Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 11, 2007, at 8:52:10
In reply to How can I achieve my dream of traveling the world?, posted by TexasChic on January 10, 2007, at 23:21:09
Hey!
Well, travel can be very cheap. Certainly here in Europe, you can stay in backpacker youth hostels for around umm, 30 bucks a night. Okay so you might be sharing a dorm, but really most youth hostels these days are pretty comfortable, and they are a fantastic way to meet people. They have travel guide books such as lonely planet, rough guide, and another I can't quite remember, but they do plenty of 'Europe on a shoe-string' titles. You can work to pay for board and lodgings - there's this thing called 'woof' meaning 'working on organic farms' and you work during the day and get board and lodging. There's great public transportation here in Europe, so you definately don't need to hire a car (a waste of money). Within Europe, there are plenty I mean plenty of cheap airlines that fly around Europe, a major one called Ryanair, which I have used alot. You can get fares for as little as 1.99 Euro (plus tax etc).
As for travel partners, just go it alone and you meet people along the way, particuary if you stay in youth hostels. And don't go thinking that they're just for the 'youths' - I meet someone who was 65 and who was just seeing the world like everybody else.
Its very easily done and done cheaply. Although at the moment you don't get much pound for your dollar (which is great for us brits but not so good for you folks in the US!) And I think that Europe will probably seem expensive to Americans, we pay alot more tax on goods and services, so eating out is more expensive in Europe and things like that. Although prices vary alot between country to country - the UK is very expensive along with the Scando countries, but former eastern soviet block countries are cheap and so is the mediterreanen by comparison. And there's always macdonalds.
Anyway I had a pal how travelled through cental america on her own and I regularly travel on my own. Although as a solo female, you do need to be abit more careful.
Make a plan, save regulary even if it takes a couple of years, and research your travelling. Buy those guide books I mentioned, they will do the hard work for you. They contain listings of the best youth hostels, places to go and see, things to eat, maps, how to get from place to place.....everything you need to know basically.
Anyway I'm going on abit.
You're welcome to come and stay with me whenever!!
poster:Meri-Tuuli
thread:721241
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20061228/msgs/721297.html