$5000 For 3 Weeks
Jun 24th 2005 | 3:29 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
$5000 For 3 Weeks
I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.Would
fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
Rome.
That would leave a budget of $4000 left for hotels,sightseeing,
restaurants,etc.What price range in hotels should I be looking for-
$100 a night,$200?
Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?Are most
hotels sold out in September and is it not as busy with tourists in the
fall?
How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
and what would he do?
fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
Rome.
That would leave a budget of $4000 left for hotels,sightseeing,
restaurants,etc.What price range in hotels should I be looking for-
$100 a night,$200?
Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?Are most
hotels sold out in September and is it not as busy with tourists in the
fall?
How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
and what would he do?
Jun 24th 2005 | 3:48 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
This all depends upon the quality of the hotels you require. In my
experience, decent hotels were a little cheaper in Paris than in Rome.
Nevertheless, you could very easily obtain hotels from $100 to $200 a
night. In Paris, you can get a decent hotel 2 star in a central, good
location for $125 a night. You can even get some hotels for less-
depending upon the quality. I spent less than $4,000 in 3 weeks on a
trip somewhat similar. I am sure you will get a lot of responses to
this post- and many will tell you that you can get decent rooms even
cheaper.
With respect to the trains. Getting on a train on a moment's notice
will depend upon the destination. If, for example you want to go to
some big weekend beach destination and expect to take the 6:00PM Friday
night train... then you might have a problem. However, that same train
might have a lot of free space during the Wednesday 11AM departure. I
have spent months and months traveling around Europe by train, and most
of the travel was done on the fly with no planning. However, if you
want a couchette and especially a first class sleeping arrangement for
the train, you should book this in advance.
experience, decent hotels were a little cheaper in Paris than in Rome.
Nevertheless, you could very easily obtain hotels from $100 to $200 a
night. In Paris, you can get a decent hotel 2 star in a central, good
location for $125 a night. You can even get some hotels for less-
depending upon the quality. I spent less than $4,000 in 3 weeks on a
trip somewhat similar. I am sure you will get a lot of responses to
this post- and many will tell you that you can get decent rooms even
cheaper.
With respect to the trains. Getting on a train on a moment's notice
will depend upon the destination. If, for example you want to go to
some big weekend beach destination and expect to take the 6:00PM Friday
night train... then you might have a problem. However, that same train
might have a lot of free space during the Wednesday 11AM departure. I
have spent months and months traveling around Europe by train, and most
of the travel was done on the fly with no planning. However, if you
want a couchette and especially a first class sleeping arrangement for
the train, you should book this in advance.
Jun 24th 2005 | 8:24 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
On 24 Jun 2005 20:29:38 -0700, "ahola" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.Would
>fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
>train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
>flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
>Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
>Rome.
>That would leave a budget of $4000 left for hotels,sightseeing,
>restaurants,etc.What price range in hotels should I be looking for-
>$100 a night,$200?
>Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
>aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
>on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?Are most
>hotels sold out in September and is it not as busy with tourists in the
>fall?
>How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>and what would he do?
Well, I'm a seasoned solo traveller, and could easily go for a couple
of months on $4000, depending on the places. All the usual stuff
applies about cities and touristy places being more expensive and
crowded.
A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
The open jaw thing is an excellent idea, and I think you'll have a
great time. Just keep your luggage light and easily transportable.
September is still high season in Europe, and it will be hot in Italy.
If this was my one big trip to Europe I'd probably put in 3 days in
Amsterdam too, coz that really is a cool city. Maybe trim a day or two
off Paris or even better just make it up as you go. You don't need to
plan it all, and overnight trains are a good way to get around plus
you save a bit of money. If you are looking for advice or other
travellers, spend the occasional night in a hostel and get talking to
people. That's always a good way to find out cool stuff to do.
Ummm.... did I miss anything?
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
>I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.Would
>fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
>train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
>flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
>Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
>Rome.
>That would leave a budget of $4000 left for hotels,sightseeing,
>restaurants,etc.What price range in hotels should I be looking for-
>$100 a night,$200?
>Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
>aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
>on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?Are most
>hotels sold out in September and is it not as busy with tourists in the
>fall?
>How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>and what would he do?
Well, I'm a seasoned solo traveller, and could easily go for a couple
of months on $4000, depending on the places. All the usual stuff
applies about cities and touristy places being more expensive and
crowded.
A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
The open jaw thing is an excellent idea, and I think you'll have a
great time. Just keep your luggage light and easily transportable.
September is still high season in Europe, and it will be hot in Italy.
If this was my one big trip to Europe I'd probably put in 3 days in
Amsterdam too, coz that really is a cool city. Maybe trim a day or two
off Paris or even better just make it up as you go. You don't need to
plan it all, and overnight trains are a good way to get around plus
you save a bit of money. If you are looking for advice or other
travellers, spend the occasional night in a hostel and get talking to
people. That's always a good way to find out cool stuff to do.
Ummm.... did I miss anything?
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
Jun 24th 2005 | 8:40 pm
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
> A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
> quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
> up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
> bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
> to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on. I
have lost count of the number of park benches I have slept on. BTW if you
are in a larger town, the airport is usually a good bet for a warm and dry
night.
> quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
> up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
> bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
> to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on. I
have lost count of the number of park benches I have slept on. BTW if you
are in a larger town, the airport is usually a good bet for a warm and dry
night.
Jun 24th 2005 | 9:46 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 09:40:17 +0100, "Thomas" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
>> quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
>> up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
>> bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
>> to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
>This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
>with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on. I
>have lost count of the number of park benches I have slept on. BTW if you
>are in a larger town, the airport is usually a good bet for a warm and dry
>night.
I have never had to sleep it rough yet, but have ended up in hostel
lounges for the night sometimes. The real key is that when you arrive
into town and find everything full, you are probably really tired and
frustrated. That's the time to push all them negative feelings deep
down inside and just be pleasant to all the receptionists etc. that
you come across. They can be pretty damn resourceful when you are nice
to them!
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
>> A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
>> quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
>> up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
>> bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
>> to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
>This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
>with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on. I
>have lost count of the number of park benches I have slept on. BTW if you
>are in a larger town, the airport is usually a good bet for a warm and dry
>night.
I have never had to sleep it rough yet, but have ended up in hostel
lounges for the night sometimes. The real key is that when you arrive
into town and find everything full, you are probably really tired and
frustrated. That's the time to push all them negative feelings deep
down inside and just be pleasant to all the receptionists etc. that
you come across. They can be pretty damn resourceful when you are nice
to them!
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
Jun 24th 2005 | 10:00 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
Thomas wrote:
>>A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
>>quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
>>up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
>>bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
>>to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
>
>
> This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
> with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on.
Or a big conference. I'm looking at you, Lund!
Des
went on to Malmö
>>A budget of $100 per night for a hotel is plenty in any city (but the
>>quality will vary!), but don't rely on always being about to just turn
>>up at that time of the year. Especially in the big cities, it's not a
>>bad idea to book the first couple of nights, and do a bit of research
>>to see if there are any public holidays or special events.
>
>
> This is very good advice. One of my specialities is to turn up at a town
> with no accomodation booked, and there will without fail be a festival on.
Or a big conference. I'm looking at you, Lund!
Des
went on to Malmö
Jun 24th 2005 | 10:39 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
ahola wrote:
> I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.
LOL, this guy reminds me of the guy that walks into the shop in Little
Britain.
> I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.
LOL, this guy reminds me of the guy that walks into the shop in Little
Britain.
Jun 25th 2005 | 4:38 am
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
ahola wrote:
> I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.Would
> fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
> train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
> flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
> Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
> Rome.
I recently booked myself on the Eurostar from London to Brussels, and
though the advertised price was $79 each way, my total roundtrip for the
dates and times I wanted was about $230 (outbound on Friday, inbound on
Saturday).
I would book the trains well in advance.
> I would like to see London,Paris,Venice,and Rome in that order.Would
> fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week then a
> train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week.An openjaw
> flight from NY to London and back from Rome would be about $660 and the
> Eurostar about $120 and another $2-300 for trains to Venice then to
> Rome.
I recently booked myself on the Eurostar from London to Brussels, and
though the advertised price was $79 each way, my total roundtrip for the
dates and times I wanted was about $230 (outbound on Friday, inbound on
Saturday).
I would book the trains well in advance.
Jun 25th 2005 | 5:12 am
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
Thanks all for the suggestions and tips.I don't want to lug my laptop
with me so will visit internet cafes to make reservations and get
information ahead of time.I plan on going again for a couple weeks in
the spring with the same budget and will include
Amsterdam,Athens,Madrid and other cities in the next trip.The winters I
save for the South Pacific and Thailand.
with me so will visit internet cafes to make reservations and get
information ahead of time.I plan on going again for a couple weeks in
the spring with the same budget and will include
Amsterdam,Athens,Madrid and other cities in the next trip.The winters I
save for the South Pacific and Thailand.
Jun 25th 2005 | 6:26 am
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
and what would he do?"
It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
Asia, or it could be one week of luxury in a European capital, or
anything in between.
"Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?"
Trains - no problem.
Hotels - if you want a specific one, then you need to reserve well in
advance, even in the offseason. If you are willing to take any decent
hotel, that's very easy to find unless there's a special event or a
trade fair in a city that makes all the hotels fill up. If you don't
have a room when you arrive in a city, just go to the tourist office in
the train station or airport you arrive in, and they can almost always
find you one right away for a small fee.
"Would fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week
then a train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week."
No problem doing that on $4000 if you are willing to fly economy class
and stay in two-star and three-star hotels. If you want luxury hotels
or business-class flights, then you will need to shorten that trip
considerably.
and what would he do?"
It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
Asia, or it could be one week of luxury in a European capital, or
anything in between.
"Also I would like to be on my own and sort of freelance or wing it,so
aside from my flight there and back,can I get trains and hotels there
on a moments notice or would advance reservations be best?"
Trains - no problem.
Hotels - if you want a specific one, then you need to reserve well in
advance, even in the offseason. If you are willing to take any decent
hotel, that's very easy to find unless there's a special event or a
trade fair in a city that makes all the hotels fill up. If you don't
have a room when you arrive in a city, just go to the tourist office in
the train station or airport you arrive in, and they can almost always
find you one right away for a small fee.
"Would fly into London for 4 days then Eurostar to Paris for a week
then a train to Venice for 3 days then down to Rome for a week."
No problem doing that on $4000 if you are willing to fly economy class
and stay in two-star and three-star hotels. If you want luxury hotels
or business-class flights, then you will need to shorten that trip
considerably.
Jun 25th 2005 | 7:55 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
On 25 Jun 2005 11:26:40 -0700, "Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>and what would he do?"
>It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
>Asia,
Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
though...
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
>"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>and what would he do?"
>It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
>Asia,
Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
though...
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
Jun 25th 2005 | 8:15 am
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
> On 25 Jun 2005 11:26:40 -0700, "Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
> >and what would he do?"
> >
> >It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
> >Asia,
> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
> though...
> --
> ---
> DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
> ---
> --
Been to Thailand a dozen times and want to retire there.I frequent
http://www.thaivisa.com and the over 250,000 European,Aussie,British,
etc.,expats living there live like kings for less than a thousand US
dollars a month and that includes all the Chang and Singha beer and
bargirls.It also includes a nice serviced apartment with all the modern
amenities.One could live much cheaper outside Bangkok or Pattaya and
the truly adventurous can live on a few hundred dollars a month in
Cambodia or Laos.I have Singapore and Hong Kong bank accounts and
condos in Waikiki that will soon enable me to retire in my 40s and be
able to surf and live it up in Thailand on just the interest and cash
flow from my investments.
> On 25 Jun 2005 11:26:40 -0700, "Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
> >and what would he do?"
> >
> >It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
> >Asia,
> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
> though...
> --
> ---
> DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
> ---
> --
Been to Thailand a dozen times and want to retire there.I frequent
http://www.thaivisa.com and the over 250,000 European,Aussie,British,
etc.,expats living there live like kings for less than a thousand US
dollars a month and that includes all the Chang and Singha beer and
bargirls.It also includes a nice serviced apartment with all the modern
amenities.One could live much cheaper outside Bangkok or Pattaya and
the truly adventurous can live on a few hundred dollars a month in
Cambodia or Laos.I have Singapore and Hong Kong bank accounts and
condos in Waikiki that will soon enable me to retire in my 40s and be
able to surf and live it up in Thailand on just the interest and cash
flow from my investments.
Jun 25th 2005 | 8:58 am
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
>>> "How long would $4000 last a
>>> seasoned traveller and where
>>> would he go and what would he do?"
>> It could be six months of extreme
>> budget travel in India and Southeast
>> Asia,
> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE
> Asia without having to sleep rough
> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze
> might bring it down to 6 months though...
I'm assuming someone who wants to cover a lot of the region rather than
how little you could theoretically get by on if you spent the whole
time in a beach hut.
It's impossible to get 12 months on $10/day if you actually want to do
anything. Even hardcore backpackers who stick almost exclusively to
the cheapest countries usually spend around $10,000 on a year-long
round-the-world trip.
>>> seasoned traveller and where
>>> would he go and what would he do?"
>> It could be six months of extreme
>> budget travel in India and Southeast
>> Asia,
> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE
> Asia without having to sleep rough
> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze
> might bring it down to 6 months though...
I'm assuming someone who wants to cover a lot of the region rather than
how little you could theoretically get by on if you spent the whole
time in a beach hut.
It's impossible to get 12 months on $10/day if you actually want to do
anything. Even hardcore backpackers who stick almost exclusively to
the cheapest countries usually spend around $10,000 on a year-long
round-the-world trip.
Jun 25th 2005 | 9:48 am
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
On 25 Jun 2005 13:15:52 -0700, "ahola" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
>> On 25 Jun 2005 11:26:40 -0700, "Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>> >and what would he do?"
>> >
>> >It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
>> >Asia,
>> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
>> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
>> though...
>> --
>> ---
>> DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
>> ---
>> --
>Been to Thailand a dozen times and want to retire there.I frequent
>http://www.thaivisa.com and the over 250,000 European,Aussie,British,
>etc.,expats living there live like kings for less than a thousand US
>dollars a month and that includes all the Chang and Singha beer and
>bargirls.It also includes a nice serviced apartment with all the modern
>amenities.One could live much cheaper outside Bangkok or Pattaya and
>the truly adventurous can live on a few hundred dollars a month in
>Cambodia or Laos.I have Singapore and Hong Kong bank accounts and
>condos in Waikiki that will soon enable me to retire in my 40s and be
>able to surf and live it up in Thailand on just the interest and cash
>flow from my investments.
I know a couple of guys that are doing it. They look pretty rough too,
coz you can really live it up, and it does show after the first 5
years or so.
They claim that you can have unlimited sex in Bangkok for just a few
dollars. I asked them how many condoms they go through, and the answer
was surprising - they don't use them! Instead, after sex they have a
piss and a wash (!!!!), and that's it!
Money wise, they are both British, and go through about £3000 a year,
plus some cash they earn there. They tell me life is wonderful, but
they are both looking about 10 years older than they should.
I've had my stint in SE Asia. The place just shits me now.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
>Deep Foiled Malls wrote:
>> On 25 Jun 2005 11:26:40 -0700, "Iceman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >"How long would $4000 last a seasoned traveller and where would he go
>> >and what would he do?"
>> >
>> >It could be six months of extreme budget travel in India and Southeast
>> >Asia,
>> Six months???? I could get 12 in SE Asia without having to sleep rough
>> or cook for myself! Maybe the booze might bring it down to 6 months
>> though...
>> --
>> ---
>> DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
>> ---
>> --
>Been to Thailand a dozen times and want to retire there.I frequent
>http://www.thaivisa.com and the over 250,000 European,Aussie,British,
>etc.,expats living there live like kings for less than a thousand US
>dollars a month and that includes all the Chang and Singha beer and
>bargirls.It also includes a nice serviced apartment with all the modern
>amenities.One could live much cheaper outside Bangkok or Pattaya and
>the truly adventurous can live on a few hundred dollars a month in
>Cambodia or Laos.I have Singapore and Hong Kong bank accounts and
>condos in Waikiki that will soon enable me to retire in my 40s and be
>able to surf and live it up in Thailand on just the interest and cash
>flow from my investments.
I know a couple of guys that are doing it. They look pretty rough too,
coz you can really live it up, and it does show after the first 5
years or so.
They claim that you can have unlimited sex in Bangkok for just a few
dollars. I asked them how many condoms they go through, and the answer
was surprising - they don't use them! Instead, after sex they have a
piss and a wash (!!!!), and that's it!
Money wise, they are both British, and go through about £3000 a year,
plus some cash they earn there. They tell me life is wonderful, but
they are both looking about 10 years older than they should.
I've had my stint in SE Asia. The place just shits me now.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--
Jun 25th 2005 | 12:20 pm
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: $5000 For 3 Weeks
ahola wrote:
> Thanks all for the suggestions and tips.I don't want to lug my laptop
> with me so will visit internet cafes to make reservations and get
> information ahead of time.I plan on going again for a couple weeks in
> the spring with the same budget and will include
> Amsterdam,Athens,Madrid and other cities in the next trip.The winters I
> save for the South Pacific and Thailand.
If you are going back to Europe next Spring, consider making it a
longer trip and not go this September. Spring is by far the best time
of year to visit Western Europe. Most Western Europeans are working or
in school so you only have to compete with Canadian and American
students (in May).
Most importantly, you get more sunlight (well, you can count either
side of June 21). Europe is pretty high in latitude, so sunlight is
always an issue.
Contrary to USA/Canada, where August and especially September are slow
months, those are peek season in Western Europe. The weather is great.
But the hotels will fill up quickly.
Eurostar is by far the most convenient and fastest way to get from
London to Paris, but is usually isn't the cheapest (unless you
reserve in advance). Consider flying: easy jet.com or Rynair.
Open jaw air tickets from the USA are usually, but not always, more
expensive. Consider a simple return ticket. It is usually pretty easy
to visit Europe without going thru the same place twice. Sometimes two
return tickets will cost you less than an open jaw ticket!
Check out the price of tickets out of Montreal (especially to Paris)
or Toronto (to London). You may be surprised. Obviously, if you live
in Manhattan this wouldn't be a useful money saver. But if you have
to drive a long distance anyway (i.e., you live upstate), then the
savings (just on parking alone) could be substantial.
My European highlights (starting from the best value for money):
1.Greek islands
2.Turkey (Istanbul and the Gorem valley (yes I realise that is
technically in Asia)
3.The medinas (old centre towns) of Morocco (I realise they are not in
Europe)
4.Rome
5.Venice
6.Prague
7.Amsterdam
8.All of Spain
9.Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (nobody bombed the crap out of the cities
and the country side has not been totally exploited)
10.One day in Paris (Eiffel tower, Mona Lisa, Arc de Triomphe, Arc de
la Défence)
11.England (if flying in from North America)
12.Wales (they speak Welsh! Who knew?)
13.Ireland (if you are in England/Scotland/Wales)
14.Scotland (especially if part of your heritage)
15.Luxemburg (don't bother learning the language, many there speak
three others)
Worth a visit if you are rich in time and/or money:
16.Every nook and cranny of France (and every train).
17.Portugal (relatively cheap once you get there, but Spain is usually
in the way for a quick trip)
18.Scandinavia (Summer or late Spring ONLY). (Note: New couples should
probably avoid it.)
19.Switzerland
20.The rest of Italy (Note: If you are a women you will be hit on
constantly, no matter how fat, old and/or ugly your are)
21.The rest of the Czech Republic (Alcoholics and food lovers will save
a fortune).
22.Krakow
23.Budapest
24.Romania (not Bucharest unless you are passing thru and want to visit
what's-his-name's Palace)
25.Germany (man, did our grandparents ever bomb the crap out of that
country (mostly rebuilt). Few locals speak English despite the fact
that we won two wars against them. I mean really, what was the point. )
26.Croatia (from what I hear)
27.Iceland (for bragging rights, I haven't been)
Not worth your time or money:
1.Belgium (unless you love cobblestone, a statue of a naked boy
pissing, French fries and chocolate (a whole isle at the supermarket!).
2.Warsaw (Hitler ruined it)
3.More than one day in Paris (it is an easy place to leave, but hard to
avoid while in France)
4.Russia, Belarus, Ukraine (From what I hear (I've never been). Visa
regulations (reciprocal) are a major annoyance)
5. Athens (maybe my expectations were too high)
6. Slovak Republic (unless you absolutely want to see Vienna (former
capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (our enemy in WW1), a quick
train ride away)
Disclaimer: In Europe, I have not been to Iceland, Albania, Croatia,
Bosnia Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Macedonia (both the Republic
and the Greece region), Cyprus, Malta, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova,
Russia, Sardinia (It), Sicily (It), Corsica (Fr.), Brittany (Fr), The
Channel islands (UK), The Isle of Man (British Crown), Bruges (Be),
Southern and Eastern Germany, Northern and Western Poland, Western
Austria, Peloponnesia (Gr) or Monaco (and the other fake countries).
But I have been everywhere else.
Sam
(In Eastern Canada, where life costs much less than US$1000 per month,
including health care. Thailand can eat my shorts)
> Thanks all for the suggestions and tips.I don't want to lug my laptop
> with me so will visit internet cafes to make reservations and get
> information ahead of time.I plan on going again for a couple weeks in
> the spring with the same budget and will include
> Amsterdam,Athens,Madrid and other cities in the next trip.The winters I
> save for the South Pacific and Thailand.
If you are going back to Europe next Spring, consider making it a
longer trip and not go this September. Spring is by far the best time
of year to visit Western Europe. Most Western Europeans are working or
in school so you only have to compete with Canadian and American
students (in May).
Most importantly, you get more sunlight (well, you can count either
side of June 21). Europe is pretty high in latitude, so sunlight is
always an issue.
Contrary to USA/Canada, where August and especially September are slow
months, those are peek season in Western Europe. The weather is great.
But the hotels will fill up quickly.
Eurostar is by far the most convenient and fastest way to get from
London to Paris, but is usually isn't the cheapest (unless you
reserve in advance). Consider flying: easy jet.com or Rynair.
Open jaw air tickets from the USA are usually, but not always, more
expensive. Consider a simple return ticket. It is usually pretty easy
to visit Europe without going thru the same place twice. Sometimes two
return tickets will cost you less than an open jaw ticket!
Check out the price of tickets out of Montreal (especially to Paris)
or Toronto (to London). You may be surprised. Obviously, if you live
in Manhattan this wouldn't be a useful money saver. But if you have
to drive a long distance anyway (i.e., you live upstate), then the
savings (just on parking alone) could be substantial.
My European highlights (starting from the best value for money):
1.Greek islands
2.Turkey (Istanbul and the Gorem valley (yes I realise that is
technically in Asia)
3.The medinas (old centre towns) of Morocco (I realise they are not in
Europe)
4.Rome
5.Venice
6.Prague
7.Amsterdam
8.All of Spain
9.Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania (nobody bombed the crap out of the cities
and the country side has not been totally exploited)
10.One day in Paris (Eiffel tower, Mona Lisa, Arc de Triomphe, Arc de
la Défence)
11.England (if flying in from North America)
12.Wales (they speak Welsh! Who knew?)
13.Ireland (if you are in England/Scotland/Wales)
14.Scotland (especially if part of your heritage)
15.Luxemburg (don't bother learning the language, many there speak
three others)
Worth a visit if you are rich in time and/or money:
16.Every nook and cranny of France (and every train).
17.Portugal (relatively cheap once you get there, but Spain is usually
in the way for a quick trip)
18.Scandinavia (Summer or late Spring ONLY). (Note: New couples should
probably avoid it.)
19.Switzerland
20.The rest of Italy (Note: If you are a women you will be hit on
constantly, no matter how fat, old and/or ugly your are)
21.The rest of the Czech Republic (Alcoholics and food lovers will save
a fortune).
22.Krakow
23.Budapest
24.Romania (not Bucharest unless you are passing thru and want to visit
what's-his-name's Palace)
25.Germany (man, did our grandparents ever bomb the crap out of that
country (mostly rebuilt). Few locals speak English despite the fact
that we won two wars against them. I mean really, what was the point. )
26.Croatia (from what I hear)
27.Iceland (for bragging rights, I haven't been)
Not worth your time or money:
1.Belgium (unless you love cobblestone, a statue of a naked boy
pissing, French fries and chocolate (a whole isle at the supermarket!).
2.Warsaw (Hitler ruined it)
3.More than one day in Paris (it is an easy place to leave, but hard to
avoid while in France)
4.Russia, Belarus, Ukraine (From what I hear (I've never been). Visa
regulations (reciprocal) are a major annoyance)
5. Athens (maybe my expectations were too high)
6. Slovak Republic (unless you absolutely want to see Vienna (former
capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (our enemy in WW1), a quick
train ride away)
Disclaimer: In Europe, I have not been to Iceland, Albania, Croatia,
Bosnia Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Macedonia (both the Republic
and the Greece region), Cyprus, Malta, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova,
Russia, Sardinia (It), Sicily (It), Corsica (Fr.), Brittany (Fr), The
Channel islands (UK), The Isle of Man (British Crown), Bruges (Be),
Southern and Eastern Germany, Northern and Western Poland, Western
Austria, Peloponnesia (Gr) or Monaco (and the other fake countries).
But I have been everywhere else.
Sam
(In Eastern Canada, where life costs much less than US$1000 per month,
including health care. Thailand can eat my shorts)
