Planning my next Eurotrip on a budget + my tips to a future traveler
I might've ended 2017 the best possible way yet. Quite honestly, I would've never thought I'd be writing this from Germany. But I am. The weeks that led up to December 18th, which was the date of my flight, were so stressful. I had not been on a plane in years and built up a fear of flying from seeing horrible things on the news like terrorist attacks and even worse plane crashes. So I prepped by booking a flight with my boyfriend and a group of friends to Miami for my boyfriends birthday. That was a blast! It was a short trip but well worth it. (That'll be another post) It was a short three hour flight with plenty of mini pretzel bags and sodas but it prepped me for minor turbulence and reassured me how safe planes can be. Trust your pilot. But always be aware.
The flight
I had a lot of things on my mind before leaving to Germany. "Could I pay all my bills on time? Would my car be okay? Would my boyfriend be okay? What should I pack? How much money do I need?". After declining multiple offers from my parents to come for a visit, last minute mid-November I decided to just accept and go for it. I mean you only live once and i preach so much about it I had to be about it too. I've only imagined myself going to places like I did these past three weeks in my dreams or half way through a documentary. I packed my bags, jumped on the plane from JFK airport to Madrid, Spain (7 hour flight) to get on another plane to Frankfurt, Germany (2 hour flight). Thanks Iberia Airlines! You had great food and great service. Round trip flights were about $650 and from my research for a future trip they are about $339 in the Fall. Not that bad if you think about it. With one weeks pay you can book your flight and the next week you can book a couple of nights through hotels.com or booking.com. Some hotel rooms can be as low as $50 per night or if your don't mind sharing rooms there are hostels that charge $10 a night. It all takes research and patience. Those are your first two things to take care of to make your trip official.
Getting around
Plan your schedule and transit route. Cities like Venice, Paris, Rome and Cinque Terre all had trains, buses and Uber. So getting around is not a problem. But you can also choose to rent a car to drive to outer areas or your next location. Europeans love Smart card and Fiats because you can fit in nearly any parking space and you can get around easier since the roads are tiny. So if you do rent , choose something on the smaller side. Websites like Expedia and Booking.com allow you to book hotel, flights and car if you decide to pay it all together.
Your Phone
Also, make sure you have international internet on your phone in case you need GPS or need to google. I've been paying for my T-mobile One plan on my iPhone and for once it actually benefited me because I had service almost everywhere. It wasn't as fast as in the United States but it worked enough to get me from point A to B.
Currency Difference
Finally, understanding the value of the Euro and the dollar is important because at the moment the US dollar is worth less than the Euro. For $150 US dollar they give you $120 Minus a transaction fee of $10.It can get real pricey in the middle of tourist areas. I took my debit card and used a cheap ATM which charged me $2.50 vs the $10+ fee from exchange places. Take a large amount out at once to avoid getting your card blocked , which is what happened to me once on the trip. Try to take $100 in American dollar as well to have in case of emergencies. Oh, one more thing....carry around lots of change in euros. Whatever they give you back, have it handy for restrooms. Almost ALL bathrooms charged .50 up to 1.50 just to use the toilet.
Hopefully some of these tips can guide you in planning your vacation to Europe. If you have the money, go all out! But if you're still finding your balance financially, don't let it stop your dreams of traveling. With the right planning and saving you could be on your way to paradise. I definitely plan to go back one more time. The world is so much bigger than I ever imagined.
- J.
The flight
I had a lot of things on my mind before leaving to Germany. "Could I pay all my bills on time? Would my car be okay? Would my boyfriend be okay? What should I pack? How much money do I need?". After declining multiple offers from my parents to come for a visit, last minute mid-November I decided to just accept and go for it. I mean you only live once and i preach so much about it I had to be about it too. I've only imagined myself going to places like I did these past three weeks in my dreams or half way through a documentary. I packed my bags, jumped on the plane from JFK airport to Madrid, Spain (7 hour flight) to get on another plane to Frankfurt, Germany (2 hour flight). Thanks Iberia Airlines! You had great food and great service. Round trip flights were about $650 and from my research for a future trip they are about $339 in the Fall. Not that bad if you think about it. With one weeks pay you can book your flight and the next week you can book a couple of nights through hotels.com or booking.com. Some hotel rooms can be as low as $50 per night or if your don't mind sharing rooms there are hostels that charge $10 a night. It all takes research and patience. Those are your first two things to take care of to make your trip official.
Getting around
Plan your schedule and transit route. Cities like Venice, Paris, Rome and Cinque Terre all had trains, buses and Uber. So getting around is not a problem. But you can also choose to rent a car to drive to outer areas or your next location. Europeans love Smart card and Fiats because you can fit in nearly any parking space and you can get around easier since the roads are tiny. So if you do rent , choose something on the smaller side. Websites like Expedia and Booking.com allow you to book hotel, flights and car if you decide to pay it all together.
Your Phone
Also, make sure you have international internet on your phone in case you need GPS or need to google. I've been paying for my T-mobile One plan on my iPhone and for once it actually benefited me because I had service almost everywhere. It wasn't as fast as in the United States but it worked enough to get me from point A to B.
Currency Difference
Finally, understanding the value of the Euro and the dollar is important because at the moment the US dollar is worth less than the Euro. For $150 US dollar they give you $120 Minus a transaction fee of $10.It can get real pricey in the middle of tourist areas. I took my debit card and used a cheap ATM which charged me $2.50 vs the $10+ fee from exchange places. Take a large amount out at once to avoid getting your card blocked , which is what happened to me once on the trip. Try to take $100 in American dollar as well to have in case of emergencies. Oh, one more thing....carry around lots of change in euros. Whatever they give you back, have it handy for restrooms. Almost ALL bathrooms charged .50 up to 1.50 just to use the toilet.
Hopefully some of these tips can guide you in planning your vacation to Europe. If you have the money, go all out! But if you're still finding your balance financially, don't let it stop your dreams of traveling. With the right planning and saving you could be on your way to paradise. I definitely plan to go back one more time. The world is so much bigger than I ever imagined.
- J.
(Tried being creative with my pose at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.)
(Train station in Rome. Fare was $1.90)
(The views at Cinque Terre, Italy were breath taking)
(Bathhouses in the ruins of Pompeii)
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