Fresh off my week-long stint in Europe, I definitely am glad I invested in some of the following items which came highly recommended to me by some of my backpacking friends and some great budget travel blogs.
Two Travel Adapters One for your USB chargers and one that’s grounded for your higher voltage electronics. For the USB chargers, I got the EZOPower EU Dual USB Adapter (available here, but currently out of stock, so this is similar). I liked having the dual ports because in addition to my phone, I would charge my external battery. For the grounded charger, I got the QVS PA-C3 Adapter (here). The surge protection will keep your higher voltage electronics (read: your Chi hair straightener) from shorting. Keep in mind that some of your electronics may not convert well to foreign voltages. Check the manufacturer’s website before travelling, just in case.
Microfiber Travel Towel If you, like me, are travelling on a tight budget, you’ll probably end up staying in hostels most of the time. And while there are some fabulous hostels out there, most are very much in the “get what you pay for” category. That means 100 or less thread count sheets, sharing a room with up to 11 other travellers and questionably clean towels. Microfiber is much smaller than traditional terrycloth and way more absorbent. It won’t take up much room in your suitcase and added bonus: it dries super fast! So you can hang it off your bunk when you leave in the morning and it will be dry in time for siesta. I bought this towel in the 31×60 and 39×72 and had no trouble fitting them in my backpack. They were great and I didn’t incur the towel rental fee at one of the hostels I stayed in.
Flexible Luggage Lock Now, I know every other travel blog you read will warn you about the pickpockets that abound in tourist attractions all over the world. I found that this little piece of hardware deterred a lot of theft and provided me with one less thing to worry about while I was trying to navigate a strange city and battling jet lag at the same time. I really recommend getting a cable lock because they’re so much easier to thread through the little openings on luggage zippers. I got this lock from Master Lock, but any small cable lock will do.
I wrote this shortly after an eye opening experience during my first solo overseas trip. Now going on three years of solo travel, a lot of this still rings true and are still things I would advise to women going it alone.
Most of the time I felt safe travelling alone. Of course, I had taken some extra precautions (to be listed in my Tips for Travelling Alone listicle) and I explored Paris and Brussels as I would my own city. I had expected street harassment because I exist while female in our still very misogynistic world, but a word of caution from my recent experience: ignore them. No matter how lonely you feel, or how homesick, do not engage with men on the street unless you are specifically looking for a sexual encounter. If you are, more power to you, European men are way more straight forward than American men, so you’ll have no trouble finding what you’re looking for.
The other night, I was walking back to my hostel from dinner. It was around midnight, so not terribly late (it doesn’t get dark in Brussels until about 10 in the summer), but also beyond the point that I was really capable of functioning as a normal human being (I like to get up early to tourist). I’m almost back to my place when this guy “ca-va”s me from across the street. I had had a long day and was craving conversation, so I decided to engage him. At first it was the usual pleasantries: What’s your name? Where are you from? How long are you in Brussels? etc. But quickly the conversation moved away from getting to know each other to more sexually charged language. It started innocently enough, “Oh, you’re so beautiful. It’s a shame you’re leaving so soon.” He kept complimenting me, calling me things like “Cherie” and “Jolie Savannah” and then he was having trouble communicating with me on a level we could both understand. So he moved to English. “I like the way you look tonight. I really like you. Let’s go to the hotel. Something to remember your travels by.”
This quick escalation took me totally off guard, as I hadn’t really responded to his flirting and kept insisting I just wanted to talk, He then put his hand in the crook of my shoulder. He told me he really liked the way my lips looked and tried to kiss me right there in the middle of the street. This complete stranger. I ducked away and told him I had to go. He grabbed my arm and started pulling me back to him, first playfully, but more forcibly the harder I tried to get away. He kept pleading with me to stay, to give him a chance. To not be ashamed, that I was so beautiful. At this point I had decided that I really had to get away. If this guy wasn’t listening to me say no in a less sexual content, how was he going to act in the middle of a hormone-fueled moment?
He was still trying to drag me with him and finally I started to really resist, pulling him instead into a crosswalk where there was oncoming traffic. He let me go and all of a sudden, I wasn’t “Jolie Savannah” anymore. I was a bitch for only wanting to talk; a pig for not wanting to sleep with him. He continued to yell insults at me as I walked away and I had to report him to my hostel in case he decided to follow me or come back later. Until that moment, I hadn’t been afraid travelling alone (I’ve done it a lot!).
So as much as it pains me to say this, I hope it serves as a warning to you, my readers. Don’t respond to street harassment, especially when you’re travelling alone. Cultural norms vary around the world, and your decision to speak to someone on the street may imply something you don’t mean or want. Make sure you assert yourself and are plain about your intentions. And if the person you’ve engaged with doesn’t respect your wishes, get out of there ASAP. Trust your instincts on these things, they’re usually right.
One really great way to save money in Europe is to take advantage of the alternative methods of travel once you’re on the Continent. Often, I will purchase a round trip ticket to Dublin, London or Brussels and then transfer to another (cheaper) flight to my final destination or go via train or coach. Europe has a plethora of inexpensive travel options that can save you money and serve as a great way to see the Continent. I’ve explore a few of these during my travels and in typical Libra fashion, I’m happy to share the pros and cons of each with you.
Budget Airlines
Before reading on, you should really watch this video to get an idea of what it’s like travelling on budget airlines in Europe. I’m pretty sure this video was about RyanAir, but I can’t be sure.
Budget airlines are a great way to get around Europe if you’re trying to stretch your dollars. But as the video suggests, be wary of a flight advertised for 50p and always read the fine print. You may only have to pay 30 euro for the airfare, but make sure that you aren’t going to get screwed at the airport when you have to pay travaller taxes or be surprised that the airline is going to make you check (and therefore pay for) your “this would totally pass as carry on in the States” 65L backpack. Always check in online and print your ticket at your hostel or at an internet cafe; I once had to pay 15£ when I forgot to print my boarding pass at my hostel, which would’ve only cost me about 10p for the paper otherwise. Keep in mind that with these airlines, nothing is included.
Pros: Inexpensive, fast (you can fly from Dublin to Istanbul in just over four hours nonstop)
Cons: Lots of hidden fees, may be more expensive depending on your baggage, not scenic
Train
Let’s be honest. Everyone and their mother have wanted to travel across Europe by train. This method screams old world charm and is probably the most cost-efficient method of transport for those of you who don’t like to travel light. It’s also a great way to save money on accommodations if you take an overnight train to your next destination. There are plenty of options as far as carriers are concerned, and under-26ers get a special youth discount (up to 50% off the original ticket price).
Pros: Inexpensive, no baggage fees, “the scenic route”
Cons: Slower than a plane, you may have to transfer depending on your origin and final destination
Coach
Coaches are the European equivalent of Greyhound or Megabus. They get you from point A to point B in the absolute cheapest fashion. I took advantage of coaches when I was studying abroad in London because there were so many places nearby and I didn’t want to shell out an extra £15-20 just to go to Brighton. It’s best for light travellers, as there isn’t a way to guarantee that someone won’t take the bag you stow under the bus along the way.
Pros: Dirt cheap (I could get from London to Brighton for about £10), great for short trips
Cons: No amenities, slower than a plane or train, have to stop at the little towns between your origin and destination.
I hope you’ll keep these in mind when you’re enjoying your journey in Europe. I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have about these travel methods. Just leave your questions in my ask box and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
So as a budget traveller, I am super conscious of flight prices. I might have 15-20 different fare alerts set up at one time just to make sure I’m getting the best deal. I miss the days of being a student, when I could just hop on Student Universe or a similar site and pick out international flights under 1,000 USD a the drop of a hat. Unfortunately, being an adult means planning, and so here is some advice based on my personal experience.
Travel is often case by case, there are some parts of the year when you must book out several months or even a year in advance to get the best deal. Other times the price won’t fluctuate much from 10 months out to 3 months out. So I suggest when you first decide “Hey, I really want to go to XYZ” check out 3 months, 6 months, 10 months and a year out for international travel. Also, always price check in incognito mode! This blocks your computer from submitting cookies to your favorite travel sites and thus lets you always see the best deals (if a travel company knows they have your demand for a specific product, they’re less likely to offer you the best price because they assume you’re going to buy it anyways).
Set up fare alerts. If you’re feeling like you might not be able to swing the cost of your ticket right now, set up a fare alert and have your travel company send you emails when your fare price has dropped. This gives you a little wiggle room for budgeting and saving up and gives you a better idea of when the best times to travel to your favorite destination are.
It’s been my own experience that you get the best price on domestic flights either 3-6 weeks out or the night before your flight leaves (super risky, but sometimes worth it if you’re an early morning or late evening flyer; I highly recommend lastminute.com if you choose this route). But there are exceptions to this: keep in mind that October-April are considered “season” for southeastern beaches (especially Florida: I’m a native of a beach town, trust me) and May-August are big travel times for the West Coast (festivals, beautiful weather, etc.) Point being, research the tourist cycles of your destination and expect to pay more during the height of these cycles unless you book several months in advance.
If you’re travelling from the US or Canada to the Caribbean, plan about 2-3 months in advance for buying your airfare. Up this by a few months if you’re travelling in the winter. There’s a huge influx of “snowbirds” when the weather gets cold up north, so by staying ahead of the airline’s planning (and everyone else’s) you can often snag a winter getaway at a summer price.
If you’re travelling to Central and South America, I recommend 3-4 months advance if you’re north of the 35th parallel and 2-3 months out if you’re south of the 35th. Proximity helps keep the prices down longer and you’re more likely to get a better deal heading to Rio from Miami than you are from Saint Paul. And also keep in mind that it’s sometimes cheaper to fly from your home city to an international hub and grab another flight out of the hub. I like to check the price difference before booking. If I’m going to save more than the cost of the round trip airfare of going through the hub, I’m willing to add a little travel time and change planes! (I often fly out of JFK instead of National or Baltimore here because I save huge amounts of money [$300-$500] and I can easily take the Amtrak up to NY for under $100 round trip)
Europe can be a fickle creature when it comes to booking flights from the US. There really is no “sweet spot” for all of Europe. Eastern Europe is almost always cheaper to fly to than Western Europe (makes no sense to me since I’m flying farther, but whatever you say airline logic). I recommend the case by case approach I mentioned above. Check several different dates and take a look at the price differential. If you’re going somewhere popular like Paris or Rome, the price won’t really change by season, but less popular destinations can vary greatly. Also, remember that Europe is excellently connected by rail. So you can fly into a less popular destination and take the train to your desired location for much, much less than the original ticket.
I don’t have much experience flying east of Europe or west of Alaska, so the following information is based on a quick Kayak sweep I did. It seems that booking about 6-8 months out for Asia is a good bet if you’re on the East Coast. You lucky kids on the West Coast get a little more wiggle room, best pricing happening about 4-5 months out(This also applies largely to Australia). For more often traveled areas of Africa, like South Africa, Morocco and Egypt, you can usually book 3-4 months out and be sure you got a good deal. But if you’re connecting through Jo’burg or Marrakesh on to somewhere less traveled, you’ll want to put an extra 2 month cushion to work out your flight.
Do you have anything to add to this? I’m always looking for travel hacks to enhance my experience and pass on. Leave me a note and I’ll be happy to share it with my followers.
Participating in a Pub Quiz Night (the Brits are wicked smart, so be prepared to get your ass kicked)
Visiting the many squares in the Bloomsbury area
Champagne Tea at Kensington Palace (make sure to dress smartly, as this is high tea at a royal palace)
Shopping at Primark after window shopping along Oxford Street
Taking a tour of Westminster Palace when Parliament is in session
Having lunch in a garden or park on a nice day
Visiting the Paddington Bear at Paddington Station exhibit, great history of Teddy’s British counterpart
Spending a day at the Imperial War Museum
Visiting Temple Bar and the Royal Courts of Justice, you can sit in on active cases and get an idea for how British law is a bit different than Continental or American law.
Don’t take the tube for one stop, they’re close enough together, just walk!
Don’t take the tube if you have a lot of large bags or packages, you may as well paint a target on yourself to be mugged or taken advantage of
The Bus
Do take the bus as much as possible, it’s cheaper than the tube
Do sit up top, you’ll see more of the city that way
Do learn to read the bus stop, it helped me find my way back to the study centre when I was lost in Brixton last term (a scary story for another article)
Don’t take the bus if you’re traveling with packages
Don’t take up a row for yourself
Don’t take a large (20+) group on the bus, it’s unlikely there will be room for everybody and it’s very easy to get separated
Taxi Cabs/Minicabs
Do know the difference between licensed cabs, taxis, minicabs and unlicensed cabs
Do have a cab company’s number saved in your mobile or download the One Click Cab App if you have an iPhone or Android Phone
Do take a taxi from the airport if you have large, heavy baggage because most underground stations won’t have lifts and many don’t have escalators from the platforms to the main exit
Don’t get into an unmarked cab unless you’ve booked it in advance
Don’t take cabs around Central London unless it’s absolutely necessary, the traffic and carbon charge will drive your fare way up
Don’t take a cab home from an area you’re unfamiliar with and NEVER share a cab with anyone you don’t know
So you saved your pennies and finally made it abroad. You want to go out and do fun stuff, see the sights and take in the culture. Only one problem, you aren’t a Vanderbilt or Rockefeller and you’re on a budget for your time abroad. Never fear, here are ten easy tips on how to get the full experience without emptying your wallet.
Save souvenir shopping for the end of your trip. The last thing you need is to have all these rinky-dink knick knacks cluttering up your flat. And by waiting until the end of your stay to souvenir shop, you’ll only buy what’s absolutely necessary; and chances are you’ll have picked up some more meaningful souvenirs in some less than traditional places on your journey. For instance, I witnessed a pillow fight in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Instead of coming back with a German flag or a Soviet hat, I picked up a pillow in the street and brought it back with me.
Create a food co-op with your flatmates. Have a sit down dinner once or twice a week with your flatties where everyone chips in either money if you only have one chef or make it a potluck where everyone cooks a dish. You’ll save money and have an awesome bonding experience! Some of my fondest memories are of 2 pound fried chicken Mondays or Fajita Fiesta Fridays. We’d just get together and cook and eat and talk, it was the closest thing to a family dinner most of us had experienced since leaving home.
Eat in. I can’t say it enough, eating out will rip through your budget like nothing else. For what you pay for dinner and a drink at the pub by your flat, you could have bought at least, a whole day’s worth of groceries. Cooking is a cheaper, healthier and better tasting alternative to eating out. I mean, who knows better than you what you like and how you like it prepared?
Oxfam. Primark. Poundland. These three stores will give you the best deals for your money when it comes to clothes. Oxfam is a charity shop, what we call thrift stores in the states, and if you’re staying near UCL or LSE, you’re in a pretty posh area and many patrons donate designer clothes. Yes, that’s last season’s Valentino Pret-a-Porter pencil skirt, but pencil skirts are still in fashion and nowhere else will you be able to get Valentino for 25 pounds. Primark is the U.K.’s version of Forever 21 without the Evangelist slant. I’m always there getting 2 pound tights and 4 pound flats. The quality is a bit more decent than what you’d expect for cheap clothing, but avoid the one on Oxford Street during rush hour, it becomes an utter mad house and you can’t find anything! Poundland is exactly what it sounds like, our equivalent to the Dollar Store. Everything in the store is 1 pound or less and they have anything and everything under the sun. Shop to your heart’s desire, but don’t forget, all those pounds add up fast!
Sandwich shops and delis. If you find yourself out and about around lunchtime and you’ve forgot to pack a sandwich, check out the local delis. They’ll often have really good deals on sandwich and crisp combos, usually for under 5 pounds, and it’ll be hand made to your liking. It may not sound as enticing as fish and chips at the pub, but trust me, it’s just as filling and you won’t be having to either throw out or carrying around a take away bag for the rest of your day.
Uni Bars and Clubs. Try to find bars and clubs around UCL or LSE or any other uni in London. These bars and clubs will either be geared towards uni students[thus being less expensive] or they’ll have a “uni night” where they’ll have cheap drinks or great specials. I highly recommend The Rocket on Euston Road on Tuesday nights or The Court on Tottenham Court Road on Thursday nights. They have a one pound yellow card that saves you up to 3 pounds on mixed drinks and 2 pounds on pints. Totally worth it! Not to mention hanging around the local uni kids will let you go out and meet new people. You never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll learn.
Carry your ISIC card/student ID all the time. Sometimes stores will advertise a student discount, but most of the time you need to flash your ID for up to 25% off. Movie theatres will usually give a discount on slow nights, like Wednesday or Thursday and you can use your ISIC card to get a rail card, which can save you 60p per tube ride during off-peak hours and up to 50% on train tickets around the UK. Don’t be afraid to ask for student discounts and always be on the lookout for the discounts offered here signs.
Markets. Markets are almost always a better deal than going to the grocery store, plus they offer a fresher and wider selection. Jubilee and Borough Markets are great for foodstuffs and Camden Market is great for trendy and unique clothing and accessory items.
Tesco vs. Sainsbury’s vs. Waitrose. Shop around. Not sure where you’ll get the best deal? Take the extra five minutes to walk to the nearest competitor’s store and comparison shop. There’s no shame in walking back into a store because they have a better deal.
Time Out Magazine. This is a must have resource for uni students in London. Time Out always has a great selection of things to do and check out for the month. I mean everything from the Oxford vs. Cambridge Boat Race to a Karl Marx themed pub crawl. They also publish a book of things to do in London for under 10 pounds. Definitely a great investment for your flat!
A couple of weeks ago, I was stopped on the Tube and asked for autographs. The fans who came over thought I was Adele.
When in Berlin, we found an authentic bakery about ½ km away from Charlottenberg. The woman tending to the bakery didn’t speak any English, so when my friend thought she was ordering a chili stuffed ravioli, she ended up getting a bowl of chili con carne soup
Tonight, when walking back from the corner store, a group of Persian boys pulled up next to me and started blasting the Disney song “A Whole New World.”
Cockney phrases. Cock and hen means ten and I’m Hank Marvin really means I’m starving. There are so many more, but those two in particular stand out to me.
When I was trying to haggle for a better price in Camden Market, the vendor started raising his prices instead of dropping them to meet mine. Needless to say, I moved on to another stall.
In Berlin, again, I witnessed a large-scale pillow fight in front of the Brandenburg Gate. No one knew how or why it had started, but by the time I got there, there were feathers everywhere.
In Berlin our hotel had an uber eco-friendly shower. You had to keep pushing a button to keep the water going.
Cinnamon. Tequila. Orange. Now, I’m a bartender, and I’ve seen a lot, but that totally blew my mind.
Even though I’ve only been here under a week, here are a few lessons I’ve learned living in London:
1) Do NOT take the Tube from the airport. I don’t care how much cheaper it is, it is downright embarrassing if you have to carry heavy luggage up steps and happen to slip several times in the process.
2) Buses are so much cheaper than the underground. You can ride end to end of London for a flat rate, where the underground’ll charge you for every zone you go in and out of.
3) Walking and getting lost are the best ways to find your way around. If you’re coming to stay/live in London for an extended time, take a 2-3 hour walk around your area to get a feel for the good, the bad, and the… foreign?
4) Reusable bags are so worth it. At one of the grocers here, they charge extra for plastic bags. I spend less than £1 (about $1.50) on a reusable bag and saved about 20p each per bag I would’ve otherwise used.
5) American restaurants are expensive. My flatmates decided to go to Chipotle tonight and we each spent between £9-£13 (approx. $13.95-$20.15) on beer, water and burritos.
6) Conversion rates don’t really hit you until you see them in print. Sure, that beer for £3 doesn’t seem that expensive, but when you realize you’re actually paying $4.65 for that drink, you realize how much it adds up.
7) I’m a big fan of cash points. Just go, get £100-£200 and make it stretch a week or so. Then you really understand the impact of your spending and spend much, much less.
Tip #1: Wear unembellished cotton. You’ll be comfortable for your flight and you won’t set off the metal detectors when going through security.
Tip #2: Always be pleasant. You know that TSA agent who’s making sure your flight is secure? Well, they don’t love their job any more than you love going through security. Make both your experiences better by smiling, saying thank you and cooperating. The nicer you are, the more likely you’ll get waved to the shortest security line.
Tip #3: Wear easily removable shoes. You have no idea how frustrating it is to be stuck behind someone who has to undo all the laces and buckles of their cage heels when you’re prepared by wearing slides.
Tip #4: Don’t wait until you get to the checkpoint to have your stuff ready. You know you have to take off your jewelry, shoes and belt; so start taking it off in line. Flying with a laptop? Get it unpacked so you can place it in a bin when you get to the checkpoint.
Tip #5: Plastic baggies are your friend. Organize your small items, like make up and writing utensils in sandwich bags. It’ll save you the hassle of digging through your carry on to find what you need.
Tip #6: Check your baggage weight before you get to the airport. Most grocery stores have scales available for public use, so wheel your suitcase up to either avoid the hassle of repacking in front of the entire airport or the overweight baggage charge for your stuff.
Tip #7: Bring cash. Lots of small cash. Tips are what make the airport go round, and the more you tip, the better your service will be. Personal experience has shown me that a little extra cash can get your bag bumped to priority unloading, making that wait at the claim carousel that much shorter.
Tip #8: Pack a lunch. Airport food is ridiculously expensive and is never filling. If you have a long layover or your flight isn’t serving a meal, bring your favorites. Just make sure you check your airport’s regulations on outside food being brought in. And forget about the fancy-schmancy organic soda you want to bring, it is not worth the hassle.
Tip #9: Pack all your chargers. Most airports have charging stations for all your electronic devices, including little USB ports for your phone/camera/etc. Having a full battery before takeoff will make your day that much better.
Tip #10: Be accommodating. If you see a mother with a difficult, small child and you have a window seat, give it up. Your flight will be all the better if the little kid is distracted by the pretty clouds rather than screaming in your ear. Not to mention the good karma you’ll rack up for doing the right thing.
Well, there you have it. Ten ways to make your travel easier and your flying experience more enjoyable.
Voyagons 