I have included my trip in some detail in order to present to you what it will be like if you ever plan on
going on a trip to Europe. If you use a travel agent, hop on to one of their existing tour packages, you can
save yourselves some headache.
The problem with these tours is that they isolate you from your actual surroundings, sometimes
presenting things rosier than they seem. If you are young or even young at heart, want to save some money,
don't mind staying at Youth Hostels, want to travel like a local by Metro and Bus, think it's great to travel by
ship and would want to experience a country as it really is; ditch the tours!.
There is more fun learning history on your own terms and visiting places that actually interest you rather
than go along with the herd. It makes great sense for older travelers to take a tour since their needs are
different. Also some Indian tour operators offer 'Indian food', so that their patrons don't have to struggle
looking for a meal. But you have to travel on their terms; early morning departures, so late risers, beware!.
During my trip I covered the popular destinations Europe has to offer, it was a very basic tour. I traveled
for three weeks which is by no means enough time in Europe. It can only whet your appetite for this glorious
continent. Fellow travelers whom I met during this time, typically traveled for at least 3 months. That may
seem difficult for most of us, primarily due to the costs involved. If you are selective, you can go on the trip
you want.
Itineraries
One of the most important aspects of a successful tour is a well planned itinerary. Depending of your
point of entry into Europe, you can plan your progress. Try to avoid repetitive routes as far as possible.
Sometimes it is not possible to avoid backtracking especially if you plan on traveling by ship between Italy
and Greece. Backtracking uses up a lot of time, sometime daylight hours.
A good way to begin, if you are arriving and departing out of the same city at the end of your tour is to
travel cyclically. Use maps for planning. you should try and gather as much information about the places you
arevisiting, knowing or even reserving accommodation prior to even landing up at a place can be a great
relief. Most Youth Hostels accept bookings by email, some may require you to pay a night's deposit by credit
card. Reserve at least two to three weeks before departure. Off-season is the same for every budget
traveler, so the rush for places to stay exists even during this time.
I have included the itinerary I used, try to include train timings, addresses of hostels and contact details.
My schedule should serve as a reference only, it is best to make your own schedule depending on your
interests.
It is a good idea to have a ready reckoner for currency conversions. If you are using US$ make a list of
common dollar values like $5, $10 and so on. Convert it into the exchange rate of the country you are
visiting. This is will help you to draw an estimate of the expense you may incur in a country and the tour as
a whole. The other option is to carry Euros, since most of Europe is using the currency.
Traveling in Europe
Europe is served by an extensive, efficient and well managed transport system. Except for Greece which
has the most archaic of all systems and Italy where Intercity trains never keep to their schedules, the other
parts have everything going for them. Zürich in Switzerland for instance has schedules like a 9:47 pm
departure, though it may seem highly unlikely that a train will get off the platform at a time this accurate, it
does!.
If you finally get yourself a rail pass, keep in mind that it will not be valid for travel on local train and bus
networks, though you can get discounted rates; it will count as a day on your pass. The best way is to buy
point-to-point tickets, these can be obtained from counters, kiosks or newspaper stands. Before you board a
train you have to validate your ticket. Some tickets can be used on trains as well as buses. An example is the
Visité Carté in Paris which allows unlimited rail and bus travel for the purchased period. Passes for local travel
are worth it only if you are going to travel extensively. Otherwise tickets are a better option.
It is possible to hire bicycles in some cities and explore the place, they can cost between US$15 to
US$20 for a day, make sure to carry a map, the streets are not like your city back in India.
If you intend on traveling by ship, especially if you are going from Italy to Greece, beware that EURAIL
will give you free passage for a seat on the deck only. You have to cough up port tax and extra if you want a
cabin. It may be worth sleeping in a cabin if you want to do it as an experience. Moreover, sailing is a boring
experience as it takes a long time. Try to avoid wasting days in travel, especially daylight hours. You can fly
from Rome to Athens for US$120 and if you know that this is possible, you could squeeze it into your budget.
It makes great sense.
Walking around is another cost-effective method, those who are carrying excess body weight can reduce
some serious flab!. Maps are available to navigate your way around a city so use them to the maximum.
