This post is for you, you mid 20-somethings out there in the world. Travel while you are young. Go beyond your wildest dreams. Do it on a summer break from college, after college graduation, or in between your graduation and continued education. Now sure, this will take some planning, money, and even guts. But do it, you will not regret it.
Now I know most of you reading this are thinking, who is this old lady telling me to travel. Well, that's right, although I am young at heart, I am basically old enough to be your mother. (My gosh, what an awful thought that is). But take this advice, and don't roll your eyes at me like you would your own mother. lol.
When you are young and in college, you are so excited to take the world on, find the best job, find the love of your life, buy a house, have kids..... You will make excuses like, I don't have money or time to travel, or will say I'm waiting until I'm married or have a significant other in my life to travel that distance. Well, I am here to tell you, life tosses a million little things in your path and if you keep making those excuses, you will not get around to traveling later in life. You never know what the future will bring. You may be married with a family of 5. Try taking a European vacation with several kids. Talk about expensive and mentally exhausting.
So go ahead, work your part time or full-time job while in college, save some money (not a lot is needed) and take the summer off for a 3-month backpacking trip in Europe. Yes, you can do it and need to. And I will show you how to do this cheaply right here. If you have graduated and can travel in the fall or spring that will save you money instead of using the peak summer months also.
#1 Reach out to me and I will watch flights for you, getting a great deal for you. I will set the whole thing up if you like. Flights, hostels, how long you are staying in each location, and your travel to the next city by train or flight, depending on what is the cheapest. I am a cheap asset to have on your side. tourangie.com
#2 Flights can be booked through Crystal Travel to anywhere in the world, and they have done great for me lately on picking flights. It's just like any other flight booking site. Pick your departure and arrival city and the date you intend to travel. Easy enough right. Side note, there are at least 20 different budget airlines in Europe. And a few budget airlines from the US that can get you there.
#3 Hostels are great for anyone of any age, but most useful for the young. You will meet people your age staying at hostels, and I can guarantee you will make friends along the way. This is useful, you never know who you will meet, and it might change your life or teach you about a Tradi (more about that in #4). The main benefit about a hostel is that they are cheap, and that is a must for anyone traveling for any extended amount of time in Europe.
HostelWorld is a great resource if you are not using me to help book your stays around the world. Book from their website, pick the city, dates you will be there, and pick the hostel. You can read reviews of the hostels also, to help you out. They can help you book hostels all around the world, not just Europe.
#4 Eat like a local. It's usually the cheapest. Go to the city markets. In France, grab a croissant for Breakfast or a Tradi for lunch with some other cheap items to add to the Tradi. (A Tradi, or Tradition as it's known by, are like Baguettes, but are made locally. Baguettes tend to be made at factories with lots of ingredients). So speak like a local and ask for a Tradi, while in France. If you are staying in a certain city for a while, you will meet like-minded people at the hostel who will lead you to the cheap eats too.
#5 Don't take a Taxi or Uber. Using your feet for walking, or take public transportation (buses and trains) will save you some money. At times a taxi can cost you 8 times what a bus costs, if not more. You will save money for sure. In France it can cost $55 -$80 to get to the city center from the airport in a Taxi (trust me, I did it once). Some cities are great bike riding cities. If you enjoy riding, rentals on those can be pretty cheap from time to time. (Copenhagen and Amsterdam for sure)
#6 Enjoy the free things in the city. There are so many beautiful parks, statues, and other free things to see in the cities around the world. Check them out. I will use another French example. I went to a cemetery in Paris for an afternoon, (Pere Lachaise Cemetery) and saw Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, and Frederic Chopin's graves to name a few. It is a beautiful, peaceful, large, old cemetery and interesting to see the style in which tombs are built here. Many famous people are buried here, so check it out. Check out other plazas, scenic overlooks, and churches. They also are free and beautiful.
#7 European electric adaptor. You will need one for your electronics. Check out this one on Amazon. It is 4.7 stars, it works in most European Countries, and is only $21.98, and also has dual USB charging ports. Click the image and it will take you to the product on Amazon.
#8 Cell phone. Check with your wireless service before you leave. I know T-Mobile works in Europe without roaming fees. But if you are roaming you will have a heck of a bill to pay, so definitely check with your provider. You may want to look into a Wi-Fi hotspot instead, that way you can keep in touch with friends and family via Facetime or What's app, Or buy a cheap phone in Europe, I haven't done this but heard from people who have.
#9 Lastly, let's talk about money. Never try to exchange money to different currencies at an airport. ATM's have a cheaper rate than those money exchange places. Double check with your bank to make sure your card works at foreign ATM's, but several cards that are US based don't. Discover, and Capitol One are good cards to have that will work in Europe, but still check with all your bank and credit card company before you leave. I have Chime, and they do not charge a foreign exchange fee.
That is all I have to tell you college kids for today. Listen to this wise old woman and travel the world. lol
I hope you have enjoyed my post, and that it has inspired you to travel the world while young. Visit my page tourangie.com to make an appointment so I can help you with your travel needs.
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