The Virgin’s Guide to Backpacking

I’m talking about the virgin backpacker.  An old friend of mine reached out to me yesterday, “I want to backpack through Europe, but I don’t know what to pack, or where to leave things HELP.”  She is one of several people who have reached out to me in not only the past year but past couple of years for assistance on “backpacking” so I have decided to dedicate this blog entry to you, Kit.  I’ll try to include all of the information you may need! HOWEVER, I have only backpacked through Europe and Australia so I can only give advice on those two places, sorry bbs.

What to Pack:  Bring a backpack.  Once you’re in Europe you will most likely be taking budget airlines form country to country, you don’t want to be paying extra to check luggage.  How much you will need to pack depends on how long you will be backpacking for and if you will be able to find anywhere to wash your clothes, I try to pack as little as possible.  For my 2 week backpacking trip in Europe I brought one tank top, 2-3 t-shirts, a flannel, a scarf, jeans, leggings, and shorts that I also wore as pajamas.  (I obviously also packed panties, socks, bras).  I usually only bring 2 pairs of shoes: Boots and sneakers.  If you are staying in a hostel maybe bring flip flops to wear in the shower.  I pack a small towel just to dry off after a shower, a little larger a hand towel, it saves space.  Depending on where you will be visiting you may want to bring a bathing suit or a heavier jacket.  I try to wear my bulkiest items on the plane to save space in my bag.  I do wear the same clothing items multiple times in a row if I need to or if you happen to be somewhere with a washing machine, then you can wash everything!  You’ll want to save room for souvenirs in your bag too.  LESS IS MORE.  Trust me, on almost every trip I have been on I have clothing items I packed and didn’t wear.

Where do I leave my stuff?  Most hostels have lockers or cages that you can put your belongings in, make sure to bring a lock.  I tend to carry my passport on me because I am paranoid someone will manage to steal it if I leave it behind anywhere.  If staying in a hotel I personally NEVER use lockboxes, I find somewhere creative to hide important things I am leaving behind.  Example:  In Amsterdam I hid my passport behind the TV mounted on the wall.

Traveling from place-to-place:  Most people assume the cheapest way around the EU once you’re there is by train.  From my experience it’s not.  I have spent 200$ on a train from London to Paris and have flown there for 30$.  I also shy away from busses because they may be cheap but they also take so much more time.  Check out skyscanner.com before you decide to commit to trains or busses.  Compare all options!

Where do I stay?  I love to check out hostel world and hotels.com  I often choose hostels over hotels because you are provided with many more opportunities to meet fellow interesting travelers.  You can play around with both websites I provided, I usually aim for hostels or hotels that are near the city center.  I also try to aim for places with a 7+ rating.  Look at reviews left on the websites; do you want a party hostel?  One that’s quieter?  Breakfast included? WIFI?  Make sure it’s clean!  Another tip I would give is to check out the “featured properties” – this is how I found the hostel in Costa Rica, which although a big dingy was the most fun hostel I have ever stayed in.

Cell Phone Tips:  I usually pay for my phone to have service while traveling, especially when I visited Australia because I spent most of that trip out on my own.  BUT if you choose not to, Starbucks usually has free WIFI.  Most cafes and McDonald’s do as well, along with some museums.  I also recommend bringing a power bank.  The last thing you want is to be lost in a foreign country with a dead cell phone.

Getting Around:  This ties in with Cell Phones.  I usually use my MAPS app to get around when in a foreign country.  Even if you’re trying to not use service you can map out a place while on WIFI and screenshot the map directions.  Cell phone apps are so advanced now, there are even some for specific countries – in London there is an app that even tells you which tubes to take to get to your desired destination the fastest!

Also when traveling from country-to-country be open minded about where you are willing to go.  It’s cheaper to fly to closer countries usually but explore other options you may be surprised.  When I was on my backpacking trip I wanted to fly to Romania but Berlin was cheaper so we decided on that instead.  If you’re going to London, Paris, Italy, Greece, and Amsterdam, if you were flying into London I would recommend flying to Amsterdam then from there to Paris then either Italy or Greece depending on the price differences.  Keep in mind it may be cheaper to fly somewhere in between London and Greece on the way back!  If you have any further questions with this feel free to comment or message me.

What Do I See?  I am an avid Trip Advisor user.  While traveling I use it to see what sites to visit, where to eat, what to do, etc.  You can also type in on Instagram #(Insert City)food or ex:  #londoneats and you will see a bunch of awesome restaurants.  If you’re looking for where to eat or what to see for a specific country (Australia, Costa Rica, Basically anywhere in Europe) you can also check out my past entries.

Long Plane Rides:  I try to plan my flights at night so I can sleep and be well rested when I arrive at my destination.  If you are a person who finds it hard to sleep on the plane I recommend bringing a book or earphones for the long flight.  Most planes nowadays have in-flight movies but don’t count on it!  Just last year I was on an international flight from London and they didn’t even have a TV, so for 8 hours I was bored as hell.  From that trip on I make sure to download at least one book, or a few podcasts to my phone in case of an emergency.

Well, that’s about all the tips I could think of for now.  If any readers have questions or want to know anything else feel free to comment or message me!