Reflecting on my 5 trips outside of London I realized I have learned a lot. I learned a lot about traveling through Europe and keeping it cheap and I also learned things about myself and gained confidence.
To start, traveling around Europe can get very pricey. As each trip went a long, I found better ways to travel. First, look through different airlines. Easy Jet and Ryanair were the two airlines I used that had the cheapest flights. If you book early enough as well the flights will be very cheap. My cheapest flight was 38 pounds round trip. That's only about $50. Not to bad.The cheaper flights are usually early in the morning or late at night. Sleeping in the airport might be the most convenient for getting an early flight but definitely not the best for starting a trip off rested. You might not think getting back at 2:30 am isn't that bad either but after a week or weekend of traveling its not that fun.
Hostels can also be tricky. I learned that location is prime. You want a hostel that is close to transportation but is also not far from the sights you want to see. I also learned that it is worth spending a little bit of extra money for a private room with the people you are traveling with rather than booking cheap and staying with 4 random people. I booked through hostelworld.com. It is important to check the ratings. You can find decently priced hostels with ratings above 85% satisfaction and you should be pretty happy. Some hostels, like my one in Ireland, gave us our own bathroom for the room. This was very convenient but usually you will be sharing with the floor. My hostel in Florence was not bad but was the worst one out of the 5 I stayed in. The ratings definitely help with cleanliness. It can also be convenient if you know someone in the area that you can stay with and not have to find a hostel. We did this is Scotland.
Overnight trains can be cheaper and helps you save money on hostels but you must be ready to drink lots of coffee and get a second wind. In Italy, I did 2 nights in a row with over night trains. I did not get much sleep either night but I did save money. You just have push yourself to keep going but I wouldn't recommend sleeping on a train for more than two nights in a row.
Public Transportation in every city is going to be different. There are ways around paying for but you also have to be careful because if you are caught without a ticket you will be charged a fine. you also must validate your ticket. I found ways of getting around tickets. In Italy I was able to buy a bus ticket when I first got there and just used it every day because on the buses they never checked. But buses are really the only one that you can easily get around.
Plan your trips ahead of time. Check out the area and decide on some major things your want see and do. Also keep track of what you do each day so that you can remember what your pictures are of. I took a lot of pictures and it was good to have something to look back on.
Pack light. Only bring the necessities and leave room for souvenirs. If you are only going for a weekend, a backpack or small duffel will work. Cheap airlines only allow one bag so either hide your purse in a jacket or make sure it is small enough to fit into your bag when you go through security. Wear bulky items on the plane to save room. I have definitely become a lighter packer.
Traveling on my own and with friends definitely helped me gain confidence. We had to figure out everything on our own. We had to plan what to do when we got there, figure out transportation, communicate with people if countries that spoke a different language, the list goes on and on. It gives you a greater sense of independence and confidence. I know I can do these things on my own now. I am not scared to stay by myself in a train station for a few hours at night any more. It might not be ideal but I got to see more places this way. Traveling has definitely given me more confidence. I know I can handle different situations on my own. Mommy and Daddy might still have been a phone call away but they can't do much aside from listen to whatever problem you are having. You have to do it on your own. Find your own way but still know that they are their if you really need them. I know my parents worried every time I left London. I tried my best to keep the worrying down and let them know when I arrived at whatever destination I was headed too. It was kind of hard because I can only talk to them when I have WiFi but luckily most cafe's and all the hostels have WiFi. I hope I didn't make them to nervous.
I have loved traveling around Europe. I am looking forward to coming back hopefully soon and seeing some of the countries I did not get to. I hope that I can come over with friends and have an adventure of a lifetime. I want to come back with my parents and sisters and show them around London. Traveling is such an exciting thing. The travel bug has bit me hard and hasn't quiet let go yet. Who knows where my next trip will take me but for now I am going to store my knowledge of traveling around Europe and save it for another day.
Cheers,
Allie
No comments:
Post a Comment