Visit Europe!

The thought of schools are always tied in with backpacking. What if you get a chance to go backpacking in Europe, one of the most beautiful locations in the world? It would be an experience to recall. The most important thing required for this trip is of course a backpack, which is strong enough to carry your belongings. Do not over pack your backpack, as you must remember that you have to do a lot of walking to catch the ferry or the tourist buses in and around the cities in Europe.

There is a certain segment of individuals who prefer backpacking to Europe during summer as they can savor summer activities and visit various beaches. But there are others who opt to plan a trip to Europe in wintertime. Winter would not be disappointing for them too because France have the skiing opportunities. The best place for skiing would be Interlaken which is on a double lake system completely surrounded by mountain peaks. Another interesting event during winter is the winter carnival at Venice, Italy.

It is very essential to pack according to the weather conditions when planning Backpacking in Europe. Don’t forget to have two pants with lots of pouches if visiting in summer.  It is more handy if you take pant that can convert to shorts when needed. Pack 2 -3 shirts with one or two long sleeve shirts. You have to have at least 3 pair or under garments. Hiking shoes or walking shoes would be the most preferable shoes for the backpacking trip as you have to walk a lot. You can also carry a pair of sandals or flip flops to walk around the place you stay.

When you decide to go on backpacking trip to Europe, you may not be certain where you might pass the night. This is where travelers’ inn comes in convenient. They are very much cheaper and handy that hotels. The best places to spend a night while in Europe are the traveler’s hostel. They are cheap and you do not have to make any reservation. Do enquire about the stuff they provide at the hostel which would make it convenient about what to pack in your back pack.

Most significantly, get copies of all your essential documents such as passport, your medical info and put it in different places in your backpack as well as your wallet and your trouser pouches. Last but not the least; Remember to enjoy your Europe trip and have fun backpacking!!

If you are looking for more information about backpacking in Europe, take a look at European Travel Site or/and Cheap European Travel

For the fortunate few, life isn’t complete without a backpacking trip through Europe. This right of passage is believed to further the maturation process of college students, according to sociologists. Of course, others have opined that copious amounts of alcohol, sun and Amsterdam have something to do with it. Regardless of your purpose, you still have to figure out what to take.

Backpack – Getting In Touch With Your Inner Mule

Obviously, the first critical item is your backpack. While one doesn’t need to buy the $10,000 Himalaya Turbo Pack, you should also avoid the $12 blue light special. So, how do you pick a happy middle ground?

The best method for picking a backpack involves three phone books. Select/swipe/borrow three yellow page books from neighbors/friends/enemies and hit your local sporting goods store. With the books, head to the backpackapalozza section of the store and pick out a few sturdy/cool/outrageous rigs. Stuff the phone books in, adjust the straps and go for a walk. Now break out into a run to simulate future dashes for trains/ ferries/ toilets and make the sales people nervous. These steps should quickly reveal the perfect pack.

Now, you may have read other publications suggesting highly technical ways to select a backpack. Trust me, until you have run for the last ferry from Italy to Greece, you have no idea how to pick a pack. The three phone book test solves this nicely.

What To Take

There are a few mantras that every person should chant before packing for Europe. These chants were developed originally by the little known, Oh-My-Back Monks of Southeast Asia. The “OMB” Monks were known for traveling half way too far off cities, turning around, returning home and then traveling the full way to said cities. Religious experts opined as to the deep metaphysical meaning of such trips. They were later embarrassed when the monks revealed the back and forth nature of the trips was due to forgetting something, often whether they had turned off the iron. Nonetheless, such chants have become the guiding light of experienced backpackers.

Let us slowly and clearly chant together,

“I will pack only that which will not result in me being hunched over like a Sherpa.”

“Remember, I can pick it [(lower voice) toothpaste, book, soap] up over there.”

“I will not stuff thy pack to the point of bursting, for thy damn zippers always break/get snagged/refuse to work.”

“I will learn humility through wearing incredibly wrinkled clothes and shall not bring an iron.”

“I shall bring only one guide book, not one for each country that I MIGHT see.”

“I accept that I will come home wearing something I didn’t take and will have lost/traded/burned much of what I did take.”

For female travelers and, okay, the occasional male,

“I will not bring high heels or a gaggle of make-up.”

Admittedly, chanting these mantras will not bringing you immediate enlightenment. Fret, not. You can always throw items away or send them home in a box to your parents/friends/parole officer. For the resourceful backpacker, it is not unheard of to send particularly smelly/discolored/toxic clothing to an ex-girlfriend/ex-boyfriend/little brother. Follow these practical guidelines and you will soon happily be speaking in a loud voice to make foreigners understand you.

The Evidence

This is the hard part for most travelers to wrap their minds around. You will forget those special moments of your trip when you met the hunk Sven or babe Svenetta from Sweden and had a romantic evening/danced the night away/got arrested in Ios/Ibiza/the airport. Maybe not immediately, but you will eventually forget.

You will also forget or lose the contact information of people you meet, despite meticulously writing it down on the back of a coaster/napkin/your hand in a bar/poetry reading/jail at three in the morning. Surprisingly, said coaster/napkin/hand often survive the night/day/weekend and get deposited in your already trashed backpack. Of course, their presence is often forgotten when you later put a Oktoberfest mug/wet towel/toothbrush in. The extra padding at the bottom of your pack is specifically designed to deal with the decomposing result. Still, the information is gone and so is your future with Sven/Svenetta.

To properly record the magical moments of your trip, you must take a diary or journal. Don’t worry, you can burn it later before you get married/your parents get nosey/you have kids. You want a journal in a water/beer/sweat resistant case. Of course, I prefer a Nomad Travel Journal, but just make sure you take something. When you have some extra time in the bus/train/jail cell, you can record how you got there and the people you met.

Trust me, when you, Sven/Svenetta and your nine children are sitting on the porch 10 years later, you will greatly enjoy reading your journal. Of course, that assumes you didn’t burn.

If you are backpacking across Europe, it’s important to pack only the essentials. Even if you are a clotheshorse or fashion guru, it’s just not possible to lug around a ton of heavy bags while traveling on foot. As long as you keep the mundane stuff like clothes and shoes down to a minimum, you can make room for a few extras in your backpack that will make your vacation more enjoyable.

Here are our top picks for what to include in your backpack if you have room:

Lonely Planet Guide. These travel guides are the Bible for economy travelers. They can be chunky, but we just don’t have the heart to tear pages out of these books. They are well-written, interesting, and fun to read. You won’t want to miss a single page.

Global Positioning Device. This is such a cool electronic gadget when you’re doing a lot of walking from town to town. It’s also handy to have when you don’t want to lug around a bunch of different maps. You’ll find yourself relying on it more and more as you navigate around the globe.

Travel towels. If you’ll be staying in hostels while you backpack across various countries, you’ll appreciate having at least one travel towel. Although you can rent the towels available at hostels, they aren’t always appealing. Travel towels are also great if you are caught in an unexpected downpour or need to wash up in a public restroom. They dry quickly and fit into a tiny corner of your backpack.

Photos of friends and family. We know you won’t forget what your family looks like and we aren’t getting sentimental. Having a few snapshots with you is a great icebreaker when you’re traveling. Backpacking is the perfect opportunity to meet locals and strike up conversations. You’ll be amazed by how people warm up to you when you pull out a few pictures of your family and friends from “back home.”

Inflatable neck pillow. Trust us on this one, you’ll find yourself sleeping somewhere uncomfortable at least once while backpacking. It may be a metro station, a beach, or the back seat of a bus. When you’re curled-up tight and shoved into a corner, you’ll be thanking the stars you thought to bring an inflatable pillow so you sleep without getting a permanent crick in your neck.

Compass. It’s not just for camping. When you are lost in downtown London, trying to decipher a map and not sure which way you are facing, you can get your bearings by picking landmark and using your compass. Is Big Ben to the North or South of where you’re standing? That’s a good start for figuring out where you are.

Power bars and granola. The reason you’re walking across Europe with a backpack slung over your shoulder is to save money while you take in the sights. One of the biggest expenditures you’ll have is food, so stock your bag with power bars and granola. If you substitute one of these high-energy goodies for a meal each day, your savings could add up and you may be able to extend your trip.

Rain poncho. A lightweight vinyl or plastic rain poncho can fold into a tiny square and is amazingly versatile. Apart from the obvious protection from rain, you can also use your rain poncho as a tarp for picnic lunches, to wrap up wet items when you pack, and as a place to lay out clothing to dry overnight.

When you start packing, lay out everything that is essential first, and then add the items from this list that you’d like to take. See what fits and go from there. Pare things down until you get your bag to a manageable weight and you’re ready to go. Remember – the less you take, the more you’ll enjoy the trip.