been sittin' around this old town too long...

[michael]

....so I'm selling my car and going to Europe!

So me and friend of mine have decided to go out and see some of the world, and we decided to start with Europe. We'll have about $3k a piece after passport fees and plane tickets. I'm trying to figure out where to go. We plan on leaving the first week of October. I figure that we might as well fly into Amsterdam and spend a couple nights there, and maybe see another city in the Netherlands. From there I want to head east through Germany, spend some time there, then head in towards the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and probably on towards Budapest, and from there..... Now we'll be backpackin' it on a low budget ($3,000 USD each) and we want to extend our stay as long as possible. We have nothing tying us down in the US and want to see what all the world has to offer, and perhaps what we can give back. If possible, we are willing to take under the table jobs somewhere to extend our stay. Does this plan seem somewhat sound? We don't plan on going to many museums/etc.. to keep costs down. Any suggestions/ideas/comments would be most appreciated.

Michael

[Kim]

You got that song in my head now!!

About the intinery, well, there isn't much we enjoy debating about them!

As far as budget goes, excellent choice heading to Eastern Europe, that's the cheapest thing you can do.
Sounds like you are heading to the right places.

Places you would definately want to avoid (due to the fact that they are outrageously expensive): Switzerland, UK and Scandinavia.

I wouldn't completely bank on working under the table, it's very hard to do if you don't know the language. Try for it, but don't count on it-you know what I mean? I've know people that have had to come home due to the fact they had banked on the fact that they could work under the table.

If you are going to be staying anywhere for a period of time (say you found work), your cheapest bet is to find a room somewhere and get a weekly rate. Pay a hostel night to night can add up and getting a weekly rate can save you some money.

Never buy food on the train. Stop off at the grocery store and bring some food for yourselves. Huge savings.

As is staying at places that offer kitchens to cook your own meals.

Pack a lunch (bread, bit of cheese and meat, fruit) when you go out for the day.

Carry a small water bottle with you in case you get thirsty. Some people bring those little packets of powered drink mix (not the kind you add sugar to) to make the water more interesting.

Is the $3000 after a rail pass or do you plan on buying point to point tickets?

As for whether your plan is sound, definately! The amount of money just decides how long you stay for. Eastern Europe will keep your costs down but don't forget to budget for a rail pass or rail tickets as they can add up.

Kim

[BigRay]

If you want to extend your stay, you may want to consider WWOOF-ing.

For a list of WWOOF sites in other countries, check out:
www.wwoof.co.nz/overseas.php

It's not a bad gig at all. About 4 hours a day of working, the rest of the time is yours. Not bad for free room and board, and the people you meet are fabulous.