1st time traveller, help needed.

[gunny3688]

Hey guys, so a couple of my mates and i are planning to go to europe next year. We are hoping to leave around march/april next year so we get their summer and leave our crappy aussie winter. We plan to make our way through europe starting in paris and then working our way around and finishing up in spain before we head over to the UK.

I have a few questions before i start looking into things abit more.

1. Some friends of mine suggested to go look into the busabout tours, where we can travel around freely and book a to get on a bus when we are ready to leave. Would u guys suggest something like this or to just catch the countries respective public transport?

2. How much money should we aim to take over when we start traveling? All of us will be getting a work visa, but we first want to travel around and see europe before we go back to work. We aim to work in the uk as we have a look around there. Also, what was the timeframe that u guys had before u ran out of money and what was ur budget per day?

3. Safety will be a big part of this as this will be our first time out of australia without any guidance of teachers/parents. What are the main do's and donts for traveling around europe? (This question was mainly to keep the parents happy haha)

If u guys have any suggestions for first timer travellers i would be more than grateful for u to share :)

thanks and sorry this is so damn long:P

[Traveller]

Hey guys, so a couple of my mates and i are planning to go to europe next year. We are hoping to leave around march/april next year so we get their summer and leave our crappy aussie winter. We plan to make our way through europe starting in paris and then working our way around and finishing up in spain before we head over to the UK.



1. Some friends of mine suggested to go look into the busabout tours, where we can travel around freely and book a to get on a bus when we are ready to leave. Would u guys suggest something like this or to just catch the countries respective public transport?

The advantage of busabout is that you get to meet and hang out with other backpackers. It is easy enough to find your own transport if you want but if this is your first trip and aren't really confident then it is a good way to ease into backpacking.

The one downside is that some of the accommodation they drop you off at isn't particularly good or well priced. You can go anywhere but most people tend to just go where they are dropped off at.



2. How much money should we aim to take over when we start traveling? All of us will be getting a work visa, but we first want to travel around and see europe before we go back to work. We aim to work in the uk as we have a look around there. Also, what was the timeframe that u guys had before u ran out of money and what was ur budget per day?


This is bit of a difficult question as everyone is different. A rough guide might be 100 euro a day but you can get a better idea by breaking it down into components and added fat on top.

I took plenty of cash so didn't have problems with running out.


3. Safety will be a big part of this as this will be our first time out of australia without any guidance of teachers/parents. What are the main do's and donts for traveling around europe? (This question was mainly to keep the parents happy haha)


I am sure there are lots of do and donts. Most of it is common sense.

- Don't leave valuables unattended. Many hostels have lock boxes. Take your own lock, a decent one is worth it.

- Locks on your bags won't stop them being broken in to. Best bet is don't flash around expensive goods.

- Pickpockets are one of the biggest problems in europe. Try not to keep anything valuable in your pockets, small amounts of cash is good. If you get surrounded by people jostling you just push your way out.

- Don't hang expensive cameras around your neck

- Don't wear days packs on your front protectively - it just says rob me. Always use both arms to carry them.

- If you get mugged just give them cash (have small and big stash if you have to) and hope they go away. It is not worth getting stabbed for. If you have travel insurance it will cover much of your goods, just get a police report and have receipts.

- Scams are also common. Read up about common ones and ask fellow travellers.


If u guys have any suggestions for first timer travellers i would be more than grateful for u to share :)

thanks and sorry this is so damn long:P

If you don't take the busabout then look into rail passes. Trains are a great way to travel in europe. Otherwise LCC airlines but just becareful that you understand all the fees and where the destination airport is (often outside the city).

How are you going to access cash? A 28 Degrees mastercard is a good option. It allows you to pay money into it and take it out from ATMs without charging a fee (you might get one from the ATM owner). Just don't withdraw more than you have deposited as you will then pay a cash advance interest rate of 20%. If you don't want to do this there are travel cards from many banks but they aren't as good value. Try to have a backup way to get money, eg your atm card and 2 cc's.

Travel Insurance is a good idea. It might be expensive for such a long trip but you really need to consider it.

Make sure your immunisations are up to date.

Don't worry if you don't speak the language. In most cases at least try to say hello in the local language. Most people speak english but appreciate your efforts to speak their language.

[Double Holiday]

The advice from Traveller above is fantastic, and you should stick to it - very wise words.

First time in Europe, doing a short tour with an organised company is a great way to get orientated - they show you the main places, you get a feel for everything, learn how to use the public transport, navigate the language barrier, etc. After that, you have much more confidence to head off on your own and make new discoveries.

The best advice I ever got about working holidays was - earn all your money in Australia before you go! Your earning power here is much greater than in Europe - get as much cash before you go as possible.

And the number one security tip - try to look like a local, not a tourist. Carrying cameras, backpacks, maps etc just make it so obvious. Watch how the locals carry themselves, and try to blend in. Stay in a group where possible, and everyone have your eyes open looking out for each other.

Most of all - don't stress, enjoy yourself, it's the experience of a lifetime. Good luck.

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