Mina

This is so much fun...thanks again. These great suggestions allow me to dream and set goals to see and savor as much as I can. I may even tack on another month on this trip!<BR><BR>Leslie, I've read your trip report and it was interesting and helpful. Did that wonderful place (Kalmar House I believe it was) you stayed at actually change ownership? I read a post that it was possible. It was well within my budget.<BR><BR>And yes, I may be in Spain the last two weeks. Perhaps we should meet for Sangria! You seem like quite the straightshooter, which I always find refreshing.<BR><BR>Sarah, the hostel suggestion is very helpful. Once I get my wish list of cities pegged, I will be looking at lodging next.<BR><BR>Kay, I will look into your suggestions as well. I have a map, but I need a more detailed one, and am going to pick one up on the next bookstore outting.

monique

I am the queen of exhausting trips!<BR><BR>I vote for flying open jaw into Paris and out of Spain. Or, if you're not staying in Paris at all, just fly into Belgium. Your time on trains and rail pass days are valuable! In my experience, open jaw is not more expensive and is so convenient! Where are you flying out of? <BR><BR>I also agree with above suggestions of having a nice mix of cities and small towns. Some of my favorite places in Europe are the small towns.<BR><BR>Are you still looking for guidebooks? If you are young and travelling alone (sounds like this is the case), my favorite is Let's Go. I also love Rick Steves for itinerary planning and 'backdoor' destinations, which may actually be 'backdoors' off season!<BR><BR>Some of my favorite small places that aren't mentioned that I would suggest you look into are:<BR>Cinque Terre, Italy<BR>Hallstatt, Austria<BR>Neuschwanstein, Bavaria Germany<BR><BR>I have heard great things about Bruges and hope to make it there some day!<BR><BR>In Germany, I have been only to Munich and Neuschwanstein. I loved the castle and Munich is fun.<BR><BR>I got stuck in the Czech Republic during the floods in August and had to come home early. I was supposed to go to Cesky Krumlov which I hear is great, especially off-season, but no buses or trains were going there, the flood was so bad. Arrived in Prague with no place to stay because all the budget places I knew about were under water. Can't help you on the Czech Republic and I am so sad about that!! Trying to make it back to make up this part of my trip. Train travel is super cheap here; don't bother adding it onto your rail pass.<BR><BR>Absolutely loved Salzburg! Also really loved Hallstatt. Didn't make it to Vienna.<BR><BR>Haven't been to Hungary or Slovenia yet.<BR><BR>Ah, Bella Italia! Honeymooned here in 2001 and it probably will always be my favorite country! Can't go wrong with anything here!<BR><BR>For the Swiss Alps, I suggest you check out the Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald or the Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen. Unbelievable scenery and lots of other backpackers to meet up with.<BR><BR>I'm planning a trip to Spain and Portugal for 2003 and would love to hear about your trip when you get back!<BR><BR>Have a great time! I am insanely jealous!<BR>

flygirl

another good backpacker place to meet folks in CH is Balmer's Herberge, in Interlaken.<BR><BR>there is a website, too.

flygirl

www.balmers.com

monique

If you're into the college party scene, Interlaken is definitely for you! Where ever you decide to go, you should make the bernese Oberland a stop!<BR><BR>The hostels I mentioned above:<BR>www.valleyhostel.ch<BR>www.gimmelwald.ch/english/stay/hostel.html

Leslie

Mina, Mr. Kalmar is still the owner and is still operating the Kalmar B&amp;B.<BR><BR>We'll need to order tapas with the sangria. Not sure if any of the cervesa that is served in Spain is Guinness, but there are some good beers in Spain.

Mina

Monique...such a wonderful and detailed post from you! Thank you. <BR><BR>We must be on the same wavelength...guess which two books I already bought? Let's Go and the Rick Steves backdoor planning book! I have to say, with all the Rick Steves bashing on this board, I almost didn't buy it. But he has insightful things to say to the budget traveler, and he's nothing if not motivating. I am taking notes to add to the shortcut guidebook that I am creating (I can't take all these books with me...I'll fall over).<BR><BR>I am flying out of LAX. I have found a fare of $575 on Air France, non-stop to Paris. I think I will take it because there are hardly any non-stops out of LAX anymore, with all this airline cutting. The open jaw I found wasn't much more, but it was Madrid-Frankfurt-San Fran-LAX. Take off and landing are still knuckle gripping experiences for me, so I think I will deal with the inconvenience of a Paris only arrival-departure. Plus, then I will get to spend more time in Paris!<BR><BR>Lots of people have mentioned Hallstatt, so I may do that before I meet my cousin in Vienna. Also, does anyone have anything to say on Grimmelwald vs. Grindelwald in Switzerland?<BR><BR>Flygirl...I've already heard of Balmers (5 minutes reading the eurotrip.com site and I could see it was a winner). Thanks for the website though...I didn't have that info!<BR><BR>I'm not really into the college frat party atmosphere, but a I wouldn't cringe at having a cute college boy as eye candy around. &lt;G&gt;<BR><BR>Leslie, you're on. Keep me posted as to your plans. You can always email me if you don't want to post it here. It would be fun to have tapas with you (I've never met a fodorite.)

Yolanda

First I want to say how much fun it was to read everyone's replies to you! But, I feel like a &quot;dork&quot; (as my kids would say) because I've only recently been to Italy. Just Italy! Wow, the thought of all those other places makes my head spin!<BR><BR>I don't backpack (did it once in Hawaii and it was a nightmare for me), but I will give you my humble opinion...<BR><BR>My husband and I loved everything about Italy. We just had two weeks so we stuck with one country. We flew into Milan and drove to Luino where we stayed on Lake Maggiore. WE LOVED IT! Wish we'd had time to visit Lake Como. It looked just as charming.<BR>On the way back from Vence we stopped at a wonderful (not mentioned in our guidebook) place called Soave Castle. This town is where they make the wine Soave Bolla! Then, passed through Verona and also wish we'd stayed there. We stayed in Prato in a wonderful Villa then headed to the Amalfi Coast and stayed in Ravello in an ex-convent dating back to 1288! We ended our trip in Rome. Now that we've been back, I dream of returning and places I'd visit. Definitely more of the small towns. Hey, if you haven't already done so, for fun, check out webshots.com. People post their vacation photos. It's a fun way to check out some of the places you are planning to visit. Just click on Travel then the country......anyway, Good luck!

monique

Mina, eurotrip.com is my absolute favorite website! I am the moderator for the quiet little 'Guidebooks' forum. Glad you found it! The people there are the best resources out there for budget travel and backpacking in Europe. <BR><BR>Grindelwald has been a tourist spot for some time. More hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc. Gimmelwald is a tiny village of a little over 100 people. There is one restaurant and a creaky hotel, along with a couple B&amp;Bs and a hostle. Check out gimmelwald.com to see what Gimmelwald is all about. I would guess that Gimmelwald (or Interlaken if you want the party scene) is better than Grindelwald for a young and solo backpacker.<BR><BR>Go to your local library to borrow country specific books for more info (I imagine you have the 'Europe' in general books). I also really like Rick Steves, despite all the grief he gets on every website but his own (ricksteves.com is a great resource for railpass info and there is also a forum there). He is the reason why Americans like my parents have learned that they can travel to Europe on their own. Definitely a good thing!<BR><BR>You will love the backpack. It makes you pack light, and is so much easier to move around on those cobblestones and running to catch a train! I took a tiny suitcase on my honeymoon to Italy, and my husband ended up hauling mine and his. Never again! We got backpacks and they were great!<BR><BR>You can take a night train from Barcelona back to Paris.

Mina

Monique, <BR><BR>I will check out the guidebook forum on eurotrip. Now that I booked my flight, I guess I HAVE to go (oh darn! ) and need more books.<BR><BR>I read up on Gimmelwald last night. It really is a teeny tiny town! Now I have to read up on the Grindelwald.<BR><BR>The plan is to take the night train from Spain to Paris yes...but maybe I will make stops along the way instead.<BR><BR>Yolanda, you are not a dork. &lt;G&gt; Anyone with even a desire to travel is kudos in my book. You have your whole life to travel, and I am sure you will. Thank you for your suggestions. I am taking each and every one of the suggestions posted here seriously. I'm also reading through countless posts on fodors. Man...the places you all have been!