Biking the Mekong Delta in Vietnam

I met Matt and Kat in Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam. They were a British couple cycling across Southeast Asia for six months. Being the only people in our guesthouse, we spent a couple evenings eating, drinking beer, and talking. We became friends out of necessity, less for them because they had each other and more for me, who was a bit bored from being alone.

And then, like so many travel relationships, it was time to say good-bye. In the blink of an eye, it was time for all of us to move on.

But, during our time together, we had actually grown to enjoy each other’s company and made vague plans to meet up again in Ho Chi Minh City.

And, over drinks, what started off as an off hand comment became solid plans to join their bike trip for a few days.

Our plan was simple: I’d bike with them across the Mekong Delta then take the bus back to Ho Chi Minh City, while they continued on to Cambodia. I didn’t want to buy a bike and wasn’t outfitted for a multi-week excursion, but a couple of days over flat land seemed totally doable.

Our first day’s plan would take us to My Tho about 80km away. Though I was no expert in kilometers, it still seemed like a long distance to me.

After spending a day searching for a bike in Ho Chi Minh City, I stored my stuff at my guesthouse and we left early the next morning.

“It’s good to get out early before the sun gets too high,” Matt said. “Once it peaks, it’s very hot and we won’t get far between stops.”

The chaotic streets of Ho Chi Minh City are a no-rules zone. Pedestrians walk without looking, motorcycle drivers ride on sidewalks as they chat on their phone, and cars and trucks merge with utter disregard for others. It seemed the only rule was to drive aggressively and let everyone else adjust.

Mat and Kat led the way and I followed as we merged into multilane highways with no shoulders, careful not to get hit as giant trucks raced past us. Soon, rice terraces, dusty roads, and houses in the distance replaced the chaos of the city. We stopped for photos and kids would come racing up to us to practice their English, look at our bikes, take pictures, and laugh at our sweaty appearance.

As the day dragged on and the sun got high in the sky, I began to run out of steam. I was not in as good shape as I thought. Though I was a healthy eater and regular at my gym back home, being on the road for over six months had taken its toll on my body. My legs were sore, my pace slowed, sweat-stained the back of my shirt.

My friends looked at me with pity. “Maybe we should rest,” Matt said empathetically.

“Yeah, let’s stop for lunch,” Kat said.

We pulled into a restaurant by the side of the road. The proprietors gave us strange looks. It’s probably not often that three sunburned foreigners pull in on bikes. We sat down, rested, cooled off, and gorged ourselves on pho. We kicked back multiple cans of coke – trying to replace the sugar we lost on the bike ride. I drank slowly, hoping to extend our rest stop as long as possible.

“Come on, mate. We’re halfway there,” Matt eventually said standing up. “You can do it!”

Matt found a route off the highway through the countryside. “It’ll be more scenic and relaxing than this main road,” he said, still worried I wasn’t enjoying myself.

We got off the main road and headed through a few little towns when we realized we were really lost. Way off the highway, we were now in deep trouble. No one spoke English. We made some gestures at the first group of locals we saw, with no luck. Group two provided just as unhelpful. We tried to figure out a route but ended up back where we started.

Finally, we came across a guy who spoke a little English. He pointed us in a direction we could only hope was right.

So we biked. And biked some more.

There was still no sign of the highway. Just empty roads and the occasional house. Eventually, we found a convenience store, and after some clever sign language on Kat’s part, learned how to get back to the main road.

With 25km to go, I was dragging behind again. Our brisk early-morning pace had come to a crawl as I pedaled with lead in my legs.

While Matt and Kat were reassuring, their faces revealed a hidden frustration at the time it was taking to cover the distance. What did we get ourselves into they must have thought.

Around 6 pm, we finally pulled into My Tho. I was barely biking at this point, moving only by inertia. I decided that after we had checked in and, drank a very cold beer, I was off to bed.

“Passports, please,” the clerk of the hotel said.

We all got them out.

“What’s this?” she asked looking at my photocopied paper.

Before we had left Ho Chi Minh City, I had dropped off my passport at the Thai embassy so that I could get a two-month visa: one month for learning Thai and the other for traveling around Isaan. Being the smart traveler I was, I kept a copy of my passport and my visa for hotel check-ins.

“It’s my photocopy,” I said, explaining the situation.

“No good. You have to have the original. You can’t stay here.”

“But it’s me. Look, I even have backup,” I said, pulling out all the papers that proved I was me, hoping to be granted a reprieve.

“Sorry, the police are very tough here. No passport, no stay,” she said.

“Well, my friends have theirs. Can I stay with them?”

“No.”

After trying and failing at five other places, it didn’t look like I would find a place to stay. If we had gotten in earlier, we could have searched longer or come up with a solution. But the sun was setting — and with it the last bus was going back to Ho Chi Minh City. I had to decide quickly what to do.

“There is a bus to Ho Chi Minh City at 7pm. You can take that back,” said the owner of the first guesthouse.

It was 6:45.

As my guesthouse owners back in Ho Chi Minh City already knew me and wouldn’t ask for a passport, heading back to the city was the only safe bet. We got on our bikes and raced to the bus station. If I missed this bus, I might be sleeping on the street.

Luckily, buses here didn’t really follow a set schedule, and they waited until the last minute for late passengers (if the bus were full, it would have left already). This might give us extra hope.

Despite our fatigue, we kept pedaling, trying to get to the bus stop in time. We went down the wrong street and had to double back. I was sure that I had missed the bus, but, pulling into the parking lot, we saw it that it was still there.

“Yes!” I exclaimed.

I said good-bye to Matt and Kat, apologizing profusely for all the trouble, thanking them for the experience, and promising them drinks when we met up again in Cambodia. I plopped into the bus seat among locals gawking at my disheveled and dirty clothes and fell asleep until Ho Chi Minh City.

It was 10pm when I finally got back to my guesthouse. I walked to the bar next store and saw some other friends. They looked at me as I sat down.

“What the hell are you doing here?” they asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the Mekong?”

They saw the tiredness. The defeat. The sweat. The dirt.

“We might need some more beer for this story,” I said as I began my tale.

Book Your Trip to Vietnam: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Vietnam by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel in Vietnam with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Vietnam?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Vietnam for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 2, 3

The post Biking the Mekong Delta in Vietnam appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

May 31, 2018 at 03:00PM

fom https://ift.tt/2J6Akxc
by IHholiday Travel trip

How to Spend 4 Days in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities in the world. I love its brick buildings, open skyline, rich history, and relaxed, easy going attitude towards life. Over the years, I’ve visited Amsterdam more times than I can count (I’m bad at math) and have spent countless hours walking the city, making friends with locals, and getting under its skin.

Amsterdam has so much to do that, even after so many visits, I still find new things to do and see. The city deserves more than just the few (and often smoke filled) days travelers give it, but if a few days is all you have and you want to make the most of it, this is the itinerary I would give to someone looking to get a good overview and feel for what makes Amsterdam so special:

Day 1

Free walking tour

A great way to orient yourself to the city is with a walking tour. You’ll learn some history, find out where the major sites are, and explore all those winding canals. Free walking tours are a wonderful first activity in any city. I recommend the free New Europe walking tour. It covers a lot of ground and gives you a general overview of the city and landmarks. The tour meets in the main square and lasts about 2-3 hours. (Be sure to tip your guide though!)

Canal tour

Amsterdam is a city tied to the water – it grew around its canals and the taming of the Amstel River. The canals of Amsterdam are incredibly beautiful, and there’s nothing like seeing the city from a boat. Skip the big canal boat tours you see around the city — they’re overpriced. You can often hire a private boat tour for about 20 Euros an hour (look for guides around the Red Light District). Moreover, you can also take the open-air Canal Hopper Small Boat. This is the company I use when I run group tours to the city — the boats are small, the tours more intimate, and your driver will give you a good personalized tour. The tours last about an hour. It leaves from Pier 6.

Van Gogh Museum

This may be one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city, but don’t let the crowds deter you. The museum features many of Van Gogh’s best works of art alongside an excellent biography of his life and is laid out in chronological order, starting with his earliest works. Though not a huge museum, I can spend hours just staring at the paintings as Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters. The museums also has paintings by other famous artists of the period, like Monet, Manet, and Matisse. Try to come late in the late afternoon when the crowds subside.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is located right next to the Van Gogh Museum, and after years of renovation, it’s now beautifully remodeled. The museum still features an extensive Rembrandt collection, and you’ll be able to see the famous painting “The Night Watch.” Besides Rembrandt, there’s also an incredible and robust collection of other classic Dutch painters, like Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. Over one million works of art, craftworks, and historical objects are kept in the collection, and around 8,000 objects are on display in the museum so be sure to budget a few hours!

Day 2

Anne Frank House

In all honesty, I don’t like this place. I found it to be anticlimactic. You basically do a slow walk through the house as the crowds pack the place. You don’t get to let everything soak in as you’re being pushed from behind by the endless crowds. It’s maddening! But, if you don’t mind waiting in line and you’re curious about Anne (I think the Jewish History Museum does a more thorough job of relating the events in Anne Frank’s life to the Holocaust), it might be worth the visit for you. You can book tickets online up to two months in advance, which lets you skip the line. If you don’t do this, get there very early in the morning to avoid the long queue that develops over the course of the day!

The Jordaan area

This heavily residential area (an old working-class neighborhood turned hip) is probably the most missed part of Amsterdam. Although it’s right near the city center, hardly any tourists enter this maze of restaurants, cafes, and shops. It’s peaceful and a great place to wander while avoiding the mass of tourists crowding the main streets just a few blocks away. While in the area, be sure to eat at Moeders (traditional Dutch food) and Winkel 43 (apple pie).

The Tulip Museum

Located in a room inside a tulip shop, this little basement museum does a wonderful job of telling the history of tulips in Holland and the infamous tulip craze. It’s one of the best off-the-beaten-path attractions in Amsterdam. You’ll never find a crowd, and it’s only 5 euros (3 euros for students)!

Amsterdam History Museum

This museum features a very thorough history of Amsterdam. It’s big, and you’ll need 3–4 hours to really go through it in detail. There are a lot of relics, maps, paintings, and audiovisual displays throughout the museum. My favorite is the computer graphic at the entrance showing the growth and construction of the city over time. I can’t recommend this museum enough. It’s one of the best history museums I’ve ever visited.

Red Light District

Though much tamer than in previous years, the Red Light District manages to balance sex and seediness with being a major tourist attraction. During the day, it’s a quiet place. If it wasn’t for the red lights and sex signs everywhere, it would look like any other part of the city. But, at night, the area becomes awash with drunk, gawking tourists moving slowly down the street as they stare at the girls in the window while going from bar to bar and coffeeshop to coffeeshop. It’s a place to see and experience for a very brief time.

Day 3

Do a bike tour

Bikes are to Amsterdam like wine is to Bordeaux. The city loves bikes, and there are supposedly more bikes than people in Amsterdam. In fact, forget about keeping a lookout for cars — it’s the bikes that will run you over. Seeing Amsterdam and its surroundings from a bike is something I definitely encourage you to do. Mike’s Bike Tours is the best company to use, whether for a tour or to rent a bike on your own.

FOAM

This photography museum houses wonderful pictures and sees few crowds despite being in the main part of the city. It’s a must for any photography lover. The exhibitions are constantly changing so you never know what you might see! They have a beautiful outdoor garden too. It’s a small museum and doesn’t take long to see.

Jewish Historical Museum

Often overlooked in favor of The Anne Frank House, the Jewish Historical Museum tells the history of the Jews’ prominent and influential position in Amsterdam. The exhibit on World War II does a great job of highlighting Dutch complacency, resistance, and guilt over the Holocaust.

Oosterpark

Everyone goes to Vondelpark to sit around, bike, or get high, but east of the main city center is a beautiful park with fewer people and green space that is just as relaxing. It’s about a 30-minute walk from the city center, but the walk takes you through residential areas of the city not often seen and way off the tourist map. I enjoy coming here because it’s far quieter and more peaceful than Vondelpark. If you wanted a quiet park experience, this is it!

Day 4

Museum Amstelkring

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (“Our Lord in the Attic”) is one of the most interesting churches in the city. Hidden inside a 17th-century canal house, the clandestine Catholic church was built during Protestant rule. It was never really a secret but it was out of sight and out of mind for the authorities. The drawing room here is quite beautiful and the furnishings make it one of the most best 17th-century rooms left.

The Rembrandt House Museum

Rembrandt lived and worked in this house between 1639 and 1658. Daily demonstrations show modern visitors how he worked and you can also explore the house and see a recreation of how it was decorated during Rembrandt’s time. I wasn’t too impressed, but Rembrandt enthusiasts shouldn’t overlook it.

Museum Van Loon

The Museum Van Loon is a double-sized canal house (built in 1672) located on the Keizersgracht canal in Amsterdam. The house was owned by the wealthy Van Loon merchant family who set up a beautiful art collection. Now it’s a museum with period furniture, art, and family portraits. There’s a beautiful garden here too. This is definitely a place not to miss.

Vondelpark

Amsterdam’s largest and most popular park is a great place to walk, bike, people-watch, or relax, especially after a visit to a local coffee shop. There’s a playground as well as places to play sports, and numerous areas for kicking back. During the summer, Vondelpark is filled with people, especially locals who hang out at the café ‘t Blauwe Theehuis for drinks in the center.

The Heineken Experience

This museum used to be a lot better when it was cheaper and they offered more beer. It’s not a working brewery, and in comparison to the Guinness Museum in Dublin, it’s lame. But the price of admission buys you three beers and you’ll learn a bit of the history of Heineken (which I enjoyed since I drink a lot of their beer). It’s not a must-see, but it’s not a must-avoid either.

Some other sites in Amsterdam worth visiting

Don’t like the above? No problem! Below are some of my other favorite activities to do in Amsterdam

• Waterlooplein Flea Market – This open-air market is like a giant flea market — everything and everyone can be found here. People sell secondhand clothes, hats, antiques, gadgets, and much more. You can also find new and unused items. If there’s something you want, you’ll probably find it here. Open Monday to Saturday.
• Day trip to Haarlem – Just a quick train (or bike) ride from Amsterdam, Harleem is a quiet Dutch town that has a beautiful central church, great outdoor market, and all the beauty of historic Amsterdam with fewer crowds.
• Visit Noord – Leave the city center, take the ferry across the IJ, and visit the up and coming area of Noord Amsterdam. In the last few years, a lot of people have moved here (it’s cheap), cool markets and restaurants have opened, and a lot of old industrial land has been reclaimed for public use. It’s the new hip place to be! Be sure to visit the famous EYE, Amsterdam’s film institute.
• The Amsterdam library – The city’s library is a beautiful modern building built in 2007. It’s gigantic, overlooks the IJ, and has a wonderful top floor cafe for impressive views of the city. It’s one of my favorite places to relax in the city. It’s quiet, peaceful, and there’s nothing like reading a good book with a great view!
• Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam – Like modern art? Well, I don’t but if you do, this is the place in the city to see it!
• Foodhallen – Located in Amsterdam west, this place is what the name implies – a food hall! This indoor food market has various vendors serving a variety of delicious food. It’s like food trucks in one location. Personal favorites include Viet View, Le Big Fish, and Friska.
• Houseboat Museum – This museum will show what it’s like to live in a houseboat! It doesn’t take long to see and only costs a few Euros.
• Take a drug tour – This two-hour walking tour highlights the history of the city’s relationship with drugs. It’s designed to dispel the myths and perceptions of drugs in Amsterdam and Dutch society. It’s a very “pro-drug” tour, so go with an opinion mind. Or just for a history lesson. Tours are every Friday at 6pm; reserve by emailing booking@drugstour.com. Must be 18+ years old.
• Take an alternative art tour – This is a really unique tour that I took this year. I was blown away by it. You get to see the city’s street art in alleyways, squats, and independent galleries while you learn about Amsterdam’s alternative side and underground and immigrant culture. It’s really fabulous. All the people I took on it loved it. Tours are private and require at least four people. Visit Alltournative Amsterdam for more!
• Erotic Museum — This museum is located in the middle of Amsterdam’s Red Light District (where else would it be?) and looks at eroticism in all its forms through the ages and includes sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs, and other artwork. It’s similar to Sex Museum Amsterdam but focuses more on the “art” side of nudity and sex.
• Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum — Only a 5-minute walk from Dam Square, this museum presents information about the historical and modern use of cannabis for medicinal, religious, and cultural purposes. The exhibits focus heavily on how hemp can be used for agricultural, consumer, and industrial purposes.

ONE LAST AMSTERDAM TIP: Be sure to visit the city tourism office near central station. They have lots of information on free things to do, current events and activities, and discount passes and tickets you can use to save money! They are an underused resource by travelers!

****

Four days in any city is never enough time to really see it, but given Amsterdam’s compact nature, it’s definitely enough time to hit all the “major” attractions here. This four day Amsterdam itinerary will help you make the most of your stay in Amsterdam while getting you on and off the beaten path.

Want the real, most honest, straight to the point guide on Amsterdam?

Want to plan the perfect trip to Amsterdam? Check out my comprehensive guide to Amsterdam written for budget travelers like yourself! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money in one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. You’ll find suggested itineraries tips budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, and my favorite non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more!! Click here to learn more and get started.

Photo Credits: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

The post How to Spend 4 Days in Amsterdam appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

May 30, 2018 at 12:00PM

fom https://ift.tt/2L6v6BV
by IHholiday Travel trip

How to Overcome Your Travel Fears

Fear. It’s what often keeps us from living our lives and achieving our dreams.

And it is one of the most common reasons why people don’t travel.

Whenever I talk to people about long-term travel, so many tell me they wish they could do what I do. They tell me all their travel dreams and grand plans then when asked why they don’t pursue them, they come up with a plethora of excuses:

They fear not being able to afford the trip.
They fear they have too many responsibilities at home.
They fear they won’t be able to make friends on the road.
They fear not having the ability to handle it.
They fear something will happen to them.

With all that fear, it’s much easier to stay at home in our comfort zones than to break out and travel.

It’s a big thing to step out your door, away from your safety net, and into the known.

You may want to but the devil you know is always better than the devil you don’t.

Yes, travel is a privilege and there are real money issues that keep people at home.

But one of the most common emails I get is from people asking about “the mental issues” of travel. “The mindset stuff.” Do they quit their job and go for it? Are they in the right stage of life? Will everything be OK if they leave? Will they get a job when they return?

These emails are peppered with nervous excitement over travel’s endless possibilities, but there is also always one underlying tone to the emails: “Matt, I want to go, but I’m also afraid and I’m not sure what to do.”

While many people claim “real world responsibilities” are the reason for not traveling, I think fear of the unknown is really what holds people back the majority of people back. When you get rid of your fears and decide “Yes, I’m going to do this!”, you begin to find ways to scrape, save, find work, and do whatever it is that gets you on the road.

You become a person on a mission. You become driven. Nothing will get in your way.

But first, you need to get over any fear you might have. I was on a podcast recently discussing this subject and so it has come to the forefront of my mind again. Here is my advice on dealing with fear:

You aren’t the first person to travel abroad.
One of the things that comforted me when I began traveling was knowing that lots of other people traveled the world before me and ended up just fine. If some 18-year-old from England on a gap year came home in one piece, there was no reason I wouldn’t too. You aren’t the first person to leave home and explore the jungles of Asia. Columbus and Magellan had a reason to be afraid. You don’t.

There is a well-worn tourist trail out there. There are people to help you. There are people to travel with. You aren’t going to be alone.

And you aren’t venturing into the true unknown.

You made it this far.
If you already have one foot out the door, why turn back now? What will you regret later in life: that you let your fears keep you home, or that you went traveling? Sometimes you just have to go for it. Everything works out in the end. Don’t turn back halfway. You can do this!

You are just as capable as everyone else.
I’m smart, I’m capable, and I have common sense. If other people can travel the world, why can’t I? What makes me think I lack the skills? I realized that there was no reason I couldn’t do what these other people did. I was just as good as everyone else.

Don’t doubt yourself. You got by in your life just fine now. The same will be true when you travel. Moreover, now has never been an easier time to travel thanks to all the resources available online and all the sharing economy websites that help connect you with other travelers.

Responsibilities can vanish in a flash.
Everyone uses “responsibility” as the main reason to avoid travel. But that is just your fear telling you that you have things at home that can’t be let go of. However, those responsibilities are simply chains that hold you down. When I quit my job, I didn’t have to work anymore. When I canceled my bills, they disappeared. When I sold my car, the payments were gone. When I sold my stuff, I didn’t have any. We think this is all very complicated, but with a few phone calls, everything that held me back was gone, taken care of. Suddenly, my responsibilities disappeared. Vaporized. It is easier to cut the cord than you think.

You will find a job when you get home.
Another reason people get held back is the belief that when they go overseas, they will become unemployable. They worry that employers will see a gap in their résumé and not want to hire them. But in this globalized world, having experience with foreign cultures and people is a real asset. So is showing that you are independent, courageous, and capable. After all, no one makes it around the world without learning these skills. Employers realize this and now look at travel as a positive thing that teaches intangible personal skills no business school ever could.

Related articles:

• How to represent travel on your resume
• 15 ways to work overseas

You will make friends.
People always ask me how I make friends on the road. They tell me that they’re not very social and that it’s hard for them to meet strangers. The truth is that when you travel, you are never alone. There are many solo travelers out there in the same boat as you. You’ll find people who will come up and talk to you, even if you are too scared to go up to them. I used to be nervous talking to strangers, but the fear subsides as you eventually realize that everyone wants to make new friends. And one of those friends is you.

Related Articles:

• Finding life-long friendships
• How to Overcome Being Alone
• How to use your social network to travel
• Meeting people on the road

You can always come back.
If you make it three months into your trip and decide that long-term travel isn’t for you, it’s perfectly OK to go home. There’s no shame in cutting your trip short. Maybe traveling isn’t for you, but you would never have known if you didn’t try. There’s no such thing as failure in the world of travel. Travel teaches us many things including, that sometimes, we don’t like to travel. Getting up and going is more than most people do, and if it isn’t for you, at least you tried. That in itself is a major accomplishment.

***

Fear is an element that affects everything we do. Yes, fear is a healthy biological response designed to make sure we don’t do foolish things. But, in many ways, fear is the reason why we never succeed. It’s scary leaving everything you know and heading off into the unknown. However, once you look at why you are afraid of doing it, you’ll realize there’s no reason to be. You can travel. You are capable. It’s not as hard as you think.

Don’t let fear win.

Note: This article was originally published in 2011 but redone and updated with new tips and links in 2018.

The post How to Overcome Your Travel Fears appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

May 29, 2018 at 11:00AM

fom https://ift.tt/2L3IN4A
by IHholiday Travel trip

How Much Does it Cost to Travel Western Europe?

Europe is not a monolithic place, and prices vary greatly depending on how far north, east, south or west your travel. Europe covers a huge area of the world with multiple visa zones and multiple currencies. For 20 euros, you can get a private room in Greece. For that same price in Paris, you may get a 16 person dorm room. You can eat for a few euros in Spain or Hungary, but a sit-down meal in Italy will cost around 15 euros, and triple that in Norway!

I’ve been going to Europe for close to ten years now. Europe isn’t cheap, but there are plenty of ways to cut down costs. Since Europe is so big, today I want to talk about traveling around Western Europe and the Eurozone countries.

How much do things cost?

Here are some general costs for things in Europe, because as I said, prices can vary a lot depending on where you are:

• Accommodation: In most Western European countries, expect to pay 25–35 euros per night for a dorm room. (Though in Greece and Spain, it’s only 10–20 euros per night.) In Scandinavia, expect to pay around 30–35 Euros per night. In England, prices are usually around 20–30 pounds per night.
• Food: Food costs vary as wildly as accommodation costs. Cheap fast food meals cost 9–15 euros, while restaurants meals cost around 15–25 euros. Nicer establishments will cost 30 euros or more. You can cook your food for a week for around 65 euros>.
• Transportation: The easiest way to get around Europe is by train. Trains connect every major part of Europe, and they’re often very cheap. High-speed trains, though, can cost over 100 euros. Try to get the regional or slow trains for cheaper prices! The rise of cheap airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Transavia has made flying around Europe in a hurry really cheap. For flights, expect to pay around 50 euros if you book in advance. Transportation around most cities is only 1–2 euros.
• Activities: Most museums and tours start at around 14 euros. It’s cheaper, of course, in eastern Europe. Full-day tours cost 35–100 euros. Prices vary drastically per country, so it’s hard to give a good general cost of this budget item.

How to Save Money in Western Europe

• Picnic – Europe has a lot of tiny shops where you can be premade sandwiches or ingredients to make your own. Buy some food, eat outside, and watch the city go by. It’s a cheaper and more enjoyable way to eat.
• Eat Local and Cheap – Not into picnicking? That’s OK, there are other ways to save money on food. Eat at local sandwich shops, pizza parlors, Maoz, Wok to Walks, outdoor street vendors, and the like. Avoiding restaurants and eating at a lot of the local “grab ‘n go” places will give you a taste of the local cuisine at a much cheaper price.
• Couchsurf – Hostels can add up really quick in Europe. If you don’t have any friends you can stay with, consider using the service Couchsurfing, which lets you connect with locals who will let you stay with them for free.
• Fly Cheap – If you know where you’re going and a train won’t do, try to book flights early. You can often get one-euro fares from many of the discount airlines like Transavia, Easyjet, Air Berlin, and Ryanair. MORE: There are many cheap ways to get across Europe.
• Drink Less – Those five-euro beers really add up. Hit happy hour or pick and choose when you party. Hostel bars are a good place to get cheap drinks, or you can buy your alcohol at the supermarket. Partying your way across the continent will destroy your bank balance in no time.
• Take the Free Tours – One of the great things about Europe is that you can find free walking tours in all the major cities. They can be a great way to see the city attractions, learn some history, and get your bearings without spending any money. Almost every city in Europe has a free walking tour available. Your hostel or the tourism board will have details!
• Camp in a garden – A very good camping service specific is Campspace (formerly Camp in My Garden), which allows you to pitch a tent in someone’s backyard for free or a nominal fee (around 4-10 EUR). This is a new service that started in 2010 but more and more people are signing up for it each day. All of the garden owners have profiles that tell you what services and facilities they offer.
• Get a Rail Pass – Eurail Passes have saved me hundreds of dollars when I used them. If you are traveling far distances and through many countries, they are a great deal. Here’s more information how to pick a Eurail pass.
• Get a city tourist card – Local tourism offices issue a tourist card for all their attractions, tours, and restaurants. This card gives you free entry and substantial discounts on all the attractions and tours in a city, free local public transportation (a huge plus), and discounts at a few restaurants and shopping malls. They save a ton of money. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, get one of these cards.
• Rideshare – Hugely popular and widespread in Europe, I did this to get around Switzerland, France, and UK. BlaBlaCar, the biggest website, connects drivers and riders and lets you get around much cheaper than a bus or train. Moreover, this way is amazing for getting off the highways, seeing more the countryside, and meeting locals. It’s money-saving and much more exciting than taking the train or bus!

What’s a good daily budget in Europe?

Recently, I went through Amsterdam, Greece, Italy, and Hungary. In 59 days of traveling, I spent 4,317 euros, which averages out to 73.17 euros per day. That includes a few flights, many a nice meal, too many drinks on Ios, a few nights of private rooms (it was my birthday, after all!), and some unexpected purchases (a jacket, a new iPhone charger, and new headphones).

On a backpacker budget, if you were avoiding flights, occasionally Couchsurfing, staying in cheap dorms, and cooking most of your meals, you could average between 40-50 Eur per day. It would be a tight budget but you could definitely do it. One of the biggest costs in Europe is accommodation so reducing that cost will help a lot!

However, if you wanted some flexibility in your schedule, planned to eat out only stay in hostels, and visit a lot of places, plan for around 70 euros a day.

If you’re going to stay in only private rooms or Airbnb as well as eat at sit down restaurants every meal, I’d say budget closer to 100 euros to be safe.

***

Western Europe costs a lot. It’s never going to be a cheap area of the world to travel but with some smart money management and follow the tips in this post, Western Europe can become at least an affordable place to visit. Control your costs and you can be able to see anything!

Are you planning on traveling to Europe? Check out my guides for Iceland, Paris, Stockholm, and Amsterdam! For more information, you can also visit my page on backpacking Europe.

Book Your Trip to Western Europe: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to Western Europe by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel in Western Europe with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Europe?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Europe for even more planning tips!

 
Originally posted in 2010. Updated to reflect 2018 prices and changes.

The post How Much Does it Cost to Travel Western Europe? appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

May 27, 2018 at 03:00PM

fom https://ift.tt/2kt4LTg
by IHholiday Travel trip

We’re 75% of the way to completing this mission! Help us get to 100%!

Dear fabulous reader,

I was in the shower (where I do some of my best thinking), pondering all the political fighting and social media outrage that seems to happen every week. Well, ok every day!!

Each day, people yell into the echo chamber.

I don’t know about you, but I have slight “outrage fatigue.” I can’t get up in arms anymore about a single speech or tweet, or what someone is wearing. I’m tired of it, and real problems don’t get solved that way.

They get solved by getting out there and doing something.

I recently read a great book called The Death of Expertise, which talks about how study after study has shown that people online tend to wall themselves off from opinions they don’t agree with because it’s easier than ever to just find information that confirms what you already believe.

But as travelers, we meet people from around the world. We experience cultures and values different than our own. I think is why travelers tend to be more open-minded than most. We have a broader perspective. We’ve been outsiders ourselves. We travel because we want to see the differences in the world, not hide from them.

Which is why, thinking about this topic, I am glad we have FLYTE, our community charity that raises money to send high school students on international trips to help expand their minds and put their education into practice. FLYTE aims to show kids that the world is much bigger — and full of more possibility — than they could ever imagine!

So far we’ve raised $26,000 to send these kids on a volunteering trip to Guatemala:

These are the students from the Victor School in Victor, Montana, a small town of only 800 in rural Montana that is 96% white. Living so far outside a metropolitan area makes it hard for them to interact with a diverse range of people. Ten days in Guatemala isn’t a lot of time for us, but for these kids, it represents the start of a bigger, more important journey.

But we need another $7,000 more to make this trip happen!

And I’m asking for your help to help us get us to the finish line! On bended knee!

This trip is their chance to get out (even if only for a moment) and see the world, experience new cultures, and see the possibilities that exist beyond their small town. It’s a chance to spark an interest in the world and in education.

It is a chance to turn these kids — who, thanks to FLYTE, now have passports — into travelers and global citizens.

It is a chance for them put their schooling into practice.

It is a chance for them to see a world completely different than their own and develop empathy. To broaden their horizons and not just listen to what cable news or a curated social feed tells them.

It’s never been more important to broaden people’s perspective.

And it starts with these kids.

Because they will soon be the adults of the future.

For as little as $1, you can help us get there. If everyone who reads this website gave a dollar, we could make this – and many more like it – happen right away!

We can be the change we want to see in the world. Travel has done so much for us. So many people have been strangers in unknown lands.

If you’ve been wondering how you can pay it forward and get involved in building a better world, this is your chance.

I know this is a budget travel website and most of us don’t have a lot of money but for the cost of a few drinks, you can pay it forward and help great a new generation of responsible travelers!

• $10
• $25
• $50
• $100

$

• • One time
  • Monthly

NOTE: We are a 501(c)3 charity so your donations are tax exempt. (US residents only)

These kids, their teachers, and their parents will be forever changed by your generosity.

If you’re the type of person that believes love trumps hate, help us help these kids.

If you’re the kind of person that is looking for a way to spread the power of travel, help us help these kids.

Let’s pay all our travel kindness forward and send these kids from the small town of Victor to Guatemala!

Thank you so much for any support!

Sincerely,

Nomadic Matt

P.S. – Please help us share this organization and cause by forwarding this blog post to your friends and family or sharing it on social media! Let’s change some lives!

The post We’re 75% of the way to completing this mission! Help us get to 100%! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

May 24, 2018 at 03:57PM

fom https://ift.tt/2IGjTeA
by IHholiday Travel trip