#yes i'm hungarian and i will make that everyone's problem

[cbk1000]

Hi! I remember that trip you took to Europe all by yourself, and I have to tell you that's one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen. And I honestly mean that. I'm starting college this year and it's been a life long dream of mine to do the same (I live in Europe btw so it's a bit easier for me maybe). . So I wanted to ask, was it scary, how did you talk yourself into going, would you go again, do you have some advice on how to spend as little money as possible etc?

I would actually LOVE to do it again; it was the best vacation I’ve ever taken. 

I actually tried to talk myself OUT of going; I knew it was a bit nuts. I’d never been overseas before (I’d travelled a bit in the States at that point, but the only time I’d been out of the country was a day trip to Canada when I was 14 or so), and to just throw yourself headfirst into overseas travel by doing a solo three month trip is kind of batshit. But I’m kind of batshit, so it suited me.

I did a lot of research by reading blogs and articles written by backpackers who had done what I wanted to do, so I knew it was probably something I would enjoy. I also like doing things by myself, so I knew I probably wouldn’t have any major issues with loneliness, and I’m comfortable chatting up strangers, which is the name of the game when you’re a solo traveler. And I think those are really two of the most important things to consider when you’re backpacking by yourself: put yourself out there. You’ll meet some amazing people and when you do feel that pang of loneliness, you’ll always be able to find a companion to go sightseeing with. At the same time, don’t be afraid to do things by yourself; I did a lot of solo sightseeing, and it was amazing. You don’t have to get a consensus from a group on who wants to do what; no one argues; no one wants to do things their way. You just pick wherever the hell you want to go, and you go. Some of my favourite parts of my trip involved me just rambling alone around some city. I actually found a really amazing little archaeology museum in Croatia that way.

As for keeping costs down, Nomadic Matt  has a lot of really good general tips and also breaks down average costs and accommodations by region. I would definitely take a look through his site; I used it for some of my research. You have a huge advantage as a European; there are tons of budget airlines and bus lines you can take advantage of. Airfare was one of my biggest expenses; a roundtrip ticket from the west coast of the U.S. to Ireland (where I started) isn’t cheap. 

Some hostels will occasionally do free dinners for their guests, so you might want to keep an eye out for that sort of thing (they’ll usually advertise on their website). There was a hostel in Budapest that did a free dinner for the backpackers on Tuesdays and Thursdays, if I remember correctly. They would make traditional Hungarian dishes for us to try, and everyone would sit around a big table and eat and chat. There was also a hostel in Scotland (Inverness, I think?) that did a haggis dinner for the guests. Some of them also have restaurants attached that are decently priced for budget travelers. Mostly, however, I would just look up the nearest grocery store and stock up on a few essentials. I’d usually buy some rolls, maybe a bit of cheese, some stuff for a few days’ worth of breakfast, etc. I usually would get a bunch of greens and some vegetables too so I could make up some cheap, easy salads. The vast majority of hostels will have a kitchen so you can store your food and also have a place to prep it if necessary. It’s worth popping into little cafes sometimes, too. There was one right round the corner from my hostel in Belfast where you could get a huge bowl of oatmeal for £3; it filled me up till lunch when I would snack on whatever I got at the grocery store. I stayed three days and ate there every morning. 

Some countries and cities are just going to be more expensive than others. London was a lot of fun, but it was also fucking hell on the wallet. Once you start getting into eastern Europe, everything starts getting a lot cheaper, so that’s something to keep in mind. The hostel I stayed at in Croatia cost me $10 a night. Also, if you want to see a lot of popular tourist attractions, look into whether or not there’s a city pass; lots of cities have them. Buying a city pass will get you into a bunch of the major attractions at a heavily discounted price. Remember that paying to see certain attractions is worth it, but you can honestly wander across some really amazing stuff just by heading out on foot and getting to know a city in a way that riding a tram or bus will never allow you to become acquainted with it. 

Was it scary?

Yes. You’re striking out, completely alone, for a country full of strangers speaking a language you might not even know. If you’re not a little bit nervous about that, you’re probably a little bit stupid. It’s ok to be scared. Honestly? When I was boarding my flight to Dublin, there was a moment when I didn’t know if I could get on the plane. That was partly because I have a pretty severe phobia of flying; but it was also partly because I stopped and said to myself, what in the holy MOTHERFUCK am I doing?? It was insane. Probably someone was going to rob me and then later I would be murdered and my mother would get to say, “I told you so” over my grave while in hell I cursed and gnashed my teeth at the murderer who enabled my mother to get to be smug about my disastrous failure as a traveler and human being in general. It’s scary; for those few moments before you internally slap yourself as you’re frantically calculating all the things that can go terribly wrong when you step foot outside familiar soil, it’s paralyzing.

It was also, hands-down, one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I don’t regret a second of it. You will be frustrated. Unless you have a far better sense of direction than I do, you will get lost. A lot. (Just keep walking until something looks familiar; you’ll find your way back eventually. And if all else fails, find the nearest shop or tourist booth and make a self-deprecating sad face and pull out your map. A roommate and I once had a Hungarian man who really didn’t even speak English help us try to read a map while we were wandering, completely lost, around Budapest at like one in the morning. People will help you.) Sometimes your card won’t work on a tram ticket machine in the Netherlands because you didn’t know those fuckers only take Dutch bank cards and you don’t have any proper currency on you because you just took a bus in from London and all your money is still in pounds and you’re stranded in the middle of  RANDOM PARKING LOT WHERE THE BUS JUST DROPPED YOU OFF WHICH YOU THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE AN ACTUAL BUS STATION BUT IT’S NOT (thx) AND YOU WILL WONDER HOW THE FUCK ALL AM I GOING TO GET TO AMSTERDAM FROM HERE. Take a deep breath; you will have moments like that. You will figure out how the fuck all you’re going to get to Amsterdam from there (plead your case to a kindly tram driver and they will give you a free ride into the city; it helps if you first make friends with an English/German woman who will also plead your case + point you to the nearest ATM once you reach the city). 

It will make you a better problem solver; you will come away with an immense satisfaction. To rely so completely on yourself, and to succeed, even imperfectly, is so ridiculously gratifying. 

All you need is a little common sense and enough guts to push yourself into actually doing it. I promise you, it’s much easier than it looks.

#travel #also come back and keep me updated on your travel plans!!