Finding Deals

Yesterday my travel partner and I booked our plane tickets. We leave on April 28, 2009 and we return May 26, 2009. In two months from now, I will be on my way to Europe.

I feel like we have a lot to do before we go, and the way time flies I don’t know when we will get it all done. I think our next step will be to book hostels because then we will know we have a place to stay when we are there. Then we will have to book our train passes.

The good thing about travelling during this economic crisis is that many companies are offering reduced rates. The big expenses are a little less than they would be in a thriving economy.

Being a student also has its benefits. Right now my travel partner and I will be able to get into museums in Paris for free with our student card. Listening to a presentation done in my class about travelling I learned that many places will give you a deal for being a student.

When I’m purchasing and planning the next steps of my trip I will have to remember to look for deals. Being a student and being in the recession, there will be a lot of deals. I just have to find them.

Overcoming Travel Fears

This week I have not progressed too far in the planning stages. Instead of planning, I have been thinking about fears that I have about travelling.

1. How much do I pack?

After reading Lauren M’s blog I started to worry about packing. I know I don’t have to worry about it for a while, but how big should my backpack be, and how full should I fill it? Searching tips I found that my backpack should only carry 20-30 pounds. Another interesting tip is to pack all similar colours so that my clothes will all mix and match.

2. Should I bring cash, travellers cheques or credit cards?

I worry about running out of cash, carrying too much cash and being charged crazy exchange rates on my credit card. I found out that most people use ATM’s while bringing a small amount of cash and some travellors cheques. One tip I found is to make sure that I have a chequing account because a lot of ATM’s in Europe do not have a “savings” option.

3. Theft on trains.

Because we are taking the train to many places, how can I ensure that my backpack does get stolen? I will have to purchase a lock for my backpack and try to have it near me, or sleep with it on trains as much as possible. I will need to have a “carry-on” bag with essentials in case something happens to my backpack, and I will have to keep all of my personal belongings on me. The tips I read were to be as safe as you can, but ultimately if someone is going to rob me, they will.

I feel a little more at ease about some of my worries. I still can’t wait to go.

The Budget

The most challenging part of planning a trip to Europe is the budget. Our budget for the trip is very cheap. Booking flights, hostels and trains are all major costs to the trip. 

With this blog I would like to give tips on how we plan to travel on a small budget, and I invite you to post any requests.

Booking Flights
I have been searching for flights since September. I want to fly with Air Canada so I can get Aeroplan points and have a free trip within Canada after I get home. AirCanada does offer specials every now and then. I get emails from them every week or two and I check out their rates. The lowest I found for a round trip to Paris, France was around $790. I was even more successful with finding cheap AirCanada flights at www.cheapoair.com where the flights were around $700.

Hostels
The only website that I know of for searching hostels is www.hostelworld.com . I like this site because it offers a lot of travellers input about all the hostels, and it allows you to book them online. We will stay in mixed dorms with 8-10 people because those ones are the best deals.

Trains
My travel partner and I have decided to get a train pass and use the train as our primary mode of transportation. Because we are going to so many country’s we will take as many over night trains as possible to save on hostel costs.

There are a lot more costs to think about such as food, attractions and souvenirs. There is also costs before we go on insurance, backpacks and other travel supplies.

Travelling on a budget is a challenge. If you have any tips, please let me know.

What to do in Europe?

I think that the most difficult thing about planning a trip is deciding what to see in each city. I have limited time in the cities and I want to get as much as I can out of all of them.

I talked with my travel partner this weekend and we decided where we would go. I won’t tell you all of the places that we plan to see, but I will mention the things I am most excited for.

The thing I am most excited to do is the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. The Sound of Music has been my favourite movie since I was in grade two. I can’t believe I will be climbing the same hills as Julie Andrews.

The next thing I am really excited for is Auschwitz. I am very interested in history, and I took a Holocaust course in University. After taking that class and learning about the atrocities of the Holocaust, I wanted to learn more. I think that the day we go to Auschwitz will be very emotional, but will also be life changing.

The third thing I am excited for is Santorini in Greece. I have many friends that have been there, and their pictures are gorgeous. The city is beautiful. I know it is a tourist island but I can’t wait to relax on the beach and hike through the city. Who knows? I may even ride a donkey.

Those three things are what I look forward to most. If anyone has any other cool places I should see let me know.

Ciao for now.