Q & A from a friend that went on a EuroTrip (Aim Dissussion)

bg:
i am planning a euro trip

ng: summer!?

bg: just wondering if u can give me some
tips

bg: yeah

ng: cool

ng: sure..i can try to answer your questions as best i can

bg: what was ur route?

ng: i started off in london ..then went to amsterdam...made a
circle stoping by in brussels, italy, greece, france, spain

bg: what was the order?

bg: did u guys fly around or the europass?

ng: umm..london..amsterdam, brussels, italy then greece
then back to italy..then southern france, spain, and then paris and then
back to london

ng: we bought an unlimited 1month europass

ng: i hear flying around is pretty cheap also

ng: and it definately saves time

bg: do u remember around how much
transportation cost, like plane tickets, europass, and
inbetweens?

ng: ummm...the thing with the europass is that there were
hidden charges

ng: like reservation fees that we ddint know about till we
were in europe

ng: my plane ticket was 650

ng: round trip in and out of london

ng: europass was 600 about

ng: and i spent in total approx 2,500

bg: we were thinking of go in to london and
out elsewhere, do u think that would be cheaper?

bg: 2500 total? u mean everything?

ng: i think so cause you dont have to pay for the ferry back
to london and london itself is relatively more expensive

ng: yeah total everything

ng: for 35 days

bg: did u guys mostly stayed in hostels or
camp or hotels?

ng: hostels or on the streets haha

bg: u took the ferry from london to paris?

bg: hehe

ng: we stayed in one hotel in greece

ng: and it was realllllllly cheap ...like 10 Euros

ng: greece is relatively cheaper than the other countries

ng: we took the train from paris to a port city

ng: and then from that port city we bought ferry tickets to
the port city in England..and then took the underground back to london

ng: i forgot what the port city was in france...but in england
it was Dover

bg: i c, i remember that choice

bg: i took the eurostar instead

bg: wasn't very comfortable

ng: was it the coach?

ng: it brings you straight from london to paris right?

ng: takes about 13hrs

ng: something like that

bg: was switzerland expensive?

bg: 3 hors

bg: 3 hours from london to paris

ng: really?

bg: yup, the eurostar

ng: a ferry/

ng: ?

bg: i didn't take the ferry

ng: switzerland is one of the more expensive countries

ng: but i dont think its as expensive as london

bg: did u guys spend a lot of time going
from city to city? a lot of in-between-time?

bg: oh

bg: it shouldn't be too bad then

ng: yeah but for long distances we would try to schedule
them at night

ng: so that we could sleep on the train and not have to pay
for a hostel

bg: that picture that u took of santorini,
greece, is that from ur hotel?

bg: i c, smart

ng: the one of the sunset? or the white buildings?

bg: white buildings

bg: i like that one a lot

ng: that's from Oia...which is the northern tip of santorini

ng: there are a lot of shops there that you can get lost in

ng: and there are a bunch of those views

bg: nice

ng: its like of like a town nestled on a mountain...and a bunch
of allyways that give way to those views

bg: where did u get ur plane tickets and
europass?

ng: i looked on expedia for the cheapest plane tickets

ng: and the europass you can purchase it online

ng: i think my sis bought it at the STA travel

ng: what places are you planning on going?

bg: england, france, spain, switzerland,
italy, and greece

bg: maybe amsterdam and brussel

ng: coool those were all the places i went

bg: but i've been there

bg: but i guess others would want to go

ng: you should definately go to Barcelona

ng: its awesome

bg: i don't know how u can manage it all
under 2500

bg: tickets and europass is have gone
already

ng: are you gona run with the bulls?

ng: :)

bg: hehe, i want to

ng: if not, its stil worth going to pamplona

bg: maybe watch, not necessary run w/
them

ng: everyone in town celebrates

ng: yeah

ng: its a great atmosphere..even old folks get into it and
wear white and red

ng: how many people are you going with?

bg: can i borrow that portion of ur blog on
the euro trip to my eurotrip planning blog? (the one
part with all the nice photos)

bg: there's 8 so far

ng: suuure

ng: wow thats a lot of people

ng: greece should also be a definate must go

ng: you have a europe planning blog? hehe

bg: i definitely want to go to santorini,
greece

bg: yeah, i just created it today

ng: ive also heard that Corfu is a nice island

ng: but mykonos is the most popular

bg: in greece?

ng: yeah

bg: how much time did u spend in each
country?

ng: umm..it depends

ng: depends on what we wanted to see

ng: like some cities we spent a day or even half a day

bg: kinda similiar stuff u went to see

bg: where did u spend the most time

bg: italy?

ng: i think it was france

bg: oh?

ng: france and italy yeah

bg: we just thought of Paris

ng: but in france...my bro lives in souther france..so we
visited him there and he took is around

bg: haha, don't know much about france

bg: i c

bg: u brother lives in France?

ng: Nice in southern france is know for their pebble
beaches

ng: a lot of peopel go there

ng: yeah..one of my brothers moved there a year ago with
his girlfriend

bg: ic ic

bg: did u go to the wineries?

ng: naw...we didnt get a chance

ng: the closet thing was the heiniken factory

ng: in amsterdam

ng: haha

ng: have you been there?

bg: i went there too

bg: i had two beer

ng: yeah

ng: its pretty cheesy

bg: it was free

bg: did ur europass cover all the
countries?

ng: yepp..except for england

ng: i heard Budapest and Prague were nice

ng: if you get a chance and want to go there

ng: but Prague doesnt work with eurorail

bg: where's that? haven't heard of
budapest

ng: i think Hungary? i think

ng: hehe

bg: oh

ng: ohh! you should go to cinque terre, italy

ng: its the italian riveria

ng: veryyyyyy nice

bg: i'll keep that mind

ng: its a hiking trip there if you and your buddies are into that
stuff

bg: did the europass include sleepers?

ng: you hike through 5 towns

ng: naw

ng: not mine

bg: so u guys sat on the train overnight?

ng: but on some trains you have pull out seats

bg: pull out seats?

ng: yeah...they pull out into a kinda small bed

ng: and its like your own private room cause there's a glass
slidding door

ng: that incloses like 4 seats

bg: when did u start buying ur tickets and
stuff

ng: if you're lucky you snag one of those

bg: that's good

bg: we can book those ahead of time,
right?

ng: we bought our tickets about 3 months before we left

bg: or is it hop on and grab a seat

ng: you can book..but it costs extra i think

ng: we only booked tickets when we had to get into a
country on a specific date

bg: i c

ng: like for pamplona you should do that

ng: or else you wont get in during the running of the bulls
festivities

bg: i c

ng: when you have to work the eurrail system you'll find out
how lousy it can be sometimes

bg: but the other times were fine, u guys
go on the train okay?

bg: there are usually seats? i imagin it
would be very busy during the summer

ng: a lot of us backpapers were pissed off at the hidden
charges and the whole system itself..like you have to be in the country
to find out the times for the trains of that country.. it got really annoying

ng: yeah..we just go on and grab seats

ng: no one gave us trouble

bg: what hidden charges are u talking
about?

ng: the book that they give you with your eurrail purchase
gives you some of the train schedules..not all

ng: some trains have an R next to it

ng: meaning you have to pay for a reservation

ng: we figured that buying the pass meant we could access
all trains without paying

ng: but those reservation fees added up

bg: i c, like no access to express trains?

ng: yeah

ng: express trains are nice

ng: we got kicked out once

ng: cause we didnt pay for it

ng: but they had outlets and nicer seats

bg: i c

ng: i was obsessed with outlets in europe..cuase it meant i
could charge my camera batteries

bg: lol

bg: i'll need that

ng: i even charged batteries at teh train station

ng: lol

bg: was safety an okay issue?

ng: yeah..we slept outside at several places

ng: and didnt run into any trouble

ng: we just stayed close to the train station cause there
was more lighting and usually there would be other backpackers
around

ng: switerland...safety shouldnt be a proble

ng: m

bg: slept outside? tents?

ng: its the safest place on earth

ng: on the streets

ng: once in a phone booth cause it was so damn cold in
switerland

bg: i can't imagin that

ng: we didnt have blankets or anyting warm

ng: we barely brought any warm clothes

bg: i thought it's hot in the summer!

ng: so yeah....most nights were difficult

ng: not always

ng: we thought so too

ng: but some places were cold

ng: and at night..colder

ng: the warmest thing i had was my 1 capris and hooded
sweatshirt

ng: dude...i learned my lesson

bg: i would imagin that be enough

bg: in the summers

ng: some places

ng: but even at night it got cold at places like italy

ng: and when you're sleeping outside...its not enough

ng: but i imagine iwth 8 people

ng: you'd hostel it

ng: bring comfy shoes also!

ng: i only had flipflops

ng: bad idea

bg: good point

bg: anything that I should avoid?

bg: places, things, food, people, culture
crash?

ng: ummm

ng: the only thing i can think of is that

bg: any must tries?

ng: you should cover up at night if you're walking out in
venice cause the mosquitos are plenty..i sually dont get mosquito bites
but the ones i got in venice puffed up and got all gross

bg: i'll bring lots, they love me for some
reason

ng: Pitas, waffles, and chocolates in belgium

ng: ALL FOODS in france

ng: even their bread!

ng: cheap food in spain

bg: those things are hard and chewy

bg: my mouth hurt the last time i chewed
bread in paris

ng: haha

ng: really?

ng: i couldnt get enough of food in france

bg: it took half an hour to swallow

ng: in france...i got hooked on drinkable coconut yogurt

ng: it was SOOOOOOO GOOD

ng: it comes in a plastic bottle

bg: coconut yogurt, can u get that in paris?

ng: yeah

bg: like super markets?

ng: in their supermarkets

bg: i c

ng: yeahh..if you like coconut..you'll really like it

bg: i do

bg: any places that u went that u think the
time could be spent better elsewhere?

ng: mannnn all this talk makes me miss europe!

bg: go back again

ng: Bari, Italy

ng: but you have to go there if you are going to Greece

ng: its a port city..not much of anything there

ng: and get ready to be stuck there for hours

ng: waiting for a ferry ride

bg: any way to get around it?

ng: not really

bg: like go on a weekday?

ng: unless you fly

ng: it doesnt matter..cause you have to take a train down to
bari...and then from bari you are kinda stuck there til your ferry leaves

bg: u can't book the ferry ride?

bg: i c

bg: how much was the ferry and how long
was it?

ng: its like that for most port cities

ng: i think it was an overnight ride

bg: wow

ng: as for teh cost..around 20 Euros i think

ng: you get a discount if you have a eurorail pass

bg: overnight?

bg: that's nice

ng: thats another thing..we thougth teh ferry rides were
included in teh eurrail

ng: yeah

bg: do u get a bed?

ng: hahaha NO

bg: hehe, hidden cost

ng: dude, you're lucky if you get to be indoors

ng: cause the ticket you buy is "deck"

ng: which means if its crowded..you sleep outside

ng: if not..you sleep insided with everyone else

ng: so its not like you have your own room

bg: yeah, i guess i should expect a cruise

ng: its just a bunch of scattered seats...but if you're
lucky...recliner seats

bg: but not for 20 euro

ng: we saw peopel take two seats and put them together
and crunch up in htem

ng: haha yeah

ng: we slept on cushions on the side

ng: make sure to get on those ferries and mark your territory

ng: haha

bg: haha, we have eight. i guess we can
outnumber most

ng: yeahh

ng: and bring cards

ng: lol

bg: was food expensive for most places u
went

bg: did u guys have to eat burgers
everyday?

ng: naw..some days we gorged

ng: others...we bought food at supermarkets

ng: its more economical to buy food at supermarkets

ng: and there are supermarkets..but a lot of them are hidden

bg: i guess cooking is out of the question

ng: yeah but some hostels have kitchens

ng: so if you want you can

bg: did u book the hostels ahead of time
online?

ng: nope

ng: we just scoped out the ones that would give us the
cheapest price

bg

:
how did u do that?

ng: it'll be more organized if you bookt he hostels before
hand

ng: it'll be more organized if you bookt he hostels before
hand

ng: but i think its not a problem to find them when you get
there

bg: i c

ng: a 2 bed hostel is about 25-30 Euros during summertime

bg: did the europass cover inbetween
cost? like travelling with the cities

ng: but if you bunk with other backpackers in a large room
its a bit cheaper

bg: we were think of a hotel room and then
just stick everyone in

ng: yeah

ng: moslty

ng: coool

bg: but we are also afraid we get kick out

ng: yeah that works since you have lots of people

ng: im not sure how hotels work

ng: or if they have meeasures to pervent that sorta stuff

ng: some hostels do

bg: oh

bg: how light did u travel?

bg: 1 backpack?

ng: umm..you know my school backpack?

bg: yeah

ng: just that

bg: what!

ng: yeah

bg: that can fit like 2 outfits

ng: everyone we met was amazed

ng: tehy thought it was our daypacks

ng: and we're like nope..thats all we brought

bg: i would too

ng: a school backpack each

bg: i should reconsider my essentials

ng: it was good cause we didnt have to check our luggage
in sometimes

ng: we just carried it with us

ng: and we walked everywhere

bg: that would be convient

bg: what did u enjoy the most out of the
trip?

bg: what did u least enjoy?

ng: i enjoyed the adventure of backpacking and everything i
saw and learned

ng: the least? having only a flipflop and not warm enough
clothes

bg: lol

bg: wow, that's a lot of information

bg: thank you so much

ng: haha no prob

ng: you can ask me anytime you have a question

ng: i wanna go back!

ng: :)

bg

: :-)