Here are some things you need to consider when planning for your European Adventure:
1) Budget - Start stashing away a few acorns now. Plan on saving at least $100 per day of travel as a starting budget.
2) Airfare - Start shopping for airfare now, and book your airline tickets well in advance to insure your best rates. Check out travelocitiy.com or collegianmag.com for other resources for flights to Europe. When flying within Europe, check out ryanair.com, easyjet.com, & virginexpress.com. You can fly very inexpensively within Europe. Often for no more than $99 one way between major hubs like Brussels and London. You need to be creative with your flight planning. For instance, I did a search on Travelocity for a round trip flight between New York & Stockholm. Travelocity came up with a fare of $675 as the best fare. However, you could fly to London for $350 round trip on several airlines and then book a flight through Ryan Air to Stockholm for under $60 roundtrip! That's a saving of over $265! I actually took advantage of this during my excursion to Europe. I'll be reviewing more travel options like this in our Spring/Summer issue so don't miss it!
3) RailEurope (raileurope.com) - I highly recommend getting familiar with rail travel in Europe as soon as possible. RailEurope is a really great resource for all your European rail travel needs. Rail knowledge is essential because you will be jumping trains in Europe if you are planning on seeing more than one city/country. RailEurope not only has the best rates for rail passes, it is also a good way to plan some possible itineraries. There are many different types of rail passes that you can purchase. This is really nice because there are many options to match-up with your travel plans and budget. The CT&A staff got our rail passes through RailEurope and they were an essential part of our adventure. We also used raileurope.com to check train schedules and make reservations during our trip. You can check out information on RailEurope on collegianmag.com or go to raileurope.com. I'll have more rail travel nuggets in our Spring/Summer issue.
4) Passport & Identification (duh!) - You will need an up-to-date passport for travel to Europe and make sure you bring an International Student I.D. card, and drivers license as well. Your International Student I.D. card will get you many discounts on travel, museums, and entertainment. Don't wait to the last minute to get these things. (If you do procrastinate, passportsandvisas.com can get you a passport in a rush.)
5) Hostelling International-USA - This is another "must have" for travel anywhere! This will get you affordable accommodations at over 4,000 hostels in 60 countries, including more than 100 locations in the USA too! Your membership also gets you worldwide discounts in restaurants, retail stores, on attractions, rental cars and more! Hostelling International-USA is giving away a free trip to London for one of our lucky Collegian Travel & Adventure Readers. Airfare & Accommodations included. Details and contest entry to be announced soon online at collegianmag.com and in our upcoming Spring/Summer issue!
6) Pack Light & Get a good backpack! - I can't stress how important it is to pack light and to have a really good backpack. A good backpack is probably the best investment you can make in your preparations for travel. I consulted with Kelty prior to my trip and they recommended their Moraine 3200. This pack was perfect because it wasn't one of these giant, over-weighted, packs that many unfortunate travelers strap on. It allowed me to be mobile, and still carry all my essentials. Check out www.kelty.com. Another good pack company is Osprey Packs. Some of our staff also sported Osprey Packs (www.ospreypacks.com) as well.
Spotlight Destination: Interlaken, Switzerland
Alpinraft (www.alpinraft.com) The "Original" Outdoor Company since 1988. Activities include: canyoning, rafting, bungy, and skiing and snowboarding. Heinz, (former Olympic & World Cup Skier) has some Great ski packages for students this winter. We had a mind blowing Canyoning adventure with these guys this summer - Don't miss our Spring/Summer issue.
Outdoor Interlaken (www.outdoor-interlaken.ch) Serving up a multitude of adventures including: rafting, canyoning, climbing, sky diving, paragliding, and skiing & snowboarding! Jon (went to school in Colorado Springs) is a great guy and has some killer ski packages for students this winter. We had an exhilarating rafting adventure with them that we will share with you in the Spring/Summer issue. |
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