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Thread: Eurotrip Advice - Money, Clothing, etc

  1. #21
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    Originally posted by thrasher22
    Not to hijack the thread, but in the name of packing light, what kind of pants/socks/underwear do you pack? Any special synthetics? I find it tough to find the balance between packing light vs smelling bad.
    It sort of depends on what you're planning to do and the climate.

    My usual 'drobe consists of a few pairs of shorts/board shorts and one pair of black MEC trekking pants. If I'm concerned about temperature I'll also throw in long johns. I like the black pants as then I can also wear them out to fancier bars or clubs.

    For t-shirts, I find synthetics and most "travel shirts" get stinky. I just take 3 or 4 cotton Ts and a couple singlets and call 'er a day. Shirts are cheap - I've bought cheap dress shirts several times for "special occasions" where I end up going to a fancy bar or restaurant. Making one of the shirts a cotton polo is also good for this.

    I tend to wear sandals when I'm traveling so I don't need many pairs of socks. If I plan to do some hiking / trekking type activities I'll take a pair of hiking shoes and wear them when I'm traveling location to location. Usually toss in 1 or 2 pairs of decent socks to go along with that. If they're reasonably classy looking shoes they'll hold you over at the bar as well.

    I usually only take 3 or 4 pairs of boxers too. That's the beauty of wearing board shorts rather than regular shorts.

    For warm gear it really depends on where I'm going and what I plan to do. I have a nice wind-resistant fleece that I'll usually take. If I'm really worried about temperature I'll take a compressible down jacket as well or instead. I don't pack rain gear, unless I'm doing an overnight backpacking trip in the mountains or something.

    Towels suck and take up a lot of space. I had a micro towel for a bit but the problem with them is that you're forced to leave it out to dry and thus it inevitably gets stolen. Usually I just use a t-shirt, or if I'm leaving the hostel, a pillow case.

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    On the subject of clothing, I will offer this advice.

    1- Go to lululemon and grab a couple t shirts and polo style collared shirts. The fabric has silver in it that a) resists odor and bacteria and b) THEY DONT NEED IRONING!

    There is nothing worse than getting to your destination and wanting to go out for a nice night, then having your only go out shirt wrinkled to shit. The other thing about their gear is that it is very breathable. Europe is HOT in the summer. Like 43 degrees on the Sun coast or anywhere on the Med + humidity is killer for anything of regular cotton material. The sweat on the material combined with the weight of your backpac you will stretch and disfigure a lot of cotton stuff, so after my last trip, realized how awesome their gear was for traveling.

    2- The little bags you get when you shop there (LLL) are really nice to have. Get 3 of them- 1 for socks, 1 for underwear and 1 for t shirts. When you arrive in a place, you will never have to hunt through your bag. Just pull out the 3 bags and everything is there.

    3- Go to MEC and grab one of the silk sleeping bag liners. You will inevitabley stay in some disgusting hostel bed. These are fairly compact (About the size of a small melon), will save you from gross bed/bed bugs (perhaps) and they are actually really comfy to sleep in in the summer when it is hot.

    4- Towels: I just brough a beach towel. I hated those micro towels for the most part as they always stunk and that way you just bring one towel for showering and the beach.

    5- Skate shoes are awesome for backpacking. They are comfy and nice for long walking distances, easy to slip on and offer great support for walking with lots of weight on your back.

    As Dave mentioned above, sandals are the way to go. Stay away from the super thin beach sandals. Reef's are money as they have an air cushion.
    "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
    -Thomas Jefferson 1802

  3. #23
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    I guess everyone is different...

    My take is that LL clothes are too expensive to take traveling. I just take cheap cotton shirts ($3 knock-offs from Thailand) and don't care if they get stretched, lost, stolen etc. I usually just rotate the shirts I wear and let them air out and end up washing them once a month, if at all. If I need room in my bag at the end of the trip, they're donated or binned.

    As I don't take many socks or underwear I don't use the bag separation method, but it may work for you. My pack is so small that it's not hard to find anything.

    Some may want to use a sleeping bag liner - I took one on my first trip and never used it. I can't think of a hostel I've stayed in that didn't provide at least a sheet. Those silk bag liners are nice, but I only use one when I'm using sleeping bag.

    Beach towels are too bulky for my pack - I'll take a sarong if I'm hitting the beaches. Even then, I'm not the type that will go to a beach to lie around so I usually won't take anything at all, and if I do need to lie down, I'll just find a hot bodied female with a towel and share.

    One secret of packing light is to realize that if you don't have something, one of the fools with the 80L pack will. I tend to buy a lot of rounds at the bar so people don't seem to mind lending or giving me something I need. Plus, it's always possible to buy things while you're over there.

    Skate shoes are comfy but I don't find them overly useful for anything. If I take shoes at all, they'll be for running or hiking. Everyone's feet are different, but I actually like taking super thin thongs because they become nothing in your pack and I find them quite comfy and cheap to replace if need be (I lost 7 pairs in Thailand while drinking & dancing on the beach...ended up going barefoot for a month after the 7th pair). If you need arch support or would find thongs painful for 20-30km of daily walking then you shoudl take something else. One tip for Europe is to get them .5 to a full size too big. You'll inevitably stub your toe a million times on the cobble stone roads and I find that extra 1/4-1/2" of rubber works as a sweet protector!

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    Trains vs Planes:

    Cheap flights often drop you off in the middle of nowhere. When I flew to "Paris" on Wizz Air, the "airport" we landed at used a tent for the terminal . It was almost a 2 hour bus ride into the city. You pay extra for baggage and all that junk too.

    Trains, no security, hop right on, bring your own 6 pack of beer from the grocery store, and most importantly, you get to see the country side instead of flying over it. The seats are infinitely more comfortable, and they are a great place to sleep if you had a too good of a night.

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    Originally posted by bspot
    Trains vs Planes:

    Cheap flights often drop you off in the middle of nowhere. When I flew to "Paris" on Wizz Air, the "airport" we landed at used a tent for the terminal . It was almost a 2 hour bus ride into the city. You pay extra for baggage and all that junk too.

    Trains, no security, hop right on, bring your own 6 pack of beer from the grocery store, and most importantly, you get to see the country side instead of flying over it. The seats are infinitely more comfortable, and they are a great place to sleep if you had a too good of a night.
    I agree with this, but it depends on the length of your trip. I'm doing 17 days in Europe in June- 4 countries, 8 cities and not taking 1 train. It will be more expensive, but planes are much faster.

    That being said, trains in europe are AWESOME. So easy going, efficient, great views of the country, etc. If you have the time, def do the trains (just make sure your overnight trains have AC).
    "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
    -Thomas Jefferson 1802

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    Originally posted by davidI


    It sort of depends on what you're planning to do and the climate.
    That's the problem, I'm going to be hitting pretty much everything. I'm driving south -> north across africa and will be backcountry/camping most the time. I'll be going from cool South African winter to thick jungles and deserts and I'm going to climb kilimanjiro, which will be -15 haha,

    That's killer advice though, thanks guys! I'm pretty well travelled, but I'm always "one of the fools with 80L packs" and I'm trying to kick the habit.

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    Originally posted by thrasher22


    That's the problem, I'm going to be hitting pretty much everything. I'm driving south -> north across africa and will be backcountry/camping most the time. I'll be going from cool South African winter to thick jungles and deserts and I'm going to climb kilimanjiro, which will be -15 haha,

    That's killer advice though, thanks guys! I'm pretty well travelled, but I'm always "one of the fools with 80L packs" and I'm trying to kick the habit.
    Sorry for the thread hijack but I want to respond to this one.

    Kilimanjaro is a tough one. I was much the same - went straight from Zanzibar to Kili. If you're not able to leave some gear somewhere you'll definitely need that 80L pack. -20C sleeping bag takes up some space. Add in a wind-proof fleece, down jacket, wind/rain outer & hiking boots and it's a total PITA. When I did it I took 2 bags - a duffle with my Kili gear that I stashed every chance I got, and a smaller pack. One of my favourite outfits for the hike was long john tights and shorts over top or shorts and gaitors. You really only need the cold weather gear the last day, but you really do need it - it can be bloody cold. Make sure you've got a warm sleeping bag too as most people were freezing - I was nice and warm in my MEC -20C.

    Edit: Camelbacks freeze on the last day - even the insulated ones - so take some old fashioned Nalgenes too.

    If you're driving it shouldn't be much of a problem though. When are you going? Can I come? haha
    Last edited by davidI; 05-18-2011 at 12:31 PM.

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    I've got 6 weeks coming up going through Europe with a 60L pack, but will have slightly longer stays so I can leave it at the hotel during the day.

    For the train vs. plane debate, the wife and I are going with a 5 hour rule. If the train ride is under 5 hours, then it's train, even though the equivalent plane ride is only an hour. Trains typically go city centre to city centre, instead of some shitty sub-airport hours from the actual centre. We are busing a few shorter distances as well (no more than 3 hours though) - more legroom than a plane and from the centre to the centre like a train, but cheaper than both.

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    Originally posted by core_upt
    I've got 6 weeks coming up going through Europe with a 60L pack, but will have slightly longer stays so I can leave it at the hotel during the day.
    That's still pretty big! Have you used the pack before? If so, then I'm sure you know what it'll be like to carry it around. If not, you might want to think about downsizing.

    Trains are by far better than planes, but sometimes flying makes more sense. I've done both, and trains are usually the way to go. Especially sleeper trains because you get your transportation and your bed in one...like a really ghetto all inclusive, haha. But you also save up your days that way because you're not wasting a day on getting from one place to the next.

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    I haven't used a 60L for any length of time, but I tried a 40L for 10 days in Germany, and with a DSLR and a netbook, it isn't big enough.
    I will have a small backpack or messenger bag for day tripping, so the pack is only for getting from destination to destination.

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    Originally posted by core_upt
    I haven't used a 60L for any length of time, but I tried a 40L for 10 days in Germany, and with a DSLR and a netbook, it isn't big enough.
    I carry a DSLR (5D MKII w/24-105, quite big) and 13.3" laptop in my 32L. You're taking too much stuff. Especially if your wife also has a bag...

    Edit: I should be clear that I'm a backpacker. If you and the wifey are staying in hotels and hitting nice restaurants and trying to be classy it's totally understandable.

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    Just wanted to give a quick update, as my plans are coming together.

    Flights are purchased, into and out of Paris, 5 weeks total. I've also bought a Eurail pass for 15 days. My plan puts me right around 10 travel days, but for the extra 100 I figured 5 more days might be worth it for sightseeing trips.

    I'm shooting for around 3 days in each city, with maybe some short day trips to sights around them.
    My path is: Paris - Munich - Berlin - Amsterdam - Brussels - Luxembourg - Barcelona (maybe stopping in paris to pick up a friend) - Toulouse (wedding) - (Med. coastal city) - Rome - Paris.

    I know it's a lot of cities and travel, but I figure it's time in most of the major cities in western europe, and since I'll be by myself for a lot of it, 3 days seems like enough time to wander, see the big museums or attractions, and head out of the city to nearby things.


    For accommodations I've been looking through hotels.com vs hostleworld, and for the most part there are a lot of hotels available for just a bit more than some hostles. For $30 vs $40, I'd rather pay the extra 10 and be a bit more comfortable. This is especially true if I have someone with me to share a room.


    For packing, my list so far contains:
    - toms shoes and sandals for footwear (both light/packable)
    - good quality socks/underwear x4
    - wifebeat x2
    - boardshorts x1
    - pants x1 (either jeans or some kind of trek pants from mec)
    - couple tshirts x3
    - long sleeve linen shirt x1
    - hoodie x1
    - toiletries
    - small camera, phone
    - towel
    - sunscreen / sunglasses
    - power adaptors
    - money belt
    Pack it into a 45L bag if it'll fit!


    Couple weeks left before I go, and I'm really starting to get pumped about it. Let me know if there's any must see's in the cities above, or obvious things I'm missing from the list!

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    MAKE SURE!!!!
    if your pin on your visa or debit's is more then 4 digit, change it to a 4 digit code, cause anything over 4 digit passwords wont work over there... even in some places in the US.

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    I leave saturday for 9 weeks in Europe. Someone has mentioned Global ATM Alliance so that's covered. I was a little more cautious and told VISA I was traveling abroad just to avoid any issues. Bought a rail pass (10 travels over 2 months period). This is my first backpacking trip so some of the others probably have better advise but here is what I'm bringing.

    My packing list
    http://www.backpackeurope.com/packing/checklist.html

    My main bag
    http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...34374302889520

    Day Bag
    http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...34374302888430

    This bag is friggin sweet. Raise back and breathable arm straps. I've used it for biking quite often and my back never gets sweaty.

    Daily runners in black:
    http://brooksrunning.ca/footwear/m_glycerin_detail.html

    Got like 4 pairs of boxers, 1 jeans, 1 mec pants, 3 t-shirts, 2 shorts, 1 decent button up shirt, 4 pairs of socks, 1 long sleeve, 1 jacket. 1 shower sandals and 1 nice pair.

    Piperstone (http://www.travelstorecalgary.com/) has a bunch of cool travel shit if you don't feel like ordering online. Don't forget luggage locks.

    -----

    David, what lens(es) do you bring? I wanted to bring my SLR but switching lenses seems like such a pain in the ass...should have planned further ahead to pick up a 18-200mm!

    I want to be minimalist but I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something. Maybe first-time jitters.
    Last edited by msommers; 06-09-2011 at 11:17 PM.
    Ultracrepidarian

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    Originally posted by boosted_Z
    Packing light seems like the ticket. This is going to be hard for me since I always overpack even for day trips. Might make a list of stuff and ask you to tear it apart!


    Current flights are to/from Gatwick (canadian affair) July 4 - Aug 6. For a bit more in flight cost ($250), I could skip the UK and land in Paris, closer to the meat of my trip. Probably make up the costs in intercity train/flights and time.

    My high level itinerary is: 3 weeks - wedding weekend in france - 2 weeks.

    Maybe:
    -France (Paris)
    -Belgium? (Brussels?)
    -France (Atlantic coast?)
    -Spain (Barcelona)
    ^ 3 weeks
    -France (Wedding)
    ^ weekend
    -France (Nice)
    -Italy (Coastal city, Rome)
    -France (Paris) //end
    ^ 2 weeks
    Make more sense? Closer countries, more streamlined.

    Is there a best day to travel between cities? Weekends, midweek?

    I saw the eurorail train ticket, and it seems like a good plan along with busses to make up the most of my transit.


    Thanks again for all the help.
    I spent 8 weeks in Europe 2 summers ago, Ryan air/Easy jet are the cheapest options for flying (cost me .01 pence +tax to fly from London to Hamburg). I also made a stop in a town called Sienna in Italy, its south of Rome ~ 3 hour train ride, Pompei is about an hour away, and the Island of Capri is right off of it. Absolutely gorgeous women (true natural 10's ) and beautiful sites.

    You can do Rome in 3-4 days, they sell a pass that gets you into a number of places and on the train for 3 days (also includes discounts). Also EVERYONE speaks English in some form our another, but sometimes it takes the site of a bill to remind them that they do (never actually pay them though lol).

    I had somewhere between a 35-60l bag (to lazy to check) , and it was only packed full at the beginning of my trip ( had a cheap tent for a metal festival (promptly set it on fire :O )) and at the end due to laundry and souvenirs.

    There is cheap clothing all over the place, and you may be able to find a suit there for cheap, or make arrangement's to have one ready for yourself (get measured here, most tailors do it for free, i know black and lee's does). You might be able to have the wedding party bring your jacket and pants.

    I have way more advice to give, i need to sleep, shoot me a PM and I can answer most questions. I'll check the thread later also.

    Also it was the same cost for me to fly from Calgary to London and back as it was Calgary > London > Rome > Toronto.

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    Originally posted by boosted_Z
    J
    I'm shooting for around 3 days in each city, with maybe some short day trips to sights around them.
    My path is: Paris - Munich - Berlin - Amsterdam - Brussels - Luxembourg - Barcelona (maybe stopping in paris to pick up a friend) - Toulouse (wedding) - (Med. coastal city) - Rome - Paris.

    great looking itinerary there, i went to amsterdam, barcelona and munich there just for easter holidays, great cities. I completely fell in love with amsterdam, the weed will knock your socks off (wear sandals). I was a zombie.

    If your traveling by yourelf, then 3 days/city is actually great, youll kinda get bored if you do it any longer. (at least i do). I also just got back from Vienna last weekend, absolutly incredible city, i was really blown away by it actually, i know its sorta outta the way of your plans, but i totally highly recommend it.

    as you already mentioned a money belt is important
    http://www.amazon.com/Generic-TP101-.../dp/B001MTUJRM

    So far in the last 2 months ive already heard 3 or 4 stories of ppl losing/having passports stolen this summer. And its not a fun time being in a foreign country with no passport/money by yourself. Put all your cards/passport in here and just have like 40 euro in your pocket for buying stuff.

    Dont forget plug adaptors/ current convertors if need be people!!! We run at 120 v, and i think here in europe its 220-240v , make sure to read on the plug somewhere what voltage it takes, laptops should be able to take both, but some other things only take the 120 v.

    It would be good to get phrase books in some countries as well i found. Most everyone can speak alittle english but particularily in spain, france (they can, but chose not to)and italy. Just off the top of my head, all suck for english. If you need help always go to hotels, as they are pretty good for english staff.

    I would also recomend bring along a ethernet wire, some places (like libraries) only have internet outlets, wifi is actually alot harder to find then you think. So make sure to have all your tickets/hostels printed off.

    But a bunch of locks, and lock up absolutly everything constantly, wayyyyy too much stuff gets stolen from hostels and even in public areas. (in amsterdam all this girls souvineurs got stolen from her unlocked bag during the night!)

    Enjoy your trips!
    Last edited by chkolny541; 06-10-2011 at 05:26 AM.
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    Originally posted by InRich
    MAKE SURE!!!!
    if your pin on your visa or debit's is more then 4 digit, change it to a 4 digit code, cause anything over 4 digit passwords wont work over there... even in some places in the US.
    Bump. Was reading this thread for reference.
    Is this still true?!?!?!

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    Regarding funds - TD Canada trust has a Banking option for $30/month that you can withdrawal internationally as much as you want, the fee is also waived if you have around $5,000? on your debit account at all times, this works great for travelling..


    Don't take to much currency, however make sure you are going to real banks when your withdrawaling funds. (Mexico was awful for this ofc) If you take the $30/month approach you wont have to be taking out larger sums of money.

    Make sure you have two debit cards I've learned, when I was living in budapest I lost my debit card it took like 4-5 days to get a new one sent to me, lucky for me I had an apartment out there.


    In mexico my first card got demagnatized and I didn't really have a mail box to send a new one too, I got a new one and the bank machine ate my card, I had no where to send a new debit card too.

    I wish i had two cards at that point!




    Originally posted by davidI
    I guess everyone is different...

    My take is that LL clothes are too expensive to take traveling. I just take cheap cotton shirts ($3 knock-offs from Thailand) and don't care if they get stretched, lost, stolen etc. I usually just rotate the shirts I wear and let them air out and end up washing them once a month, if at all. If I need room in my bag at the end of the trip, they're donated or binned.

    As I don't take many socks or underwear I don't use the bag separation method, but it may work for you. My pack is so small that it's not hard to find anything.

    Some may want to use a sleeping bag liner - I took one on my first trip and never used it. I can't think of a hostel I've stayed in that didn't provide at least a sheet. Those silk bag liners are nice, but I only use one when I'm using sleeping bag.

    Beach towels are too bulky for my pack - I'll take a sarong if I'm hitting the beaches. Even then, I'm not the type that will go to a beach to lie around so I usually won't take anything at all, and if I do need to lie down, I'll just find a hot bodied female with a towel and share.

    One secret of packing light is to realize that if you don't have something, one of the fools with the 80L pack will. I tend to buy a lot of rounds at the bar so people don't seem to mind lending or giving me something I need. Plus, it's always possible to buy things while you're over there.

    Skate shoes are comfy but I don't find them overly useful for anything. If I take shoes at all, they'll be for running or hiking. Everyone's feet are different, but I actually like taking super thin thongs because they become nothing in your pack and I find them quite comfy and cheap to replace if need be (I lost 7 pairs in Thailand while drinking & dancing on the beach...ended up going barefoot for a month after the 7th pair). If you need arch support or would find thongs painful for 20-30km of daily walking then you shoudl take something else. One tip for Europe is to get them .5 to a full size too big. You'll inevitably stub your toe a million times on the cobble stone roads and I find that extra 1/4-1/2" of rubber works as a sweet protector!
    This X100000

    When David came to visit me in mexico this winter he was so happy to know there is a wal-mart that sells cheap clothes haha


    Originally posted by boosted_Z
    Just wanted to give a quick update, as my plans are coming together.

    Flights are purchased, into and out of Paris, 5 weeks total. I've also bought a Eurail pass for 15 days. My plan puts me right around 10 travel days, but for the extra 100 I figured 5 more days might be worth it for sightseeing trips.

    I'm shooting for around 3 days in each city, with maybe some short day trips to sights around them.
    My path is: Paris - Munich - Berlin - Amsterdam - Brussels - Luxembourg - Barcelona (maybe stopping in paris to pick up a friend) - Toulouse (wedding) - (Med. coastal city) - Rome - Paris.

    I know it's a lot of cities and travel, but I figure it's time in most of the major cities in western europe, and since I'll be by myself for a lot of it, 3 days seems like enough time to wander, see the big museums or attractions, and head out of the city to nearby things.


    For accommodations I've been looking through hotels.com vs hostleworld, and for the most part there are a lot of hotels available for just a bit more than some hostles. For $30 vs $40, I'd rather pay the extra 10 and be a bit more comfortable. This is especially true if I have someone with me to share a room.


    For packing, my list so far contains:
    - toms shoes and sandals for footwear (both light/packable)
    - good quality socks/underwear x4
    - wifebeat x2
    - boardshorts x1
    - pants x1 (either jeans or some kind of trek pants from mec)
    - couple tshirts x3
    - long sleeve linen shirt x1
    - hoodie x1
    - toiletries
    - small camera, phone
    - towel
    - sunscreen / sunglasses
    - power adaptors
    - money belt
    Pack it into a 45L bag if it'll fit!


    Couple weeks left before I go, and I'm really starting to get pumped about it. Let me know if there's any must see's in the cities above, or obvious things I'm missing from the list!

    The EuroPass is pretty expensive and restricts you from using the other trains, however it works, I'm not a big fan and dont recommend it, but if you purchased it it's okay, just sometimes you will have to work around 2 catch one of those EuroRail trains instead of a different one..


    Don't book hostels much in Advance, unless it's like flying pig in Amsterdam that will sell out a month before. Most hotels will have room most of the time though.

    If you like a city and feel you want to see more do it, feel free to miss a city completely to enjoy other ones more, or if you don't like the city much then just move on to the other one.

    For Example when we went to Slovakia we stayed in Bratislava for 24hours and moved on, but a city like Budapest I stayed for 8 days the first time.

    If you try to see everything and only have X amount of days per city you will not enjoy it as much and always be rushed, one of the biggest issues is people try to see everything and set plans 24/7, just enjoy it, if you missed a city you can always go back next time..


    While travelling you will meet people in hostels (I'm way for hostels rather than hotels, but once in awhile a hotel is nice for the quiet) and they will always give you suggestions on where to stay what to see.


    Edit: Oh this is from 2011.. Hope you had a good trip!
    Originally posted by beemerm3
    so if we only seen 5 % of the oceans why not drain them or somethin lol or can u even transfer water from one ocean to another??? think of all the stuff u'd find treasures n eerything.

  19. #39
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    Default Re: Eurotrip Advice - Money, Clothing, etc

    Originally posted by boosted_Z
    tl;dr Going to western europe - know any cheap debit/visa options? Also I need wedding clothes to arrive half way through my trip and then disappear again.

    Longer:
    A friend is getting married in France in late July, so I'm making the most of it and taking off 5 weeks to do some traveling. I'm drafting up a plan that includes spending time in each of 3-5 countries, including: England, France, Italy, Austria, or Germany. Probably focus on 3, to get as much time to experience them as possible.

    My current 2 issues are:

    1) Money options. Planning on a small amount of euros to get me started, then debit out small amounts and visa for bigger things.

    Does anyone have tips for banks/accounts that have smaller international transaction fees or better exchange rates? I'm willing to open a new bank account if needed.


    2) Wedding clothes. I need to bring these but really don't want to backpack around with them. Includes suit, shirts, shoes, ties, etc. I've been told these aren't optional.

    Call your bank, some Canadian banks have arrangement (or own banks) that will not charge you extra fees if you use those banks (only FX fee). I did that and was given list of banks and used it a lot.

    -Renting?
    -Airport storage(3-8euro/day)?
    -Buy new?
    -Backpack with them, but theft, space, and damage are all issues.

    If you are in France, locals use http://en.gites-de-france.com/ site to find weekly rental, for B&B very popular site is http://www.chambresdhotes.org/english/ for daily rooms and hotels. Spend three weeks and only one night in hotel while traveling in France. This site must have accreditation of standards and porperties are clearly marked.

    I need some fresh ideas on this.

    I've read through a whole bunch of websites, forums, etc but want some Canadian specific advice. I'm sure I'll have more questions as things get closer, from hostles to backpack choices. Hopefully some more experienced travellers can point me in the right direction.

  20. #40
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    Default

    Originally posted by jwslam

    Bump. Was reading this thread for reference.
    Is this still true?!?!?!
    My 6 digit code worked in US. But US is still quite inconsistent in mandatory code requirement.

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