Wow, there's so much to do!

[sc00t]

Hi all,

I'm new here but I've visited a few times before.

I've always wanted to travel through Europe or America. I've decided that I'm finally going to take the plunge and go to Europe! YAY!

But WOW! How much stuff is there to think about? From the basics like "Should I go on a guided tour or backpack it alone?" and "What countries should I visit?" to the more detailed stuff like "What stuff needs to go in my backpack?"

Do you have any general pointers for the planning process?

Also I want to travel but I'm not sure which countries. I was thinking of Norway/Sweden/Finland, down through Russia and then to the Ukraine. How long do you think this would take to do?

Depending on time and money I was hoping to spend up to 6 months out in Europe. How much money do you think I would need all in all? What budget would you set?

Thanks in advance!

-sc00t

[pointofnoreturn]

Welcome to GFE! We're always happy to meet new members!

The questions you asked are good questions - it depends on the kind of person you are. Are you a social person or independent? Do you prefer to organize details yourself or have someone else do it (i.e. pre-packaged tour includ. itineraries and accommodations)? These are the kinds of questions you need to factor in before you start the major planning for your trip.

A great way to do this is to check out Rick Steves' "Guide to Europe: Europe through the Backdoor". That was the first book I bought and I found it extremely valuable. It provides advice on everything from creating an itinerary, finding the right accommodations, train/airfare tips, etc. You could also pick up a guidebook that is Europe specific. I prefer "Let's Go Europe".

As for your chosen destinations - I have no experience whatosever but we do have a couple of Europe residents here who might have some knowledge of the nordic countries.

Budgets - it varies. A general guideline for a backpacket's budget is $100 a day but the nordic countries are more expensive than the rest of Europe so it might have to go up to $125-150 depending on the season.

[sc00t]

Oh and what about work? Because obviously if I'm wanting to spend like 6 months out in Europe I'll need a job.

I did some quick maths.

Say I take £50 each day then that means I would have to spend £3,000 just to spend 60 days in Europe. Wow - that's a lot of money for a short time! I'd like to supplement that by working at bars or cafes or whatever - how easy is it to get a job, how does payment work and how do visas work?

(NB: I'm UK based)

Thanks for the feedback above, v. helpful.

-sc00t

[mango]

That sounds like a very interesting route but would be a lot more pleasant in Summer than Winter (when are you thinking of leaving?)

If by UK based, you mean you are a UK citizen, then work permits are not a problem within the EU and Norway but I have no idea if that applies in Russia or the Ukraine. Getting a job partly depends on what skills you have - it is easier if you worked in bars or cafes before rather than needing to learn on the job. Larger cities will have more of these so are usually easier to find a job, and tourist areas are easiest, assuming you don't speak any of the local languages. But it is not going to be that easy to get a job for a just a week or two unless it's around a time when they need a lot of people for a short period of time - like a festival or harvesting season.

[Eagle]

scOOt, I have a few thoughts on your questions.

Your estimate of £50 per day for expenses might be a bit low? That would provide approximately €63 per day, which would have to cover Hostels, food, incidentals and any partying / drinking. Note that this amount does not include regional Europe air fares or rail costs. This amount was calculated at exchange rates today, so of course that will change in future.

"What stuff needs to go in my backpack?"

That's somewhat a personal decision. I usually use the theory that one should pack the same for three weeks as for three months. If you plan on using regional airlines in Europe to get around , you'll want to pack light due to the increasingly restrictive and expensive baggage limits.

Regarding "general pointers for the planning process", you could start by making a list of the countries and cities that you want to visit. Decide how long you want to stay in each location, and whether you want to travel on a set schedule with pre-booked lodgings. Give some thought on which method you want to use to travel between the various cities on your list (budget air or rail), and try to determine an approximate cost for transportation. Try to establish a logical route, so that you don't do any "backtracking". You might consider a shorter trip than six months to begin with, to familiarize yourself with the many aspects of travel, the different languages and customs, etc.

If you're working with a very limited budget, you might want to postpone the visits to the Scandinavian countries as they are very expensive! I can't offer any advice on working in Europe, as I don't know what rules apply for U.K. residents to work in Europe (I believe as an E.U. resident, you can work anywhere but you might want to check on that). I spoke with some Australians working in Italy when I was there earlier this year, and knowing the language doesn't always seem to be a requirement. Some Bar & Restaurant owners tend to be more concerned with having employees that can deal with english-speaking tourists.

Travel in Russia might be a bit difficult to arrange. This is something you might want to postpone also. I believe that residents of western countries require an "invitation" and a Visa to travel in Russia (and possibly in Ukraine also). Due to the complicated and restrictive bureaucracy, these are not exactly the most "travel friendly" countries for Backpackers! You'd have to check with the Russian or Ukranian Consulates for further information (it should be on their web sites, but I haven't checked). I suspect that working in those countries would NOT be an option! Finally, keep in mind that Moscow is one of the most expensive cities on earth! If you want to travel in that part of the world, you might consider other locations in Eastern Europe - Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia or perhaps Bosnia, where the cost to travel might be considerably lower.

Good luck with your planning. Cheers!