Any tips on Traveling Solo?

[robertmac43]

Heading off to Europe on a Solo trip in 10ish days. Any tips?

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[John Price]

Ride the trains and withdraw cash around ATMs. But let yo bank know.

(backpacked around Europe for 2 weeks)

 

[TJ Hooker]

Just got back from 2 months in Europe.

What cities & countries are you planning on hitting up?

 

[robertmac43]

What cities & countries are you planning on hitting up?

The main area of the world is the UK (I have Scottish and English roots but have never been). Also hitting up Potugal, Spain, and France.

Where about were you?

 

[H3ckt1k]

I recommend finding somebody to go with you

 

[TJ Hooker]

I recommend finding somebody to go with you

I don't.

Travelling alone is way f***ing better.

 

[TJ Hooker]

The main area of the world is the UK (I have Scottish and English roots but have never been). Also hitting up Potugal, Spain, and France.

Where about were you?

Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Norway, England.

 

[Conrad McBenis]

Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Norway, England.

Finland GOAT - just stay away from wild @SoupyFIN s

 

[robertmac43]

Iceland, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, France, Austria, Norway, England.

Sounds amazing! What did you do for accommodations? Air BandB, Couch surfing, hotels, etc?

 

[valeriammm]

If you can find a local or know one who has a bank in the city have them withdraw cash for you and send them the money via paypal/venmo it will save you a lot on atm fees. Travel light, I cant say this enough. A carry on and a daypack is all you need, just a few versatile simple clothes make life easier. Also dont eat "out", go into grocery stores buy your own food and sit at a park or bar and spark up conversations with locals they have the best insight for everything

 

[John Price]

Potugal

Living it up in South America, are we?

 

[John Price]

If you can find a local or know one who has a bank in the city have them withdraw cash for you and send them the money via paypal/venmo it will save you a lot on atm fees. Travel light, I cant say this enough. A carry on and a daypack is all you need, just a few versatile simple clothes make life easier. Also dont eat "out", go into grocery stores buy your own food and sit at a park or bar and spark up conversations with locals they have the best insight for everything

This seems kind of sketchy.

 

[TJ Hooker]

Sounds amazing! What did you do for accommodations? Air BandB, Couch surfing, hotels, etc?

I stayed at a hostel one night, in a private room. Because I was going to be checked into it for less than 12 hours. Just needed to have a shower and sleep.

Rest of the times I stayed at AirBnBs, a few times with friends (Iceland I stayed with friends for two weeks, then I stayed at a dude's house in Copenhagen for a week who I met while I was in Iceland).

 

[John Price]

I stayed at a hostel one night, in a private room. Because I was going to be checked into it for less than 12 hours. Just needed to have a shower and sleep.

Rest of the times I stayed at AirBnBs, a few times with friends (Iceland I stayed with friends for two weeks, then I stayed at a dude's house in Copenhagen for a week who I met while I was in Iceland).

I hope you enjoyed your trip

I was in Europe last 2 weeks and I was airbnb'ing all over the place

Maybe we should have met up

 

[Hockey Outsider]

The main area of the world is the UK (I have Scottish and English roots but have never been). Also hitting up Potugal, Spain, and France.

Where about were you?

That's a lot of territory to cover in 10 days. Not sure how final your itinerary is, but consider seeing fewer places in more depth. You can easily spend 10 days in any of those countries with no shortage of options for museums, hiking, eating, drinking, etc.

(I'm speaking from experience - why try to rush through Paris in 36 hours? Sure, you might not get to see Barcelona, but it's not going anywhere).

 

[John Price]

Barcelona is nice

Don't rush through Paris. Enjoy it. It's a big city and there is still so much I haven't seen.

 

[valeriammm]

This seems kind of sketchy.

having a friend in the country with a bank account? You arent asking strangers?

 

[John Price]

having a friend in the country with a bank account? You arent asking strangers?

Why don't you just use the ATM? The withdrawal fee is like 3 dollars.

 

[valeriammm]

Why don't you just use the ATM? The withdrawal fee is like 3 dollars.

I travel pretty frequently, ATM fees are not 3USD more like up to 6 in major cities, plus my bank is a local one so they add on fees themselves, plus thru europe the currency value screws over my dollar anyway

 

[John Price]

I travel pretty frequently, ATM fees are not 3USD more like up to 6 in major cities, plus my bank is a local one so they add on fees themselves, plus thru europe the currency value screws over my dollar anyway

this is not true it was literally 3 dollars in belgium

 

[John Price]

If you can find a local or know one who has a bank in the city have them withdraw cash for you and send them the money via paypal/venmo it will save you a lot on atm fees. Travel light, I cant say this enough. A carry on and a daypack is all you need, just a few versatile simple clothes make life easier. Also dont eat "out", go into grocery stores buy your own food and sit at a park or bar and spark up conversations with locals they have the best insight for everything

Also I don' twish to nitpick but when I was in Europe we did not really go into grocery stores to eat. If you go into FrancePrix or Carrefour or whatever they have there to eat you will not have a good time and you will be depriving yourself of good food. It's okay to eat at restaurants, especially in europe where the food is so affordable.

I like to live like my good friend Anthony Bourdain and absorb culture. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I was in Paris a few days ago by myself. The first thing I did was look for a crowded restaurant. I didn't go to the grocery store and get some store brought sandwich. That wouldn't be nice. I ended up in a pizzeria that was serving some of that good stuff CHIMAY™ and it was pretty good. It was not French food per se but it was where the locals went. I have no regrets.

 

[John Price]

Europe has very cheap beer and good affordable food. You can use Yelp to find good restaurants or you can just be like me and eyeball crowded restaurants. The good thing about Europe is that you don't really need to break the bank to eat good food. The most you pay is about 20 euro at a local restaurant. Some restaurants like Michelin Star ones go as high as 100+, especially if you want to do a wine pairing. Do that if you want, but you can get a good meal for a cheap price in Europe and get some nice beer with it too.

 

[valeriammm]

Also I don' twish to nitpick but when I was in Europe we did not really go into grocery stores to eat. If you go into FrancePrix or Carrefour or whatever they have there to eat you will not have a good time and you will be depriving yourself of good food. It's okay to eat at restaurants, especially in europe where the food is so affordable.

I like to live like my good friend Anthony Bourdain and absorb culture. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I was in Paris a few days ago by myself. The first thing I did was look for a crowded restaurant. I didn't go to the grocery store and get some store brought sandwich. That wouldn't be nice. I ended up in a pizzeria that was serving some of that good stuff CHIMAY™ and it was pretty good. It was not French food per se but it was where the locals went. I have no regrets.

hope you enjoyed your overpriced tourist pizza. Im not saying NEVER sit down to eat thats stupid and almost unavoidable im saying your be stupid not to want to try the sweet amount of cool cheese and yogurts you could find abroad and not snack on all day for much cheaper, not buying some premade sandwich. As far as using the ATM, you must not travel much, im glad Belgium did you right and you lucked out with cheap fees

 

[John Price]

hope you enjoyed your overpriced tourist pizza. Im not saying NEVER sit down to eat thats stupid and almost unavoidable im saying your be stupid not to want to try the sweet amount of cool cheese and yogurts you could find abroad and not snack on all day for much cheaper, not buying some premade sandwich. As far as using the ATM, you must not travel much, im glad Belgium did you right and you lucked out with cheap fees

Why would you want to eat cheap convenience store food when you could go to a restaurant and pay a little more? Enjoy your cold ham and cheese sandwich.

That being said, if you go to a cafe and get a baguette that is a good idea. In France they have pretty good baguettes with ham and cheese or other types of meats. In Spain they had Iberico ham which is one of the best. They just put that on a sandwich. It's delicious. Those aren't from convenience stores though. Those are from small cafes and restaurants. I would recommend getting food there instead of a convenience store.

 

[John Price]

I think we need a neutral arbitrator to settle this dispute.

@Tom Hansen your thoughts