thursdaysd

Whether or not it's a good time to travel to Egypt (at least it won't be overrun with other tourists) has been discussed on the Africa board.

ManalD

I just thought that males would maybe feel safer than females if they were by themselves in Europe...It was bad presumption on my part. Good for that you do it! It's encouraging! I thought about just packing through Europe on my own but everytime I mention it to people...everones like: "omg, don't go by yourself!!!" So, I get freaked out. Hence the tour group safety aspect of it.

adrienne

I would not listen to people's negative comments. Just because they wouldn't do something is no reason for you to stay at home. I went on my first solo trip when I was 20 (perhaps my name is a clue - I'm female) and knew nothing. There were no internet boards to give me advice. I got lost, met people, and had fun. And learned about the things not to do while traveling (bring too much stuff!! and have a good plan/itinerary).

Are you from a small town where people don't travel or does your family not travel?

Book your trip - you will have a great time. Come back and tell us about all the wonderful experiences you've had and if you have any concerns during the trip you can find an internet cafe and post here for help.

BigRuss

Single country Contiki tours tend to be more your speed and age range - late 20s to early 30s - so combining two of those could be good (e.g., Italy and Egypt or similar). The large Contiki tour you referenced in the beginning is usually infested with low 20somethings and 40-odd days on a bus trip is awful. We saw some of those folks on the tail end of their trip when I was on a Contiki Italy tour and they looked tired, drawn and unwashed (we were fine, BTW).

Your best bet may be to split the difference and take a Contiki tour before going off on your own for a bit. After my Spain tour on Contiki, a bunch of the folks who had actual vacation time and no set plans rented a car and buggered off for Pamplona for the tomato festival together.

ManalD

I am from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but in the suburbs. The idea of starting with a tour & then just going off on my own seems like a great idea. That way I have the intro of Europe with a group to get comfortable & then meet others along the way for the rest of my travels. Perhaps though couchsurfing? Thanks everyone for the great advice...it is much appreciated from first hand travellers such as yourselves!

zatrams999

Hi there,

Nice work on getting started with planning of your first Europe trip! This board is awesome, I always get great feedback on here and on tripadvisor.

I think gapadventures.com is geared towards solo travellers, so might want to take a look. I haven't been on their tours myself, but one of my friends tried them and enjoyed the trip.

I'm planning out my first trip to Europe too, so thought I'd chime in. I started by reading "Rick Steves' Best of Europe", that I borrowed from the library. The book lists destinations (based on Rick Steves' priority) and you can add other destinations based on proximity. It has a sample itinerary for each place that touches upon the highlights.

While reading up, I also posted on here and tripadvisor and started getting feedback, which was very helpful. Based on the reading and input on here, I decided to go for Paris and the Swiss Alps for this trip, pretty excited.

Have fun planning your trip!

a17gela

Hey ManalD

I'm also a 30 year old female and have travelled solo many times. I have found that planning trips my way has always been more enjoyable than tours, and it has been cheaper too! When you plan a trip yourself, you can set your own times and see what you want. You're not on someone's timetable, and you don't have to wait for someone else to show up. I've never had any problems, whether I was traveling in Asia or Europe. And I've always been able to meet people to hang out with. For example, while in Spain on the train from San Sebastian to Salamanca, I met a student going back to the university, we started talking, then when we arrived, we ended up meeting up with and having with some of her friends. It really is amazing just how friendly and hospitable Europeans are. Let me just say that here in the US, it is rare to find someone who will immediately accept you into their world. Another example, staying at hostels is not only cheaper to stay at, but it's also a great place to meet people who want to tour the area and go to restaurants/bars with. Hostels are also a great place to do laundry when much needed! As for safety, as long as you follow your instincts, you will be safe. Same rules apply for Canada/US as they do for Europe, avoid places and people that just don't look right, keep your documents safe, and make sure your purse is zipped up and secure.

Good luck with your planning. Libraries are great resources for guides - reading a bunch now for my upcoming 4 week September/October trip. It's also good to browse train/bus websites to get an idea for travel timetables, as well as website for hostels/pensions/B&Bs/hotels. Never done couchsurfing, but friends have and they all say good things about, I would like to try it out some time. I hope that some of my experiences help you out. It really is safe and easy.

walkabout

I am female too, and as I indicated above, I started out by doing escorted tours combined with solo time, and then "graduated" to doing completely independent trips. 30 is not old. There are people who don't start traveling until they retire, so you are ahead of the game.

Do not listen to the naysayers. I have had people warn me about destinations ever since I took my first trip in my 20s. I never listen and do what I want. My most recent trip was to Guatemala and Honduras where friends claimed I was going to be kidnapped by guerrillas or struck down by malaria and dysentery. Ignorant nonsense. I stayed in $20/night hotels, traveled by shuttle van and local tuk-tuks, met people from all over the world and had a blast. I intend to keep traveling as long as I can put one foot in front of the other.

Any major city offers a variety of tours. In London for example, try London Walks. They are inexpensive, fun, and informative. http://www.walks.com/ I'm not a fan of hop on-hop off bus tours, but many people like them. Any orientation tour can give you an overview of a city and help you get your bearings. http://www.hopon-hopoff.com/

Some cities even offer free walking tours. In Bath, for example, try http://visitbath.co.uk/things-to-do/...-guides-p43001 Prague also offers a free walking tour: http://www.discover-prague.com/

Here's a Rick Steves thread on women traveling solo: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/women_solo.htm

A link to several articles about traveling solo as a woman: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/lis...en/index.shtml

As others have suggested, buy or borrow at least a couple of good books on traveling in Europe. Don't rely solely on the internet. Check out tripadvisor for reviews of hotels and pictures of hotels taken by travelers. Tripadvisor also has travel forums and general information about various destinations.

Also check out Google streetview. Just go to Google, click on Maps, type in an address, click on the little Pegman, and you can "stroll" around neighborhoods and actually see tourist attractions or places you are planning to stay. http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/index.html

For hostels, consider getting a membership in Hostelling International. Check http://www.hihostels.com/ and http://www.hostelworld.com/

I have been all over the world solo, every continent except Antarctica, and have never had any major mishaps. Sure, stuff happens, but if you keep your wits about you and use common sense you should be fine. Have a wonderful trip!

ManalD

Thanks everyone. How much time do you guys think I will need to explore Europe? Everyone always says no matter how long you go, its never enough time & there is always so much more to see. Do you guys just take your 2 week vacation every year at work to travel? Is that even enough time? I'm just trying to figure out how to plan this. walkabout...I too would like to eventually visit every continent...every country for that matter! I have done some travel with my family growing up but travel is my passion & I feel I should have started this years ago...oh well, it's never too late!

adrienne

You were planning on 47 days so why don't you take that time but see less of the continent.

I usually take my vacation time to travel although not this year because of finances. I did have 2 vacations last year so I should not feel deprived.

There is never enough time. During the planning stages I start cutting back on the places I want to visit because I don't have enough time.

I'm working on my next trip which will be one week in Barcelona. But the more I read about the city the longer I think I'll need to stay!

ManalD

So, there is the two way flight cost (whatever that is, back & forth from Toronto)...& would it be safe to assume that $100 Canadian per day would be good enough for everything else (other than my flights to Europe & back)? I'm just trying to figure out the best way to budget everything.

thursdaysd

"How much time do you guys think I will need to explore Europe?"

A life time....

You can only scratch the surface on a first trip. Assume that you will return, often.

$100 might be a bit low. Spend some time with the guidebooks figuring out where you want to stay, as that is usually the biggest expense. Of course, before you can cost accommodation and transport you need an itinerary... Be aware that the more you move, the higher your expenses. Hostels and apartments can keep food costs down.

adrienne

100CAD is a bit low, especially if you'll be in cities. Budget E30 per night for a hostel - that's already about 40CAD. You'll need sightseeing, food, and transporation money as well. It also depends on what countries you go to. Central European countries and Spain and Portugal are less expensive than France and Italy and the northern countries.

I agree with thursday that the more you move around the more the trip will cost you.

I would try to budget 125CAD per day.

jomagpie

"So, there is the two way flight cost (whatever that is, back & forth from Toronto)" - travelling during summer months (June-August) will cost you more than travelling off- or shoulder- season (generally April through mid-June, September, and October).

Go to Chapters and grab yourself a guidebook. Knowing where you actually want to go and what you want to see will make it easier for you to figure out everything else.

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/...pe&ikwsec=Home

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/...pe&ikwsec=Home

janisj

One thing - you may find it hard to get good airfares for a really long stay. Many discount tickets require a Saturday night stay AND return w/i 30 days.

Plus I personally think 47 days is too long for a very first trip. That is a long time to be on your own and you might hit sensory overload after about 3 weeks of being on the go. 3 or 4 weeks would be easier to plan and a LOT cheaper than 7 weeks. 25-30 days would be plenty for a first timer IMO.

ManalD

janisj...the more I thought about the trip the more I realized that 47 days may be a bit much. I didn't know that if you stay longer than 30 days, then you pay more. So maybe a month in Europe may be just right. I was thinking mid-August to mid September...that way I'll be in Europe while it's still summer & be in Germany to check out Oktoberfest in September.