Some questions about Europe on the Cheap
 

Help...I'm helping my 18 year old nephew plan a 2 month trip in July with a friend. He's a good kid but not the most responsible IMO (pretty naieve too)

They have no planned itinerary and just want to play everything by ear. They will be staying in youth hostels (something I'm not familiar with). When they're off touring during the daytime, can they leave their belongings at the hostel knowing they'll be safe? Should they keep their passports on themself at all times? (I'm use to leaving inside a safe with a hotel room). My biggest fear is he'll loose his passport. What size suitcase works best when you're on the move every few days?

Any "must brings" for a couple of young men spending 3 or 4 days in several different countries? He's saved and taking $2,000 USD for this trip (already has his RT airline ticket and 2 month Eurail pass). Is that enough for $ for 2 months?

Lastly, can anyone recommend a good book he can bring with him, something specific to Europe on the Cheap, maybe something that includes youth hostels in the larger cities?

Although I've been to Europe several times, I'm not familiar with this type of "youth" travel and appreciate any suggestions since he's counting on me to help plan his trip. Thank you for any help!!

Let's Go Europe is the Bible for 18-year old kids traveling on a shoestring.

Two words... Lonely Planet

Sneak over to their website and you can read the BB called The Thorn Tree, go to the Western Europe branch, at www.lonelyplanet.com

There are loads of travelers there who do exactly what your nephew is planning (or not planning as the case may be -LOL)... no cause for alarm.

They should use money belts for their valuables including passport.

Other guidebooks along these lines besides the Lonely Planet series are Rough Guides, Let's Go, etc.

Oh and they probably want to use backpacks rather than suitcases.

Maybe you will want to wait till he gets back to read it but Rick Steve's Postcards from Europe is about just such a trip. R.S. Best of Europe is not really a hotel/hostel guide but will give them the highlights to look for.

Not to scare you, but my co-worker's 20 year old son, who was travelling thru Europe with a buddy was victimized near his hostel in Rome. Apparently they met up with some Gypsies near the train station, who shared some wine with them, drugged them, stabbed one of them (not seriously), and stole all their valuables. At this point they are fine and are having a great time, but it was a hard way to learn about the dangers that can be encountered by unsuspecting youth. My wife and I were in Rome two years ago, and felt absolutely safe.

I hate starting out a thread out on such a negative note, but this trip has multiple hallmarks of much money wasted, followed by running out of money, and seeing far less... than someone that put some thought into how to go for say... three <i>weeks</i> and make an effort to actually learn about the places visited.

For starters - - already purchased a two month Eurailpass? an $870 rail pass for use on a trip with only $2000 allocated for food, lodging and everything else? Evidently more interested in seeing the inside of a rail car (every day, or every night, or both) than seeing Europe, or eating or having a safe place to stay. $2000 for 60 days is 33 dollars a day. How much would he spend eating outside his home, daily, here in the US?

I shudder to think how expensive the July-September air fare is/was.

Yes, yes, I know, much will be learned, and much growing up will occur - - and why shouldn't they live off pizza and beer there? (like they would at home - - do I lament how many 18 year olds are doing that every day in America?)

And even harrowing experiences contribute to &quot;character development&quot;.

Have him come here, and lay out how ever much or little itinerary plan he has in mind (starting where? ending where?), and maybe &quot;we&quot; can help (and not everyone here is a curmudgeonly dad, as I must surely seem to be)...

Go to lonelyplanet.com (&quot;thorntree&quot;) where he will find other young people of like minds, and a number that have learned some things the hard way.

I'll end with a few tips:

$2000? belongs in the bank. He needs one, preferably two ATM cards and needs to know how to use them.

Passport? Yes, in his pocket at all times. Good quality photocopy glued into his luggage, and one in your possession, and maybe even one scanned and posted on the internet, easily accessible (geocities.com or Yahoo! briefcase, or as an attachment to a yahoo.com or netscape.com e-mail account)

Luggage: those who favor backpacks can speak to their merit. Not me. Small rollaboard (21&quot; or less) and small-medium size duffel. The less he fills them the better, but fill them about equally. The rollaboard should weight less than eight pounds empty, and the duffel less than eight OUNCES.

He can get a list of hostels everywhere from the internet. Internet cafes also (a very good bet for making low-cost phone calls too).

Let's Go Europe, or Rough Guides are appropriate book choices.

Best wishes,

Rex Bickers
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

You said he is taking $2,000 with him. I hope you don't mean in cash. He should put it in the bank and use an ATM card to access it.

A note about hostels, the better ones especially in popular locations are often full. It would be a good idea to learn how to phone ahead or make arrangements on the internet.

by all means buy him a copy of Let's Go Europe, written by Harvard Student Agencies and aimed at young travelers. it has a wealth of info especially on thousands of hostels and cheap sleeps. The best guide for cheap accommodations. Lonely Planet has a wealth of info too but sucks on coverage on budget accommodations - older travelers on the cheap or self-reliant i recommend LPlanet, for kids Let's Go Europe.
As for lots of rail travel when i was his age i took trains about everyday, didn't want in depth experience but wanated to see everything so the Eurailpass is a good deal. Night trains everywhere, wake up in new city. Recommend getting a couchette rather than sleeping in regular seats as i did as there is a lot of theft now on night trains - couchettes, costing about $30 a berth seem very safe - doors lock.

PalQ, thank you for the details on Lonely Planet. I'm a big fan of their BB and website but did not know that about lodging recommendations in their guidebooks.

I recommend the hostel listings and reviews at http://www.bugeurope.com and http://www.hostelz.com and http://www.hostelworld.com .

Theft from hostels does happen. He should stay in hostels with lockers and use a good lock. As for taking his passport and other stuff with him at all times, it's a tradeoff of risks (pickpocketing vs. theft in the hostels). Moneybelts are typically recommended for hostel travelers.

I agree the rail pass was probably a waste of money.

Also check out the site and the board at http://www.guideforeurope.com - budget/backpacking oriented.

I am not expert on this kind of travel, but I have often read that the best hostels do book up well in advance, most especially in the summer.
As rex points out, sometimes being free and easy costs more, in $$, time, and
in experience.

Even w/ his air and rail expenses paid -- $2000 for 2 months in most parts of Europe will not be nearly enough.

$30 per day, give or take, is about &euro;25. This might be BARELY possible in some parts of eastern Europe and some parts of Spain/Portugal and Greece. But even a low grade hostel will cost &euro;15 - &euro;20 per day. Museums cost money, public transport w/i the cities cost money, telephone calls and internet access cost money. He needs to know that a coke will cost &euro;2+. That will give you some idea of what to expect.

My guess is that after about 5 or 6 weeks his money will be gone and he will be sleeping rough - or worse.

Have him register at some of the sites listed in previous posts and do some serious research.

All good advice here especially about the moneybelt and ATM card. Passport on Yahoo briefcase..... Brilliant. Wish these things were available when I was 18. It was Europe on $5 a Day then. When there are 2 travellers it can be cheaper or the same price to find a small pensione. Kids on the road network like crazy sharing trips and tips. If he is going to be winging it and especially if he has a train pass he will be fine. It can be a sink or swim proposition and he has to decide to swim. So my advice is to let him plan his own trip and you can be a safety net.
Maybe Rex said it nicer but he will appreciate his trip so much more if he has to actually be involved in data gathering.

petlover: One suggestion that may seem rude, but I think it is fair, is that the best way to help this naieve and irresponsible person is to let him do his own planning. Maybe after he has done a lot of legwork you could jump in.

I keep coming back to the budget in my mind... That's ~27.5 euro per day to pay for a hostel bunk, food, drinks, admissions &amp; local transportation? Even traveling &quot;shoestring&quot; and as someone mentioned above that budget sounds more like a 6 week trip max.

The biggest problem with running out of money and having to cut the trip short is only that changing the ticket home will incur fees, possibly money he does not have.

In my opinion the Eurailpass for 2 months of travel is the best investment; i sincerely disagree with those dissing this. an incredible deal even at $870 - an INCREDIBLE deal!

Zootsi -

People who share wine and drugs with strangers they meet outside a RR station (drugged? really?) should not be running around loose.

It's unfortunate that they were attacked as well as robbed - but frankly - behaving like that you would have to expect to be robbed.