kirbster1

Hello everyone,

I am a 23 year old college student. I currently attend the United States Military Academy. Upon graduation this May 23, I will have 57 days of paid leave to do with as I please. I have determined that I want to revisit Europe for anywhere between three and five weeks, with the preference being 3-4 between mid-June (10JUN15) and mid-July (15JUL15 at the latest, work starting on 19JUL15).

I have been reading several forums discussing different tour options. I could travel alone, I have time to do the research, but I question the quality of travel, the frustration of potential missed connections and travel errors, and the hazards of traveling unaccompanied in Europe. I have traveled before and had a decent amount of freedom through EF Tours my senior year of high school and that was enjoyable for a 8 day trip to France and Spain. However, I'd like to see as much of Europe as possible, which means lots of travel from country to country.

I have found not only EF Tours, but also AESU and Contiki tours as alternatives for travel in Europe. What are your suggestions regarding these tour agencies? Any suggestions? Should I go it alone? What advise do you have for me while I consider what exactly I want to do?

I appreciate all the input and will read anything you write. I look forward to your advise. Thank you!

Jean

I wouldn't look at this as an either-or decision. You could do some parts on your own and others as part of tours. Some tours could be multi-destination and others could be single-city or single-sight tours.

Personally, I would find 3-5 weeks entirely by myself a little lonely. Traveling companions (even relative strangers) can provide another perspective or knowledge that enhances the sightseeing. For me, dining alone would get old.

I think you should be less concerned with the "quality" of travel, missed connections, etc. If you do your research, your sightseeing should be fun and interesting. But I would encourage you not to try to see "as much of Europe as possible." Hopscotching your way around Europe will not result in what I would call a "quality" experience.

Could you post the itinerary you had in mind?

I don't know anything about the tour companies you mention, although Contiki is mentioned/recommended on this forum occasionally.

Sassafrass

If you are on paid leave, does that mean you are in the military? West Point? If so, have you looked into doing military space-a? Hop from base to base, then use trains to get other places. Spain, Germany, Italy and Crete all give you great options in Europe. You could depart from Bases or airports, in Del, NJ, Baltimore, Va, or SC. While it is hard for families to get several seats, one single person needing only one seat is easier.

Forget tours with student companies like EF. Have you not met any other young military folks who will be traveling then?

swandav2000

Hi kirbster1,

I definitely think you can easily go it alone --

I taught at USMA in the 1990s, and believe me, you won't encounter anything in Europe that you cannot handle. My sister and I travelled across Europe by ourselves when we were 13 and 15 years old. I've been travelling Europe on my own for a lifetime, and I'm now a small and single 60-year-old woman.

The biggest danger will be pick-pockets, so you can protect yourself against that and minimize that risk.

The quality of travel will be what you make it, of course. I think the best quality will be those serendipitous moments that you cannot plan and that usually come from getting lost or losing control of some aspect of your travel.

Missed connections are really no problem -- are you talking trains or planes? If you miss a train connection because the train you're on is late, then the train company will move you forward. If you miss a connection because you caused yourself to be late, well, that's just some money out of pocket (unless you're using a rail pass). It's a learning experience.

Travel errors -- again, can lead to serendipitous moments and learning experiences. What kind of errors do you mean -- a really horrible hotel or hostel?? Not likely with the ease of checking recommendations and reviews these days. Bring your mobile phone and stay connected, and you can check reviews as you go. But we've all had those, and again, it can be a learning experience.

I don't really see any true hazards of traveling unaccompanied in Europe, aside from the possibility of pick-pockets as mentioned above. I wouldn't get drunk with strangers, wouldn't flash any cash, wouldn't drink out of a glass or already-opened bottle from a stranger, wouldn't follow a stranger down a dark alley, etc. Be normal-smart.

I think there are more rewards for doing it on your own than for getting into a group tour.

Keep the questions and concerns coming, and we'll all help you along with all of it!

s

kerouac

I made my first solo trip when I was 17 and spent 3 months in Europe. It was incredibly easy to meet other people, just waiting for the same trains and watching people's stuff when they went to the toilet.

The best thing for me was to be able to find people to talk to or go to dinner with whenever I wanted -- or even travel together for a few days -- and then spend time alone when I wanted to be alone. I think that things like the Contiki tours are probably good for extremely timid people, because the tour leaders will make sure that people get, let's say "merged" with others as required.

As for missing connections, it is absolutely nothing to worry about since schedules and signage and announcements are perfectly made in most places.

sandralist

Hi,

You wrote:

>>However, I'd like to see as much of Europe as possible, which means lots of travel from country to country.<<

Do you know which areas/countries of Europe you would like to include?

justineparis

I think the suggestion of not looking at this as an either/or is a good one..
You are perfectly capable of doing this on your own.. my 18 yr old nephew ( who grew up rural and had never even taken public buses here) managed to do 3.5 weeks in Europe.. he did a Contiki 14 day tour.. and 10 days on his own before and after in London. He met a ton of friends on the tour that he was able to hang out with after the tour..

I will be blunt.. Contiki tours move around ALOT.. like every day practically.. but they do see some great places.. and they are a step up from most EF tours I have heard of.. but they are also party tours.. many young folks and all that freedom,, means some fun nights out apparently.

I think starting with a tour to get your feet wet and cover a lot of ground is a good idea for some folks.. then spending some time on your own.. maybe more settled in one or two cities...staying at a hostel ( where you WILL meet other young folks and share some activities) is a good compromise.

Note.. Contiki appears to be cheap.. but my nephew said there were quite a few add ons.. nickel and diming you so to speak,, you didn\t have to do them of course.. but you want to hang with your group so most folks cave in and spend the extra.

Lexma90

I also vote for a combination, particularly as you sound a little apprehensive about the great adventure that you're considering. Start with a tour, followed by time on your own.

I also agree with those who recommend that you not try to "see as much of Europe as possible, which means lots of travel from country to country," but instead focus on several locations or countries that you're most interested in or excited about.

What places in Europe appeal to you? What three places or things do you think of first when you think of Europe? What do you like to see, and how have you spent time on any previous vacations you've taken in the U.S? Use those thoughts to narrow down your ideas. Also look at videos, either from your local library or on Hulu or Youtube. I actually like Rick Steves' videos for initial thoughts and ideas.

As you think and plan your trip, keep in mind that there will be mistakes, things you wish you'd done differently, and maybe missed connections. They are all part of the adventure. And we've all had those moments.

PalenQ

Go on your own - I went first as a college student and the several weeks I spend traveling on my own in a foreing culture taught me more than I had learnt in college - group tours do not provide that growth aspect much as you are part of a herd doing things others plan.

As most say above so easy to do on your own! You are 23 that means you can use a Eurail Youthpass - a bargain pass compared to adult (0ver 25 yrs old) prices - unlimited travel in just about every country save the U.K. - For a lot of great stuff to plan a European rail trip here are some neat sites: www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download their free online European Plannin g& Rail Guide for loads of rail itineraries in lots of regions and countries; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

Taking overnight trains can save daytime travel time and the cost of a night in a hotel - many folks your age will be doing that - great way to meet folks - taking the train vs a guided tour - however since you are a male most tours for folks your age are high & of women since women are less likely than men to travel on their own - that may be a perk if you want to be a male surrounded by single ladies.

But you can meet tons of folks in youth hotels and youth hostels too!

kirbster1

To Sassafrass, yes west point and yes, I'm considering space-a given the highly cheaper flights. The only thing about space-a is the high flexibility as a cost. So, I'm inclined to not want to do this, especially since losing a week is a small price to pay for $500 and a couple days in Baltimore and in Germany, but flights are still relatively cheap with the added security of less flexibility. And the problem with other cadets thinking of traveling is timelines not matching up (for example, my roommate has a summer assignment at the exact time that I want to travel). I am looking into going solo but with a friend and with no tour group.

To, swandav2000, thank you. Yes, common sense can go a long way and I intend to use that, and given my background I *should* be better at that than others.

A note on contiki and others, yes I noticed that... there are a lot of add-ons that will drive up the prices quickly and I see where there are some that I am very interested in and some that even with peer pressure, I wouldn't care to do. When I used EF four years ago in high school, there were add-ons that I did not choose and I left my group and did something more to my preference (others went to a flamingo show and then "clubbing" while I went to a concert and back to the hotel).

I really am liking the idea of a combination, but really need to think about how to structure it.

I have been to Paris, France and Barcelona, Spain. I speak mild French and almost no Spanish. I really enjoy walking through historic areas, Notre Dame is a place I spent hours in just by myself taking in many of the finer details.

As for an itinerary, the givens are that I want to go to Ireland (hands down) and perhaps a day/night in London. I want at least a couple of days in Paris to revisit some of the places I've been and because I know the area a bit more, I think Paris would be the most opportunity to build on what I already know. I know almost nothing of Germany, but yet it is extremely important in history and in the world today, so that is a must. Italy (Rome and Northern Italy) are also places I'd like to visit. Besides those, I'm more free to a "whatever feels right" mentality. My considerations other than those have included single days in Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, and Greece.

(Summary for easier viewing:
Dublin, London, Paris, French Countryside, Cologne, Munich, Florence and/or Venice, and Rome.
With potential interest in Edinburgh, Zurich, Vienna, and Athens (Athens being a cheap flight).

I'm thinking rail pass if I go it alone. The thing is, going it alone for the amount of time that I'm thinking of traveling does frighten me, for whatever reason (people won't be able to converse with me, I won't know where to go to find more interaction, etc.).

And to answer Lexma90, besides Europe, I've been all over the Caribbean and across the US several times (visited Dallas, San Diego, Georgia, and Virginia, internship in DC and NC, lived in South Carolina and Florida, school in NY (45 miles north of NYC), and stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting), if that helps.

I really do appreciate all the responses!! And @justineparis, what other things did your nephew have to say about contiki? I'm not interested in a group that is only in Europe to get drunk and be carefree (part of why I question hostels as an option honestly).

And finally, just to clarify, because I will be going active duty in the Army, I won't have an opportunity to travel like this again for several years, this is why this is so important to me and why I'm trying to do much of the traveling now while I have the chance. I am also trying to find that balance between really being somewhere and seeing much of Europe while I have the chance.

justineparis

Hi... re Contiki.. my nephew was 18, the legal drinking age in most of Canada is 19, in Europe you can drink at 18... so I think you can read between those lines.

Hostels are actually a much better option for meeting other young( and young at heart ) travellers that actually want to see and experience more then just Beer Halls and Bars.. Hostels are filled with many fine and interesting travellers.. a few hostels DO have reputations as party hostels but some research and it would be easy to avoid those. Note.. in high season you will need to book room well in advance.. so start homework now.

In Paris a young girl from my work stayed at the ST Christophers Hostel near St Martin Canal.. she is not a party animal.. and she found it very clean and well run.. another girl I met on a bike tour was staying at the MIJE hostel in Paris and loved it also.

jane1144

I have always been able to converse in English with someone on a train. There are many English speakers all over Europe.

sandralist

Given your wish list, I suggest flying to Athens on your own, seeing the sights, then flying to Italy and joining a tour of Italy with your selected cities. Then on your own take the train up to Munich and do the rest on your own, unless you would like to pick up a tour of the French countryside.

If you think Germany is important (and it is), you should consider visiting Berlin.

It seems to me in these days of AirBnB and social media, you can find all kinds of ways to not be alone while traveling -- and still be safe. One of the reasons I suggest doing Italy as an organized tour in the middle of your trip is that (a) if you move fast through historic cities it can be helpful to have some narrative of what you are looking at, but also (b) I think once the tour is over you'll be glad to have your indpendence back for the rest of the trip.

Can't really help you out with your conundrum about wanting to see a lot of destinations and yet also really "be" in them rather than jogging through them, especially since you don't know yet how many days you are going to travel.

kybourbon

The very low end budget student companies like EF are very hit and miss. It matters when you travel with them whether you stay somewhere decent or not. In a busy season, your Florence hotel could be 30-45 minutes outside of Florence. Rome hotel may be out on the ring road. To do things on your own is difficult if you are stuck in an out of the way hotel. Sometimes there will be a transport option and other times there won't. They also tend to fill a bus with w/e age groups they have so you could be combined with much younger teens.

PalenQ

(people won't be able to converse with me, I won't know where to go to find more interaction, etc.).>

Again youth hostels are fine for your age and you will find others your age there too - eschew the official HI hostels and go for youth hotels which attract a wide range of young folk - the official HI hostels are often full of young screaming school groups - again Let's Go Europe should be your bible to find youth hotels or private hostels suitable for your age.

nytraveler

Not sure why you are thinking there won;t be interaction in europe.

If you stay in hostels you will be with young people from many countries (some of whom are native english speakers - UK, Ireland< Canada, Aus, NZ, South Af, etc and many of whom have learned english in school: Scand, Germany, South and many other european counties as well as south america and many parts of asia).

If it were me I would jst put together a draft itinerary and assume you will meet companions on the way.

I often do several days solo before or after business trips to europe - but stay in upscale hotels - and alway end up meeting other travelers to spend the day or have a drink or dinner - either in the hotel bar the public lounge or the breakfast room.

Just make sure you have a translator app with a good menu reader and learn the basic greetings and polite phrases for each country. After that "I'm sorry, I only speak English" always works fine.

nytraveler

Sorry - I went for the first time - with my BF - when I was 19 and we had a great time tooting around for 6 weeks. And all I spoke was basic French and Spanish - and we had no problems.

kerouac

Scratch Scotland off your list -- it is too far away from the other places. It will still be waiting for you at a future date.

Lexma90

I was asking about your prior travel not to see where you've been, but to help you focus on how you planned those trips, and where you went and what you did.

Can't help much on hostels and youth hotels. My son is a student (all 4 years) at University of Edinburgh; he's traveled on his own but stayed in a hotel, because the youth hostels / hotels were all full by the time he decided to spend a week in Interlochen. When he goes somewhere next, he wants to try couchsurfing, which a Dutch friend of his has done a lot. You might want to look into that.

You could look into travelling on your own, but booking small group tours for specific sights (i.e., the Louvre, the Roman Forum or the Vatican Museums). If you're the type to choose a concert over clubbing, you might find others with more similar interests by doing it that way.

Take a calendar, block off the possible number of days you may have, and start filling the dates with locations you want to see - you will soon find that you have much more that you want to see than you have time for! Also, because of the heat of the summer, plan to start in the south and work your way north. And I agree, Edinburgh is an outlyer, though if you go, my son, a history student, will be there through the summer.

PalenQ

There is more of a language barrier in some parts of the British Isles than in many large cosmopolitan European cities like Amsterdam - all of Scandinavia, Belgium, Germany - many folks know some English and many know a lot. Thanks to the hegemony English has as being the world's language.

I found in Switzerland folks in the 4 different speaking regions - German, French, Italian and Romanisch even use English as a common language!