Travel advice?

[Grinner]

My life's in a rut. I need something different. To that end, if nothing changes within the next month, I've decided that I will travel for a while, but I could take some advice.

Given the Playground's international community, I was hoping a few here could provide interesting destinations, but do keep in mind that I would prefer to avoid tourist spots. I currently live in an American suburb, if that helps any.

Edit: Also, what are food prices like in Europe?

[ForzaFiori]

It might be useful to let people know where you are now, especially since you don't have a location listed in your prof. apparently. That way no one suggests a place that you live next to or something, and also, it will let people know where they're comparing Europe too.

[Grinner]

It might be useful to let people know where you are now, especially since you don't have a location listed in your prof. apparently. That way no one suggests a place that you live next to or something, and also, it will let people know where they're comparing Europe too.

That...is an excellent suggestion. Updating now.

[Starscream]

Well, if you want to try locally before going international, I personally love New York, New Orleans, and Vegas. Hawaii is supposed to be gorgeous, but I've never been there.

As for other countries, I've stuck to the tourist areas mostly, because I'm not fluent in any other languages, and touristy areas always have English speakers around.

But I've visited London, and Sydney, and both were quite nice. And in those countries, you can go wherever and still know the language.

Do you speak anything other than English?

[Eldan]

Depending on where you intend to go, have your passport and eventual Visa checked at least half a year in advance by all the embassies concerned. It can take a lot of time. Some countries might have additional requirements. (I remember that for Australia, I had to send in proof that I had money, that I had a job and that I was healthy.) Some might demand a criminal record.

[Grinner]

Do you speak anything other than English?

A little Swedish, and I've recently made a half-hearted attempt to learn German.


Depending on where you intend to go, have your passport and eventual Visa checked at least half a year in advance by all the embassies concerned. It can take a lot of time. Some countries might have additional requirements. (I remember that for Australia, I had to send in proof that I had money, that I had a job and that I was healthy.) Some might demand a criminal record.

All of that?! Just to visit?

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

All of that?! Just to visit?

All that and more. Once you get into Europe, it can get easier, as travel between different EU countries can be really easy, but that's the exception to the rule.

[Crow]

If you're looking to get away, I highly recommend the Faroes. I'll let you do the research on your own, but I found them to be very serene, quiet, and majestic. Torshavn had all the comforts of home, while being a hop, skip, and a jump from adventure.

[THAC0]

Are you looking for city or rural adventures?

[Grinner]

If you're looking to get away, I highly recommend the Faroes.

If I can get a ferry there, I might give it a try.


Are you looking for city or rural adventures?

Ooo, that's a good question. I guess my plan is to stick to urban areas, but I'm not opposed to an excursion to a more remote location, particularly for photographic opportunities.

[Terraoblivion]

If you don't mind living in a room the size of a footlocker and have plenty of money for intercontinental flight and relatively high food prices, London and Tokyo can't be recommended enough. Sure, there are lots of tourists, but there are even more locals and neither city is exactly dominated by the tourist industry. For something more affordable and with a larger room Berlin is excellent, but it is notably smaller and more touristy. Shanghai is cool too, but if there are any problems you'll be kinda helpless due to the poor English skills of the locals.

My general recommendation, though, is to look at a map of Europe, find a major city that sounds nice and look into going there. Language shouldn't be a problem for basic shopping, eating out or work at the hotel and most places should have at least most important information in English too. Just remember, Europe isn't like the US and things cost real money here, not the spare change you find in your pocket, so budget at least twice as much for food as you would in the US unless you're going to Eastern Europe.

[dehro]

for something different..try Sri Lanka..not uber-touristy, and less riddled with beggars than India. once you're there you can actually live of very little money.

are we talking a holiday of a few weeks or a sabbatical where you'll actually be away for months on end and maybe want to do odd jobs wherever you go to?
you must check info on visas, yes..and also medical requirements..depending on where you go to..some countries pose a malaria threat, just to name one, and have you slick pills against it if you go.. also, if you suffer from anything that requires you to take medicines which you can find easily in the US, don't assume they're as easy to find (or accessible) in other countrie.

anyway..you should really pick at least a continent and more importantly, work out a budget, before you decide where to go.. traveling doesn't have to be expensive, but some places are just far away enough for the simple flight ticket to be expensive.
it's kinda hard to give proper suggestions if we don't know if you're picky, have particular interests, want to travel the world or just go someplace different from home..

another idea...go with a friend
I did it even more different for a few years.
I put a message on my messenger ID saying that from day x to y I was on holiday, and whoever wished to come along just had to give me a nod.
2 years straight, I organized holidays..one to sri lanka and one to cuba.. pretty much done on a last minute basis and working out the needs of all those involved (1 girl on the first trip, 3 on the second)... always with people I only knew superficially but worked out just fine.

[ForzaFiori]

I cannot recommend Italy enough. It doesn't take countless amounts of paperwork, and once your in, you can go anywhere else in the EU without having to go through another set of customs.

The only things that you'd need to know is that 1) Europe is more expensive then most of America. If you live in a NYC suburb, maybe not, but I know that they were roughly the same prices as things are here (in SC), except Euro's instead of dollars. 2) European hotels don't have **** on American ones. They're typically smaller, less well kept, and have a shower that might be larger than a person, but if it is, the amount extra is going to be microscopic. 3) bidets. Europeans use them MUCH more, and sometimes, it's all that will be in your hotel. As in, no toilet paper. It's... probably the largest bit of culture shock I had while over there.

Also, depending on where you are, the knowledge of English is going to vary widely. Obviously, in the UK, people speak (kinda) English. How well you can understand it depends on how good you are with accents. But the further south you go in Europe (in my experience) as well as the more rural you go, the less people there are that have a working knowledge in the language.

[dehro]

no toilet paper?
where the crap have you been??
as for hotels and similar... tripadvisor is your friend, at least to give you an idea of pricerange and level of the hotels.
keep in mind however that the most part of people who write reviews on websites are rather vocal and not always objective characters... people who will complain about just about anything because they've had to lift half a pinky to brush their own teeth, or because they're on unfamiliar grounds, never travel and have 0 tollerance for anything that isn't exactly as at home. you'll find people complain mattressess and bed sizes not being "up to par" without considering that the standards on just those two elements vary from country to country... in other words, you weren't duped if your bed is smaller than you expected..everybody in that country is probably using that size bed.
you'll notice that northern europeans tend to have an easier attitude as to what they consider satisfactory..italians and french people are more picky..as are the brits.
unless you were explicitly promised that there would be english speaking staff wherever you go, don't expect it..and no, the cleaning lady is not required to speak your language to change your bedlinen.
(yes, I'm giving broad generalisations, but my family are spread all over europe and a fair share of them have been professionally involved in the hotel and travel business for most of their life)

[ForzaFiori]

Italy. For some reason, the more classy places tended to have bidets instead, unless they were in a big tourist area. I know that one of our hotels didn't even have TP in the bathrooms, and all of the others had both. Don't know how big it is in other places, but when we asked our guide about it, he gave the impression that it wasn't just the Italians.

[Strawberries]

Italy. For some reason, the more classy places tended to have bidets instead, unless they were in a big tourist area. I know that one of our hotels didn't even have TP in the bathrooms, and all of the others had both. Don't know how big it is in other places, but when we asked our guide about it, he gave the impression that it wasn't just the Italians.

Really?! :smalleek: I live in Italy and have never heard of such a thing. True, bidets are more widespread than the rest of Europe, but we do use toilet paper, and I know I would vocally complain if a hotel in Italy didn't have any.
Where in Italy have you been?


EDIT: Also, more on topic, if you don't want to go to Europe there is always Canada. I've been in Nova Scotia this summer, and it was simply wonderful. And as an American, your flight ticket has got to be cheaper than mine was... :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

Same here. I don't live in Italy, but I've been to Italy, France, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Germany several times each, in low and higher-class hotels. There were certainly more bidet-less than bidet-containing hotels, and I don't remember ever seeing one without toilet paper.

[Caesar]

What is your budget, seriously?

You can live like a king in central america if you are just slightly careful with your money, I recommend nicaragua and especially costa rica. South america is also splendid, Peru is fabulous especially up in the mountains.

Europe is expensive, even backpacking. Its best to have a few friends here and there where you can stay, hotels and even hostels will slay your budget. Food prices are comparable to american prices, expect to pay more in large cities and tourist destinations, as well as the futher north you go.

Iceland is an incredible destination (and you will never see it cheaper, tho you missed the big sales already), if you like empty barren mountains and beautiful landscapes. The people are a hoot. Alcohol is tremendously expensive. English is commonly spoken in all of scandinavia, so thats a bonus. You mentioned swedish, thats a fun country if you come in the summer and like camping and the like. Denmark, too, tho less camping and more drinking and castles.

Southeast asia is dirt cheap, but its a loooong ways so the airfare is gonna hurt, and bad. Also, you will definitely need a whole raft of vaccinations.

[Terraoblivion]

Having been to roughly half of all countries in Europe and both high end and low end hotels I'll repeat the bafflement at places without toilet paper. I've never seen a place that didn't have toilet paper, nor have I ever heard about it before in places that has the economic basis for it being widespread. This includes Italy where I've been to a total of four times in my life and where we always had toilet paper.

I would also recommend against braving the wilds of the third world if you haven't traveled much before. The culture shock can get quite big and more importantly food, accommodations and English skills tend to be sorely lacking outside the touristy areas, while those tend to be pretty expensive anyway. On the other hand I would like to reassure you on the English skills in Europe, even outside touristy areas in the southern and eastern reaches of the continent front desk staff and hotels tend to know enough to get the job done. I'm not exactly used to restaurants not having the menu in English either, at least not outside Denmark where the staff generally speaks some of the best English on the continent. As long as you don't demand fluency or the ability to explain the intricacies of what you're eating you should be good in most of Europe, except very far from the beaten path which is probably not where you're going to end up anyway.

However, if your budget can't sustain the prices of Europe, then either domestic traveling in the US or going to Canada are fine ideas. Especially if you live in the suburbs of one of the less noteworthy cities of North America and haven't traveled much. There'll still be much to see and do and unless you go south of the Alps or to Berlin or further east, Europe is expensive to stay in, even without factoring in the intercontinental flight. Even in places like San Francisco the food is substantially cheaper than in Northern Europe and about on par with Central and Southern Europe.

[Riverdance]

A little Swedish, and I've recently made a half-hearted attempt to learn German.

I have a pair of friends who hitchhiked around europe for a couple months staying largely in switzerland. They did fine there. As far as food goes, I hear you can get nutella in much greater sizes in europe and survive on that.http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uRzW1nisIiQ/S9Rd_G4OUJI/AAAAAAAABw4/-WTLtvHk2fA/s400/383.JPG

[dehro]

I know for a fact that hotels with such poor service (no toilet paper is unheard of) would stand a risk of having their licence revoked, in italy.

but yes.. much depends on the budget, on what sort of timescale you have, how adaptable you are, how far you plan to travel and what your interests are.. italy has it pretty much all, whether you're going for food, wine, music, nightlife, museums, landscapes, mountains, seas or hiking.. but that's true for many other countries as well.. and there are both more expensive and cheaper countries.
so... what do you want from this holiday??

[Grinner]

Wow. This is a lot to take in.

Okay.

First. I suppose my standards might be considered low by some standards. I wouldn't even consider a hotel, given the associated costs. At most, an independent hostel (which, as I've read, tend to be cheaper) is the most I would pay for. Are campgrounds common in Europe?

Given the length of time I wish to travel, I am on a fairly tight budget, about $2,000 U.S. (after air fare). If need be, I have been thinking of writing a sourcebook for extra cash. :smalleek:

Also, on the subject of money, when I asked about food prices, I had been referring to things like oatmeal and peanut butter (You do have peanut butter, right?!).

Finally, in an ideal world, I'd be afar for a poetic period of a year and a day. Realistically, I could manage a few months, maybe to the end of the year.

Local travel will definitely happen first. I've been wanting to visit Massachusetts and New York for a while now, and it would be a simple matter to take a bus up to the Canadian border or take a plane to Europe from there.

Sri Lanka sounds like a lovely idea, but it's a bit more far afield than I had envisioned. :smallfrown:

[Eldan]

2000 dollars is very tight. You'll probably lose a good chunk of that for an intercontinental flight.

Campgrounds are common enough, but they aren't all that cheap either, since many I know also offer restaurants, running water, electrical power, showers, toilets and so on.

Peanut butter is not something I've ever actually seen here. Seems to be an American thing.

[Strawberries]

Also, on the subject of money, when I asked about food prices, I had been referring to things like oatmeal and peanut butter (You do have peanut butter, right?!)

No, we don't. Not in Italy, at least.

Price list...let's see, in the south of Italy. I've got a leaflet from the supermarket right next to me. Those are the prices of the foodstuff listed.

(Random price list follows!)

Piece of bread 1,50 €.
Bananas 0,99 €/kg
Pork ribs (raw) 4,40 €/kg
Roasted ham 10,90 €/kg
Mortadella 7,50 €/kg
Apricot juice 0,89 €/lt
Nutella 4,47€/kg

Note that 1€= 1,3$

Also, you can have a pizza and a beer here for more or less 15 €, and a dinner out in a cheap restaurant would be 25-30€.

[Eldan]

Most of that sounds incredibly cheap compared to Switzerland. We have prices up to twice that high. But then, we are one of the most expensive countries in the world.

[Strawberries]

Most of that sounds incredibly cheap compared to Switzerland. We have prices up to twice that high. But then, we are one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Oh, but it's the south of Italy, which is cheaper than the north, and it's in a small province which isn't a very touristy place. Moreover, it's a promotional leaflet...so I listed prices that are already somewhat below the norm. I'd say add from 30 to 50% to those prices to be on the safe side...and be aware that, in the "touristy" places, it can be difficult to find supermarkets. *mumblegrumblecomplain* I swear I still don't understand where people living in the center of Rome buy stuff *mumblegrumblecomplain*

[H Birchgrove]

Check out what vaccines you've taken and what you need to take before travelling. Some countries require you to have been vaccinated before coming in. (Against yellow fever, for example.)

Having been vaccinated against hepatitis A and B is *always* a good thing, since it's spread through blood and sex and you can get your blood contaminated after road accidents etc if the medical staff is careless or is in a hurry. Unfortunately, there's no vaccine against hepatitis C, but you can get cured by medicine if you're lucky.

If you're travelling to the tropics, take with you quinine against malaria, and consume it regularly.

Always discuss this with your doctor.

[Strawberries]

Oooh, and yeah, almost forgot. Check your sanitary coverage. I tend to forget it because I mostly travel in Europe and as an European citizen, I'm fine in all the EU countries... but I had to stipulate an insurance policy when I traveled in the USA and Canada. Now, that may seem like a waste of money, but believe me, it's worth it. You might, unfortunately, need medical attention while abroad, so better safe than sorry.

Also, has anyone recommended Ireland yet? I stayed 15 days in Ireland, and I fell in love with it. The accomodation wasn't particularly expensive (we stayed in B&Bs), and petrol was way cheaper than in Italy.

[dehro]

No, we don't. Not in Italy, at least.

we do...not everywhere, but we do

petrol would mean he can afford to rent a car..and that his US drivers licence is valid here in EU..not a given, especially if it's limited to automatic gear cars..

[Karen Lynn]

As expansive as the U.S. is, you'd be surprised what you can find and afford to do here in the states. I travel all over the country for work, and am always impressed by the sights. What region of the country do you live in? Do you have your own [reliable] set of wheels? Willing to pitch with a friend or two?

I know everyone thinks that foreign bits are the way to go, but you'd be surprised what you can find in the States.

I remember places based on where/what I ate, so bear with me...

Try Lawton, OK. The Junction(a Korean restaurant) has the greatest Bulgogi I've ever had.

El Paso, TX. Mountains and Desert, and if you want to spend the cash, there is a giant light arrangement on a mountainside. $50 and you can be the one responsible for lighting it.

Hana Grill in Barstow, CA. Best chicken teriyaki bowl I've ever had.

Ever been to L.A. or Sacramento? I'd recommend L.A., and try Bento Box Japanese grill. I've always had great times there.

Try a nice countryside road up in northern Washington state. When you're driving just feet above a lake in the mountains, you'll know beauty.

Go to Hershey, PA. Take a tour, get free candy.

Busch Gardens in Virginia, wonderful visiting place. Beautifully maintained.

Orlando, FL. May as well go to Disney, yeah?

I'm not sure what part you're from, but you'd be surprised what's in our own country. I would seriously suggest talking to a couple friends, and going on a road trip.

Hit the nearest interstate, Head North to I-80, then head East or West. Circle the country on interstates 5/15, 10/40, 65, 95, and 80/90.

Stop at interesting places. Take pictures of sunsets and sunrises. Visit the gimmicky tourist traps, and take the food challenges.

Watch the food network, and pick places you want to go based on cool/tasty looking foods.

--Adrian

[Strawberries]

we do...not everywhere, but we do

I'll take your word for it. Here in the south, it's an unknown sight. :smallwink:


petrol would mean he can afford to rent a car..and that his US drivers licence is valid here in EU..not a given, especially if it's limited to automatic gear cars..

My Italian licence was valid in the USA...and I only got to pay a tax for an International driving licence (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Driving_Permit) when I went to Canada... but good point about the automatic gear cars. I had not thought of that, and it's true that they aren't very common here.


As expansive as the U.S. is, you'd be surprised what you can find and afford to do here in the states.
(snip)

That's very true... I mean, your country is almost the size of a continent...that means that there must be a lot of things to do and places to see! I stayed only 15 days in the USA, and I saw the major cities of the East Coast (New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, with a trip to Niagara Falls), but I'm aware that I got only a very little taste of what the country had to offer.

[dehro]

or you could do what I've always dreamed of... buy a tent and a horse/bike/motorbike on the east coast.. travel to the west coast..stopping to do odd jobs when you're out of money for gas/food.. and sell the horse/bike/motorbike once you've reached the ocean.
keep a blog/diary, turn it into a best seller

become stinking rich and buy yourself a mansion in the nicest placed you've visited on your trip.


no, I haven't thought this through or fantasized about it at all

[Maelstrom]

I cannot recommend Italy enough. It doesn't take countless amounts of paperwork, and once your in, you can go anywhere else in the EU without having to go through another set of customs.

The only things that you'd need to know is that 1) Europe is more expensive then most of America. If you live in a NYC suburb, maybe not, but I know that they were roughly the same prices as things are here (in SC), except Euro's instead of dollars. 2) European hotels don't have **** on American ones. They're typically smaller, less well kept, and have a shower that might be larger than a person, but if it is, the amount extra is going to be microscopic. 3) bidets. Europeans use them MUCH more, and sometimes, it's all that will be in your hotel. As in, no toilet paper. It's... probably the largest bit of culture shock I had while over there.

Also, depending on where you are, the knowledge of English is going to vary widely. Obviously, in the UK, people speak (kinda) English. How well you can understand it depends on how good you are with accents. But the further south you go in Europe (in my experience) as well as the more rural you go, the less people there are that have a working knowledge in the language.

What??? I think you've watched European Vacation one too many times...

[Eldan]

I can confirm that I can touch both walls when I stand in my shower. Is that in any way unusual? Why would you need more space? :smallconfused:

I mean, I could build a bigger shower. I just don't see the point.

[Caesar]

Even after airfare, 2000 dollars is very, very tight for anything more than a month. Impossibly tight, in most parts of the world.

You will definitely need to go 3rd world (which is eye opening and an incredible experience in itself). Going to repeat the advice of hitting central america. Just stay out of big cities (they are all cesspools) and you will be fine. Bring a latin-american spanish/english travel dictionary, and take some courses down there. Hostels were running about 3 bucks a night, some ten or twelve years ago, food was comparable and transport was ultra cheap. I figure for 2 grand, if you dont drink too much beer, you could make it a good three months on a shoestring budget, if you are careful. Most likely you will make it a bit more than one, and need to come home. Make sure you have enough money to get home!!!

[Caesar]

Even after airfare, 2000 dollars is very, very tight for anything more than a month. Impossibly tight, in most parts of the world.

You will definitely need to go 3rd world (which is eye opening and an incredible experience in itself). Going to repeat the advice of hitting central america. Just stay out of big cities (they are all cesspools) and you will be fine. Bring a latin-american spanish/english travel dictionary, and take some courses down there. Hostels were running about 3 bucks a night, some ten or twelve years ago, food was comparable and transport was ultra cheap. I figure for 2 grand, if you dont drink too much beer, you could make it a good three months on a shoestring budget, if you are careful. Most likely you will make it a bit more than one, and need to come home. Make sure you have enough money to get home!!!

[Grinner]

Check out what vaccines you've taken and what you need to take before travelling. Some countries require you to have been vaccinated before coming in. (Against yellow fever, for example.)

An excellent point. Thank you.


Oooh, and yeah, almost forgot. Check your sanitary coverage. I tend to forget it because I mostly travel in Europe and as an European citizen, I'm fine in all the EU countries... but I had to stipulate an insurance policy when I traveled in the USA and Canada.

Well, the American medical industry is sort of an ethical disaster at the moment, but I'll not discuss it further. However, I had been under the impression that most European countries provide free medical care, or is that only for citizens?


or you could do what I've always dreamed of... buy a tent and a horse/bike/motorbike on the east coast.. travel to the west coast..stopping to do odd jobs when you're out of money for gas/food.. and sell the horse/bike/motorbike once you've reached the ocean.
keep a blog/diary, turn it into a best seller.

I'm afraid that's already been done. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Walk_Across_America)

[Strawberries]

Well, the American medical industry is sort of an ethical disaster at the moment, but I'll not discuss it further. However, I had been under the impression that most European countries provide free medical care, or is that only for citizens?

I must admit, I'm not really sure... I know I have free medical care in most of Europe, but I'm an EU citizen. And I know I had to pay for coverage in America and Canada. I'm not sure how it works for someone coming from the other side. But it should be pretty easy for you to check. Try your government site, or the tourist information site of the country you're planning to visit. I tried doing it for you, but my google skills at the moment are failing me, as my browser keeps assuming I want to travel from Italy!

[dehro]

I must admit, I'm not really sure... I know I have free medical care in most of Europe, but I'm an EU citizen. And I know I had to pay for coverage in America and Canada. I'm not sure how it works for someone coming from the other side. But it should be pretty easy for you to check. Try your government site, or the tourist information site of the country you're planning to visit. I tried doing it for you, but my google skills at the moment are failing me, as my browser keeps assuming I want to travel from Italy!

eu citizens can be issued a document when they go abroad (within europe) whereby their own health system covers certain medical fees should they occur abroad.
you would do well to buy yourself a specific travel health insurance, valid for the country/countries you intend to visit and for the duration of your stay. I've worked for a company that provided precisely that sort of coverage and the related assistance and I have a plethora of horror stories that have since then made sure that I've spent those 50-100 euros for every "potentially risky" holiday I've gone on. (of course, staying abroad a year means higher costs.and you may never need it..but..is it worth the risk?)
you really should check with your local GP or hospital whether US citizens are covered for health expenses, should they travel abroad... something as simple as breaking a leg or a serious food poisoning may require that you're repatriated on a stretcher, which means that your insurance would basically pay for 6 seats on an aircraft (they need taking out to accomodate the stretcher).. not the kind of expenses you want to run into without an insurance.

yes, tourists are normally treated for emergencies in most european countries (although this may vary with the "new european countries".. I'm thinking of the old east block countries..not making assumptions..I'm just ignorant about them).. but a medical issue may not always be seen as an emergency, and in that case, you have to cough up the cash... and once the emergency is over, all treatments subsequent to it may not be free

I suggest that before you leave the country, if you do, you

check the health system of the country/ies you mean to visit,
how long your passport needs to be valid for (many countries require that your passport be valid for at least 3/6 months AFTER the date you plan to leave the country)
whether you need a tourist visa or a work one, if you plan to work (some jobs are less regulated than others, but you might be required to produce papers certifying your right to stay in the country, to get a job there)..in some countries you don't need a Visa as long as you promise to bugger off within 3 months..if you aim to stay longer you need papers saying so
what other forms of ID are acceptable (you don't want to always carry your passport with you if you can avoid it, lest it gets lost),
whether your driving licence is accepted,
what kind of credit cards are cool to have (american credit cards may not be welcome everywhere..think Cuba for instance.. the embargo goes both ways),
how long you can stay before you need to provide a Visa or a "reason to stay", or you might get kicked out
check for mandatory inoculations
check out the costs of public transport, average cost of living and so on, and plan accordingly.

2000 dollars can feed you decently (if not better) for most part of a year in Sri Lanka.. but you'll still have to pay for lodging. I remember having a royal meal for 10 dollars there, in 2005, and knowing that the locals usually get by on a dollar a meal...though what they get for that I don't know...I suppose that cooking for yourself could cut it down costs even further
on the other hand, if you plan to go to London, you could find yourself begging on streetcorners in a matter of 2-3 months, maybe a bit later, if you stretch your budget thin and avoid doing too many expensive things..it all depending in large part on your lodging arrangement.

I remember hostels in the US costing anything from 12 to 30 dollars a night..some even more than that.. I don't know if those costs are anything like what you'd find in Europe. some countries may not even have hostels as we understand them, for all I know. these (http://www.hihostels.com/) were decent places back when I traveled up and down the east coast.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

London isn't that expensive, within reason. When I was there, my family rented an apartment in Whitechapel for a week, and we mainly ate at various ethnic restaurants: indian, pakistani, turkish, afghani, all sorts of the wonderful tastes of modern london.

And beer is SO much cheaper in England than in Canada, saved a fortune on beer. :smallbiggrin:

[STsinderman]

Here in Scotland can be pretty cheap, especially if you take some time and explore the highlands where there are some truly amazing sights! B&B's are pretty common and cheap if your on a budget.

[Starwulf]

I've only ever traveled to Canada and across parts of the U.S., but I can offer you one piece of advice if you do decide to travel across the U.S., and it will save you a TON of money: AVOID THE TURNPIKES! >< Never realized how expensive they were until this past September when I traveled from my place in Maryland, to the other side of Chicago. 650 miles cost me just under 50 bucks in turnpike tolls, which was freaking insane. On the way back, I printed different directions that would avoid the turnpike and all toll roads, and while it added an hour to my trip, it saved me that 50, which was well worth it.

Also, gas is cheaper in the middle of the country. Much cheaper! When I left Maryland, it was 3.85 a gallon. In the middle of Ohio it was 3.29 a gallon! The most expensive I saw was 3.59 in Illinois. So if you can, try to travel through the very middle of the country, you'll save lots on gas then if you tried to travel the edges.

[Aedilred]

For Europe, $2K is... a low amount of money. I mean, you could have a great holiday on that, but probably not for as long as you're planning.

However, Eastern Europe is still mostly cheaper than Western Europe, (although prices are going up quickly), and there's plenty to see and do there.

The Schengen Agreement makes it easy to travel within the EU (no border controls) although there are a couple of things to watch out for. Firstly, not all the EU is in Schengen. Romania and Bulgaria aren't, and nor are the UK and Ireland. This also means there's a bit of a travel black hole between Slovenia - the southeastern corner of the Schengen bloc - and Greece (which is in Schengen but not linked by land to any other Schengen members). Norway and Switzerland are members, though, despite not being in the EU.

What this basically means is to check your visa requirements for any country you're visiting or think you might visit or pass through. Probably best to avoid Kaliningrad - it's an attractive enough place but part of Russia so it's not worth the hassle for a trivial visit. You're fine as long as you stick to central/western Europe but if you start venturing too far east it could cause problems. Check currency requirements, too. Most of western Europe is in the Euro but not all of it is (Switzerland, the UK and Scandinavia aren't) and hardly any of east-central/eastern Europe uses it.

Generally prices aren't too bad so long as you stay out of big cities and off major tourist trails (although this varies from place to place) The problem with this approach is that you don't see any of the "sights" and it becomes more difficult and time-consuming to get around; you're also less likely to come across English-speakers (again, though, this varies from place to place - some countries have more comprehensive English-teaching programmes than others).

As others have mentioned, check driving licence requirements if planning to drive and in particular whether you're entitled to drive a manual (stick-shift) car (and that you actually can drive it). Automatics are not unknown here by any means but they are a minority. The standard of driving varies from place to place, but the driving experience might be a, er, novelty if you're used to American roads - a lot of Europe's roads were designed as a bit of an afterthought.

I do thoroughly recommend Europe but do bear in mind it will be more expensive than almost anywhere else.

As an aside, the cheapest holiday I've ever had was a three-week trip in China mooching around the place - that was jaw-droppingly inexpensive. But it was also seven years ago, so I don't know how prices have changed. I also had my own personal "guide" (i.e. a friend who spoke Chinese) which gave me the freedom to travel wherever I liked - I wouldn't recommend doing such a trip alone and without a Chinese-speaker, and as soon as you get travel agencies or guides involved the price will go up again.

[dehro]

I'm not 100% sure that Shengen is any easier on people with a passport that isn't Shengen..they still get separate lines in airport customs, even when moving between shengen member countries.

china is several kinds of awesome but yes, the language barrier can be an issue..also, higher than average level hotels cost relatively little money, and you should avoid any hotels that don't fall in that category..at least.. a few years ago, when I was still traveling those parts for work, for non-chinese speakers like ourselves, the choice was between luxurious hotels or risking to land in some dump owned by people of... questionable integrity, and suspiciously sharp knives.
a middle ground accessible for you if you don't speak the lingo might not be easy to find.

[Aedilred]

It depends on how you travel between countries to an extent. If you fly, you're pretty much always going to need all the documentation and on arrival you'll be put in a separate queue to EU residents. But on trains there won't be a problem provided you don't pass through any non-Schengen areas and if you drive you shouldn't have to stop (all border controls between Schengen nations have been removed). Ferries are different again, but that's largely for customs purposes rather than immigration ones (and most of Schengen is land-linked anyway).

[Grinner]

Given all these warnings about the cost of living, I should mention that I'm not entirely uncomfortable with the concepts of homelessness and temporary work, though I'm not quite certain about my ability to even acquire work.

But hey, if all else fails, I could try my hand at writing.

[Eldan]

At least in Switzerland, you'd have to get a special work permit, which, from what I know of our bureaucracy, could probably take months. I'm not sure how the EU handles that.

[Terraoblivion]

I wouldn't recommend going to any part of China other than the major cities if you don't speak Chinese. Even in Shanghai things like hotel reservations can be tricky if there are problems and you don't speak Chinese, as my parents learned when the hotel they had originally booked got closed by the authorities the day before they arrived. Sorting out what rooms to get in another fairly good hotel in inner Shanghai turned out quite tricky for them, even with my meager Chinese skills to help them. Still, if you book from home the major cities of Guangdong, the mouth of Yangtze and Beijing should be possible. They aren't really all that cheap though, the prices in Shanghai were about the same as in Germany when I lived there two years ago and Hangzhou was about the same, with Beijing being a bit cheaper.

These places are amazing, however, and well worth a visit. Shanghai is not just my second home that I still long to return to, it is also one of my favorite places for plain urban coolness and the sights of Beijing are as great as their reputation. I also think that West Lake in Hangzhou, just south of Shanghai, is a spectacular sight and worth visiting and Suzhou is supposedly also pretty neat. All these places also tend towards restaurants and fast food places having menus in proper English and service staff who are used to foreigners and how to communicate the basics with people who don't speak Chinese. You won't be able to get advice of any kind from them, though.

In any case, I can't recommend Shanghai enough as a destination and getting from there to the other major locations in China like Beijing, Xian or Guangzhou is a simple matter of buying a train ticket, something my mother managed without trouble without knowing Chinese. So while I'd recommend sticking to touristy places and major cities, I do think China might be an option and that the country has a lot to offer. Including amazing food from all over the world in Shanghai.

[Maelstrom]

I'm not 100% sure that Shengen is any easier on people with a passport that isn't Shengen..they still get separate lines in airport customs, even when moving between shengen member countries.


There are no border controls between Shengen countries, so once you are in, there are no complications...

[Balain]

If you have time and money, you can take my dream trip and tour the French Polynesian islands.

[Riverdance]

For a cheap place to stay try:

a- A tent
or
b- Youth Hostelling International.

I personally love hostels and they are quite cheap. I don't think you actually have to be young to stay at their hostels, and they're really nice places generally.

[dehro]

I don't think you actually have to be young to stay at their hostels, and they're really nice places generally.

you do not

[The_Admiral]

Come to Malaysia. Food is cheap and hotels are kinda cheap. 3 star cost 200 ringgit a night last time I checked. And a good breakfast with drinks cost, Lets see. 2 ringgit tops for a packet of Nasi Lemak and two fifty for a cup of teh tarikh. Almost everyone speaks english too. Get used to spicy food. If nasi lemak is above 2.50 they are ripping you off.

Exchange rate is according to google 1 U.S. dollar = 3.02850428 Malaysian ringgits