European Trip

[GSLeloo]

A quick question to those living on Europe or those who travel there often...

We are planning a trip to Europe for next summer and we're wondering if we can get your advice on certain things. First, can you suggest any good hostels for us to stay in? Also, what do you think is the best way to get around that is cost efficient? We're looking to land in London and travel around there before heading to Paris and moving out from there.

[Miss X]

Europe is expensive, keep that in your mind before you come here. If you want a good guide with hostels and everything, I got myself a copy of "Europe on a shoestring" which is part of the Lonely Planet collection. I would buy a copy of that for sure.

Travel wise, obviously if you're landing in London and then want to head to Paris then go on the Eurostar. Book tickets in advance as they will be cheaper and they sometimes have good deals. It might also be worth checking out RyanAir and EasyJet flights as they often have UBER cheap deals to European countries. :)

[Latrinsorm]

The tube is by far the best way to get around London. It's not cheap, but the bus system is just embarassingly awful. Bring comfy walking shoes.

[Sean of the Thread]

I'm sure there are many fine hostels around Europe.

[GSLeloo]

The only thing I'm debating on is whether we should just go on a tour which would figure everything out for us or if we should do it ourselves. I think it'd be more fun if we just threw caution to the wind and did it but it'd be less stressful on a tour. This site compares the cost and I'm not entirely sure which is true..

http://www.contiki.com/en-US/Tours/Promotions/Escorted.Backpacking.htm?MSCSProfile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ublished&NRNODEGUID=%7BB021633B-B200-4532-A61D-2FA18D9434D4%7D&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest&kwd=backpacking%20europe&src=gooUS

[Tsa`ah]

We took an "educational" 2 week tour of Europe between my Jr and Sr year of high school.

Basically 4 of us got together and talked our small school administration into participating in the group. We had to pay for the chaperone's portion, but it was a large tour, 80 students from about 23 different schools ... and it only cost 568 bucks per person.

This was in the early 90s, so I'm sure that if student tour packages exist ... they're a bit more costly.

2 weeks in Europe consisted of London for the day (which if you start drinking at the international waterline until you land ... the smell of London will be overpowering and your need to vomit, and violently, will not stop until you leave), a ferry across the channel and the rest of the time going by train or buses between hostiles and spending a day in small towns or a few days in the larger cities. We went from London to Barcelona in the two weeks. You get an itinerary, passes to the educational sites ... and a book of coupons for one free drink at various bars. We spent 2 nights in Paris and bar hopped the entire time.

We did take breaks to see the more impressive things on the tour ... but mostly we left the tour group to drink and do some not so legal things (except in Amsterdam).

Renting cheaper Ducatis and ripping through the countryside ... Renting a car that has no business on the autobahns and driving on the autobahn ... those are the more memorable things I did on my trip to Europe.

Tours like that generally just cover admission fees into certain attractions and if you're lucky ... breakfast at the hotel/hostel. So if you're fortunate enough to get into one ... bring traveler's checks for real food. If you know smoker's that you can't convince to quit ... tell them to bring a carton or two of the brand they smoke unless they feel like paying 3-5x the amount once they get there. European brands will give cancer to cancer.

[GSLeloo]

When I was in high school we went with French club to France and Spain. But your trip seems a lot more laid back, ours was constant touring and moving rapidly through the country. I think what we're going to settle with is doing a short tour of highlights and then spend additional days doing what we want.

http://www.contiki.com/en-US/Tours/Europe/Ultimate.European/Itinerary.htm
But I want to do this for my graduation present

[Artha]

This was in the early 90s, so I'm sure that if student tour packages exist ... they're a bit more costly.
The one my school offers (which is only for upperclassmen from my school specifically) costs 2100-2500 dollars. I'm pretty sure that's with expected room/board and spending money factored in, though.

[Tsa`ah]

I can tell you that I loved the experience I had. Even though most of western Europe, and very little of the eastern block, was crammed into 2 weeks, it had more of a backpack feel to it.

We didn't have tour buses or dedicated "villages". We took trains and buses to the area we were to tour for a day or two and were split up between hostels and hotels. The breakfast was normally between 8 and 9 with the group leaving, on foot or by some funky looking charter bus ... and sometimes by mass transit. If you went with the group ... you went with the group. The only restriction we had was to be ready for pickup for the next destination by X time .... or your ass was stuck.

The tour you picked out looks interesting ... but it's got you hopping all over Europe wasting a shit ton of time and giving you a some heavy travel time. We went from England to France and made a reverse "C" through Europe, none of the travel time was really wasted.

Now hearing other classmates that attended a more organized tour the following year for more cash, they were disappointed. The described it as washed down and boring. They went to the same sights, but they were stuck on a bus, they ate meals with the same people ... they really didn't have contact with Europe other than what was on the schedule.

I mean, Europe was fun because I was roaming around with close friends and doing shit like trying to convince this big breasted German girl, decked out that beer and sausage fest garb, that the beer and sausage weren't doing enough to heal the wounds of the holocaust ... only sex would do that.

Not that she understood a word of what I was saying, and not that sex happened ... but that sort of thing doesn't happen on a tour bus, nor do they make room for it in an itinerary.

[Latrinsorm]

I think we can all agree that Leloo has to have more sex with big-breasted German women.

[GSLeloo]

~pinches Latrinsorm~

I agree with you Tsa'ah. The tour has its ups and downs. It organizes all of the travel and events for you. But it also doesn't let you immerse yourself in Europe. There are certain things that you just can't experience until you're in the middle of Europe with a map, a vague idea of where you're going, and no idea of the language being spoken.

[holocene]

There are super-cheap flights on Ryan Air and City Jet if you book them well in advance (sometimes as low as £1.99!)...trick is they're between Stansted (London) and Beauvais (Paris)...both involve a bus ride to the airport that will set you back £10 - £20, so allow plenty of time to get there. In fact, Beauvais feels like it's halfway to Belgium and then you get dropped off at Porte de la Chappelle or some other ungodly distant metro stop, but you can't beat the cost. (Did this last june with my siblings and mother).

Depending on your budget, you'll almost definitely have to hostel (or cheap BNB) in London...it is very pricey.

Paris, in the hotel category, still has some really cheap hotels, though. I have one I can suggest that was about 50 euros last time I was there, in a great neighborhood.

[Beguiler]

Heh. Join the Navy (or other armed service). Get stationed in Europe. See everything. Take every special services trip anywhere. Take lots of pictures. Come home. That is all...<grin>

[GSLeloo]

Yeah but then I'd be in the Navy and have to follow the sayings of a president who I don't agree with.. plus I'm just bad at taking orders without deciding if I WANT to do them or not.

[El Burro]

My favorite part growing up was when the Griswalds were in Germany at the wrong house and Rusty got to see that german chicks boobs.

also: sex=six

[Caiylania]

I got a flight on Ryanair for .01 cent once. Not kidding :) Plus tax of course :O

Whatever trip you guys go with I hope you have fun. My one suggestion is if there is anything you have always wanted to see, see if it is on the trip and if it isn't see how much it costs to get added or if there is enough free time to go on your own. I've lived in Europe over 6 years, so I get to do alot but a few of my friends who did travel tours didn't push destinations they wanted and realized later what a mistake it was. For most, Europe is a one time deal and the odds of them going back are not high.

Best wishes :)

I stillll need to hit london. I wasted a lot of time sadly. Well, due partly to money. Even living here it still costs a lot to travel!