Backpacks for European Travel - what to bring and what you should know
Backpacks for European Travel
- what to bring and what you should knowBest European Travel Itineraries ahead!
Europe is one of the easiest places in the world to backpack. The transport system is excellent, bilingual speakers abound and there is a plethora of tourist information to assist you. If you have never backpacked or been abroad before, Europe is the perfect place to start.
Most of what you should know about backpacking in Europe will be acquired through your own unique experience. But there are some things you ought to know to before you leave home, lest you regretfully ask, "Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"
To avoid disappointments, I offer these few insights, gained from my own experience. It may help you to have a positive and rewarding European trip.
Going on a trip is always fun and exciting; backpacking through Europe isn't an exception, it's a great adventure. You will see many different places and meet plenty of fellow backpackers. As with most trips, careful planning and some research of the areas you are going to visit is a must.
Before you go, look at a map of Europe and decide on a possible route. Your destinations might decide your way of travel. For example, if you are staying on mainland Europe, the train might be the best choice, but if you want to visit Ireland or the UK, you might consider flying or taking the ferry. There is a great rail pass called the Interail for European citizen, and Eurail for non-Europeans which make train journeys cheaper and a lot easier.
When you go to Europe, think of it as more of an adventure than a side trip or a business trip. Don't forget about all of your golden oppurtunities to visit landmarks, museums, and sights!
If you decide to backpack your way through Europe, you need to decide whether to do this by train, flight or a mix of both. You need to decide where to go, and roughly how long to stay. Make a list of must-do things and places to see. It's important to realize that Europe is a large continent, and that every country is different.
Reading up on the countries and places of interest you plan to visit is wise, but it events and circumstances attending your trip cannot all be foreseen. You will have to allow for the unexpected, and perhaps, a change of plans.
Backpacks for European Travel
- what to bring and what you should know
Best European Travel Itineraries ahead!
With Europe opening up and now including many languages, currencies and cultures, planning a backpacking holiday can be a fun venture if the aspects which apply to all travel in Europe whether spontaneous or packaged, have been planned out thoroughly. The areas where planning matters to backpackers are these:
*Health
*Security
*Back-up
*Language skills
*Availability of cash
*Awareness of seasons and opening times
*Economies that can be made
Tip number one, then: Be prepared for anything; be flexible; be prepared to adapt.
Both good and bad things are bound to happen. Meeting an old friend, or making new ones; discovering a neat little hostel in such a neat little place that you'd just love to spend an extra day or two-these are positive things, and worth allowing time for. However, should the airline misplace your backpack, or you miss a ferry because the taxi driver took you for a ride, or your passport and traveler's cheques be stolen from you, your intended movements may be severely disrupted. Being prepared for the unexpected allows you to meet negative events with a positive attitude-they need not be devastating and ruin your trip. Good and bad contribute to make your trip unique.
My second tip: Be humble; be tolerant; be respectful.
It may be a shocking revelation, but great multitudes have gone before you! Hundreds of thousands of backpackers descend on Europe every year, and while your experience may be new and exciting to you, for the Continentals you are nothing new, nor anything special. Accept the fact that many backpackers before you behaved inappropriately-by being arrogant, loud, and aggressive. Blatant displays of disorderly conduct and drunkenness does not sit well in any society. Why (some) tourists believe that, once on foreign soil, they may act in an obnoxious and offensive manner, is beyond me.
So, you may be up against some prejudice, no fault of your own. Be careful, then, to provoke hospitality, rather than hostility. Be kind, generous, and considerate: the golden rule applies in every society. Make an effort learn a few helpful words in the language of the people you are visiting, beginning with "please," "thank you," and "excuse me," as well as the appropriate greetings for morning, afternoon, and evening. Appreciative comments such as "This is good;" "It is beautiful;" "You are kind," will also help you get along.
The third suggestion is of great importance: Be aware; be awake and attentive; be alive.
Backpacking through Europe is undertaken for many reasons. For some it is a summer vacation, for others it is a pilgrimage; for some it is a party, a time "to have fun;" for others, a serious encounter with the historical cradle of western art and culture- some will just goof off, others will study, contemplate, and learn.
Please consider your travels as a backpacker in Europe a part of your spiritual journey, and deliberately choose for all your experiences to constructively contribute to your spiritual growth unto maturity. Sure, have fun, but always open and receptive to learn new things.
The dictum, "When the learner is ready, the teacher appears," might assert itself during your trip in a surprising, unexpected way. Perhaps, a sage sits hidden among your fellow travelers at the meal table at some youth hostel, or, perhaps, in a chance meeting with a local (who happens to be fluent in English), Wisdom waits to impart understanding to you. Long after you have forgotten the taste of the local cuisine, you will still draw on the insights gained during this unique opportunity. Be ready to eat of the bread of Life whenever it is presented to you.
One practical tip: Be organized; keep your house tidy and in order.
Your backpack is like your home-pay attention to it. You will be carrying it everywhere you go. If it does not sit nice and tight, with the weight resting on your hips as well as the shoulders; if it is too heavy; if things are falling out of it all the time; or if the attached sleeping bag is dangling on your ankles-it will soon become a burden. You don't want to be going to the continent just to be dragging an unmanageable pack all over Europe. Get it right! Be organized, and fearlessly discard any superfluous stuff. You need only what you really need.
Your backpacking trip should be memorable. Chances are that you only get to do it once. Before you go, then, make sure your pack is a pleasure, and understand that you will get the most out of your adventure if you are prepared to take things as they come; prepared to keep a meek and teachable spirit, so that you may get along well with everybody, everywhere you go, and gain new insights about life, and most importantly, about yourself.
Now, don't miss that plane. And if you do, be sure to get in the next available flight!
Backpacking in Europe is a popular way to travel. Many young people do so, especially during the summer months. Here is some information that you should know before you go.
Many museums in Europe are free one day of the week, perhaps on Mondays or Fridays. If they're not free and you have a university student card, you can often get a student discount by showing that at the entrance.
Youth hostels offer an inexpensive form of accommodation, but they're often very busy during the summer months. For this reason, it's a good idea to make reservations in advance. Otherwise, you may not have a place. Another tip regarding accommodation is to look for a place that's not downtown. Downtown accommodation tends to be expensive, so if you find a place further from the downtown area, it'll probably be much cheaper.
Before backpacking in Europe, be familiar with exchange rates and consider getting a Eurail pass. Write down how much you spend so that you stay within your budget. If you like museums, try visiting on the day of the week that they are free and show your student card to get a discount. To save on meals, visit university cafeterias because the selection is usually excellent and the prices tend to be very reasonable.
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Thanks for the European travel tips! I'll be visiting Europe this December, and I find your blog so timely for it is also my first trip outside the US. Different travel social media sites provide itineraries of a European tour, yet knowing such practical ideas is still necessary especially to someone like me who loves adventures. Thanks again for sharing!
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