Travel Resources

If you've ever seen the movie Hostel, rest assured, that is a fictional movie. Though, I still always discourage women from traveling alone as there are horrible people out there.

Hostels in Europe are essentially the same as hotels, but made for multiple parties to sleep in the same room and exponentially cheaper (e.g. each night I stayed in Dublin was €7 and I had a blast). It could be as few as a couple bunk beds (as my first experience in Ireland) or as many as an enormous room full of triple bunk beds (as my experience in London). However, you have the option of choosing the size of room (and number of beds) per room. Further, if you insist on sleeping alone, you could opt for a small room and simply pay for each bunk - but I wouldn't recommend it. Typically there is some sort of divider giving you some privacy, but if the idea of sleeping in a room full of strangers bothers you, it will just be something you'll have to get over OR spend much more on private hotel rooms. 

There are typically some sort of charge port where you can charge your electronics. and when it comes to your travel bag(s), there is provided a wire-framed pen that is lockable (you'll have to have your own lock) located under your bed or otherwise near by. Finally, more often than not (in my experience), hostels provide at least 1 meal per day. Some, like The Four Courts in Dublin, offered free breakfast in the morning which consisted of basic foods to start your day. Others, like The Septum Sanctus in Florence, offered both breakfast and dinner each day - though for a small price.

The reason I really recommend using hostels though, beyond the cheap price and such, is the community. Wherever you stay, you will meet people who are in the same or similar boat as you. They, like you, are there to explore, site see, and eat good food. I can't tell you how many great people I met at hostels simply by sitting by some random person or people at breakfast! If you're shy, this will take getting used to. But if you're friendly, others will likely randomly come say hello to you and before you know it, you've got a whole group of new friends to explore the city with! 

There were 2 primary hostel booking apps/websites that I used:

1) Hostelbookers

2) Hostelworld

I know Hostelworld is still running, but I don't think Hostelbookers is anymore. Neither of these apps required fees or anything from the user (at the time). These two apps were a couple I chose to take a chance on and they proved to be a good resource and safe. Don't think twice about doing some research to find an app that seems best for you. Regardless, you definitely need to find one (if not more) if you plan on using hostels. Apps like this compare the price of hostels within any given city. This way, you can pull up the apps 24 to 48 hours before you expect to be in your next city and book a room. Some hostels require up-front fees for pre-booking that will be deducted from your final bill when you leave. 

I highly recommend booking your hostels no more than 48 hours in advance and booking a minimum of 2 nights. Why? First, so that you don't lock yourself into an obligation. You'll never know what opportunities might present themselves and if you're locked into staying somewhere, you will miss out on that opportunity (e.g. I hadn't planned on going to Cinque Terre, but since I hadn't booked myself too far in advance, I was able to change my plans and have an incredible experience). Secondly, the reason I say to book 2 nights minimum is because it might take you 1/2 a day to get where you're going. You'll get there, enjoy the night, go to sleep, wake up, site see till lunch, then realize you've go to scramble to decide where you want to go next (or stay there another night) before then finding a hostel with an available bed for a reasonable price. I made this mistake a few times before getting it right. If you book 2 nights, you can relax getting there, spend the entire day exploring, then before you go to bed, casually look up available hostels in whatever city you wish to visit next and book it. Trust me, you'll want to do it this way.

So this is something you definitely want to think about. Most places charge a fee to convert currency. Whether it is a currency exchange place, a bank, or YOUR bank, they likely will charge you a percentage for any convergences. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize the damage on conversions - or eliminate them altogether. 

1. International Banks

• Doing research, I found out that if I opened up a Charles Schwab account, which is entirely internet-based, I could withdraw money from any ATM in Europe without being charge a fee to convert USD (US Dollar) to EU (Euro) or BP (British Pound). This way I could pull out what cash I needed, when I needed it instead of walking around with hundreds of dollars in my pocket or burdened with traveler's checks (that very few places these days now accept). I typically used cash to pay for food, entertainment, museum tickets, and that sort of thing. I recommend doing some research to find a bank that has this deal or similar -- or check with your own bank to see what they offer.

2. International Credit Cards

• Doing research, I found out that Bank of America had a certain card I could get that would not charge conversion fees on items purchased with their credit outside the United States. I think this was limited to EUs, BPs, and a couple others, but it worked perfectly for my needs. There were also no annual fees, interest was low, and there were different rewards attached to it. I typically used my credit card only to book hostels online. I recommend doing some research to find a credit card that has this deal or similar.

3. (?)

I have good news. English is the International Language of Business. At least in my experience, most people spoke enough English to assist you in basic ways - e.g. directions. You might have to play a little charades from time to time, but you'll probably be fine. I would still do a little research on where you plan to go and see what different articles say about the English-friendliness of places. I believe most big cities are fairly English-friendly...except perhaps for Paris (in my experience).

HOWEVER, even if you are going to a very English-friendly county such as Germany, it is considerate of you to learn a few basic phrases out of courtesy rather than simply assuming everyone speaks the language. 

For instance, in whatever country you go to, learn to say the following words/phrases correctly at the very least.

• Excuse me

• Hello

• Do you speak English?

• No problem!

• Thank you/Thank you so much!

Very simple. Call your insurance company and see what they offer for travel insurance. Travel Insurance is fairly cheap and will cover most things that could possibly happen such as a stolen camera, injury, etc.

There are 3 primary types of backpacking packs to choose from (loader type) with 3 frame options. After doing much research, I chose to go with the Kelty Redwing brand. The one I bought was very effective and high in quality. As far as the type, it really all comes down to your personal preference. There are pros and cons to each individual item and their combinations. You will need to decide which type of loader seems best for what you plan to do, then choose the type of frame (or lack-there-of) that seems best for your needs.

Loader Types: 

1. Front Loader

• This was my personal preference. Front Loaders have a top flap that zips all the way down to reveal a large, primary compartment. It makes it easy to sort your things and move stuff around and there is no need for having to do a bunch of digging down. There are also several external compartments for easy access on the go. I would often keep things like a poncho, tickets, etc. in the top compartment for quick access on the go, then a bottle of water and snacks in the sides with all my clothes and such things in the main compartment.

2. Top Loader

• A friend of mine had this type when he did some traveling. I liked it, but hated that it all loaded and unloaded from the top. It reminded me of one of those laundry basket backpacks. It's great for stuffing stuff in, but if you need to get something from the bottom, you have to dig all the way down

3. Panel Loader

• This type is most similar to a typical school backpack, but bigger. There is a large main compartment with many other smaller compartments around it, but the top flap doesn't zip all the way down like the Front Loader does.

Frame (the metal skeleton that holds the pack's form) Options:

1. External frame

• The metal skeleton is on the outside. It keeps your pack from fumbling around, but you also feel the metal pressing against your back as you walk. 

2. Internal frame

• The skeleton is within the pack so there is padding between you and the metal. This was the option I went with. It kept the pack in form but without pressing into my back. It felt like I had a strong backbone, which really helped on longer treks - like searching for my hostel in Bath, England, walking up and down hills until finally finding it tucked away in an ally.

3. Frameless

• I wouldn't recommend frameless unless you really think it would work best for you. There is no support in this pack at all. All your things jumble around on your back and the weight distribution could feel very uneven. But again, if this sounds like it will suit your needs the best, get it.

The other thing about these packs is that the size (at least with Kelty Redwing) is in liters. You don't want something that is TOO big, but definitely don't want something entirely too small either. SO, if you're having trouble figuring out which you should get, do your best to decide what might work,...then go one size larger. 

Worst case scenario: You'll get the wrong one and either A) Have a little more space than you really need or B) have just enough space, forcing you to stop and do laundry more often. 

Either way, not a complete game changer so don't stress over it.

Universal Power Adaptors

• I would highly recommend purchasing one of these handy devices. They are relatively cheap and will guarantee you are able to charge your electronic devices.

• Believe it or not, different countries or regions have different electric socket types. If you arrive with a charger purchased in the USA and attempt to plug it into a socket in the UK or Europe, you may find it impossible

• Consider what countries/regions you plan to visit and choose a universal power adaptor that will meet your needs. There are a variety of options out there such as multi-attachments or all-in-one. The one pictured here is an all-in-one for the USA, the UK, Australia, and Europe (the countries I visited anyway).

Check out this video for a better explanation:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX3Fksa7ukI

Clothes: The most important thing to consider is what the weather will be like where you are going. You don't want to show up with shorts and t-shirts because where you come from it is warm in May only to find it quite cool and have to go purchase clothing for that climate. So know this detail prior to packing. Further (ladies especially), only bring what you know you will need. Excess packing will lead to a heavier bag to carry and will prevent you from having storage space of other things such as souvenirs. 

Shoes: If you plan to simply shop at the local mall, eat at fancy restaurants, and do minimum walking, wear whatever seems best to you. However, if you plan to actually go out and explore the place you are in, take tours, see the sites, and have adventures, you will need a solid pair of shoes. Walking the streets will wear out your regular tennis shoes so spend a little money on a quality pair of hiking shoes. I bought a pair of Colombia hiking shoes (not boots) complete with arch support and extra grip on the soles. They were made extremely well and even after daily use, they lasted me well beyond my 2-month trip.

Towel: If you plan to stay in hotels, you can expect them to provide towels. If you plan to stay in a hostel, however, you can't always rely on them for towels. They provide bedding, but that's about it. SO, I recommend bringing a microfiber towel. These are relatively inexpensive, light weight, and dry quickly. OR you could do like I did after I lost my towel and use a clean shirt as a towel, hang it to dry, then wear it the next day using another clean shirt as a towel (would not recommend). Your call.

Poncho: It's one of those things you don't think about until you realize it would be really nice to have. Ponchos are made so compact now that many of them will fit in your back pocket. They are cheap, light weight, and take up far less space than even the smallest umbrellas. No matter the climate, you can never fully predict the weather (meteorologists are the only professionals who can be wrong 62% of the time and still have a job).