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Where are you planning to go on your next vacation?
- Thread starter fs5
- Start date
GTaudiophile
Lifer
How old are you?
I just got back from spending two months on a Greek island (see sig). I have no business thinking about another vacation. It's time to get a job and work my a$$ off. But, if I could plan another vacation, it would most likely be back to southern Germany/Austria.
I just got back from spending two months on a Greek island (see sig). I have no business thinking about another vacation. It's time to get a job and work my a$$ off. But, if I could plan another vacation, it would most likely be back to southern Germany/Austria.
Costa Rica next summer to a surf camp my buddy works at......
I cant f*%@ing wait
I cant f*%@ing wait
Nice pictures!!
Where was that surfing at?
GTaudiophile
Lifer
I posted this yesterday for MartyTheManiak. I think it's useful info for anyone my age (23) traveling to Europe. Take it or leave it:
---
My Europe 2002 route map.
To do it right, set aside at least two months and $3-4K. I think I averaged around $20-30/day during my 2002 trip, not including my free air travel (Delta connections) and half-off on my Eurail Pass (won a discount). As soon as you decide to go, buy your airplane tickets and Eurail pass as far in advance as possible. (I recommend Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, and Travelocity.com for plane tickets. I've used several sites to buy my Eurail Pass, and I always pay about the same. Try railpass.com.)
Consider going over to your local Barnes & Noble and looking through some travel books. I've found that I can do most of my research online, though. Two very essential sites: Die Bahn and Hostels.com. Even though Die Bahn's web site is geared towards Germany, I've found it useful for most Western European rail networks as well. You want to get a Eurail Pass that is valid for at least two months and gives you 10-15 days of flexible, non-consecutive travel.
Rick Steves' offers lots of good tips. Pack light! No more than two bags. I'd take one large hiking backpack and one, smaller backpack for day trips. Packing a few bathing suits is a good idea. They double as underwear and are easy to clean. Since you are traveling north of Switzerland, I would recommend some light but decent cold-weather gear. It got very cold up in Denmark and Sweden especially, even in July. This summer was hot for Europe, though, so you never know.
Of course, consider taking a friend with you, though I prefer traveling alone. It frees me to meet local people and blend in more. I also recommend spending at least 3-4 days at each major destination. Going rapidly from city to city, hostel to hostel REALLY takes its toll over time.
As far as money is concerned, forget about travelers' checks. Just use an ATM card. You'll get the best exchange rates possible. Try to start with $50-100 and around 200 Euros. You won't spend the American currency, but it's good to have just in case. Buy a money belt before you go. Make sure your passport is valid well after you return. Make photo copies of all important documents: passports, Eurail Pass, plane tickets, ATM/CC cards. Leave one set of copies at home and keep the other set with you in a location separate from the original documents. Buy a phone card when you get over to Europe. Also, the further east (Prague for example) and south (Greece for example) you go, the cheaper things will be. The opposite is true for the further west and north you go, especially Switzerland and Denmark.
I've spent lots of time in Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Denmark, and Sweden. In my opinion, the "Circle of Paradise" as I call it includes northern Italy, Austria, southern Germany, most of France, and Switzerland. If you love the heat/beach scene, I highly recommend the Greek and Spanish islands, Ibiza especially. The best 3-4 days of my trip occurred on Ibiza!
I also highly recommend you take a journal to write down your experiences and keep track of the names and e-mail addresses of the people you meet. You can make friends that will last a lifetime, and having friends in Europe NEVER hurts.
Don't forget that the majority of Europe does not like Americans at the moment. They are not violent, but they aren't always nice. You MUST try your best to learn a little bit of the language in each country you visit. Never assume that someone speaks English. Be polite and ask if they do before asking other questions. Besides, learning other languages is fun and adds a lot to the experience.
Take a decent camera. If it doesn't take AA batteries, don't forget to buy your electrical converter kits BEFORE you leave North America! Film and batteries tend to be cheaper on this side of the pond. In 2002, I used a 35mm and hated it. I got MUCH better results taking my Canon PowerShot G2 this summer. Also, when packing such things as electronics, little ZipLock bags with a real zipper can do a world of good! A small alarm clock is a good idea too. Don't want to miss that train!
Lastly: A note on food. Drink only bottled water. To keep costs down, load up on food stuffs from local supermarkets, but go out to eat at least twice at each destination to taste the local specialties. Traveling with aspirin is a must. Cold medicine is also good, along with baby-wipes for hand cleaning when soap/sink is not available. Imodium is good for your stomach in case you eat something bad. Earplugs and a eye mask are also good ideas.
---
My travel history:
Summer 1996: Germany for three weeks (after sophomore year of HS)
Summer 1998: Germany, Austria, and Italy for four weeks
Summer 1999: Germany for six weeks (studied in Düsseldorf)
Summer 2000: Germany for two weeks
Winter 2000: Germany for one week
Summer 2001: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2002: Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden for six weeks (summer before graduating college)
Summer 2003: Greece and Germany for nine weeks
---
Useful link for anyone considering travel to Ibiza, Spain:
Ibiza-Spotlight
Useful links for anyone considering travel to Munich, Germany:
Online Map of the City
Online Map of the Metro System
For Beer Lovers #1
For Beer Lovers #2
---
My Europe 2002 route map.
To do it right, set aside at least two months and $3-4K. I think I averaged around $20-30/day during my 2002 trip, not including my free air travel (Delta connections) and half-off on my Eurail Pass (won a discount). As soon as you decide to go, buy your airplane tickets and Eurail pass as far in advance as possible. (I recommend Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, and Travelocity.com for plane tickets. I've used several sites to buy my Eurail Pass, and I always pay about the same. Try railpass.com.)
Consider going over to your local Barnes & Noble and looking through some travel books. I've found that I can do most of my research online, though. Two very essential sites: Die Bahn and Hostels.com. Even though Die Bahn's web site is geared towards Germany, I've found it useful for most Western European rail networks as well. You want to get a Eurail Pass that is valid for at least two months and gives you 10-15 days of flexible, non-consecutive travel.
Rick Steves' offers lots of good tips. Pack light! No more than two bags. I'd take one large hiking backpack and one, smaller backpack for day trips. Packing a few bathing suits is a good idea. They double as underwear and are easy to clean. Since you are traveling north of Switzerland, I would recommend some light but decent cold-weather gear. It got very cold up in Denmark and Sweden especially, even in July. This summer was hot for Europe, though, so you never know.
Of course, consider taking a friend with you, though I prefer traveling alone. It frees me to meet local people and blend in more. I also recommend spending at least 3-4 days at each major destination. Going rapidly from city to city, hostel to hostel REALLY takes its toll over time.
As far as money is concerned, forget about travelers' checks. Just use an ATM card. You'll get the best exchange rates possible. Try to start with $50-100 and around 200 Euros. You won't spend the American currency, but it's good to have just in case. Buy a money belt before you go. Make sure your passport is valid well after you return. Make photo copies of all important documents: passports, Eurail Pass, plane tickets, ATM/CC cards. Leave one set of copies at home and keep the other set with you in a location separate from the original documents. Buy a phone card when you get over to Europe. Also, the further east (Prague for example) and south (Greece for example) you go, the cheaper things will be. The opposite is true for the further west and north you go, especially Switzerland and Denmark.
I've spent lots of time in Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, France, Denmark, and Sweden. In my opinion, the "Circle of Paradise" as I call it includes northern Italy, Austria, southern Germany, most of France, and Switzerland. If you love the heat/beach scene, I highly recommend the Greek and Spanish islands, Ibiza especially. The best 3-4 days of my trip occurred on Ibiza!
I also highly recommend you take a journal to write down your experiences and keep track of the names and e-mail addresses of the people you meet. You can make friends that will last a lifetime, and having friends in Europe NEVER hurts.
Don't forget that the majority of Europe does not like Americans at the moment. They are not violent, but they aren't always nice. You MUST try your best to learn a little bit of the language in each country you visit. Never assume that someone speaks English. Be polite and ask if they do before asking other questions. Besides, learning other languages is fun and adds a lot to the experience.
Take a decent camera. If it doesn't take AA batteries, don't forget to buy your electrical converter kits BEFORE you leave North America! Film and batteries tend to be cheaper on this side of the pond. In 2002, I used a 35mm and hated it. I got MUCH better results taking my Canon PowerShot G2 this summer. Also, when packing such things as electronics, little ZipLock bags with a real zipper can do a world of good! A small alarm clock is a good idea too. Don't want to miss that train!
Lastly: A note on food. Drink only bottled water. To keep costs down, load up on food stuffs from local supermarkets, but go out to eat at least twice at each destination to taste the local specialties. Traveling with aspirin is a must. Cold medicine is also good, along with baby-wipes for hand cleaning when soap/sink is not available. Imodium is good for your stomach in case you eat something bad. Earplugs and a eye mask are also good ideas.
---
My travel history:
Summer 1996: Germany for three weeks (after sophomore year of HS)
Summer 1998: Germany, Austria, and Italy for four weeks
Summer 1999: Germany for six weeks (studied in Düsseldorf)
Summer 2000: Germany for two weeks
Winter 2000: Germany for one week
Summer 2001: Germany for two weeks
Summer 2002: Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden for six weeks (summer before graduating college)
Summer 2003: Greece and Germany for nine weeks
---
Useful link for anyone considering travel to Ibiza, Spain:
Ibiza-Spotlight
Useful links for anyone considering travel to Munich, Germany:
Online Map of the City
Online Map of the Metro System
For Beer Lovers #1
For Beer Lovers #2
GTaudiophile
Lifer
Heh, the surfing. Took me a second to figure it out. The English Gardens in Munich has a man-made river that flows through it. They also built some rapids into it. People like to surf and go rafting in the summer.
Sweet!
DT4K
Diamond Member
Europe would be nice.
I'd love to go to Italy, Spain, and Greece.
But with a stay-at-home wife and 3 kids aged 3-8 to support, it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.
We spent a week and a half on Flathead lake in my uncle's 7000 sq. ft lakeside "cabin" this past summer.
So next up is a trip to So Cal next summer. We're going to stay in San Diego and hang out on the beach and go to Sea World. Probably do the Disneyland thing and spend a day in San Fran on the way back up to Oregon. We may camp instead of staying at hotels. Had a lot of fun when I was childless, camping along the coast for a couple of weeks.
I'd love to go to Italy, Spain, and Greece.
But with a stay-at-home wife and 3 kids aged 3-8 to support, it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.
We spent a week and a half on Flathead lake in my uncle's 7000 sq. ft lakeside "cabin" this past summer.
So next up is a trip to So Cal next summer. We're going to stay in San Diego and hang out on the beach and go to Sea World. Probably do the Disneyland thing and spend a day in San Fran on the way back up to Oregon. We may camp instead of staying at hotels. Had a lot of fun when I was childless, camping along the coast for a couple of weeks.
chowderhead
Platinum Member
I really like Montreal. It has the look/architecture/culture of Paris without much of the attitude. Lots to do at night, great restaurants (cheap to very nice) and better exchange rate as well. Most people can speak english and the city is easy enough to navigate with side-day trips if so desired.
I am looking to head back in early november before it gets too cold which is its one large drawback.
Vegas and Hawaii are always fun.
I am looking to head back in early november before it gets too cold which is its one large drawback.
Vegas and Hawaii are always fun.
nativesunshine
Diamond Member
Either California, after new years...
or Japan, for new years. But most likely neither.
or Japan, for new years. But most likely neither.
L
Lola
Next "real" vaction will be in February. Going on a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean!
I cant wait!!!
I cant wait!!!
L
Lola
LOL! i dunno, it will be my first!
i have heard lots of good things, so, hopefully it will be fun!
The only thing that sucks is the fact that we are going at peak-time which means extra $$$. Its actually a surprise for my Grandma and great aunts as well. It should be interesting as the "family" will be going!
there are sooo many great websites to learn from its amazing.
ineedacomputer
Member
rio de janeiro carnival
or spain tomatoe fighting and bull running
ill go in 10 years when ill HOPEFULLY have the money
or spain tomatoe fighting and bull running
ill go in 10 years when ill HOPEFULLY have the money
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