Backpacking through Europe!

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  • Nivek
    H*ll *f F*m*
    • Jul 2002
    • 7999

    #1

    Backpacking through Europe!

    Figured I'd post this to my OS brethren.

    I'll be heading out to Europe on July 4th till about till mid-August. I'm kinda nervous, but the good kind of anxiety.

    I'm going to travel via EuroRail and small EZ Jet planes. I plan on going to Amsterdam (first stop), various cities in Germany, Prague, Budapest, Turkey, Cypress, Greek Islands, Malta, Italy, France, Spain and then the UK.

    I should be excited, but I'm surprised how calm I am considering how long I've been wanting to actually backpack on my own.

    Has anyone ever ventured out there on their own? Any tips or recommendations on hostels or cool sites to visit would be greatly appreciated.
    Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.
  • superjames1992
    Hall Of Fame
    • Jun 2007
    • 31382

    #2
    Re: Backpacking through Europe!

    Pretty cool.

    I'm heading to Germany in mid-July. Since I'm flying non-rev (i.e. I'm flying free on US Airways) I may have to fly into another country if the flights to Frankfurt, Germany are full. So I may be flying in anywhere from Portugal to the UK. In any case, I'll just take the train to Germany.
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    • Nivek
      H*ll *f F*m*
      • Jul 2002
      • 7999

      #3
      Re: Backpacking through Europe!

      Originally posted by superjames1992
      Pretty cool.

      I'm heading to Germany in mid-July. Since I'm flying non-rev (i.e. I'm flying free on US Airways) I may have to fly into another country if the flights to Frankfurt, Germany are full. So I may be flying in anywhere from Portugal to the UK. In any case, I'll just take the train to Germany.
      Awesome!

      We should grab a pint if we're going to be in Germany at the same time. You going for business or vacay?
      Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.

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      • rockchisler
        All Star
        • Oct 2002
        • 8290

        #4
        Re: Backpacking through Europe!

        Stay away from "Hostels" that have hot chicks in it. Hahaha
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        • Nivek
          H*ll *f F*m*
          • Jul 2002
          • 7999

          #5
          Re: Backpacking through Europe!

          Originally posted by rockchisler
          Stay away from "Hostels" that have hot chicks in it. Hahaha
          LOL, I've been looking at a few hostels in the Czech Republic for that same "problem."
          Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.

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          • jake44np
            Post Like a Champion!
            • Jul 2002
            • 9563

            #6
            Re: Backpacking through Europe!

            Originally posted by Nivek
            Figured I'd post this to my OS brethren.

            I'll be heading out to Europe on July 4th till about till mid-August. I'm kinda nervous, but the good kind of anxiety.

            I'm going to travel via EuroRail and small EZ Jet planes. I plan on going to Amsterdam (first stop), various cities in Germany, Prague, Budapest, Turkey, Cypress, Greek Islands, Malta, Italy, France, Spain and then the UK.

            I should be excited, but I'm surprised how calm I am considering how long I've been wanting to actually backpack on my own.

            Has anyone ever ventured out there on their own? Any tips or recommendations on hostels or cool sites to visit would be greatly appreciated.
            Good luck.
            My cousin tried to backpack thru Europe on his own about 5 years ago.
            He was suppose to be gone for a month and was back and broke after a week.
            He hated everything about it, one of the worst experiences of his life. He loves Europe just be careful alone is my advice.
            ND Season Ticket Holder since '72.

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            • PBlast
              Rookie
              • Aug 2008
              • 398

              #7
              Re: Backpacking through Europe!

              Awesome man, I did this last year with a buddy. Ultimate tip to save you money and ensure you have a great experience, using couchsurfing.org. Set up an account and start sending out messages. It's basically a networking site where you can message people who offer up a place to stay at their house for free. Great way to meet people and get a little local flavour. This website basically made my trip last summer, you won't regret it.

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              • Nivek
                H*ll *f F*m*
                • Jul 2002
                • 7999

                #8
                Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                Originally posted by jake44np
                Good luck.
                My cousin tried to backpack thru Europe on his own about 5 years ago.
                He was suppose to be gone for a month and was back and broke after a week.
                He hated everything about it, one of the worst experiences of his life. He loves Europe just be careful alone is my advice.
                Did he get robbed?
                Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.

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                • Nivek
                  H*ll *f F*m*
                  • Jul 2002
                  • 7999

                  #9
                  Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                  Originally posted by PBlast
                  Awesome man, I did this last year with a buddy. Ultimate tip to save you money and ensure you have a great experience, using couchsurfing.org. Set up an account and start sending out messages. It's basically a networking site where you can message people who offer up a place to stay at their house for free. Great way to meet people and get a little local flavour. This website basically made my trip last summer, you won't regret it.
                  Awesome, thanks for the tip!!!!
                  Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.

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                  • EWRMETS
                    All Star
                    • Jul 2002
                    • 7491

                    #10
                    Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                    I would just stay at hostels. If you go by yourself, you're forced to be more social and it will lead you to having a better time. Couch surfing has a lot of creeps from what I hear.

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                    • PBlast
                      Rookie
                      • Aug 2008
                      • 398

                      #11
                      Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                      Originally posted by EWRMETS
                      I would just stay at hostels. If you go by yourself, you're forced to be more social and it will lead you to having a better time. Couch surfing has a lot of creeps from what I hear.
                      As long as you do your research and check references posted by other CSers then you won't have an issue. We couch surfed about 5 or 6 times and they were all great experiences and we met some people that we still keep in touch with now. Being a guy helps too haha.

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                      • Stumbleweed
                        Livin' the dream
                        • Oct 2006
                        • 6279

                        #12
                        Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                        The Flying Pig in the Southern part of Amsterdam was very nice, clean for a hostel, and located in the coolest, prettiest, and most laid-back area of the city (Vondel Park/museum district). The Downtown location is right by Danrak and Centraal Station, so it's noisier and crazier, but if that's your thing, then that one's a good choice too. We ended up staying by ourselves in a 5-person shared room most of the time for about $25 per night back in '04... just depends if you luck out or get stuffed into the full room. Either way it was fun -- nothing better than $3 Hoegaarden (it was the original pre-Anheuser buyout too, so good) pints on draft at all hours.

                        As far as coffeeshops (since I know you enjoy that sort of thing), my favorite spot with the best product and prices is the Gray Area, easily. NOON was a very chill locals type of shop near the southern Flying Pig. Barney's is always a standard, and they make a pretty solid breakfast (there's also a sit-down dinner type of place that they opened a few doors down from the actual shop where you can partake as well, free Volcanos at both places). Sit in Willie Nelson's chair at the Gray Area if you can, it's the one in the corner, facing the window. De Dampkring is another of the major "must see" coffeeshops, though I liked the Gray Area better overall.

                        Ah, Amsterdam...

                        EDIT: I have a friend (female, fairly attractive) who has been "CouchSurfing" in Spain off and on for about 2 months now and hasn't had any issues at all. That's her 2nd or 3rd time doing it out there and there have never been any real problems. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you do basic research and are at least a little bit choosy.
                        Last edited by Stumbleweed; 06-15-2010, 02:26 PM.
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                        • jake44np
                          Post Like a Champion!
                          • Jul 2002
                          • 9563

                          #13
                          Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                          Originally posted by Nivek
                          Did he get robbed?
                          Yes, a couple of times.
                          Whole trip was a disaster and yes he did research before he left.
                          He felt very alone and intimidated a few times.
                          ND Season Ticket Holder since '72.

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                          • Vince
                            Bow for Bau
                            • Aug 2002
                            • 26017

                            #14
                            Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                            I really want to do this next summer.

                            Kev how much have you saved up, roughly?
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                            • Nivek
                              H*ll *f F*m*
                              • Jul 2002
                              • 7999

                              #15
                              Re: Backpacking through Europe!

                              Originally posted by jake44np
                              Yes, a couple of times.
                              Whole trip was a disaster and yes he did research before he left.
                              He felt very alone and intimidated a few times.
                              I think that had to do with his personality then Europe.
                              Cameras or guns, one of them is gonna shoot me to death.

                              Comment

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