roommates was an angry gay man from California who snore up a storm. My favorite hostels were the uncrowded ones, or ones where I met friends. Where do you find an uncrowded hostel? Easy. You find it where the crowds aren't. Either they never go there (Karlsruhe), or they all leave for the night (Carcassonne).
Trains can be an interesting place to sleep. Some offer beds (for a decent price). Be warned: the beds are small and bounce around a lot. And they're often piled three deep. Usually, your conductor will wake you up before the train stops at your destination. It's an efficient way to travel...but it's not a very comfortable way. Even worse is not having a bed. There's no guarantee you'll find enough seats to lay down on on an overnight trip. Worst of all? A bus ride overnight. If you think you can handle traveling overnight (other than, of course, the flight in), get a bed. It's the lesser evil. And you won't have to spend long awake hours traveling (although you'll miss out on some sight-seeing from the train).
The best place to sleep in Europe? A bed and breakfast. A courteous host, a great breakfast, a comfortable, homey room. And low prices. As a solo traveler, I only used these when they were on the cheaper side. When I go with April, we'll stay in these every night. I did have one bad experience with these. I arrived in a small German town, walked up to the bed and breakfast, knocked on the door, and...no answer. I hung out for a couple of hours, lugging my pack around and checking the town out, and then returned. A man at the door was telling other guests that his wife had just entered the hospital, and that the bed and breakfast couldn't operate without her. I had to find another room (a little more expensive, but not a big deal). Also, realize that the language barrier is going to be bigger at a small bed and breakfast; hotels and hostels usually have someone around who can speak English, while with bed and breakfasts, you're taking your chances.
Americans be warned. Wherever you stay, you're expected to clean up after yourself. Re-use towels, don't use a ton of water in the shower, stuff like that. Europeans are more conservative...meaning they conserve more. If only the conservatives here in the states did that...
Too much structure? Trust me; ignoring this can cost you. It did me. It really stinks when you're sick to the stomach on a hot day, you have a heavy pack, the hostel is a good mile from the train station (if not more), and when you get there...it's full. No reservations? That's just too bad. You spend half-an-hour on a phone, trying to find some cheap hotel that costs twice as much money--and is another mile away. More hiking. Later you throw up in the hotel sink.
After that situation, I spent a few hours at an internet cafe, making reservations for the next month. Every day planned out.
Make reservations early. Plane flight (the earlier, the cheaper, and we're talking hundreds of dollars). Hotels/B&Bs/hostels (so they don't fill up and leave you stranded). Even a few popular sights require reservations.
Plan what restaurants to visit, what sights to see, how long to spend at each sight. The guidebook I used recommended a pretty suicidal schedule...the Louvre was definitely worth more than the two hours it gave me. Take your time, enjoy the experience, and don't rush it. Don't plan too much in one day.
Be sure to apply for your passport early. It may take a few months to obtain.
Also plan your transportation out early. Car rental? Train? Buses? Have all the details and reservations worked out before you leave. One exception. If you're using public transportation, and are not using a railpass, you'll probably want to buy most tickets in train stations. Exceptions would be for very long train rides, including overnight trains where beds are available. Even these are probably best to buy in Europe, as buying them from the United States can be expensive. Just buy them in advance.
5. See what you want to see, not what the guidebook recommends.
My guidebook recommended Versailles highly. I wasn't impressed. Tons of tourists, but still incredibly boring.
On the other hand, it gave just a slight recommendation to the natural history museum in Vienna. That was one of my favorite sights in Europe. It's housed in an awesome building, and it's practically tourist-less. And, at least to this biology teacher, the museum rocked. Interestingly, a similar museum in London received much higher recommendations, and yet I didn't enjoy it nearly as much; the hordes of people and the cool yet gimmicky dinosaurs drove me off fairly quickly.
If you're seeing the big sights during peak time (May through September), expect crowds. Waking up early and getting there before the tourist hordes is highly recommended.
6. Consider bed and breakfasts.
Hotels are usually comfortable and safe, but they are also expensive...and sterile. You don't get too much of the culture...and culture, hopefully, is one of the reasons you're in Europe. To be fair, some small hotels are nice...I stayed in a good one...but most of them won't help you appreciate Europe more, and they'll cost you big bucks.
If you're alone and on the cheap, hostels may have to do. Some of these are filled with drunken idiots (usually Americans). Many are co-ed (some may have issues with it--I just dealt with it). Most people who stay in these are young and wild (late nights spent drinking). I did, however, meet some great people, including a cute Asian (I forget the nationality) who had a crush on me, and a friendly Scandinavian teenager who, instead of drinking, spent his last hour before an early bedtime listening to music on his headphones. If you're traveling alone, hostels are a great way to meet people. Of course, you'll also have to deal with roommates who come in late, drunk. One of my roommates was an angry gay man from California who snore up a storm. My favorite hostels were the uncrowded ones, or ones where I met friends. Where do you find an uncrowded hostel? Easy. You find it where the crowds aren't. Either they never go there (Karlsruhe), or they all leave for the night (Carcassonne).
Trains can be an interesting place to sleep. Some offer beds (for a decent price). Be warned: the beds are small and bounce around a lot. And they're often piled three deep. Usually, your conductor will wake you up before the train stops at your destination. It's an efficient way to travel...but it's not a very comfortable way. Even worse is not having a bed. There's no guarantee you'll find enough seats to lay down on on an overnight trip. Worst of all? A bus ride overnight. If you think you can handle traveling overnight (other than, of course, the flight in), get a bed. It's the lesser evil. And you won't have to spend long awake hours traveling (although you'll miss out on some sight-seeing from the train).
The best place to sleep in Europe? A bed and breakfast. A courteous host, a great breakfast, a comfortable, homey room. And low prices. As a solo traveler, I only used these when they were on the cheaper side. When I go with April, we'll stay in these every night. I did have one bad experience with these. I arrived in a small German town, walked up to the bed and breakfast, knocked on the door, and...no answer. I hung out for a couple of hours, lugging my pack around and checking the town out, and then returned. A man at the door was telling other guests that his wife had just entered the hospital, and that the bed and breakfast couldn't operate without her. I had to find another room (a little more expensive, but not a big deal). Also, realize that the language barrier is going to be bigger at a small bed and breakfast; hotels and hostels usually have someone around who can speak English, while with bed and breakfasts, you're taking your chances.
Americans be warned. Wherever you stay, you're expected to clean up after yourself. Re-use towels, don't use a ton of water in the shower, stuff like that. Europeans are more conservative...meaning they conserve more. If only the conservatives here in the states did that...
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Directions for a perfect vacation: Part 1
1. The right length. Ten weeks drags on at times; one week isn't enough time to overcome the jet lag, and the high cost of flying makes the per-day cost very expensive. My perfect trip? Three weeks.
2. The right area. I spent ten weeks visiting eighteen countries, if you count Slovakia, which my train went through, and Vatican City (I didn't actually get to go in, but I walked the whole way around the walls, and I think I technically entered the city near the gates). Too much too fast. My ultimate trip of three weeks would concentrate on one region. For example, Scandinavia (concentrating on Norway, but possibly short stops in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark). Or Germany/Austria. Or France (possibly including Belgium and Netherlands). Or Great Britain. Or Switzerland/Italy/Vatican City. Three weeks of Italy would drive me crazy, but it would be nice to see some countryside/small town stuff, Rome, and Vatican City, and April wants to see Venice. More time to enjoy each country, and less time and money spent on travel. Definitely the smart way to go.
3. Take someone with you. I originally planned on taking the ten-week trip with Benny the Barbarian, but our schedules never worked out. I saw friends in Switzerland and Germany, but otherwise I didn't know anyone anywhere. Things got very lonely at times. Take someone you know well, and realize that there'll be compromise and disagreements, and you might want to spend days apart. But transportation for two is often cheaper per person, and you can get a bed-and-breakfast for two at about the same price as two beds in a hostel. Trust me; bed-and-breakfasts are almost always better. Most of all, you'll hold the loneliness at bay.
On my way home I sat next to a recent high school graduate, headed to an Ivy League university. She'd spent several weeks traveling solo without many problems. Western Europe and much of Eastern Europe is generally safe, but women especially may want to travel in pairs. Men in Italy, for example, have a well-earned reputation for being scoundrels, if not actually dangerous. My aunt hated her time as a solo traveler in Italy for that reason.
On the downside, two people aren't as easily approached by strangers wanting to lend a helping hand, and two or more American men together are often seen as the nuisance they usually are. More than two people may present bigger problems--more conflicts of interest, more disagreements, more compromise, etc.
2. The right area. I spent ten weeks visiting eighteen countries, if you count Slovakia, which my train went through, and Vatican City (I didn't actually get to go in, but I walked the whole way around the walls, and I think I technically entered the city near the gates). Too much too fast. My ultimate trip of three weeks would concentrate on one region. For example, Scandinavia (concentrating on Norway, but possibly short stops in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark). Or Germany/Austria. Or France (possibly including Belgium and Netherlands). Or Great Britain. Or Switzerland/Italy/Vatican City. Three weeks of Italy would drive me crazy, but it would be nice to see some countryside/small town stuff, Rome, and Vatican City, and April wants to see Venice. More time to enjoy each country, and less time and money spent on travel. Definitely the smart way to go.
3. Take someone with you. I originally planned on taking the ten-week trip with Benny the Barbarian, but our schedules never worked out. I saw friends in Switzerland and Germany, but otherwise I didn't know anyone anywhere. Things got very lonely at times. Take someone you know well, and realize that there'll be compromise and disagreements, and you might want to spend days apart. But transportation for two is often cheaper per person, and you can get a bed-and-breakfast for two at about the same price as two beds in a hostel. Trust me; bed-and-breakfasts are almost always better. Most of all, you'll hold the loneliness at bay.
On my way home I sat next to a recent high school graduate, headed to an Ivy League university. She'd spent several weeks traveling solo without many problems. Western Europe and much of Eastern Europe is generally safe, but women especially may want to travel in pairs. Men in Italy, for example, have a well-earned reputation for being scoundrels, if not actually dangerous. My aunt hated her time as a solo traveler in Italy for that reason.
On the downside, two people aren't as easily approached by strangers wanting to lend a helping hand, and two or more American men together are often seen as the nuisance they usually are. More than two people may present bigger problems--more conflicts of interest, more disagreements, more compromise, etc.
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