europe for 3 weeks this may.....good idea?

3/3/2010 2:42:21 PM

if you have 3 free weeks and have a good path already in mind

3/3/2010 2:42:54 PM

Is there any reason it wouldn't be a good idea? Do you have the money and time?

3/3/2010 2:43:09 PM

great idea if you have the money and time

I want to do this sometime in the next couple years

3/3/2010 2:43:46 PM

Just don't spread yourself too thin. I did it for 6 weeks last year and probably went to 16-18 cities and was close to spreading myself to thin. If I had to do it all over again...I would have done the same route and added two more weeks.

With three weeks...I would limit myself to 3 or 4 countries and maybe 6 cities/places.

Try and go longer if you can.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 2:49 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 2:48:35 PM

Quote :

"Try and go longer if you can."

THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.

3/3/2010 2:58:04 PM

^ i say that often

3/3/2010 2:59:38 PM

Backpacking gets old fast. Mix it up with hotels and trains.

3/3/2010 2:59:47 PM

Quote :

"Backpacking gets old fast. Mix it up with hotels and trains."

I guess I have a broader definition of backpacking. I took a huge backpack to Europe and stayed in hostels the whole time.

I called it backpacking because all I took over there was a backpack full of shit and didn't stay in expensive hotels.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 3:05 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 3:04:49 PM

Quote :

"Just don't spread yourself too thin. I did it for 6 weeks last year and probably went to 16-18 cities and was close to spreading myself to thin. If I had to do it all over again...I would have done the same route and added two more weeks. With three weeks...I would limit myself to 3 or 4 countries and maybe 6 cities/places. Try and go longer if you can. "

This is exactly what I did on my first trip to Europe. I took off for 6 weeks and saw a much as I could and as fast as I could. However, I didn't soak up much culture.

The last trips back, I just visited a handful of places and stayed there. I had the best experiences that way. You will have more time to explore whatever culture/city/landscape you're in, hang with locals, establish friendships and do more shit than you'll ever find in a "Lonely Planet" or "Rick Steves" guide book.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 3:09 PM. Reason : Godspeed!]

3/3/2010 3:07:46 PM

i hope i can go this fall (and by fall i mean aug/sept/possibly oct) after law school as a grad present

i can't decide where though

europe...dunno what part
asia...dunno what part

or somewhere like costa rica.

has anyone gone backpacking anywhere outside of europe (and obviously the US)?

ran into a lot of backpackers in vietnam.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 3:50 PM. Reason : ,]

3/3/2010 3:49:33 PM

^ I backpacked Costa Rica in 2008. It was a short trip. Just 2 weeks. I can recommend several hostels.

Costa Rica is great bc it's beautiful, dirt cheap and there are tons of other backpackers.

3/3/2010 3:56:59 PM

I would love to go. sounds like a great idea to me!

3/3/2010 4:01:00 PM

^^ awesome thanks! i'd really love to do central america. did you just go to costa rica?

2 weeks seems pretty average in my preliminary investigation stages - a lot of itineraries i've seen are set up for a 2 week backpacking trip.

do you remember your budget/costs (if you don't mind sharing).

pretty much all central american countries appeal to me - i've just heard good things about costa rica (i dunno if its cause its real touristy or what). but also interested in honduras and guatemala too.

i'm graduating from law school and a bunch of people are going on a cruise for SB but i'm already going on one in july and my dad said he'd either pay for the cruise in full or help me do a backpacking trip. i'd just much rather do backpacking esp since i've already been to the cruise destinations. obviously my backpacking trip wouldn't be over spring break but still - i'd rather have something phenomenal to look forward to in the near future vs. something RIGHT NOW that i've already done like 5x before.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:02 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 4:01:26 PM

Quote :

"has anyone gone backpacking anywhere outside of europe (and obviously the US)?"

Brazil was awesome! But be very careful. Mexico was alright. Does Puerto Rico count as outside the US? Well, anyway, my Puerto Rico trip was one of my favorites. There's some much to do on that island and the terrain is quite diverse.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:08 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 4:07:46 PM

I spent about $1,000 a week on my Europe trip...but could probably cut that close to half if I went back. I set a budget, but I had a lot more saved, so that made it hard to be frugal. I was also traveling by myself, so I ate out for every meal instead of doing the whole "buying groceries" thing...which would have made my food budget a fraction of my cost.

It might be the cliche trip...but I'd still recommend a Europe backpacking trip over any others.

3/3/2010 4:10:16 PM

i've been to PR and Mexico (not backpacking)


i've heard fab things about brazil - but yea - the being careful part is def true. my uncle went on a scuba backpacking homestay thing there and he said he def felt unsafe at times.

3/3/2010 4:10:38 PM

I'm pretty sure that this thread is in reference to gay sex in Europe for 3 weeks, seeing as how datman made the thread.

3/3/2010 4:11:00 PM

central america and asia are just so much more appealing to me than europe

i don't know why. i want to go to europe and backpack eventually but i mean...i dunno. i am just really hooked on central america right now.

3/3/2010 4:14:16 PM

Quote :

"It might be the cliche trip...but I'd still recommend a Europe backpacking trip over any others. "

The neat thing about Europe is that everything is so accessible, some things more so than here, such as public transportation. For instance, if you're not happy in say, Amsterdam, just hop on a train and skip over to Paris, and if that doesn't suit you, board an over night train and voila, you're in Rome.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:16 PM. Reason : ']

3/3/2010 4:16:19 PM

Quote :

"awesome thanks! i'd really love to do central america. did you just go to costa rica? 2 weeks seems pretty average in my preliminary investigation stages - a lot of itineraries i've seen are set up for a 2 week backpacking trip. do you remember your budget/costs (if you don't mind sharing). pretty much all central american countries appeal to me - i've just heard good things about costa rica (i dunno if its cause its real touristy or what). but also interested in honduras and guatemala too."

Costa Rica is a great country to backpack because it's relatively safe, yet still very cheap. A couple of my friends have lived in/backpacked in Guatemala and Honduras and loved it as well.

The best thing about Costa Rica is that the buses will take you almost anywhere for just a few bucks. It was around 5 bucks to take a bus from one side of the country to the other. And food is cheap because you'll really just eat a lot of rice, beans and chicken, which is about 2 bucks. A beer is 50 cents. Your most expensive dinner will be about 10 bucks, and that's at a nice place (at least on the Caribbean side and in San Jose/Alajuela). Remember to splurge on bottled water.

For accommodations, check hostelworld.com. Here are a couple of cool places we stayed:

Alajuela Tropical Hostel: This is no-frills. Seriously. NO FRILLS. But it's super convenient to the airport and the Owner will bend over backwards to accommodate you. This was $15 per night in the season we went.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g309224-d1202333-Reviews-Alajuela_Tropical_Hostel-Alajuela_Province_of_Alajuela.html

Rocking J's Hammock Hotel: This place is BADASS. You sleep in a tent, hammock or treehouse each night. It's $5 per night for a hammock. $6 per night for a tent. And there are tons of young, fun people there. Lots of European backpackers. There's a toga party with PJ any night where there's a full moon. The vibe here is amazing.
http://rockingjs.com/about.php

A 2-week trip cost me about 700. That's 200 for airfare, 150 for accommodations, 150 for food/booze, 25 for transportation, 150 for excursions/recreation and 25 for souvenirs.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:20 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 4:19:40 PM

I've been thinking about a Costa Rica trip myself.

I had this big grandiose trip to Russia planned out as my, graduation from graduate school present to myself, but it fell through.

3/3/2010 4:22:32 PM

why the fuck would you go to russia

3/3/2010 4:23:26 PM

Quote :

"A 2-week trip cost me about 700. That's 200 for airfare, 150 for accommodations, 150 for food/booze, 25 for transportation, 150 for excursions/recreation and 25 for souvenirs. "

that is totally amazing. kinda like vietnam (minus the airfare cause airfare there is slightly more expensive haha). but everything in vietnam was super duper cheap. if it was $700 for 2 weeks then my dad would probably cover the entire thing. yesss. what month did you go? i read the best months to go are jan - april. because fall is hurricane season i guess.

3/3/2010 4:26:33 PM

^^ Saint Petersburg and Moscow

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:27 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 4:26:47 PM

^^ I went at the end of February/early March. The only difference is that airfare may be more expensive for you. Like I said, it's only $200 to fly from Orlando to San Jose, Costa Rica. It may be $300 or $400 coming from the Raleigh area. And the high season is the best time to go because the wet/rainy season can be a little tricky/unpleasant when backpacking. Torrential rain and mudslides. YUCK!

I will also mention that we really didn't eat out very much because we packed a bunch of clif bars. These are great to have because you might find yourself riding on a bus for 5 hours.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:32 PM. Reason : /]

3/3/2010 4:31:17 PM

yea i think its like $400 from raleigh but i can hopefully use some ffmiles for that.

or i could pay for airfare and my dad could pay for the rest. happy graduation to meeeee (even though the trip will likely be like a year after i graduate. but whatev. something to look forward to and like i said, i'd much rather do this than europe)

3/3/2010 4:32:41 PM

what kind of law

3/3/2010 4:33:34 PM

^^ Are you traveling with a friend? I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable backpacking the country alone. It's still a developing nation and you may look like a target. You'll meet people along the way, of course.

Remember, no flashy clothing. You don't want to look like you are carrying anything valuable. Even your passport is valuable to a lot of people there. So just be VERY modest with the clothing you pack.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 4:35 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 4:34:58 PM

I'm amazed that this thread has stayed helpful for this long in chit chat.

3/3/2010 4:36:31 PM

Also, khcadwal, if you want to backpack into Nicaragua, let me know. I'm planning to backpack there in the fall and then just crash at hostels and my aunt and uncle's beach house, so we could always meet up if you're passing through.

3/3/2010 4:41:33 PM

I'll just make one last attempt at trying to persuade the Europe trip...although it seems Central or South America would be easier with your budget. I know every country in Central and South America is different and there is nothing "monotonous" about backpacking through either....but I think it would be impossible to match the different types of cultures and people and things you can see and do on a backpacking trip to Europe.

Paris is completely different place than Amsterdam, yet it's only a short train ride away. I went from hiking/paragliding/canyoning/ropes course in the snow covered Swiss alps to 75 degree weather on the west coast of Italy in Cinque Terre where I did a hike along side ocean cliffs and laid out on the beach...and it was less than half a day train ride away. Tapas in Barcelona, Crepes in Paris, Coffee Shops in Amsterdam, Pizza in Venic, Liter Beers and Bratwursts in Berlin....and that's less than half of the places I went.

I want to travel like that more, but I'm going to be honest...it's going to be tough to get that kind of time off again at this stage in my life. And I'm glad I did Europe over any other place in the world and got to see the things that I saw and do the things that I did.

3/3/2010 6:20:39 PM

Quote :

"Cinque Terre "

One of my favorite places!

3/3/2010 6:34:45 PM

@lucy: yea i'd be going with at least my bf. maybe some others

@jbrick: i get europe, i do. and i'd love to backpack there. but i've been to france and england which i know, i know is just a taste. and if i did europe honestly i think i'd want to do eastern europe. which i think would be completely different than western europe. i loved asia. i want to go back. i think my main draw to places like central america, south america, asia, eastern europe is to experience culture that has the potential to be significantly different from anything i've experienced.

i mean, hong kong was really cool, don't get me wrong, but i didn't really feel like i was experiencing much. i mean...it was amazing but it is just like a really big really westernized city. i want to see more of mainland china and like the country. i mean it was awesome, much like a london or a paris (and i'd love to go back to paris, btw because when i went i was like 14 and i didn't really appreciate what i was seeing, plus i was a picky eater then) but does this make any sense? i can't really articulate it well.

i really thrive on pushing the limits on my comfort zone and that is what is so appealing about travel to ME (i realize you an push these limits in europe too, don't get me wrong). that is why i LOVED the areas of vietnam i went to and i would love to have had more time there. if i could go anywhere in the world right this second it would be africa or thailand or maybe india. or egypt.

i'm just saying like yes i want to backpack in western europe but it just seems so much more accessible than a lot of places so it just isn't at the top of my "to do." it is ON the list for sure and i'd love a trip there, too - its just that while i'm young i think i'd rather experience other places first (if i have the chance).

like take my dad who has been to europe several times, all over the US, canada, mexico, caribbean, whatever. but he's never been to asia or south america or africa. he still has the opportunity to travel but i mean he's probably not going to go climb mt. kilimanjaro at 60 years old (where as i would totally take off to tanzania if i could). like if i knew i was going to die tomorrow i'd be so much happier that i've been to hong kong and vietnam than like amsterdam. not because i don't want to go (cause i want to go everywhere haha) but just the other places are more appealing to me than western europe.

3/3/2010 6:58:21 PM

Quote :

"and if i did europe honestly i think i'd want to do eastern europe."

Half my trip was Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Turkey, and Greece. I guess I wrote mostly about Western Europe, but the Eastern part of my trip was just as good as the Western part.

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 7:12 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 7:11:42 PM

ahhhh really? i thought you just did western. how did you like turkey? damn you really did do a lot on your trip.

my dad is totally going to want me to do europe instead of central america.

$1000 a week is pricey though. do you think if i did a shorter trip with a tighter budget it would still be worth it? or a trip w/o as much travel (like you said - not spreading too thin). i really would prefer eastern europe though! helloooo montenegro (did you go there, by chance?)

[Edited on March 3, 2010 at 7:46 PM. Reason : .]

3/3/2010 7:38:00 PM

I was on a bus through Montenegro. Fucking beautiful. Would have tried to stay a little while, but was on a time crunch to get to Athens so I could make it to the Santorini by a certain date.

And like I said earlier...I'm pretty sure I could cut that $1,000 in half...but I was splurging a bit. Plus Eastern Europe is much cheaper than Western.

3/3/2010 7:53:01 PM

Im also trying to take a trip in Sept or Oct.

Some ideas im throwing around some may also be interested (still early planning stages)

Argentina/Chile - Patagonia

Backpack\Camp in Torres Del Paine NP, Chile - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torres_del_Paine_National_Park

Go over to Argentina, see THE Fitz Roy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Fitz_Roy

and then somehow get further down to see Cape Horn.


also


Annapurna Circuit - Nepal (I'm thinkin this might be too expensive for me)

http://www.backpacker.com/march2009_hiking_annapurna_circuit/destinations/12741

3/3/2010 8:16:15 PM