A combination of a desire to travel, and finding out yesterday I’m surplus for some time, has provided me with the opportunity I cannot refuse.

Basically I now have a month off work and I will be buying a month train ticket around Europe.

My plan is to travel light (one rucksack) and basically, wing it.

The only thing I will be taking is:

Bank card
Credits cards
Rucksack containing (not sure, hence thread)

Any ideas what I should make sure I do, or take, visit, or not make mistake of not doing (I will be taking a compact camera!)

Thank you, Rich

You should make a list. Lists are good. You’re good at lists.

You should make a list. Lists are good. You’re good at lists.

FFS, I would have hoped you of all people would contribute something helpful!

EDIT: I accept the whole list thing is something I am lumbered with now, but I genuinely would like some advice. I’m really excited about this; STW provided the idea of a train ticket in the first place, kinda hoping it can provide some advice as to execution of plan 😀

Condoms, lots of them.

Merino socks

Did this 2007.

Bought an interrail Euro train ticket valid for a month.

Started off in Berlin and just let it all happen. Went with people to places, went on my own on recommendations (stayed in hostels) etc

Best time of my life.

You should make a list. Lists are good. You’re good at lists.

Ideally, you should laminate your list.

😀

Chargers for phone/camera
Condoms (Yep, you know it!)
Swiss army knife with a corkscrew
Fork
Torch

Then, places…

Amsterdam, lovely city
Toulouse and surrounding countryside – Stunning
Bordeaux and surrounding beaches – Lush. Lots to, ahem, look at on the beaches, too
Figueras, often overlooked. Lovely part of Spain
Go to the Alps, hire a bike – Try Briancon and Serre Che for some Galibier action
Etc.

No fork, spork

Passport

Amsterdam, lovely city
Toulouse and surrounding countryside – Stunning
Bordeaux and surrounding beaches – Lush. Lots to, ahem, look at on the beaches, too
Figueras, often overlooked. Lovely part of Spain
Go to the Alps, hire a bike – Try Briancon and Serre Che for some Galibier action

Just the ticket ta. I need to plan a rough route involving as many sleepers as possible.

In that case, the sleeper from Paris to Toulouse is a good one*. Lots to explore around that area when you get there, too.

*Unless you’re the ‘other’ person in a six berth cabin and the other two occupants are getting very friendly for most of the route. 😯

No, just want to keep costs to minimum!

Only language I can wing it with is French; where will language provide a problem for an ignorant traveller with a huge bag of condoms?

where will language provide a problem for an ignorant traveller with a huge bag of condoms?

Barnsley.

That’s not fair. I know a lady from Barnsley and talking was not an obstacle.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQlp0AcwB4I[/video]

That is all.

Oi, PMJ, haven’t you got something better to be doing? 😉

Study this web site
Consider forking out for aq copy of this

oh and someplace on line there’s adownloadable european rail timetable

have a quick search on youtube for bernina express

Right. So just pack a ridiculous amount of condoms? Seems like this was such a bad idea…

Take some of these for special occasions.

Did this in 1990.

All above is good advice (esp. The train timetable). We got by comfortably everywhere apart from Yugoslavia (their second language was German).

But if you are camping/hosteling, take a travel plug (ie for sinks) makes it easier to wash clothes etc.

Have fun…

Yes. Finding my condoms. 😳

Where’s this ‘Yugoslavia’?

I lived in Croatia for seven months. As a rule of thumb, everyone under 30 speaks good English. Everyone over 30 speaks either English or German. Everyone over 80 speaks either German or Russian.

And they all speak Croatian (and don’t call it Serbo-Croat – despite being the same, they’re very different languages should you ask a Serbian or a Croatian).

Yes. Finding my condoms.

😀 and more 😀 !

Scandinavia…. visit some of the cities, maybe head up north and you might catch the midnight sun. Switzerland is expensive but the trains go through some fantastic scenary.

Where’s this ‘Yugoslavia’?

t’was Yugoslavia when we were there. And I am relaying *my* experience of it. I apologise if it is not representative of the country as it was 23 years ago in your eyes.

Right, getting a bit into this now.

1. Any other reccomendations for places to visit other than the above?

2. Any countries with a notoriously low English speaking population (no, I don’t expect everyone to speak English before someone jumps to that conclusion!)

3. Any countries with a train service to avoid?

4. It’s not THAT stupid to have made zero accommodation planning, is it?

Thanks for any other advice, all a bit last minute as planning to go 22nd this month 😯

3. Any countries with a train service to avoid?

The UK? The only trains I had issues with were here…

For a month head to
Croatia
Bosnia
Slovenia

Loads to see relative cheap compared to France Italy Spain

All beautiful and as above English is the language and people are friendly

you will be using buses mainly and are are cheapish

What to take
T shirts
Shorts
shoes that are comfortable walking will be involved
long sleeve shirt loose and cool for when you get sunburn
flip flops

tablet/ipod
load your books on and most places have wifi
camera
suncream

If you want western Europe avoid scandinvia unless you are wealthy

France head down to pryenees across to beziers montepelliar nimes up into the maritime alps

montage noir area above carcessone are lovely

walk the cathar trail

walk st james de compestella trail

for cities try paris rome Barcelona berlin

above all enjoy

Thanks vondally that’s great; just googled cathar trail which looks amazing. Maybe I can hire a bike/kit etc..

I’m not wealthy and even less so at the end of this trip. I’m planning on a £1000 non-travel spend max, which is just ballpark idealism.

Flip flops – you mean sandals surely?! 😉

no flip flops ……………………………lighter to carry good in hostels espically showers……

we tend to do a fair bit of walking or sight seeing so tend to try and stay comfortable so trainers or light walking shoes

good walking sandal are useful

My eldest daughter did
Albania
Kosovo
Croatia
Bosnia

last year for a month and was on less than your budget, she stayed hostels , eat cheap market for fruit and bakery,

we did Croatia/Slovenia for three weeks a couple of years ago beautiful

remember high season now so look for quiet area/s downside is lack of accommodation camping is an option but more weight and hassle and expensive unless you have the kit……

Vondally thanks, really good tips. I was thinking about peak season probs, but as I’m so free of commitments thought I could still wing it.

I was also considering taking massively illogical route as taking the interail ticket, to take advantage of sleeper trains (a bit feral, but why not!).

Theres a teacher/author i follow on twitter, a couple of years back he cycled across europe on his ridgeback, this summer he is going from the temple of poseidon to cape st.vincent you can follow him on twitter @cyclingeurope fair play to him, only wish i had time to do something like this!

Enjoy your trip but remember you will always pack too much!!

Pack your bag, go for a walk, find out how heavy it is, take half of it back out…

if you have an inter rail ticket Italy but expensive

Rome
apennies…….L’Aquila/sulomona gran sasso are tremendous
southern Italy and on the train to sciliy

or just enjoy seeing the big cities

depends what travelling you want

see the sights

or more off beat

agree with LMT you will pack too much

primark and h&m are in all the major cities

Thanks, getting the interail global ticket, so travelling no a prob. My plan is to take as absolute little as possible and buy any clothing as needed. Possibly foolhardy, but not planning on dragging some mahoosive bag about with me. Would prefer none, but got to be slightly realistic 😀

naked travelling….dangerous and unhygienic 😯

When I Inter railed round Europe we went to:
Paris
Pisa
Florence
Assisi (by accident)
Ferry across to Greece
Athens
Santorini
Naxos
Back to Athens
Through Yugoslavia (yep, me too)
Vienna
Verona
Heidelberg
Lucerne
Brussels
Amsterdam

Landmark era of my life. Don’t get too hung up on what to take. Stuff can always be bought or discarded. Do take an open mind and enjoy it!

t’was Yugoslavia when we were there. And I am relaying *my* experience of it. I apologise if it is not representative of the country as it was 23 years ago in your eyes.

😆

To be honest, it was very odd being there and socialising with guys my age and a little older that were veterans of one of the most brutal conflicts of recent history. And while most people were incredibly friendly, once past that there was still an awful lot of hatred just bubbling under the surface. I predicted something kicking off within ten years, but fortunately it looks like I’m going to be proven wrong.

Anywhere south (S. of France or Italy, Spain, Greece) will be super hot. Depending on how much you like really hot heat, that is a positive or a negative.

South of France will be packed in August, cities in France will be empty except for tourists. Paris is a weird combination of packed with tourists in the centre and completely dead in the suburbs in August.

Me and my missus did this after leaving uni. We had siz weeks, during which time we went from Paris (to see the tour), to Bruges, Amsterdam, Cologne, took a boat down the Rhine to Frankfurt, then Munich, Neuchwanstein (Fairytale castle), Venice, Florence, Rome (Orsumz! But l am a history geek), up the coast to Genoa via Pisa and Cinque Terre(scenery!), then finally through Switzerland via the Glacier Express (secenery again!), Freiburg in the Black Forest, Strasbourg, Paris, home.

You could do all this in a month as we spent the best part of 4-5 days each in Paris, Rome and Genoa. My tip would be to take small, packable items eg travel towel, anti bac gel etc. Comfy, BREATHABLE shoes (you will walk, a lot). Get hold of the european train timetable and a couple of phrase books. And something to read – trains can get a bit dull after a while.

Best. Trip. Ever.

You could easily spend a week in Rome looking at all the pretty ladeez, venice is also awesome but will be chocka with yanks in from cruises.