This opportunity came totally unexpected to me, but my brother is quitting his current job and spending 3-4 weeks in Europe this summer. He's been working 70 hour weeks as a financial analyst for 4 years and I have barely seen him during that time. My dad offered to buy me a plane ticket to go bomb around Europe with him; I'm not sure I'll stay the full four weeks, but I'm planning on at least two. My bro is still really busy tying up loose ends with work, so some of the planning has fallen to me. I'm a 19 year old college student who has never left the country, so I'm a little over my head. The only thing he really has planned concretely is he wants to go to the worlds largest heavy metal festival in Waachen, Germany. After that, he wants to work his way north through Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Budget isn't much of an issue for him--I think he plans to stay mostly in hotels and I can just stay with him. I have a few general questions that I'd greatly appreciate anyone experienced weighing in on: - I suggested that hostels might be a good way to meet other people, but I don't really know, is that true? I just don't want to seclude ourselves in hotels all the time. -Is it worth a detour to Amsterdam? It's not too far out of our way, and I've heard it's a beautiful city and there is a lot more then drugs to do there; anyone have any recommendations? The drugs are a plus purely because I almost never see my brother and it would be good to crack open the coconut and get to know him better, but I don't want to go there just for that. -Anyone been to Denmark, Sweden, or Norway and suggest any cities to stay at, must-see's, travel tips, anything cool really? I know this is all rather general, but I just found out I'd be going about a week ago and haven't had much chance to think about it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I just came back from a similar trip. Yes, hostels are a good way to meet people, but there are plenty of other ways that don't sacrifice any comfort if your brother wants to stay in hotels. For instance, sometimes you can tag along on hostel-offered tours, like pub crawls, without actually staying there. The thing about hostels is you meet other travelers when you stay there, but your interaction with locals is still only what you make of it. If you're interested in meeting Brits/Aussies/Kiwis/Canadians, a hostel can't be beat. If you're interested in meeting Swedes and Danes...not the best place. Scandinavians generally aren't the most outgoing people in the world, so it's a little harder to get to know them than somewhere like Amsterdam, but it's worth the time invested. Pubs were the best place for me to meet people, but that's probably because I'm a liquor pig. Go to Amsterdam. Nothing's too far out of the way in Europe - everything is a 100 dollar flight away. Usually less. Airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet, bmibaby, and Wizzair (just to name a few) make it incredibly easy to get around. If Amsterdam is something you want to check out, go do it. You might never get the chance again, and it won't be a time-waster going there for sure. As for the 3 countries you mentioned - in Denmark, Copenhagen is a lot of fun and really nice. Helsingor is cool too. In Sweden, I really liked the architecture of Stockholm but found it to be a bit conservative. There are some cool daytrips from there, like Uppsala. I didn't check out much more than that, so I probably wouldn't be much help. In Norway, Bergen was awesome, and the train ride from Norway to Oslo was too. The "Norway in a nutshell" trip is amazing...takes you through fjords, through crazy mountain passes, and up crazy-steep hills on a variety of different modes of transportation. Tromso is pretty cool too, if you feel like experiencing a city that doesn't get dark for a few months at a time. One thing though - you mentioned that you don't have to worry about a budget. Well, these are pretty expensive countries, so unless your brother is made of money, you might get poor quick. Sweden and Denmark aren't THAT bad, but Norway is fucking unreal. 13 dollar beers, 30 dollar fish n chips, and 6 dollar bottle of waters are the norm there. Something to consider.
Just browsed through this forum and didn't see an answer to my question, if it's been answered before just point me to it. I was planning on doing a summer study abroad in London/Oxford this summer but it is going to end up costing me around 6k+ not including expenses for the 40+ days there. I figured that if I just took that money and planned my own trip around the UK/Europe I could experience a lot more and probably have more fun. The problem is all of my friends already have plans for the summer so I will probably end up traveling alone. Has anyone backpacked through Europe/UK before, and if so do you feel like it was worth it or do you think you would have had a better time doing it with a friend/s? I'll probably end up staying in hostels and eating/drinking on the cheap so I'm trying to avoid the huge expensive cities like Paris/Rome and I'm looking more towards Prague or eastern Europe with a stop in Germany.
I've done it 4 times now. 3 alone, 1 with a friend. I found it more rewarding alone, but a little easier with a friend. If you're staying at hostels, you can do it alone for sure. You'll only be as lonely as you choose to be. Even if you're not outgoing, you won't have much choice in a hostel...it's really easy to make friends. If you're going to do it that way though, it's probably better to only keep a only rough itinerary...you're almost guaranteed to meet someone that you'll either travel with for a couple of days, or you'll be told about something you HAVE to go see, and the detour you planned for a day will turn into a week. As you've pointed out, your money will go a lot further in Eastern Europe, but don't discount the big cities in Western Europe on your finances alone. They can most definitely be done on the cheap, you just have to pick and choose your spots more carefully. Starting for a few days in Western Europe will help you establish a pattern of spending that will make your money go further in cheaper countries as well. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.
I've backpacked all over the world. My $0.02: - Your day-to-day friends are not necessarily your travel friends: just because you get along famously with someone in 'real' life does not mean you will be able to tolerate being within arm's reach of each other for six weeks. In my experience, there's no way to judge it either. Only way to find out is to actually travel with them, and six weeks is a loooong time when you don't travel well together. - I always had the most success meeting people along the way who were headed in my direction. This guarantees that you want to see the same sites, are close on budget (important) and you have the option of parting ways, no harm done. - Use <a class="postlink" href="http://www.hostels.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.hostels.com</a> and <a class="postlink" href="http://www.hostelworld.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">www.hostelworld.com</a>. Indispensable tools. I would just pick the hostel that had the highest ratings, read from user comments on how to get there and done. Never had a bad experience; they were always clean, safe and secure, and full of cool people. I HIGHLY recommend hostels, since they give you the option of socializing or not. - Western Europe is expensive, there's no two ways around it. Be honest with yourself and budget accordingly. Are you the kind of person who can live for weeks on end off of Ramen noodles, do their laundry in public washrooms and sleep in sleeping bags at campgrounds? Then you can do it cheap. If you're not, then make allowances for yourself, even if it means cutting the duration down. - I HIGHLY recommend Eastern Europe if you can. The Czech Republic, Hungary, etc. Cheaper, better places. - Try not to have a set itinerary - the less you have 'planned,' the cheaper it will be. Conversely, the best hostels fill up quickly so book as early as possible. I know that's a contradiction. Deal with it. - "Every place in Europe is close," Yes and no. Close by North American standards, but it still takes time, especially by train. Even a flight will write off half a day, and if you have the big traveler's backpack it will almost assuredly be over the weight restriction. Remember that the more countries you want to see, the less time you'll have to see them. If you want to see a cool place in-depth, schedule a large block of time there. - I really like both London and Dublin. From what I've seen of the UK, you'll enjoy wherever you go.
I am going to be in Brazil this January. I'll be doing a study abroad program in Sao Paolo that runs from the 2nd to the 17th (short, yes, but better than not going) and I want to fly down right after Christmas so I can have a free week in Brazil prior to the program. So, what do you think I should do? I've initially planned on flying into Rio de Janeiro and visiting a friend in Curitaba and then going to Sao Paolo, but that's very preliminary and I've got lots of time to plan.
I'm looking at going to Costa Rica for the summer. Need some advice on where to stay, things to watch out for, etc. I'm aware that I'll be right in the middle of their rainy season, but I've read that it's worse on the Caribbean side and I was thinking about the Pacific side. Will I be completely miserable going this time of year? Right now I don't have much planned out- wouldn't mind volunteering or working odd jobs down there but I've also got enough saved to just rent a shack near the beach and lay around all day. Are the listings on Craigslist legit? Where should I look if not? Anyone with experience in Costa Rica specifically or in Central America in general during the summer, please chime in.
I am considering going to New Zealand this summer(err..June/July) instead of my original choice of Argentina, due to several reasons that don't matter all that much. I'm wondering how the nightlife is there? I am thinking of staying in Auckland, is that a mistake? The main things that determine where I stay will be nightlife, as most of the day will be spent working. I will definitely be taking some side trips to other areas of NZ though.
Can't edit my post anymore, so just quoting it. Also, any suggestions for location within Auckland? It seems like there are lots of different areas with good nightlife..are they anywhere near each other? Would it be better to just get a place somewhere central and taxi to wherever I want to go? As far as I can tell the places to be are Queens Street, Viaduct, Karangahape Road. Anywhere else? Is it best to just stay in the CBD, since its close to Viaduct and Queens?Looking for something in the range of 4000-6000 NZD/month for a 4 bedroom, or 3000-4000 NZD a month for a 3 bedroom, both fully furnished. Just want to be as close as I can to awesome nightlife, possibly restaurants etc. It seems like wellington also has very good nightlife. Any views on which is better? Will be me and a few other college aged guys. Thanks again for any help. EDIT : Upon more research it seems like CBD is near Viaduct, Queens, AND Karangahape Road. Guess that makes my decision easier. Sorry if the post seems scrambled, I only really decided I wanted to go today.
I'm going to Cancun for four days next month. I kind of want to see some Mayan ruins while I'm there. Is this worth taking a day out of my four days to do? Can anyone recommend a tour company that does thee trips from Cancun? We won't have a car, so we can't drive. thanks in advance!
It's absolutely worth it to go to Chichen Itza on a daytrip. Your hotel should be able to hook you up with a reputable tour company without a problem. The only other site that's easy to do on a daytrip is Tulum, and while it's nice, it's nowhere near Chichen Itza on the cool scale.
I second this. Chichen Itza was pretty cool. Another option is Coba. Added benefit of Coba is you can still climb the temple.
Hey everyone, To preface this I'm saying that I am posting this in the world travel thread as well, as it pertains to travel/living arrangements that I need help with. Thought that it would work in either thread. Anyways: I some need help with finding someplace to live in New York City in the summer. I will be working in the Banking District, on Park Avenue, in the around 50th-54th street if that helps. I am a college student that does not currently live in NYC, so I do not know cheap housing that I can get there. I'll be there for 6 weeks starting June 15th, and really need cheap housing as I am on a budget. I have heard of housing programs with dorms at NYU and Marymount Manhattan, but I have heard that these are doubles only, would really prefer a single if they can be found cheap. I also heard that living in Queens isn't such a bad idea, and then I can take the subway over to work every day as it's close by. To reiterate: I'm looking for a cheap single for the summer, dorms or apartment doesn't really matter. Thanks guys.
Hey, I was wondering if anyone could offer me some financial advice if you've been to Egypt, specifically Cairo. I'm going there for four days in September of this year, and I'm wondering how much to take... I'll be eating three meals a day (though I'm sure I'm going when Ramadan falls, so I'm not sure how much I'll be eating after all) and probably not going to drink alcohol. I want to see the Pyramids, walk through Islamic Cairo and go to two Museums, as well as just wander through the streets and experience it. I have no idea how much to take, I'd like to buy a couple of things from the market to bring back with me. Also if anyone wants to recommend me anywhere to go/see/eat etc, please feel free, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a lot in advance!
My family is planning a trip to Europe this September to visit family in Hungary after which we are splitting up and going where ever we please. I've done Hungary a million times but wanted to explore Western Europe so my brother and I might be taking a train to Amsterdam to spend almost a week there. Does anyone have any hostels or cheap hotels they recommend? What neighborhoods should I stay away from? What besides the obvious should I check out? Where do the locals hang out (I hate touristy bars/restaurants/cafes)? Is it easy to get to the Northern part of Holland?
You should check out L&B Whiskey bar, they stock over 800 different whiskeys, (Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 82 1017 RD AMSTERDAM) this is very close to the Rijksmuseum. Another nice piece of Amsterdam are the so called 9 streets, a known shopping area that you should be able to dig up a lot of info about online. Further you should check out the Jordaan, a really nice funky neighborhood. As long as you don't go to the outskirts of the city the heart of the city is all a lot of fun not much to worry about in terms of bad neighborhoods. I'd probably not hang around the Dam Square too much though, it's all one big tourist trap there together with the area around Centraal Station. I can't really help you out with further Amsterdam specifics, but in general the city is very easily traveled through, using the trams and plain walking. Recommendable would be to rent a bike, to get that real local feel. to get to the northern part of Holland is ambiguous, do you want to go to Groningen or Den Helder? anyway, traveling across Holland is super easy and something i would definitely recommend doing. You will see a completely different view of Holland when you go away from the overcrowded western part of Holland and into the more rural east. Train is what i would advise you to do, below is the English version of the national rail company site and you can plan your trips out on there. <a class="postlink" href="http://ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers</a> If you have any questions about Amsterdam or the Netherlands that you can't find, you can always PM me, and i will see what i know / can find.
For those of you who have been in the Alps before, what's the weather like this time of year? I'll be in Berchtesgaden 2 weeks from now and am considering the idea of spending three days hiking in the national park, staying in the alpine huts along the way. Information about these huts is scarce, and the only comprehensive information is from the tourist office once you get there. What little I've come across suggests that doing this at the end of May could be a pretty bad idea. It is apparently quite rainy this time of year (I think I remember reading something about "it rains nearly every day"), and potentially cold enough to make me worry about being a 2 hour mountain hike away from any hint of civilization. And also - are these calm, gentle rain showers, or are they "oh my fuck I'm on top of a mountain and those big storm clouds are thundering" type of deal? I figure if the weather is particularly bad I can either grab a hostel before going into the wilderness, or failing that, turn back from the wilderness to spend the rest of my time in the town, but I'd rather not get myself into a cold, wet and windy clusterfuck if I don't have to.
Hey, I was about to book this Cairo trip, but on Expedia, near the booking it says: "+ A city/local tax will be charged. Collected by hotel". There's no additional information, this has put me off booking, as I've no idea how much this cost will be? I was wondering if anyone has had the same experience, and how much I'm likely to be paying? Thanks a lot.