Backpacking Euro Info 2

8/14/2019 Backpacking Euro Info 2

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Backpacking Europe info #2 of 4 - 22 pages long

Cities to Visit I will give you some brief comments about places in case youare considering some places but are not sure whether they are worth visiting. Ihave been to all of these places (and others) so I am not just telling you to go to

the places that I have been to & avoid all the places that I avoided. I haveselected some of my comments specifically for those first time travelers or thosewith 1 month in Europe or less and thus, would have to choose one place overanother. I have listed the following countries in alphabetical order and listed themain cities for that country. The cities that I have listed are listed in the order thatI think the average traveler should visit them (for example, if you only had time tovisit one place in Austria, I think the average traveler should see Vienna.However, if you had time to see 2 places, see Vienna and Salzburg. I have listedthe countries alphabetically.

AUSTRIA

ViennaSalzburgInnsbruckGraz

BELGIUM (although there are many other nice places in Belgium, these arepretty much all that the average traveler will probably see)Brugge probably the best city to visit in BelgiumAntwerpBrussels (yes the capital city is on the bottom of the list)

BULGARIASophiaVarna

CZECH REPUBLICPrague make sure to visit Hotel Axa to get a $4 massageCeske BudejoviceCesky Krumlov

Canadians are required to pay about $85 for a visa to visit the CzechRepublic

DENMARKCopenhagenRoskilde

ESTONIATallinn

FINLAND


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Helsinki

FRANCEParis make sure to see Saint Chapelle (amazing stained glass) located nearthe Notre Dame)

Nice/Monte CarloMarseilleAnnecy

GERMANYMunichBerlinNeuschwanstein (the Castle upon which Walt Disney based Cinderellas palace)which is located in the Bavarian Alps (actually there are 2 castles there (theyellow one is less famous and about a 30-minute walk from the big one).www.allgaeu-schwaben.com/cneuschwanstein.html

provides info.

The Rhine Valley (from Frankfurt north to Kolne (Cologne))

GREAT BRITAINLondonIreland (see below)

GREECEAthens (1 complete day is enough but it is tough to get a complete daybecause when you wake up you will be real tired from the ferry ride from Italy)Island of Corfu (stay at Pink Palace to Party)Island of Ios (party)Island of SantoriniIsland of MykonosIsland of ParosIsland of NaxosThessaloniki (if passing through)

HUNGARYBudapestLake Balaton (Balatonfured) relaxing

IRELANDDublinKillarneyCork

ITALYRome
http://www.allgaeu-schwaben.com/cneuschwanstein.htmlhttp://www.allgaeu-schwaben.com/cneuschwanstein.html


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VeniceFlorence (and can do Pisa in a day trip)Sienna (if the season for the horse races)Brindisi - this town sucks but probably will go here if taking the Eurail ferry toCorfu or Athens)

LATVIARiga

LITHUANIAVilnius

NETHERLANDS (A.K.A. Holland)Amsterdam I lived in Holland so I can tell you a lot more, but the averagetraveler will probably just have time for Amsterdam

NORWAYOslo

POLANDKrakow (Auschwitze and Birkenau nearby)Warsaw

PORTUGAL out of the way, so most travelers will not go toLagosLisbon

ROMANIA high crime and dirty so most travelers will avoid (but dirt-cheap)Bucharest

SPAIN Although I have listed many great places, many backpackers will onlyhave time for Barcelona.BarcelonaIbiza (to party)MadridSan Sabastian/BilbaoSevilleValenciaSalamancaMalagaMallorca

SWEEDENStockholm

SWITZERLAND


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Luzern (Lucerne)Grindelwald or Grimmelwald or GryonInterlaken (for expensive partying)GenevaLausanne

ZurichNeuchatel

TURKEYIstanbulEphesus (stay in Selcuk) /KusadasiIzmirPamukkale

Rather than trying to give a review of each city that I have been to (that

could take forever) I suggest the following: Select the general places that youfeel you MUST go to first and then select some places that you would LIKE to goto and then create an itinerary that includes your MUST locations and also yourLIKE locations and then come up with an idea on how to see them (do not forgetthat you can save time by traveling to far away locations during the night time &catch some sleep on the travel.

Night Trains/ couchette

However, night travel has its drawbacks 1) you either will still pay for lodging if you get a couchette (so you really

would only saving time and not money) or you can save money andjust sleep in the seats (which pull out so that you can fully recline butif you travel during the busy season & to popular countries, then expectto have to share the compartment and others may want to sit up (orthere may be too many people to recline) either way, you will not getgood rest;

2) you will not get a shower 3) you will have to plan ahead and bring food and water on the train for

your travels (or pay the expensive prices charged in the dining cart (if itis even available!)

4) also, depending on the distance traveled (if you cross severalboarders) you MAY be waken up by conductors if you are in acouchette, and you WILL be waken up if you are a cheapskate and justin the normal seats. When I first traveled, I was real cheap (Europe on$25/day) and I never got a couchette. As I learned, I got couchetteswhen I could afford it. Usually the conductor takes the passports for allof the people that are in the couchette as you board and then if yourcouchette is full (or if nobody else will be sleeping in the compartment),then you will be able to sleep without interruption from the conductor


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and without interruption from other passengers looking for a seat. Thisis because other passengers cannot enter any of the sleeper carsbecause they are locked. However, expect that on the Czech/Slovak/Hungarian/Austrian crossings you WILL get woken up, because theconductor doesn't collect the passports on these routes.

Also, when the train crosses the boarder, the boarder police justlook at the passports that the conductor took from the people sleepingin the couchettes, and he has no need to disturb the sleeping people.The only exception to this that I have experienced was once when Ihad a pass that did not cover Austria and I changed my route fromFlorence to Munich at the last second and I went trough Austria and Iforgot that my particular pass did not cover that portion (that wentthrough Austria). Well, the guy came in and explained this to me (inGerman) and I had to pay right then. This event woke up everyone inthe couchette.

Some people tell me that they are worried about theft in a couchette. This

has never bothered me in the past. You can reduce your chances of theft in acouchette by requesting the bottom bunk (if you travel solo). That way you canstuff your backpack under your bed and greatly reduce any chance that someonewill steal stuff from your pack. Also, sleep with your money belt either on (underyour clothes) or inside your pillow. Be very careful if you put it in your pillow soyou do not forget it and leave it on the train. By the way, they give you a pillow,sheets and a blanket for the night when you pay for a cochette.

Couchettes and sleeper compartments are not included in a Eurail (youmust pay extra to use a couchette or sleeper). In general, couchettes arecheaper than sleepers. If you are only traveling on a train that does not crossany boarder, then you can get a sleeper for a domestic price. This can beaffordable in eastern Europe. However, if you are going from, say Bucharest toVienna, then you will have to pay the more expensive western price, and acouchette might be the most that you can afford.

Here are some final thoughts and tips that may help.In general, there will be many places that charge some change to use the

toilet. Expect to pay for it and dont bother complaining. Also many places willhave an attendant in the restroom and they will give you a napkin as toilet paperand you have to pay extra for each additional napkin. I suggest bring about a roll of good quality toilet paper from the USA and keep it in your daypack. Also,some places do not have toilets at all and just have a hole in the floor and littlegripper areas for your feet (so you dont slip) and you are required to squat overthe hole. This is very odd for Americans so dont be surprised if you see it thefurther East that you travel and the further South that you go.

It will rain at some point while you are traveling. Some people prefer abig poncho so they can just throw it over their backpack too. Others preferumbrellas to each his own. I now believe that the poncho is pretty much awaste of space and weight. My reason? My personal preference is to bring a


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windbreaker (which I have previously sprayed to make it water repellant) and Ijust spray water repellant on both my big backpack as well as my daypack. (I justuse my hood on my jacket (or a baseball cap) to cover my head). This way youcan use the jacket when it rains, and it is not extra weight since you will havebrought it anyway. The only way that this saves space is if the jacket is

waterproof so make sure to buy one that is waterproof or to spray yourwindbreaker down before leaving home. I also like to bring a waterproof clearplastic zip-lock type bag that is specifically made to hold a normal sheet of typingpaper. That way, you can just rip out the part of the Lets Go that has the map ofthe town that you are visiting and carry around the map (in the plastic) so itdoesnt get wet when it is raining. This is also what I do if I arrive in a town and Iget a hostel lined up and I am making my way to the hostel and it is raining (thisway, your directions dont get smeared). Also, if you are careful (maybe use ablade from your Swiss Army knife) when you rip out the map (if it is a 2 pagemap) then you can tape the 2 pages of the map together and you will still be ableto see the center of the map.

Although many American college students wear baseball caps, this type ofheadwear is a very rare sight in Europe (except for the American tourists), so youmight want to just leave your cap at home and if you want to bring a ball cap,dont bring more than one!

In Greece if you are going to the Islands of Santorini, Ios (to party)Island of Paros, and the Island of Naxos, be careful to not oversleep on the ferry.You will probably party on the ferry (and may even hook up) but if you do not getoff the ferry (such as on Ios) because you are passed out, then the ferry justkeeps going to the next island. This happened to my travel partner (since wekind of were separated due to the festivities in which we partook on the ferry) andI was able to get off the ferry but he slept through it. I got us lodging on Ios,hoping that he would return. I was nice and waited by the docks when the ferrywas scheduled to return later in the day and he was on it. But he was lucky that Igot us lodging, because when he arrived, it was about 2pm and all of the goodlodging was gone. On Ios, when the ferry pulls into port, there will be a bunch ofpeople waiting and soliciting you to stay at their hostel.

Also, in Greece you will find out that there is a big problem with theplumbing (especially on the islands) and they forbid you from placing dirty toiletpaper into the toilet when you are finished. Thats right! They expect you toplace it into a trashcan (to stink up the room).

Exchanging money read the books, but generally, when you first arrivein a country, the first thing that you will want to do is exchange some money. It isa good idea to have already figured out a budget (such as $50/day). Then youestimate how long you will be in that country (not just that city!) and exchangeenough money for your whole time in that country (that way you do not getcharged multiple commissions). You can exchange money in many places, butgenerally, the locations in the train stations are more expensive than a normalbank. Also a Change Bureau will usually cost more than a bank. You can tellthis because either your exchange rate will be lower or that you will be charged a


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higher commission. Although considered safer than cash, travelers checksprobably will cost you more to use than cash because they are often charged anadditional commission to change and some places do not accept them (rare). Ifyou decide to bring travelers checks, make sure that they are in Euros. SomeAmericans still try to travel with travelers checks in US Dollars. This is a bad

idea. The other option is to use an ATM machine & get money out that way.BUT you should be good at converting and be aware of what the currentexchange rate is, because when you take out money from an ATM, it will ask youwhat amount in that countrys currency! FYI - you can locate ATMs by going towww.visa.com for Plus ATMs, orwww.mastercard.com for Cirrus ATMs. Itmay help if you are in a crunch and have the time for that. Make sure that yourATM code is a FOUR-digit NUMERICAL code. There are still a lot of ATM's inEurope that don't accept 5 or 6 digit codes and most do not list the alphabet nextto the numbers on the keypad of the ATM. This is important because if you havea five or six digit PIN, you better contact your bank and change your PIN to a fourdigit PIN or make sure that if you enter only the first four digits at the ATM that

your bank will process the card properly). Also, assume that the ATMs in Europewill NOT have letters on the keypad, so if you use letters to remember your PIN itis time to memorize the number instead.

Also, ATMs in Europe do not allow you to withdraw cash from a savingsaccount, only a checking, so make sure that your checking account if full! If youhave at least one month before you depart for Europe, contact your credit cardcompanies and your bank and have them issue new cards with brand newmagnetized strips. That way, you minimize the chance that the strips fail to workwhen you need them.

It is possible to exchange small amounts of money before you even arrivein Europe if you have a bank in your hometown that carries foreign currency. It isamazing how many American banks do not have this feature available outside ofthe big cities. Regardless, you will ALWAYS be able to exchange money in theairport (departing or arriving) but it will cost you more. Do not assume that youwill always be able to exchange money in a train station when you arrive in acountry. Usually you will be able to (if you arrive in that countrys capital) but ifyou arrive in a smaller town, there may not be anyplace to exchange money.This is very important to notice when traveling overnight. I once flew intoAmsterdam and took a night train to Bari, Italy. Well, when I arrived the next day,it was Sunday and all the banks were closed and I could not exchange money. Ihad to hop on the next train and leave that whole town because I couldnt get anycurrency to buy food! When you leave a country, try to spend most or all of thatcountrys currency (unless you have a lot (such as over $40) or unless you willpositively be returning to that country later on. If you will be returning, then placeall of that countrys coins and bills into a zip-lock bag (keep all the differentcurrency in different zip-lock bags). Although you can usually exchange acountrys currency with the neighboring country, you will lose because aSECOND commission will be charged and they will not exchange coins or smalldenominations.
http://www.visa.com/http://www.mastercard.com/http://www.visa.com/http://www.mastercard.com/


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Make sure that you dont spend ALL of the money before you are ready toleave the country (this does not apply if you will only be in countries that use theEuro). In Bratislava, Slovakia I had exchanged $20 and discovered what amistake that town was in a few hours, so I decided to buy some CDs and have a5-course meal to spend the rest of my money and leave town (the meal only cost

$12). Anyway, After buying my CDs, I left all of the remaining money as a tip formy meal, but I forgot that I was about a mile from the train station and had 15minutes to catch my departing train. I had to run back to the train stationbecause I didnt even have the 12-cents that it cost for a trolley (actually, I wouldhave just hopped on a passing trolley without a ticket and taken my chances, buta trolley didnt even come by at all!) So there are really 2 lessons to learn leave enough money and time to get back to the station. The time factor was alsoproblematic the last time that I was in Prague when I only left 30 minutes to getfrom my lodging to the train station. I figured that I had no problem because mylodging was close to a metro stop. Well, I normally would have been ok on time,but the metro train skipped a stop that I had planned on using to change lines

(because of a bomb threat at that stop), so I missed the train that I had plannedon taking and had to wait a few hours for the next one. Also, if you leave acountry that has a bad economic system (such as if you travel through Serbia orany other part of the old Yugoslavia) then expect that NOBODY will take thatmoney. I once tricked a salesman in Prague to take $8 worth of YugoslavianDinars for something that the salesman was charging $12 for. This was a veryrare thing, since the salespeople usually know the exchange rates better thanyou. However, there are a bunch of tourist booths all over (kind of like a fleamarket) and you can always bargain with them, but you better feel comfortablebargaining with them, or else you will be ripped off.

When I was at the Pink Palace in Greece, someone stole my swimtrunks(granted, I had left them on my balcony to dry in the sun) and I had to buy newtrunks at a shop in town & they were cheap by American standards (they asked$12) and I talked the lady down to $8. She was mad at first because sheassumed that I was a rich American and I should have paid the full price justbecause I could afford it. I lied and told her that I was Canadian and theCanadian currency sucked and I was not rich like Americans. The bottom line iseven if it is a good deal for you, bargain, because only the old American touriston the tour groups pay full price in Europe. That $4 that I saved ended up beingan extra couple of drinks at the bar that night. Granted, the big fancy shops onthe Champs-Elysees in Paris are just like New York - bargaining will get younowhere.

Also, all of the above talk about changing money each time you enter acountry may not be relevant to you if you only travel in places where the Euro isaccepted. The official change-over to the Euro began in January 2002. So,unlike those who traveled 2 years ago, if you travel in the summer of 2003, youwill have it a little easier since you will have less of the hassles associated withexchanging money. The parts of western Europe that do not use the Euro: arethe UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Switzerland. Check out www.ecb.int/ forinfo in English.
http://www.ecb.int/http://www.ecb.int/


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Also, some places in Eastern Europe and Russia will prefer hard currency(USD, pounds) to their crappy currency and you can just pay with your hardcurrency (especially in the flea markets (where you can get some bootlegmusic)). However, I think that plenty of travel books mention this because I saw

some older Americans in a tour group that paid $2 in US currency for a cassettetape in a flea market in Warsaw. Although these people thought that they weregetting a good deal, the vender initially asked for a price in Polish zloty (the localcurrency) which converted to only 90 cents. So, remember to know yourconversions before you try to bargain. I have a very small lightweight calculatorthat I always bring with me so I dont make conversion mistakes by trying to do itin me head.

Also regarding exchanging money it is wise to rip out the section of theUSA Today (on your flight over to Europe) that lists all of the current exchangerates and put it in your Lets Go. When I arrived in Russia, I knew that theexchange rate was $1 equals something like 15,000 Rubles. Well, when I

arrived at the train station, I looked around and I saw a long line where peoplewere exchanging money and I waited in line and when I got to the front, they hadposted the exchange rate as being $1 equals 1,500 Rubles. That means thatthey were ripping you off and giving you only 10% of what you were due! That isan example of black market exchanges. Although it was set up in a room andlooked official, when I past by a few days later, nothing was in the office at all!Usually, black market exchangers will approach you in the train station and ask ifyou need to exchange money avoid them. Also, misunderstanding theexchange rates will really hurt your wallet. Also when I was in Russia, I met thisother guy who told me that when he arrived he received his proper exchange butthat when he was figuring the prices of stuff, he did not really understand the rateand he forgot one decimal and when he went to Baskin Robins he thought thatthe cones were 40 cents and later realized that he paid $4.00 for an ice creamcone!

On the flight to Europe you will probably be able to drink beer for free.Resist the urge and do not drink alcohol. Opt for water. The reason is that flyingfor that length of time will tire you out and dehydrate you and you should drinkwater not alcohol (which further dehydrates you). Also, your flight will most likelyarrive in Europe in the early morning (European time) and it will probably be verylate your normal USA time, so try to sleep on the plane, because you will have tostay up for the whole first day you arrive (well you dont have to, but you shouldin order to get over thejet lag). Another way to get over jet lag is to try and geton European time for a couple of days before you leave home. That would meanthat you might be wide awake when it is night time and you sleep during the day.This would work best if you are pretty excited and unable to sleep on the plane.If that is the case, read up on the first city that you will be arriving in and makesure you know how to get from the airport to the train station (or to your lodging).When you arrive in Europe, you will have to navigate to your place of lodging forthat evening (or drop your backpack in a locker and see the town with your


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daypack and catch a night train out of that town). But dont forget that if you aretaking a night train, you may need to make a reservation (if sleeping car orcouchette) and you will not have a shower or free food, so prepare for that.However, I would not suggest spending your first night in Europe on a train.Even if you fly into a crappy town like Frankfurt or Stuttgart and you do not want

to spend time there, travel during the day to another town and sleep in the othertown. Even if you do not want to make any hostel reservations because you area free-spirit, you should try to get hostel reservations for your first night in Europe(especially if you will not be sleeping in the city into which you fly).

Before leaving the USA make a list of all the home phone numbers, emailand snail mail addresses that you will need when you are in Europe (to call or tosend a post card to) and write or type them either in your Lets Go book (becauseyou will never lose that) or onto a piece of paper this is much better thancarrying along an address book or palm pilot.

Guidebooks suggest photocopying your important documents (such

as passport, visa documents, immunization documents, drug and eyeglassprescription, Eurail pass, airline tickets and credit cards). If you do that, leaveone copy back home (with the parents or a friend that you can get in touch with),one copy in your big backpack, and one copy in your daypack (you can alsoinsert a copy into your shoe beneath the sole if you can remove the sole insert).If any of these are stolen/lost you will have the info in the other bag (but if anybag is stolen/lost, make sure to notify the credit card company so that the thiefdoes not use your photocopies to charge something to your credit card). Also, agreat idea is to scan these documents in on the computer and email them toyourself. You'll be able to make a printout in almost any Internet caf in the world,saving yourself time and expense of calling back home and having it faxed toyou.

Some people have a real aversion to destroying books. I have sometimesbrought the whole Lets Go type book and ripped out all of the countries that Iwas absolutely positive that I would not be visiting. That way my guidebook wasabout as thick and much lighter. However, be aware that if you do this, 2things will happen. The book will start to fall apart (and you may lose pages) andif you ever change your mind and want to visit someplace else or want toreference a different country to help someone else, you will not be able to. Also,sometimes people throw away the parts of the books after they have left thatcountry. This is also problematic for the same reasons. The one thing that Ialmost always do is that when I am in a town and I am sightseeing, I rip the mapout of the Lets Go guidebook and just walk around with the map in myhand/pocket (and I still have the Lets Go book in my daypack for reference toplaces to see and eat). When you meet people on your travels, ask lots ofquestions about places that they have been (that you are planning on going to)and when they give you useful information, write it down in your book, either atthe front or the back of the book, or right in the area on that country. Even if youthink that you are all set for your arrival in Berlin, ask questions from people that


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you meet about it, just in case your lodging gets screwed up or that they tell youthat everything is flooded from a week of rain (in which case you may wish toreschedule that part of your trip.) For example, during August 2002 huge areasof Germany and surrounding countries (specifically the city of Prague) wereflooded and although this made the newspaper, the average backpacker does

not read the paper while traveling and is kind of out of touch. Thus, informationlearned from fellow backpackers can be very helpful. Also if you come acrosssomeone who has a travel book that you do not have (such as Lonely Planet)and their book has listed different hostels. This may not be helpful, but if youarrive in a country and your choices of hostels are limited or all full, then this mayhelp! It is also wise because other travelers will be able to tell you the up-to-dateprices (such as if the books are not correct about how much the rooms cost) andwhether the place is a real dump or a real far walk, etc.

If you are into partying, you might want to visit any of the followingwebsites since they list the festivals and parties going on all over the world duringparticular times: www.world-party.comand www.holidayfestival.com

and www.festivals.com

Bring a watch because you will need to make sure that you do not missyour trains. Also, if your watch has an alarm, then you will be able to use that towake up in the morning when you either want to get up early to see sights orwhen you have to get up early to either make the free breakfast (at somepensions/hostels) or to make your train! If your watch does not have an alarm,bring a small alarm clock (battery powered).

I have experienced people setting their alarm clocks and hitting snooze.This is rude when you are in a dorm. Worse than that, I was stuck in a room afew times with people who were heavy sleepers and had VERY loud alarms andthey slept right through them. Once I got so angry that I got out of my bed, shutoff the alarm and went back to sleep. 3 hours later while I was packing my stuff,the guy finally woke up and was cursing because he missed his train. I had anice laugh, as did the rest of the room.

Also, many novice backpackers don't realize how loud zippers can be lateat night or early in the morning and they keep zipping and unzipping theirbackpacks. Although some zipping should be expected, there is no reason tohave to do it several times. If you stay in a dorm, to be polite, you should getyour stuff ready and leave it near the top of the backpack so that when you comein the hostel after a night drinking and need to brush your teeth, your toothbrushis easy to find when you are drunk. Also, if you need clothes for after a 5amshower, they should be set near the top so that when you get up in the morning,you don't have to take a lot of time making noise in the room digging throughyour backpack looking for them. Just because you think that 8 am is late andeveryone should be awake by then, dont make that assumption. This isespecially important to the backpacker who went out partying the night beforeand finally fell asleep at 6 am.
http://www.world-party.com/http://www.world-party.com/http://www.holidayfestival.com/http://www.festivals.com/http://www.world-party.com/http://www.holidayfestival.com/http://www.festivals.com/


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Another good use forZiplock bags (in addition to reducing space andpreventing things from leaking) is to bring them with you to hostel breakfasts.Some hostels (especially in Germany) have a buffet of food for all of the peoplewho slept in the hostel. If you are on a very tight budget, bring some Ziplockswith you to breakfast and sit in a corner, and fill them with food from breakfast.

The hostel workers do not always like you to do this, so dont draw attention toyourself if you do it. Likewise, if you know that you will never eat it, then dontwaste the food just because it is a buffet.

Another thing that helped me was earplugs (nice when you need to sleepand others are partying).

My travel mate ran into a bout of diarrhea, and because we were in anisolated area in Poland, where the locals did not know any of the 5 languagesthat we could speak, it was hard to find some stuff for him. It taught me to bringa few of those small packets with me in my first aid kit. Also, some aspirin is agood idea.

Bring some duct tape (not a whole roll). In fact, just wrap several feet

worth of the tape around a pencil and that will save space and you will be usingthe pencil anyway. Also a small flashlight can be handy if you need to dosomething in a hostel and others are already sleeping in the room. Also a deckof cards comes in handy when bored and on long train rides (and especially fordrinking games).

Bring a small bottle ofinsect repellant (and wrap it in a zip-lock bag). Ineeded this in Venice (as well in northern Europe where it rains frequently) whenI slept at a hostel that had open windows without screens (in the middle ofsummer) and plenty of huge mosquitoes bit travelers at night. Many places inEurope have armies of starved blood-sucking mosquitoes, so bring a small bottleof pump spray.

Some of the stuff that I have listed is not necessary, so if your packis too heavy, feel free to leave it at home.If you want to bring reading material (such as books) to help pass the

time, ok, but they are heavy, so when you finish reading them, give them away orleave them in a hostel. Your most valuable book that you will bring along will bethe book that comes with your Eurail ticket. That is your train timetable. Thisbook will tell you the times that all of the trains in Europe are scheduled to run.Generally, these times are accurate. However, it is possible (and I have run intothis many times) where some scheduled trains have been canceled or additionaltrains have been added. However, you can pretty much count on the timetable tobe correct. What I suggest doing is plan a few cities ahead and when you arrivein one city by train (such as Amsterdam) go to the end of the platform and look atthe time that the table says trains leave for your next city (such as Paris) andmake sure that the time that you planned on is still listed. FYI most trainstations have timetables in 2 places. Usually a real big one is somewhereoverhead, but those will just be the trains that are arriving and departing in thenext few hours. However, if you look around, on the walls somewhere (or maybeeven on the platforms) there should also be timetables posted for all trainsdeparting and arriving in that station for any time of the day. Make sure that you


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are aware of which table you are looking at because the arrivals and departuresare different colors (departure is yellow and arrival is white). The timetables use24 hour (a.k.a. military time), so if you see that your train leaves at 17:15, thatmeans 5:15 p.m. Also keep in mind that some cities have multiple train stations(Paris has 6).

In the South (Spain, Greece) they sell these cheap mats made out ofwicker-type stuff that you can use to lay on at a beach and roll it up when you aredone. They only cost about 1 Euro so you can just throw it away (or give it away)when you are finished, but if you are continuing your travels, just strap it to theoutside of your big backpack (nobody said that your backpack has to look all niceand contained). Many experienced backpackers have lots of crap on the outside.But when you start your trip, your backpack should not have anything on theoutside (use that area only as a last resort if you begin to accumulate stuff).

Another tip comes in handy if you are reading this document at least aweek before you fly to Europe. If you have some old clothes that you are going

to throw out do not throw them out (this works even better if you just havesome old, but still nice, clothes that you dont need any more). Set them asideand place them into ziplocks and pack them into your backpack at the top (sothat they will be the first clothes that you encounter when you open yourbackpack). Wear this old clothing for your first week in Europe. When it is dirty,

just throw it away or leave it in a hostel. This allows you to lighten your backpackand also allows you to travel for about 2 weeks without doing laundry (at the endof your second week you will only have 1 weeks worth of dirty clothes to wash(because you have discarded the other weeks worth of clothes).

If you are reading this document more than 4 months before you plan onleaving for Europe, then consider taking a college class on European history

or art. This way you will appreciate some of the amazing places that you will be

visiting and some of the priceless pieces of art. If you dont want to spend moneyon a college course, then you probably can still learn a lot by auditing such an artcourse (just showing up and sitting in the back of the auditorium during thelecture). Often these art courses show pictures or slides of the art work and theprofessor discusses the pieces. If you dont have the time or money for a collegeart course, you should at least buy a few books on the topic. If you are too cheapfor that, spend a few hours downloading some text on European history and art,or browsing art books at a book store or library. Unless you have degrees in bothart and history, if you are from the USA, chances are that your schooling reallydid not prepare you too well for what you will be seeing in Europe. Also,regardless of how well-educated you are, if you are an American then you shouldreally try to get up-to-date on current events. This is important for tworeasons: 1) so you do not feel like a fool when you meet fellow travelers and theyask your opinion as an American about some American policy decision; and 2) sothat you can help dispel the widely believed view that Americans are ignorant.Please remember that you will meet many people from other countries. Most ofthese people will be much more in touch with current events than you, simplybecause their news does not spend the majority of its time talking about what is


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going on in the 50 states of America. The rest of the world generally understandshow the United Nations works and what is going on with the European Union.My advice keep an open mind and learn from the people that you meet. Donttry and persuade a guy from England that America fought and won the PersianGulf War in 1991, because you will be in for an argument about how involved the

British were in that war. Be proud of your country, but dont think that the USAhas always made the proper decisions when it comes to politics, and certainlydont be foolish enough to think that the American media accurately portraysworld events.

If you are considering backpacking with others, great. However, manypeople want to go, and will tell you that they will go with you, but in myexperience, few actually will go. Until you are actually on the plane with yourfriends, you should be prepared to go solo if your friend(s) back out on you.Even if you plan on backpacking with others, since you are the one who hastaken the initiative to look around on the internet, most likely, it will be you who

will probably be in charge of making the whole thing happen. I suggest talkingabout backpacking and finances long before you are planning on going. Themore excited someone is, the more likely that they will actually go. The mainreasons people back out of backpacking Europe are money, a need to work, or asignificant other. If you have enough money to go, no other reason (besides adying relative) should prevent you from going.

This entire document assumes that you will take trains. However, thereare good reasons to fly within Europe on the cheap airlines, and traveling by busis also worth considering. Regarding a bus, there is a company called Busaboutis increasing in popularity. Two of my friends used this when they took theobligatory college trip to Europe. These two friends were American ladies thathave never traveled outside of America, and felt that their hairdryer was their bestfriend (and each brought one with them even though they traveled together). Intheir case, I think that the Busabout was the perfect way to go. I have never doneBusabout myself, but from what I understand, Busabout could be a good deal aslong as you stick to the routes planned by the company and stay at the hostelsthat they suggest. In general, Busabout has very limited routes and frequency.Most of their departures are every 2 days, and some lines are only every 4 days.They only travel by day. And they only have a full schedule in June-August. Theycut their service in April-May and September-October, and shut down altogetherNovember-March. They only go to major, popular destinations so if you want togo to smaller, off the beaten track places, they are of no use. They pick up anddrop off at hostels, which is good if you like to stay at those hostels. It's not thatgood if you stay elsewhere.

By the way, Contiki and Busabout are operated by the same company, soContiki's budget tours will stay at many of the same places that Busabout does.This is important for all backpackers to understand because when one of thesebuses arrives in a city, 95% of all the people on the bus will stay at the same


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hostel. This means that a hostel that normally has 20 available beds might onlyhave one because the busload of people took the others.

You might hear about certain night trains being dangerous (such as theones through Czech republic, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria or Romania).

Although I have traveled all over Europe multiple times on trains, I have neverencountered the infamous night-time train robbers. I have heard the urbanlegends and horror stories about people gassing the whole compartment andtaking your stuff, and also stories about people entering your compartment whileyou sleep and taking your stuff. The latter scenario can easily be prevented amyriad of ways. I have never personally met anyone who has been subjected tothe gassing. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that you should NOT skiptraveling to a country for fear of muggings on night trains. Use common sense.If you travel with a partner and you are very concerned about a certain country,take shifts sleeping so that one of you is always awake. If you sleep in acompartment (not a couchette) lay across the seats right next to the door and

keep your bag far from the door and strap it to the overhead rack (with the beltclip).

More General info -

In order to find good hostels just look in your Lets Go type book. There is even abook that is called something like Hostels in Europe or something like that and itlists hundreds of hostels. You may want to consider visiting a big book store nearyou (like Barnes and Noble) and look for such a hostel guide - even if you don'tbuy it, look through it and write down the info that you don't have - The locallibrary may also have good info - but the older the books, the more likely thechance that the info may be outdated (old phone numbers and prices).

Although traveling solo allows you to be independent and do whatever youwant, when you are traveling with others, in general the more people, the betteroff you will be regarding lodging - especially if you are looking for a pension orprivate room. However, if you show up with no reservation, sometimes it iseasier for a solo traveler to get lodging than a group (such as if there is only onebed left). Regarding hostels, if I can hook up with a few other people, I like to geta quad (4 beds in a room) and that ends up being about the same price (maybe alittle more) as if you just got a bed in a big room with 10 strangers. The benefit ina quad is that you know everyone in the room, so you can take a shower andhave your friend watch your passport (otherwise you will have to bring it with youor risk leaving it with strangers!)

Meeting others in Europe - If you are planning on meeting people inEurope then make sure that you account for the possibility that thy miss theirtrain or that they run late. For example, if I was meeting some friends in Vienna,and I was going to be in that city for 3 days I would arrange to meet my friendson the first day at a specific place and specific time. In order to allow forunforeseen problems, plan for a back-up. For example, if you initially planned tomeet at the main entrance of a specific church or museum at noon and your


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friend is not there. Have an agreement that you will wait for X amount of time(such as 30 minutes) and then you will return to that exact location X hours later(such as at 2pm or maybe the following day at noon). That way you dont loseyour friends just because one person is a few hours late.

BACKPACKS - You will hate your backpack by the end of your trip. I suggestbringing the biggest one that you can carry comfortably (especially if you aregone longer than 1 month). Then just pack as much into it as you need (see themany tips on the websites and in the Lets Go type books about what to bring). Ingeneral, the lighter that you pack, the better. Once you buy the backpack, youwill learn that you can take less stuff than you originally planned - also, there isno rule that says that everything must fit inside the backpack! Some stuff can bestrapped to the outside. However, you certainly should start your trip witheverything inside, because you will acquire things along the way. I suggestbuying a backpack (at a place that has a 30-day money back return policy) andload if full and walk around for 30 minutes 1 hour. If you can do that, then the

bag is not too big.A guy whos opinions I respect goes by the username of Sailor on theEurotrip board and he works as an airline baggage handler and gives thefollowing advice: Folks, 10 pounds of shit won't fit in a 5 pound bag. . . If yourbag can't be safely thrown a distance of 10-15 feet, it isn't packed right.

Depending on how much time you have before you head off to Europe,you may be able to plan ahead. Some people bring a few extra buckles in casethe ones on their backpack break while they are traveling. Do not think that it isimpossible to occur. You will be lugging this big bag around and banging it intothings. Personally, I broke shoulder straps on two different backpacks about way through my tours. I could not find a replacement part. However, I hadbrought along about a 10-foot section of wire just in case, and my Swiss Armyknife, and both times I fixed the straps myself enough to last the rest of the trip.

Some wire is also useful when you are at a hostel that requires you topush and hold a button for water to come out of the shower. It sucks taking ashower with one hand and I have often used my wire (or duct tape) to wraparound the knob and keep the water flowing.

A tip that may be helpful for you when your pack starts to feel really heavy if you are waiting just standing around (such as on the platform waiting for yourtrain to arrive) then take off your backpack and set it on the ground. However,keep in mind how difficult it is for you to put it back on (not hard for me, but veryawkward for others). This is important because if you are boarding a trainwithout a reserved seat, then you will want to be one of the first people on thetrain if possible so that you can get a decent seat and so that you can find acompartment that has enough available space on the rack to put your bigbackpack. So, if you see your train pulling into the station, get your pack onquickly so that you can have a position on the platform so that you can boardquickly (otherwise you will have to try to push through the crowds after you getyour backpack on). Another tip is that if you are standing next to a wall or a


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ledge, you can usually back up to the wall of ledge and rest your backpack on thewall or ledge while it is still on your back and this takes all of the weight off yourshoulders, but still keeps the pack on your back.

Oh yea, when you are waiting for your train, and when it starts to pull intothe station, you will see a huge 1 or 2 on each car (that means first or second

class) and you will also see either a picture of a cigarette or a no smoking sign.That is important because if you rush to board the train and you board a 1st classcar and you have a 2nd class Eurail (as most backpackers have), then you justwasted your time, because you cannot stay in the 1st class car. Regarding thesmoking cars, if you want to avoid smoke, then try to board the train in a non-smoking car. That way you can try that first and if that particular car is full, justkeep walking trough the train until you find an available seat (which may be insmoking). Some of the better train stations have boards right on each platformthat has a picture of a train and shows which cars are smoking and which onesare non-smoking (and also shows which are 1st and second class) and alsoshows the location of the dining car and the sleeping cars (these last two are not

on all trains). By looking at this type of board before the train arrives, you will beable to figure out where on the platform you should stand. For example, youmight be able to tell by looking at the board that the first nonsmoking secondclass car (carriage) will be the 5th car of the train. Therefore, you should not waiton the platform near the first 4 cars. Instead, walk down the platform about 5carriage lengths.

You will find that at night, many people pull the curtains for theircompartment in the (non-couchette and non-sleeper cars) in the hopes that youwill assume that the occupants are all sleeping and that the compartment is full.Well, dont let that bother you. Obviously, if you also want to sleep, then your firstgoal would be to find an empty compartment (so that you can pull out the seatsand sleep and pull your curtains closed) but if that is not possible, then you may

just have to sleep sitting up. If you are not able to find an available compartment,then you may have to wake some people up and enter their compartment. Thisusually is not pleasant, but unless all of the empty seats in that compartment arereserved (you will see reserved tickets on the window of the compartment) thenthey do not have any right to keep you out. Mind you, waking up sleepingpassengers is not polite and should only be done if you cant find any otherspace. If you are intimidated to do that, then get a conductor to help you.Generally, if the train is that full, then other boarding passengers will also needseats and they too will be waking up the passengers.

If you get on a train that is not too crowded and you have your choice ofseats, choose one a few cabins in from the toilet otherwise you might hearbanging and flushing noises during your trip. Also, try to make sure that you sitfacing out the window so that you are facing towards the direction that the trainwill be moving. Do not assume that the engine is the front of the train. Whenyou board, you should know which way the train will leave the station keep thatin mind in selecting a seat otherwise you will get a headache when you look outthe window.


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Also, there are usually signs right by the doors to each train car (somecounties have the signs on the outside of the car near the door, and some trainshave signs on the interior of the train near the doors). These signs let you knowthe origin of the train and the final destination. You should be aware that youmay not be travelling the entire journey that is available, so you should have

some idea as to when you will arrive in your city of choice. This is located in yourTime Table book, as well, as at the train station (and you can always ask theconductor). In general, some cities have multiple train stations, and if you are notpositive whether you are about to get off at the correct one, ask anyone whetherthis is the CENTRAL station (it may help to pronounce it Sen Trall). This is worthmentioning because if you have never been to that city before, then you do notknow what it should look like when you arrive. Some cities are a different story(in Koeln you will see a huge black church). Also, usually when you arrive at themain station, the train will not be able to move forward anymore (and will have toback up to continue on its journey). Obviously, this whole issue becomes moot ifyou plan on getting off the train at that trains last stop.

FYI you are not allowed to cross the train tracks except where it isclearly marked. It is very dangerous and they will get very mad at you forcrossing the tracks. Once I saved a 4-minute walk in Italy once because Icrossed the tracks and was one of the first people on the train. But looking back,I still suggest not doing it.

Oh yea, when the train is in any station (not moving) then you are notsupposed to flush the toilet. The reason? Well, the stuff just drops right downunder the train onto the tracks. Trains do not have nice blue water and a holdingtank like an airplane or bus. Stations begin to smell pretty bad when too manypeople ignore this rule.

TIP I found out a long time ago that every city in Europe sells post cards.You usually can get them pretty cheap in the tourist traps. Pick some upeverywhere you go and then you will have excellent pictures that you are positivewill turn out. Also, if you mail some, send postcards with different pictures onthem back home and when you return collect the postcards and put into yourscrapbook. Amsterdam has hilarious sex-related postcards at most shops. If youtake pictures with your own camera, make sure to get as many pictures with youin the picture. Unless you are a pro photographer, the postcards will be betterthan anything you can do of the sites themselves, so make all of your shots greatby making sure that you are in as many as possible.

Oh yea, standing at the bar at a caf is sometimes cheaper than sittingdown and ordering the exact same stuff - but sometimes you want to sit andwatch the scene and look at your map.

If you just HAVE to check your e-mail while you are on vacation, then youwill be happy to know that most major cities have Internet Cafes available. Evensome hostels provide access (sometimes it is free, sometimes the hostels chargea fee). But dont waste too much of your travel time on the computer when youcould be enjoying the culture and sights. In eastern Europe, you can expect topay only about .5 Euro per hour for internet access in an internet caf.


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Regardless of whether you are in Eastern or Western Europe, sendingfriends/family email (and maybe uploading pictures) will almost always becheaper than talking on the phone (mainly because it is hard to get off the phonein 2 or 3 minutes).

What to pack? well, read the front of your Lets Go type of book and it

should walk you right through it. But in general, each person is different. If youare in Europe to dance, then you will have some clothes so that you can go out and probably too many shoes. If you just want to see the sights and no partying,then you will probably be able to pack less clothing. If you are traveling only inthe south, then you will bring less long pants and less socks (if you wear yourteevas/sandals). If you are travelling in both hot and cold climates, thenobviously you will need to prepare for each. The bottom line is this do not bringtoo much. Figure on how you will do laundry (in sinks or at a Laundromat) anddo not bring anything more than you have to. I suggest putting all toiletries insomething to contain them (both from spilling, and so that you can easilytransport them to the bathroom). Generally a sweatshirt can double as a pillow if

needed, and unless you are in Europe after October, you should be warmenough with just a sweater and a wind breaker/light jacket. Consider buying athin, lightweight fleece cardigan. It will be as warm as a bulky sweater, If you canfind one that unzips, it can help when it is not real cold, but cold enough to havesomething, it is smaller inside your backpack than a regular sweater, it driesmuch quicker than a regular sweater, and if you buy a black one, due to the colorand fact that it is non-baggy, it even looks a little dressy.I suggest packing your backpack with everything that you think you will need and

walk around for one-hour minimum. When you have done that, you will be ableto determine whether you need to discard some stuff. It is not uncommon for youto have a backpack on for 30-60 minutes during the time that you are travelingfrom the train station (after arriving in a town) to your lodging. Keep in mind that

jeans and shoes are heavy. So are books, so only bring essentials. Jewelry the less the better it is just an attraction for thieves.

If you travel in the winter, then you will need to pack heavier, more bulkyclothes. I suggest wearing the heaviest stuff when you are actually traveling (i.e.hiking boots, heavy sweater, big coat) on the plane. You can take them off inflight if you get hot. Also - Layers. Only take one bulky sweater, everything elseshould be those light knit things. You can always throw a T shirt on UNDER if youare cold

If you are trying to figure out some out-of-the-normal things to see in aparticular city in Europe, visit the following website and scroll around and thereare some interesting things listed that most people do not know about:http://www.unesco.org/whc/heritage.htm

Regarding credit card cash advances. In general, plan ahead by callingall of your credit card companies before you leave for Europe. Ask the creditcard company to explain their policy on a cardholder making a cash advancewhile in Europe (because that is exactly what you would be doing if you put acredit card into an ATM machine). Some banks also offer a debit card (they are
http://www.unesco.org/whc/heritage.htmhttp://www.unesco.org/whc/heritage.htm


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also called different things and some credit cards can perform this feature(which you may have to pre-pay)) which allows you to use the card as you woulduse an ATM card. The bottom line is that you should completely understandwhat charges and exchange rates apply to withdrawals from European ATMsprior to leaving for Europe. Although you usually get a good exchange rate, if

your bank charges hefty commissions, that may outweigh the benefits of usingsuch a card. Oh yea, it would be a good idea to call your bank and credit cardcompanies prior to leaving for Europe and do 2 things: 1) advise them that youwill be traveling in Europe and that they can expect you to make approximately Xamount in withdrawals in the next month. (Although you are not required to dothis, it is a good idea, because some companies will flag or freeze your accountbecause it appears as if your card was stolen and is now on a spending spreeand might be frozen as a precaution). And 2) you should also obtain telephonenumbers which can be dialed from Europe in case you have to cancel thebank/credit card if it is stolen. This is important because many cards only list a 1-800 number on the card, which cannot be dialed from Europe. If you need to

report a stolen/lost credit card, you will also probably have to contact one of thelarge credit bureaus: www.experian.comwww.equifax.com orwww.transunion.com You only need to contact one of these and theyautomatically place a fraud alert on your card.

Once I traveled with a guy that lost his credit cards. He had to call back tothe USA and cancel all of the cards, and have new cards sent to him in Europe.We picked them up at the AmEx office in Vienna. This taught me somethingvaluable you can have stuff sent to you in Europe if it is sent to an AmericanExpress office. The guidebooks briefly address this, but you may want to lookinto this especially if you will be backpacking for a long period of time maybeconsider mailing yourself new supplies that may help out. For instance, if youmail yourself some supplies, then you can travel around the 1st leg of your tripwith maybe just one pair of shoes or with some of the smaller travel sizedtoiletries, and then you save weight and space. I have never done that myself,but it is just a thought. However, I have stopped in various post offices in Europeto mail stuff back home (such as purchases and clothing that you no longerneed).

Some people have lived their whole lives in a little town and have no clueabout some basic travel etiquette. Some basic rules that you should alwaysfollow are the following: when you are on an escalator (such as exiting ametro/subway) you should always stand on the right so faster people can passon your left. Also, you should always let people get off the train/subway beforeyou try to board. If you are the one trying to exit a train/subway and other rudepeople try to board before you get off, just turn your body quickly and your largebackpack will teach them a lesson.

Some people buy electricity converters this is a waste of space, weightand money. What the heck will you possibly bring with you that needs to beplugged in? A walkman? A camera? These two things work on batteries, whichcan be discarded when dead. Electric razors are much bigger and heavier than
http://www.equifax.com/http://www.transunion.com/http://www.equifax.com/http://www.transunion.com/


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the other kind. If you HAVE to bring an iron or hairdryer, then realize that you arepacking unnecessary weight. Perhaps if you are traveling with a partner, you canagree that you both will share some of the stuff and that way only one personneeds to bring it. The only way that I would even consider lugging around thatextra weight is if I had a cell phone that I knew would work in Europe and I

wanted to recharge the battery.Bring some multi-vitamins if possible because you will not be eating aswell as you should. Keep any vitamins and/or prescription pills in their originalcontainers and you will be ok with customs. If you plan on being adventurousand eating vendor food, bring some anti-diarrhea stuff from home. If you wearcontacts, make sure to bring an extra pair of contacts and pair of glasses. Isuggest this because you will be on trains which may be very dirty and dry outyour contacts and you CANNOT use the water that is available on trains foranything involving your eyes or mouth do not ever drink train water it is ok towash your hands with but it is better to just bring along a small container ofantibacterial hand gel. I suggest no more than 2-3 pairs of pants. Do not think

that you will be selling blue jeans to the locals this stopped a long time ago.When packing clothing I hear that rolling the clothing help keep wrinkles out, but Ihave not had much success with that. Make sure to bring a few garbage bagsand use one for your dirty laundry. Also bring some zip-lock bags (sandwich-sizeand large ones for a wet swimsuit). I suggest bringing a small fork, spoon, andknife set. It is not nice to do, but I have known certain people to help themselvesto the metal utensils that the airline provides for meals during the flight to Europe.These are perfect size and weight. However, in light of the recent terroristattacks, I do not know whether you will even find metal utensils anymore onflights.

If you are on a very tight budget and you are traveling in expensivecountries, you can go into a grocery store and buy some refrigerated hotdogs, a liter of milk or juice and come out with a meal for about 3 Euro. That is not toomuch fun, but it is cheap and filling. Also a hunk of cheese and a loaf of breadcan be filling and cheap. Also, some grocery stores offer hot food such as acooked chicken for about 3 Euro this is messy to eat and you will hate yourselfif you dont have utensils.

If you are big into museums, then the museum passes that are available indifferent countries may be a good idea for you. For example, in Berlin if you planon going to 3 or more museums, visit www.berlin-tourism.deand get one pass for$7USD - good for three days. Most entrance fees are about $4USD each. Also,in Paris, if you plan on stopping at three or more museums, visitwww.intermusees.com where one pass costs $11USD/ 1day; $22USD/ 2day;$33USD / 3day. This is a good deal because most entrance fees in Paris areabout $5USD - $10USD each.

If you will be living in Europe, for example, if you are going to spend a semesterstudying at a European University, then you will be bringing more stuff over thanyour normal backpacking gear. For those of you who are going to live (not just
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backpack) then here is a tip for you. Buy some of those vacuum bags. I thinkthat the company American Tourister makes them. With these special bags, you

just put your stuff (such as bulky sweaters) in these plastic bags, and then suckthe air out of the bags with a vacuum. This results in condensing the stuff in theplastic bags into airtight plastic bags which are kind of like bricks. This will allow

you to pack a lot more stuff in your luggage without having to struggle to closethe zipper/latches. Just remember that this can result in 2 potential problems: 1)if the airlines/customs make you open anything up at the airport, you willprobably not be able to cram that stuff back in your suit case; and 2) after youlive in Europe for a semester, you will acquire more crap and you will never beable to return home with it all in your luggage, so plan on leaving some stuff inEurope or paying extra to bring it (or ship it) home.

Finally (and the main reason that I believe that the vacuum bags do notwork for people who only backpack (and not live in Europe), how do you expectto find a vacuum at every hostel that you stay at? Once you break the seal onthe bag and use the clothes, they will expand and you will need space for that

expansion.They do make something called EC Compressor bags that do notrequirea vacuum cleaner to suck the air out. These consist of a zip-loc style closurealong with a small one-way valve. Once the bag is sealed, you roll it to force allthe air out through the valve. There is sometimes a small amount of "leakage"(causing the bag to expand slightly). I hear that the clothing seems to recover it'soriginal form quite nicely when it's removed from the bag.

Hope that helps Dave a.k.a. snorkelman [email protected]

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Backpacking Euro Info 2