Summer trip
This is my second post here, planning for a Europe trip in summer of 2013. I got alot of excellent info on my first post to think about.here is my first post (if it matters).
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?messageID=20318159#20318159
Ive narrowed down my cities of interest to this list bit but I think is far too much than someone can handle in one trip!!1
Bergen
Berlin
Paris
Grenoble
Chamonix-Zermatt-Jungfrau
Lugano-Como- Milan OR florence/tuscany (not sure)
Verona
Trento-Bolzano-Dolomites
Venice
Bihac
Mostar
Croatian Coast
I'm sure you've already stopped reading this post in light of the sheer ridiculousness of my expectations to fit into one trip. But I hope you can set me straight!
So I guess my next questions would be:
What is a very general guess of how long this trip should take?
What places do you think I should cut out of the trip?
Is the Eurail pass now more cost effective?
What is a ballpark estimate for this trip? I have friends in Bergen, Berlin, Paris, Grenoble, Switzerland, Verona/Trento, and Bihac that can provide a bed for me. I also can eat fairly frugally, bread, eggs, and a waterbottle. I would like to spend more of my money on entertainment and seeing sights.
For what Ive added up, it would be $1100 ish for the flight, $750 for the Eurail Global Pass, $300-400 a week for food,transport,hostel,entertainment?
and for my interests, Natural scenery is still my most important (especially mountains), followed by nightlife, food, and art.
1
I dunno. Two and a half to three months?. If it were me, I'd prioritize places where I had friends, less for budgetary reasons than for a tour-guide and additional context for visiting these places.Forget the Eurail pass - you can go cheaper point-to-point.
For costs, consult this thread: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2153476 Subtract out lodging costs for places you have lodging. Some places will be cheaper (Bosnia) some more expensive (Norway & Switzerland) so expect it to average out. We don't know which dollars you're using: put prices in euros for this board.
Bihac will be tougher to get to by public transport, but also sounds interesting. As you probably know, trains won't take you where you need to go in Bosnia and Croatia.
2
Mickey,Include Plitvice Lakes, when going to Bihac. TT-poster Flumy provides excellent info about the connection here
4
For what Ive added up, it would be $1100 ish for the flight, $750 for the Eurail Global Pass, $300-400 a week for food,transport,hostel,entertainment?Not to be flippant, but "$" refers to several different currencies, none of which is used in Western Europe. If you want feedback on your budget, please convert the amounts into euros. And read this: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2153476.
5
Absolute MINIMUM for somewhat decent visits:Berlin: 3 days
Paris with surroundings: 5 days
Chamonix/Zermatt/Jungfrau aeas: 1 week
Lake Lugano/Lake Como/Milan: 1 week
Verona/Lake Garda: 3 days
Dolomites: 1 week
Venice: 2 days
Plitvice/Bihac: 1 day
Croatian coast: 2 weeks
Mostar 1/2 day
Travel between these places (public transport, no night trains): 1 week, if you begin in Berlin and end at Dubrovnik (Bergen would be another story).
I don't think that a eurailpass would be a good solution for this itinerary.
6
Travel or what you can learn, not by list or score card. We've only heard of the most famous, touristy, petty crime ridden places. Other smaller ones are cheaper.Our unofficial rule of threes;
Pack only three compleat changes of clothes. Hostels have washing machines.
Stay at least three compleat days at every stop. If it takes longer for your laundry to dry, thats a bonus, like getting lost is a bonus.
7
Talk with us b4 buying any plane tic.There's a how.
Me, I go to learn about the world. And talk at length with foreigners. In '63, I thought I was shipping out Swedish for cheap transportation.
I worked and lived with guys from everywhere.
It gave me a chance to find out, their all just folks.
I wound up catching four ships. They were all on dedicated runs. They only went to the same ports every time. I worked with some of the same guys on different ships.
i.e. lesson two;
You've got friends out there, you haven't met yet. And you run in to friends again at the oddest places.
So don't go so fast you learn nothing.
