How far can 10 grand get me in Europe?

[XXXNoahXXX]

Nickerbocker,

I spent a week in Paris with some friends, here was my barebones budget (we did go out to a few good dinners, but heres what we did) Prices in american dollars

Breakfast- One baguette and a small container of cheese split three ways and coffee ($3 each)

Lunch- Skipped it or shared some pizza ($6 each)

Dinner- Sandwich and water ($7 each)

Tons of wine drank in the hotel ($5/day)


Add in $25 for a hostel bed and all other than that, all expenses are optional.

You definitely could just bum it and buy a couple loafs of bread and some meat if you got a fridge to stick it in.


When I graduate school, in the time before I start work I plan on going to Eurpoe for a month by myself on barebones budget and then have my gf join up with me for a proper nice hotel/museum/spa vacation.

[greg nice]

also read Canuck's backpacking thread its probably in the sticky here

[redsd00dz]

thats what im talking about noah wine is where its at

[WhoIam]

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I came to the conclusion that I knew nothing of the world besides the small California town in which i'd lived my whole life. So I came up with a plan to try and explore as much of the world as I could on my limited budget.

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Since your goal is spiritual rather than sightseeing, have you considered going anywhere other than Europe? Maybe somewhere where your budget could be stressed considerably further? Where I am, you could live well for an entire year on $10k.

[jjshabado]

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I read it just not properly. I just assumed someone on a poker forum wouldn't wanna live like a bum. Food and entertainment costs would be about the same anyway. You've gotta eat regardless.

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Hah.

Many people on this forum are students or have full time jobs and just play poker for fun. Also, if you've never done the hostel experience you're missing out. When I've traveled with friends we generally choose hostels over hotels because they're way more fun. You meet a lot more interesting people and can find some good traveling companions. Its not like you're going to be hanging out in your hotel so who cares if all you have is a clean bed and a locker.

With a minimum of effort you can survive off of an average of $100 a day. Buying food occassionally and cooking your own meals can save you a fair bit of money. After airfare and travel I think you can make your money last one and a half to two months pretty easily.

[blopp]

Check hotels.com for good rates (common knowledge?), do east and south europe and 10k is no problem for 2 months.

Fly in Paris, find cheap airticket too prague, then use trains going south. Yoy dont save much on interrail is my experience, if u are travelling south europe. + You might track cheap air tickets too save alot boring time. Hostels can be great to get to know people.

Croatia is a must, then i would head for eiter greece or going back from croatia trough venice and italy, esp if u fly out trough france could be awesome. Then is also Spain and Barca ''close''.

[kafkaFan1]

nickerbocker i've traveled a fair dea, after reading your post i strongly recommend you go anywhere BUT europe, europe is the most expensive and most similar to the place you live (w. europe of course). do you know any other languages? what about a south america trip? or an asia trip? maybe you go to australia for a few months and get a job while you're out there, then spend a few months split up in thailand, vietnam, korea, china. a trip like that is v. popular for europeans, israelis, australians... it's just americans that odn't do it.

do you know any other languageS? any other cultures youa re paritculary interested in? how afraid are you of trying new things/of thiss trip?

[OnYourBike]

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I read it just not properly. I just assumed someone on a poker forum wouldn't wanna live like a bum. Food and entertainment costs would be about the same anyway. You've gotta eat regardless.

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Hah.

Many people on this forum are students or have full time jobs and just play poker for fun. Also, if you've never done the hostel experience you're missing out. When I've traveled with friends we generally choose hostels over hotels because they're way more fun. You meet a lot more interesting people and can find some good traveling companions. Its not like you're going to be hanging out in your hotel so who cares if all you have is a clean bed and a locker.

With a minimum of effort you can survive off of an average of $100 a day. Buying food occassionally and cooking your own meals can save you a fair bit of money. After airfare and travel I think you can make your money last one and a half to two months pretty easily.

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I stayed in hostels when I was young and poor. They suck, and most the people in them have the same boring stories. I couldn't think of anything worse than sharing a room with weird poor people I don't know.

I would honestly just go to Europe for 2-3 weeks and spend the 10k that way. I find the first 3 weeks of travelling are the best, and after 6 weeks you're completely sick of it. Travelling on a budget I'd be sick of it after 5 days.

[OnYourBike]

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Nickerbocker,

I spent a week in Paris with some friends, here was my barebones budget (we did go out to a few good dinners, but heres what we did) Prices in american dollars

Breakfast- One baguette and a small container of cheese split three ways and coffee ($3 each)

Lunch- Skipped it or shared some pizza ($6 each)

Dinner- Sandwich and water ($7 each)

Tons of wine drank in the hotel ($5/day)


Add in $25 for a hostel bed and all other than that, all expenses are optional.

You definitely could just bum it and buy a couple loafs of bread and some meat if you got a fridge to stick it in.


When I graduate school, in the time before I start work I plan on going to Eurpoe for a month by myself on barebones budget and then have my gf join up with me for a proper nice hotel/museum/spa vacation.

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Sounds like hell being malnourished and drunk on cheap wine, living in what feel like halfway houses. Those figures are completely unrealistic unless you wanna do nothing more than stare at monuments and swap boring travel stories with backpackers.

[OnYourBike]

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My experience with London is that I basically found myself paying about the same as I'd pay in Canada just in pounds. The rest of Europe was not as bad.

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I read it just not properly. I just assumed someone on a poker forum wouldn't wanna live like a bum. Food and entertainment costs would be about the same anyway. You've gotta eat regardless.

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I also don't see the value in an experience like this but it is not my place to judge. Food and entertainment would change as well. Someone staying at hostel will also find just getting a sandwich at a deli or eating fast food is acceptable. They also will not be paying cover to get into clubs. They will walk or take public transit rather than cab etc. I can see him making it by on less then $150 a day. I would say $100 if not for the fact the US currency is very weak.

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London is not excessive by western european standards. Paris is more expensive, Switzerland more expensive, even Ireland is more expensive now.