csworrell, I hope I don't seem too
pessimistic regarding your travel plans, but with such a "tight" budget you will need to plan
very carefully (especially now since you won't be staying with your friend in Romania). Hopefully the group here can provide some
realistic suggestions that will help to make your trip a reality!
Yes, but depending on which transportation options you decide on, you might easily spend $300 (or more) getting from London to Frankfurt and back. That's the benefit of "open jaw" flights!
How old is that book??? As
herrbert mentioned, it's somewhat unlikely that you'll find any Hostels in that price range, and if you do manage to locate one it's likely it will be a long way from the city centre (which will add to your transportation costs), or it will be a "dump". Finding a meal for €5.00 at a "restaurant" is going to be a challenge too. The days of "travelling Europe on $5.00 a day" are LONG GONE!!! I was paying €30.00 per night in Rome for a 4-bed dorm, so that's a BIG difference from the estimate in your book.
Very interesting! That adds a new dimension of complexity to the planning, as your travel funds will be depleted more quickly with travel in the U.K. Your initial amount of US$2750 is worth about £1379 at today's exchange rates.
Believe me, the U.K. is VERY expensive for North Americans! I'm hopefully heading back to the U.K. this year sometime, so I'll be dealing with that issue as well. How many days were you planning to spend in the U.K.
Given the distances and the travel costs (either by air or rail), travel to Turkey or to Russia is going to be somewhat "challenging" to say the least (especially as you also have to get back to London!). For travel in Russia,
you will need a Visa! I'd have to check but I believe you must apply for a Visa
prior to arriving in the country, and there is of course a fee (US$100 perhaps?) associated with that. You would have to contact the closest Consulate for the Russian Federation for specific information on what's required. My preference would be to leave Turkey and Russia for another visit.
Regarding which cities are "interesting" to visit in Germany, as
herrbert mentioned that will depend to some extent on your interests. Are you planning to see historic sights, Museums, Art Galleries or whatever? Do you plan on partying in local "establishments" at night (might be somewhat difficult at 17-years old)? Perhaps you could provide some further information, and a
list of cities you might be interested in touring in each country?I don't have too much information on the practise of "wiring funds" or the costs of doing this, however it occurs to me that an ATM card would be a much simpler, less cumbersome, and perhaps less expensive solution. Keep in mind that you'll have to find a Western Union (or whatever) office to collect your funds every few weeks. There might not be an office in each town that you visit? Another point, when you arrive in Europe, the Customs officials may ask you to prove that you have adequate funds to sustain yourself during your stay. If you can't produce satisfactory proof, you could be denied entry. Hopefully some of our other members have more specific details on this matter?
Regarding the night trains, some further clarification. If you're planning to take a night train
where no reservation is required (and sleep in your seat), then I don't believe there is any additional cost; If you take a night train
where a reservation is required (again, planning to sleep in your seat) then you will have to pay the
reservation charge (which is about €5-15 from what I remember, depending on the route); If you plan on travelling on a night train
where no reservation is required but renting a Couchette for sleeping, then you will have to pay the Couchette fee (as herrbert mentioned, this is about the same as a low-end Hostel, about €15-25); Finally, if you plan on taking a night train
where a reservation is required and also renting a Couchette, then you will have to pay the reservation charge AND the Couchette charge (whew!!!).
I can't recall if I mentioned this before, but sleeping in the seat is generally not a good idea for those travelling solo. Aside from the "security issues", you won't get a good sleep, especially if you have to change trains one or more times during the night.
One final point -- I'm not sure if the normal 18-country Eurail Pass covers either Turkey or Russia, so you would have to pay separately for those trips. The Balkans Flexpass does cover Turkey, but this might have to be purchased separately.
Hopefully this is some help? Good luck with your planning!!!