Is 18 too young for a month alone in Europe?
 

My parents have offered to send me to Europe for 3 1/2 weeks as a high school graduation present. At first I had 3 other friends going, and I was stoked for the trip. Slowly but surely they've all abandoned the trip and now its down to just me. I'd still love to spend a month in Europe, but I wonder if the 3 1/2 weeks alone would get to me and drive me crazy in a place with few common languages. What do people think?

What are your interests? Do you have an itinerary?

I'm leaving for a 2 months trip with my 21 y/o and my 9 y/o and I can't imagine sending my 18 y/o alone for a 4 weeks trip abroad.

That is too bad that your plans with your friends have not worked out. Can you find new friends who would love to go with you?
I wouldn't give my 18 year old a trip to Europe if they were traveling alone. I would go with them. Ask your parents to go - you would have more fun with them than going alone.

could you hook up with a group of young people on a group trip? That way you wouldn't be w/ the 'rents but still be more safe than alone.

One group frends' kids have used is

http://www.adventurestudenttravel.com/aboutUs.htm

but there are many others.

It depends on the 18 year old. Plenty of 18yo would have no problem with this. It might depend on general life experience and confidence level. I would have jumped at the chance at this trip at 18, but I know people who were too scared to take a trip alone at 22. Heck, I know some people over 40 who are too timid to travel alone.

What do your parents think? I would think they would be hesitant to let you go alone, esp if you're female. Why not take one of them with you? Or you could take a shorter trip if you're scared at the idea of a long one. And there are Contiki and similar agencies that do group tours for young travelers.

I don't think, per se, being 18 is too young to travel alone, but if you have limited travel experience it might be a bit overwhelming. My daughter traveled all over Europe when she was 18 alone and sometimes with friends who joined her, but she had a lifetime of travel experience behind her since she was a baby.

Have you been to other countries? Been places where English was not the major language? Are you adventurous? Confident? Know how to handle yourself in difficult situations? Resourceful? These are the questions you need to answer. If you're not sure, either find other friends to accompany you, go with your parents, or postpone the trip until you CAN travel with friends.

But to answer the basic question 18 is certainly not too young to travel around Europe. Or anywhere, really.

PS - I meant to include a link to Contiki. That might be a good compromise, because you're with a group and all your transportation and hotel needs are taken care of, but you can still do your own thing if you want to venture out alone when sightseeing.

http://contiki.com/tours/113-european-escapade

I went on a Contiki tour in my early 20s and had a blast. Some people partied all the time (and had a hard time making the early morning call times to be on the bus), and some people kept more to themselves and did their own thing. But it's an efficient way to see a lot of countries with minimal stress.

Plenty of 18 year olds are traveling Europe alone. If you stay in hostels there will be lots of others traveling alone that you can talk to and see the sites together. If a month sounds daunting you could always go for a shorter time. You can also take a tour, Contiki is known to have young, party people on their tours. If you do go make sure to stay in hostels where you will meet lots of other travelers close to your age.

If you travel the way most students do you will meet many others in the hostels - and most will speak at least some English. Plus you will meet a lot of other students at bars and clubs. So - it really depends on why you're going and what you want to see/do.

If you really want to se europe, then definitely go. If travel with friends was a main attraction - then perhaps go with them to someplace closer.

ttt

If you don't like it, you can come home.

Three and a half weeks could be a long time on your own. Do your parents or extended family, friends know people in Europe whom you might visit? That would give you a break from the alone-ness. Otherwise, I think the idea of a tour is a good one, as you can meet people that way--as well as having a group leader for help if needed.

One idea would be to mix it up a bit, do a tour for part of the time and have a little bit of time on your own then maybe do another short tour. Have a look at this company

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/

Don't worry too much about a common language, most students in Europe speak some English and some are fluent. We travel all over Europe and only speak a few words of various languages, it's surprising how well you can do by smiling, being patient and pointing, gesturing etc. If you stay in hostels you will naturally meet other young travellers.

There are also websites where you can find a potential travel friend, such as the ThornTree forum on www.lonelyplanet.com Just be a bit wary and find out for sure if people are who they say they are.

Kay

My 18yo daughter found herself in the same situation when planning her gap year trip to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. One by one her friends found themselves able to accompany her.

She found herself a travel buddy (a very hesitant and shy 18yo boy)at

www.gapyear.com

and arranged to meet with a couple of other girls at some point.

She and the boy travelled together, arrived together, but after a few days they had each met up with so many others in the hostels they were staying they each went their separate ways. They met up later on when my daughter was about to come home, and he had decided to stay for another month. His parents later called me and said how grateful they were that at the start he had someone to go with, and how much he had benefitted from the travelling.

My daughter met so many other young people on her travels, and has kept in touch with more than a few. In fact one of them will be a friend for life.

Good luck.

Perhaps you could consider discussing with your parents the idea to put the trip money in a bank account and using it in a couple of years. I think that after a couple of years of college that you will get much more out of the trip and you will find others that want to go. Many college kids are going for longer times after graduation. Others are studying abroad.
(Personally, I went for 4 months alone after a year of college.)
The ideal situation would be to have one of your parents go with you, even if it was for two weeks. Otherwise, I would wait.

At 21 I backpacked alone to Europe for 4 months - had a Eurail pass and stayed in hostels. I had a budget of $25 per day outside of air and train. It was the first time I had visited anywhere outside the US and Canada. I only spoke English at the time.

The positives were innumerable.

The biggest negative would have to be the fact that I had to be aware of, and carry, my "stuff" all the time. There was no one to watch my backpack for a few minutes while I went to the WC, for example. Day after day like that probably wore me down more than I knew, as by October that year I had been diagnosed with mono! I wasn't lonely, I would meet people at the hostels, and spend the day(s) with them, but did not travel with anyone for any length of time.

It really depends on you (and your parents). Only you know if you are going to be comfortable in that kind of a situation.

Hi! I work for Contiki and just wanted to say that we do have a lot of solo 18 & 19 year old travelers, and many have never traveled internationally before. It's definitely a great option for traveling alone and we have a team of people here to answer any questions you (or your parents) may have. Hope that helps!

Lots of Europeans and Japanese, Aussies, etc your age traveling on their own around Europe on trains - with the bargain Eurail Youthpass (must be under 26) - and it is really safe if you are at all mature - anyway get a copy of Let's Go Europe - written by college kids for young backpackers and the Bible to me for finding all types of hostels.

Youth hostels are great for meeting other people so you really are not alone all the time - trains also are great for meeting fellow travelers your age - you will most likely, like i did when i went at about your age by myself - meet others to team up with and travel so keep itineraries in flux IMO

Trains are superb - for novice European rail travelers i always spotlight these info-laden sites: www.ricksteves.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - download the latter's free and superb IMO European Planning & Rail Guide that is a great primer on using trains and gives many possible itineraries, rail maps, etc.

Leaving on a jet plane..... you will be back again but in between you will, if traveling on your own, learn more than all the books and lectures you've had so far in school.

Snap up the opportunity and go on your own - Contiki type bus tours are insulated and isolating - you are on the bus many days all day and in Contiki camps all night with the same folks - but if you are a guy then these tours, which attract IME an overnwhelming number of girls... well then....

I think there is a huge difference between a 21 year old and an 18 year old just out of high school.
I would not suggest my 18 year old daughter to meet people in bars and clubs or find travel companions on websites. If Contiki does have the solo 18 and 19 year olds that could be a good solution. I just wouldn't want her to be with a bunch of partiers. Of course, this would all be up to your parents. Good luck.

I'd be of that opinion, also, but the real question was whether the OP would like it or not. None of us can answer that without any info as to prior experience away from home on your own, etc. If the OP has never been away from home alone before, I'd say this is not a good idea. If they have been away and got homesick or upset or depressed, I'd also say not a good idea. If the OP has never been outside the US/Canada (and not just in some isolated beach resort), it might not be a good experience.

Traveling alone can be overwhelming for a lot of people if there are problems, delays, cancellations, thefts, strikes, who knows what. But for someone just out of high school, it could be a bit much.l You cannot easily7 just go back home without it costing a fortune for a plane ticket -- usually. A lot of 18 year olds aren't experienced enough to know how to handle problems or even what not to do (like not to hang out drinking with strangers and in questionable areas and late at night).