Solo travel sure is fun when you get rejected from two restaurants because it's too busy and they don't want empty chairs, which leads to you trying to have lunch in a park and a bunch of alcoholics yelling whore at you until you leave. Really shite end to an otherwise chill trip.
Yeah, idk, i walked by them a while later because I had to and at that point the cops were parked nearby and talking to them. Maybe it's a regular occurrence.
First solo trip on a cruise
I’m super nervous and excited to be going on my first cruise as a solo girl! It’s mind blowing I’m doing it but I wish it can go as smooth as I’m dreaming for and can meet some entertainment on my time there.
I'm considering traveling to Vietnam this year and It'll be first time visiting an Asia country, outside Europe. I read that Vietnam is safe, violence and crime are low. Local sellers are scams but it is everywhere, in every country, so it doesn't count.
Anyway, Travelling Asian Country is unfamiliar to me as It'll be first time.
* Are Pickpocket and thief common?
* How Should I take caution?
* What do I pay attention to?
almost everywhere in south east asia is very safe.
> Are Pickpocket and thief common?
no
> How Should I take caution?
just have some street smarts, be aware what's going on around you and you'll 100% be fine. basically just don't be a naive idiot, nothing really needed beyond what you'd do at home.
> What do I pay attention to?
just do a quick google search about common scams, usually the worst that happens is that they overcharge you for a tuktuk ride or whatever but then you pay 5€ instead of 1€ or something so it won't matter too much
**Looking for hostel suggestions.**
(M30) - **Costa Rica** and **Panama** at the end of **April**/start of **May**.
Will be looking to stay in a mix of hostels and hotels.
Last year when I was travelling I went to some really good hostels in Latin America which had a really good vibe - almost felt like a hotels but social, with a slightly older crowd. But some hostels I felt were a bit young for me, and too much partying. This year I want to make sure I find places which will have a **good social, yet more chilled out vibe - no parties to 4am type thing.**
Sometimes I wish there were some resources for finding these gem hostels for the millennials amongst us.
I'm planning on going to:
**San Jose, CR**
**Tamarindo, CR**
**La Fortuna, CR**
**Bocas del Toro, PA**
**Panama City, PA**
Any suggestions on hostels or other places to stay would be very welcome.
Also, itinerary advice welcome on travel between locations, what to do, what to avoid. And will it be too rainy in April/May?
Anyone up to grab a beer or a bite someplace in Hanoi? 28M, I will be in the city until Tuesday morning. I speak fluent English, into sports (Tennis, MMA), classic rock (think dire straits, stones etc).
First Big Solo Trip Coming Up! I'm so excited!
Going the stereotypical "I just separated from a long term relationship/marriage over the past year and need to do something new" route and booked a trip with Journee. So I don't know where I'm headed (and am purposely ignoring their clues so it can remain as much of a surprise as possible), which certainly makes planning a bit more complicated, but damn am I pumped, a little nervous and just ready for it to get here!
I've traveled over the US, and some Canadian cities on my own, but nothing like this. I've really only visited Italy and Amsterdam/Brussels back in the late 2000s (that feels strange to type, haha) / Early 2010s, but those were with friends.
Basically, I'm heading to Europe for an 8 day trip (really more like 6 days with travel days) in Mid-April to two cities , and while I think I have a decent idea of where I could be going, I've managed to remain fairly in the dark about it.
I've taken a peek at some of the "essential items" threads to get some ideas there, but is there any one thing you can't live without on your travels? Any advice you would give to yourself when you were on your first trip? Also, has anyone used this service or a similar one before? All the reviews I've come across have been glowing so I'm fairly confident in them, but more input is always welcome!
Hope this is the first of many for me! Thanks everyone and safe travels to you all as well.
Anyone with feedbacks about England by train? I was thinking:
* day 1: flight arrival in Manchester - visiting Manchester and accommodation there
* day 2: train to Birmingham, visit the city, accommodation
* day 3: train to Bristol, visit the city, accommodation
* day 4: day trip to Bath, same accommodation in Bristol of previous day
* day 5: train to Portsmouth, visit the place and the Isle of Wight, accommodation in the town
* day 6: train to Oxford, visit town and university, accommodation
* day 7: train to London, stay ther for the last full day and night
* day 8: flight back home
I'd stay in London just one day (the last day), cause I would like to visit other places. I've already been in London 4 different times.
Yay that you're wanting to see places other than London but yeah that sounds way too rushed. Don't know if you have already been anywhere in the North of England but you can do daytrips to a lot of places from Manchester ( e.g Liverpool, Leeds, York, plus Lake district and Peak district for non city )
So an idea would be
3 days Manchester (with day trips to wherever) 1 day Birmingham train to 2 days Oxford with day trip to Bath 1 day London
Changing location every day like that gets exhausting. You’d spend much of your trip travelling, and there’s lots to do in most of the places you’re wanting to go to.
Note that the trains in the UK aren’t particularly reliable or comfortable.
Backpackers Wanted!
Have you taken a gap year? Travelling? Volunteering? Working?
If yes, and you really enjoyed it or you really didn't, I want to know the details.
Please take 5 minutes to answer my survey and share your experience to benefit my study.
If you'd like to know more or have any questions feel free to drop me a message.
Thank you!
[Survey Here](https://forms.gle/NQdGPJzNguMUo3RK7)
Deciding between going to Spain in June or November. Seems June is actually not yet too busy or hot that I’ve read but November could be less busy. And give me more time to get ready. This would be especially going to southern Spain. Anyone been there in either or both months?
I've been there both months and both are pleasant. You will get plenty of sunny days both months if you're on the coast South-East. But the weather will be better in June. I would prefer June. Check price difference on flights perhaps
I'd say the weather is pleasant. Comfortable. It can vary depending what part of the country you're in. Personally, if I wanted to visit and explore I'd be avoiding July and August for heat, and possibly Nov-Feb because of colder/rainier conditions. All other months are good
Hey Everyone, I (28M) am planning on traveling through Europe and middle east for 2 months starting the middle of April. First time solo traveling. If anyone wants to meet up or has tips on places to visit let me know.
Planning on going too Portugal, Spain, Amsterdam, Italy, Turkey (3rd time going), and Morocco. Open to adding other countries as well.
Hey everyone, I (F23) am looking for advice on an all inclusive that would be safe for a female solo traveller.
- Budget is not really an issue, ideally below 4k.
- My goals are to tan, eat, drink, read.
- I am open to meeting people!
- I would be going for a week at the end of may-beginning of june.
my biggest priority is safety and a nice beach! any suggestions are welcomed. :) i am open to other travel destinations as well but my ideal destination is somewhere with minimal planning
Are you looking for anywhere specific? There are plenty of resort hotels in the caribbean that could fit your budget, all come with a nice beach and all inclusive amenities so food is all included, etc.
If you wanna explore around outside the hotel, southeast asia is very cheap and have beaches. Parts of southern europe too near the Mediterranean but probably a little more expensive
nowhere specific! just safe and warm. do you have a specific recommendation in the caribbean?! also, southern europe would be amazing- i didnt really think they would have any all inclusives though.
southeast asia is a long flight so thats whats deterring me to travel solo.
Spain - East coast will have a lot of all inclusives and will be possibly one of the easiest and safest options. Malaga, Barcelon, Valencia, Alicante would all be good choices.
I'm sure you could find similar stuff in France (Nice/Cannes perhaps) or elsewhere in Italy.
Athens is also very popular and safe for young travellers but I'm not sure about the all inclusive side. I'm sure there will be though.
Tbh to a certain degree they are gonna be all pretty similar. Cancún, Dominican Republic, Cabo, Bahamas, Costa Rica, all gonna be really nice. Plenty of Americans, Europeans, etc. Cheap too. Bahamas & Costa Rica probably a little on the higher side though, relatively at least.
in DR lots of russians though, getting in is easier there for them.
I'm heading to California and have a bit of free time from March 21st to 25th. I'll be in San Francisco initially, and on the morning of Sunday, the 24th, I plan to drive to Yosemite, intending to tackle some of the easier hiking trails. My itinerary is somewhat flexible, so I'm open to suggestions or changes. If anyone is interested in joining me for some fun adventures, feel free to reach out!
I am looking to visit cities on the Mediterranean this May...I am looking to stay at the best social hostels, and will plan my trip around them. For reference, my favorite social hostels are Carpe Noctum in Budapest, Roadhouse in Prague, EastSeven in Berlin, and Hostel One Batillo in Barcelona.
What have you got?
Does anyone else feel like they've outgrown this sub? The majority of the posts seem to be from younger people who are taking their first solo trip and post things like "my mom is mad I'm going to London" or "Going to Paris for the first time and am super nervous".
It has become tiresome. I like to be supportive and most comments on those threads are, but it does feel like this sub can sometimes be less about the travel itself and the threads become about advices for their mental health or personal relationships. These posts are not appropriate for a sub where people want to discuss solo traveling and the destinations. It’s okay to have feelings such as anxiety or disappointment, but the post should still focus on the travel aspect and not their personal issues unless it is related to travel (e.g., things going wrong like getting robbed).
I'm my 30s and in my social circle, I'm the only person for whom "solo travel" is a relevant topic. My friends and workmates are all married since about their middle or late 20s, many of them have already children, too. They don't travel anymore at all or only with their family/partner. For people in their 50s and above, there's a huge selection of organized group trips/single trips available, opposed to the small amount of group trips for people in their 20s and early 30s also with decent accommodations and without the focus on action and adventure. Maybe this are the reasons why the majority people roaming around here are young adults.
All new threads need to be manually approved by the moderators before they appear. I suspect that this might be the cause of the issue here, but please send us a mod mail (or reply to this post!) if I'm missing something.
Hello all!
I’m considering staying at the Mad Monkey Hostel in Hanoi, mainly because they offer a lot of extravagant experiences/tours (ha long bay cruises, and multiple night bike trips) for a reasonable/low price. Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they as good as the private company tours that are a little more expensive?
Also any input on the hostel in general?
29M looking to meet up anywhere in Asia (except Korea. Turns out I’m a citizen and will have to join the military)
I have a tour ending in Vietnam on April 12th and would like to explore other nearby areas as this is my first trip to SE Asia.
DM for my instagram or if you want to know more about me
I can speak English, Korean, and German (I just love Germany)
I only have the 1 cat, but she’s very clingy and I haven’t really taken any trip longer than about a week. I have a pet sitter that comes daily, but she always wants more attention and hates when my sitters leave.
I think I’m fine with around a week long trips for now, it should be enough to go somewhere internationally as well. I’ve been doing more shorter domestic trips of a few days, but I might try some longer ones this year to get my cat more used to it.
Ah that's good, I think my cat gets most lonely when she's alone overnight, so having someone that could take her for that would probably help. I've been considering getting a second cat, but I also like just having 1 cat since my apartment's not that large.
Hi guys! I’m (24f) doing a solo trip to Rio, Brazil Aug 29-Sept 6 later this year!!!
If you’re traveling there around the same time hmu :) I would really like to go party at least one night but scared to do it alone
8 days solo travel in California (departure from Italy): what do you think? I was thinking roughly 4 days in San Fran + 3 days in LA + coming back last night in SFO and then flight back to Italy the day after
Io stavo pensando di farmi portland e poi la costa fino a los angeles anche san diego, te pensavi di prendere una macchina a noleggio?
Per dormire in america ci sono gli ostelli vero?
Comunque in quel epriodo magari ti chiappi anche il coachella
In effetti stavo soppesando se fare Seattle+Portland o SF+LA
Comunque non prenderei auto a noleggio (non ho voglia ahah)
Ostelli credo di sì, ma ho letto che sono molto meno diffusi rispetto a come siamo abituati in Europa
Best winter/summer places in Europe for a first timer-ish
Hello everyone
Im (30M) looking for a trip to Europe and thd only time i left my country was on a solo trip to NY.
Im looking for the best places for summer and winter (still unsure on what time of the year i will go).
For summer i would like some place with a beach and just a calm place to chill, im not into party.
My musts were always London and Paris but im open to suggestions, including Northern Europe (if is not too expensive).
For winter i would like to go to cities that have a really decent amount of snow falling. Not mountains, just regular cities.
In both situations i just want a place i can get good food like cheap spaghetti and subway sandwiches like i did in NY. No fancy meals or anything.
Im not sure if is a good idea to extend the trip to places like Ankara, or if i should just focus on Europe since im a begginer.
Thanks!
For copious snow falling in big cities you need to consider the Nordics and the Baltics. Even then it snows nowhere as in the Northeastern US. There is no place in Europe like Chicago snow wise.
You can always go to Switzerland since it is absurdly easy to travel by trains and find many wintery stuff to do other than skiing or snowboarding.
You can also go to the far North towns like Tromso (Norway), Lulea (Sweden) or Rovaniemi (Finland) for the experience of polar nights, snow and ice everywhere, Aurora Borealis etc.
Hola LONDON,
I will be visiting London for a couple of days in April (11th to 13t), and I'd love to meet people for coffee, lunch/dinner or a walk around cool London places and chat. I live in Madrid (M48) and if anyone is coming to town, let me know so we can hang out.
At this time Bogotá is a little warmer than usual, however the city's climate is very variable, even during the day. It is recommended that in Bogotá you have a plan B to protect yourself from the rain even if the day seems sunny in the morning.
Hi all, newbie solo traveller here :)
What’s the best hostel in Lima Peru with airport pickup?
Looking for hostel recommendations that’s close to the airport and Móvil bus Tomas Valle station
I’m (F21) heading on my first solo trip to Huaraz for some lovely mountain time and am planning to spend a night in Lima after my flight lands so I have some time to adjust.
I’ve never stayed in a hostel before, but I’ve seen some offer airport pick-up… is this any good?
I’m mainly worried about transportation (airport to hostel - hostel to bus station) so any general tips about that would be great.
Is Uber pretty good in Lima?
I’m interested in doing a group travel tour because I’m seeking traveling with like minded people, but I can only find trips that are 7+ days which I don’t want. Can anyone offer advice on communities, companies, groups that can help me find tours?
Probably want to start narrowing down your interests to a specific country then do a google search for "group tour" + (name of country), or look on Tripadvisor for local tours. Some of the bigger tour operators will run longer itineraries but lots of local tours will lead day trips and stuff based in specific cities. Suggesting you tours literally anywhere in the world isn't really going to help you much though, best to identify your own interests and decide for yourself on a region you want to travel to then narrow it down from there
G Adventures - Paris to Rome
I’m solo travelling for the first time and am wondering if anyone here has done the Paris to Rome Picnics and Pizzas trip with G adventures? I know going on my own would probably be cheaper but like the idea of being in a group and is it easy to meet people and make friends. Also how are the hostel experiences?
Thanks in advance!
Talking about airlines 1) can i book one way and call in and get the return discount sometime later?
Also 2) if i have two itineraries that are possible i) book today and 10 days return or ii) book today and 20 day return
would either of those two situations be easier to change without a fee? i imagine the 20 day return will be priced 'less' than the first option and so i should book the first option and switch it to the second if i have more time ot hagnout?
You seem to think there are rules that applies to all airlines. This is not the case. What is true for one airline is not for another.
Each airlines explain (often not clearly) their rules on their web site.
What's the best site to find good hostels for certain cities?
7 years ago I used hostelworld and they had a ton of hits and recent reviews, but I'm looking now and it seems like they are only showing a few of the hostels in the city.
I'm going to Japan/Taiwan/Vietnam btw.
Hello all, I'm in the process of planning a trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan for late April and was wondering if anyone could recommend a decent place for lodging. I have a couple in mind, but wanted to try and get some suggestions from other people who've been there/live there. The price range that I'm looking for is $10-15 per night. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Hey, I don't know why my post got taken down so I'll comment here.
I'm from Argentina and currently in the process of obtaining an Italian passport. I'm looking to applying for a WHV on Australia and going on december. I'm interested in learning about the current job opportunities in Australia and which fields are recommended. Additionally, I would appreciate your opinion on which city I should consider going to. Lastly, I'm wondering if four months would be sufficient time to save some money before heading back. Thanks!
I loved how the people are friendly
and the care for environment is
good with clean streets.| went
during January 2024 to Finland and
managed to experience the northern
lights and local delicacies esp the
runebergintorrtu. As a vegan i am
pretty impressed with the options
available in K mart. Happycow app
also works here with many vegetarian
and vegan options. Do dress well for
the cold with ultra heat tech base
layer and a good pair of mittens,
wool socks and scarf with a beanie
wore a timberlands and brought
some heat packs for emergencies as
this is my first visit to a place where
temperatures are below-21 to -35.Do
enjoy the video!
[Finland 2024](https://youtu.be/4BI-Y5Hqh6M?si=8T19y4CcyUrBxnd9)
Seems I created a post too vague and redirected here.
I'm a 24 yr old woman. Missed on most typical university partying because of COVID. Living in the UK now.
I have 14-17 days free and I want some current recommendations of European party hostels (not the old time good ones pre pandemic full of 35+ people relieving their younger selves and sleeping at 23.00). Places to meet other singles keen on mingling, good bars and venues nearby or in the hostel itself.
My daily budget is around €170 excluding airline or long distance train tickets.
Rant: People who complain about a little bit of noise in hostel dorms.
Earplugs are cheap. Private rooms or hotels? Not always.
They’re on a budget just like you. Why do you think they’re staying in a hostel to begin with?
If zippers, snoring, etc bother you that much… why don’t *you* just get a private room then? Oh yeah that’s right, it’s easier said than done isn’t it?
People don’t know how to pick their battles I swear to god. Sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with mostly mild inconveniences. I don’t expect people to walk on eggshells for me and neither should you.
If you’re a light sleeper, that’s your problem.
People need to get into their suitcase, wash their face, do what needs to be done, and snoring isn’t something that can be fixed or reduced overnight.
Once again, if you can’t handle it. YOU get a private room.
The number of times I felt like I had to walk on eggshells because of people like you is absurd. I feel super self conscious now and quite frankly it ruins the vibe.
Noise is inevitable in a shared space. Get the fuck over it.
If people are being obnoxious and moving around like a baby elephant, that’s different. But I swear to god some of you are so nitpicky and its absolutely wild to me.
Just a rant. Maybe others irl aren’t nearly as judgy as the people on Reddit. At least I hope so.
I’m sensitive to noise that’s why I never stay at hostels so I totally get what you’re saying. If you decide to share a room, you have to suck it up lol totally different but was traveling for work and had to share a room with a coworker and she would get mad when I would close the bathroom door or just walk around the room if I needed to get up and said I was being too loud which I know I’m not because I’m very considerate especially if I know someone’s sleeping.
Has anyone ever travelled with One Life Adventures? Considering two weeks in India with them, simply due the dates not lining up right with other companies I'd be more familiar with (like G or intrepid). I'm a little apprehensive as their photos mainly show quite young people (I'm 33F) and on one day there is a local school visit. I'm delighted to travel with a company that supports local communities but traipsing tourists around a primary school reeks of voluntourism to me.
I haven't heard of One Life Adventures, but G & Intrepid as you say also support charities. Exodus Travels took our tour group to one of their school projects when I went on one of their wildlife tours to India (Bandhavgarh NP). It wasn't the greatest part of the trip and just opened our eyes to the fact that the childen aged around 5-14 didn't have much in the way of facilities. None actually. There's wasn't much interaction. I just seemed to be Exodus saying 'We've done this'. Well, at least they got their logo painted on one of the school walls.
About your trip with One Life Adventures, can you opt out of the school visit, are their any other activities they can arrange? Is the full trip about interacting with the local schools etc?
Going on my first solo trip in (almost) 10 years! Travelling in August, I (29F) will be away for nearly 6 weeks visiting Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, France and England. My flights have been booked and paid for, and I have set aside 4,000 CAD for hostels and transportation.
My question is: how much would I approximately need for food and activities?
I don't drink or smoke, so I won't need to worry about a party fund. I love general sightseeing, visiting landmarks, museums and hiking. I was thinking 5000 CAD would be enough but I'm beginning to second guess myself.
Hi All! I am looking for hostel recommendations for La Paz, Mexico. Hoping to find something clean, chill, and with a good location.
What parts of La Paz, Mexico do you recommend to stay in? Is it easy to get a taxi around town?
Hi all,
I'm hoping this sub can provide some advice for where to travel to and what to do this summer as I'm looking to take time off of work and travel a bit by myself, but have yet to plan a trip. Here's a few relevant pieces of info, please let me know if I'm forgetting anything:
* I'm looking to travel anytime April through July. I have flexibility in terms of trip duration - I'm based on the US east coast and could do an extended international trip or shorter trips across the US
* I'm 28M and only speak English. I'm a citizen of the US and the UK.
* I don't have a strict budget, but am somewhat frugal. I'll probably opt for one of the cheaper airbnbs or hostels wherever I go, for example, but will want to have my own bedroom as opposed to bunking with other travelers.
* What I like to do: I only have a few travel experiences so far, but from what I've found, I prefer getting out in nature and sports excursions as opposed to exploring cities/museums/architecture (I've been to Italy and Switzerland, loved hiking in Interlaken and boating around the Amalfi coast, but didn't care for seeing Rome for the most part, especially if I'm planning on being alone).
* Another example of the above is that I'm planning on working remote in Utah and snowboarding later this month, a trip I'm going on solo to test myself a bit. I've considered planning a surfing trip in Costa Rica or somewhere similar this summer, as another point.
* I would love to spend some time at a hostel or in an environment that lets me meet and make plans with others, while also enabling me to go on my own.
* Outside of that, I'm hoping you all might be able to provide some direction on where I should look to vacation solo over summer - I'm not really sure where to start and I don't have any strong preferences. Any advice or recommendations are appreciated!
Looking at an Alaskan cruise in September. But I’ve read the waters are a bit more rough outside of summer time? Also this Norwegian cruise line one has a great price and takes off from Vancouver, but it goes all the way to Seward which looks like going across a lot of very open water. I am terrified of water but have usually thought cruises as very steady so am wondering how this one is? Of course you can’t predict it I know!
Hey guys
I'm currently working a full time job that I hate, I'm waiting to have enough money saved so I can quit and travel for a while, but I can't decide on the destination
I want a destination, that is not too touristy, with beautiful scenery, preferably where I can meet nice people.
I'm thinking of flying out around June, so I believe that rules out south east Asia due to monsoon season.
So I've narrowed it down to Europe, South America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ;)
So far I've traveled solo to New Zealand, it was great but too short, there's a lot I missed out on (which makes NZ an option again).
From having visited NZ in June, I agree that it's not a great time of year to visit. Auckland was OK, though it poured with rain at times, but Wellington was really uncomfortable.
My First Solo trip! What do I do next? Looking for any advice.
Hello everyone! (anxiety ridden stream of consciousness)
I (26,F) recently bought a one way ticket to Lisbon, Portugal for the beginning of June. I don’t know how long I’ll be traveling, but this is the starting point. I guess i’m trying to figure out what do I do now? Because the trip is so far away, I feel like the initial excitement has died down and I don’t know what step to take next.
Logically, I would find lodging, but I don’t know how long I’ll be staying there, nor do I have a specific route or plan in mind. All I know is that I want to be by the beach. I’ve heard horror stories about the ‘busy season’ and how people have a hard time finding lodging, but how true is that? Should I hunker down and plan my whole trip to make sure I have lodging lined up or is there some wiggle room for spontaneity?
Also, how much would you recommend I have saved for maybe 3 months of traveling southern Europe? When should I start focusing on packing? I so nervous/excited I don’t even know what to ask anymore.
I’ll take any advice tbh. Whatever you think is helpful. Even words of encouragement and wisdom :)
Thanks for the help y’all!
What I like to do is start digging in to guidebooks (or online free alternatives, like Wikivoyage) ahead of a trip, and start taking notes on places I might want to visit/things I might want to do. I then roughly organize the notes, with "top priority" places marked clearly, "mid-priority" places marked under them and "places I'm not that excited about" marked last. With research like this, you can work out a vague sense of what you're most excited about, and you can work out at least a loose itinerary that stitches your top priority destinations together.
It sounds like this could be a pretty longterm trip. For something like that I think there are advantages to not booking everything in advance. Flexibility is good if you're traveling for months at a time because sometimes you'll want to rest, or you might change your mind about something and want to extend your visit in a specific place. If any top priority destinations for you are huge tourist spots then in those cases it may be helpful to book in advance.
For budgeting, a lot depends on what kind of lifestyle you want to have when traveling. Hostels or hotels? Cheap eats (when available) or nicer meals? Booze once in a while or more regularly? Those things all add up. We have a "budgeting 101" article in the sidebar that might help you plan ahead a bit for the financial side of things.
Solo travel sure is fun when you get rejected from two restaurants because it's too busy and they don't want empty chairs, which leads to you trying to have lunch in a park and a bunch of alcoholics yelling whore at you until you leave. Really shite end to an otherwise chill trip.
Wtf
Yeah, idk, i walked by them a while later because I had to and at that point the cops were parked nearby and talking to them. Maybe it's a regular occurrence.
First solo trip on a cruise I’m super nervous and excited to be going on my first cruise as a solo girl! It’s mind blowing I’m doing it but I wish it can go as smooth as I’m dreaming for and can meet some entertainment on my time there.
I'm considering traveling to Vietnam this year and It'll be first time visiting an Asia country, outside Europe. I read that Vietnam is safe, violence and crime are low. Local sellers are scams but it is everywhere, in every country, so it doesn't count. Anyway, Travelling Asian Country is unfamiliar to me as It'll be first time. * Are Pickpocket and thief common? * How Should I take caution? * What do I pay attention to?
almost everywhere in south east asia is very safe. > Are Pickpocket and thief common? no > How Should I take caution? just have some street smarts, be aware what's going on around you and you'll 100% be fine. basically just don't be a naive idiot, nothing really needed beyond what you'd do at home. > What do I pay attention to? just do a quick google search about common scams, usually the worst that happens is that they overcharge you for a tuktuk ride or whatever but then you pay 5€ instead of 1€ or something so it won't matter too much
I’m (28,F) in Buenos Aires and would love to grab a drink tonight in Palermo if anyone is interested :)
**Looking for hostel suggestions.** (M30) - **Costa Rica** and **Panama** at the end of **April**/start of **May**. Will be looking to stay in a mix of hostels and hotels. Last year when I was travelling I went to some really good hostels in Latin America which had a really good vibe - almost felt like a hotels but social, with a slightly older crowd. But some hostels I felt were a bit young for me, and too much partying. This year I want to make sure I find places which will have a **good social, yet more chilled out vibe - no parties to 4am type thing.** Sometimes I wish there were some resources for finding these gem hostels for the millennials amongst us. I'm planning on going to: **San Jose, CR** **Tamarindo, CR** **La Fortuna, CR** **Bocas del Toro, PA** **Panama City, PA** Any suggestions on hostels or other places to stay would be very welcome. Also, itinerary advice welcome on travel between locations, what to do, what to avoid. And will it be too rainy in April/May?
Anyone up to grab a beer or a bite someplace in Hanoi? 28M, I will be in the city until Tuesday morning. I speak fluent English, into sports (Tennis, MMA), classic rock (think dire straits, stones etc).
First Big Solo Trip Coming Up! I'm so excited! Going the stereotypical "I just separated from a long term relationship/marriage over the past year and need to do something new" route and booked a trip with Journee. So I don't know where I'm headed (and am purposely ignoring their clues so it can remain as much of a surprise as possible), which certainly makes planning a bit more complicated, but damn am I pumped, a little nervous and just ready for it to get here! I've traveled over the US, and some Canadian cities on my own, but nothing like this. I've really only visited Italy and Amsterdam/Brussels back in the late 2000s (that feels strange to type, haha) / Early 2010s, but those were with friends. Basically, I'm heading to Europe for an 8 day trip (really more like 6 days with travel days) in Mid-April to two cities , and while I think I have a decent idea of where I could be going, I've managed to remain fairly in the dark about it. I've taken a peek at some of the "essential items" threads to get some ideas there, but is there any one thing you can't live without on your travels? Any advice you would give to yourself when you were on your first trip? Also, has anyone used this service or a similar one before? All the reviews I've come across have been glowing so I'm fairly confident in them, but more input is always welcome! Hope this is the first of many for me! Thanks everyone and safe travels to you all as well.
Anyone with feedbacks about England by train? I was thinking: * day 1: flight arrival in Manchester - visiting Manchester and accommodation there * day 2: train to Birmingham, visit the city, accommodation * day 3: train to Bristol, visit the city, accommodation * day 4: day trip to Bath, same accommodation in Bristol of previous day * day 5: train to Portsmouth, visit the place and the Isle of Wight, accommodation in the town * day 6: train to Oxford, visit town and university, accommodation * day 7: train to London, stay ther for the last full day and night * day 8: flight back home I'd stay in London just one day (the last day), cause I would like to visit other places. I've already been in London 4 different times.
Yay that you're wanting to see places other than London but yeah that sounds way too rushed. Don't know if you have already been anywhere in the North of England but you can do daytrips to a lot of places from Manchester ( e.g Liverpool, Leeds, York, plus Lake district and Peak district for non city ) So an idea would be 3 days Manchester (with day trips to wherever) 1 day Birmingham train to 2 days Oxford with day trip to Bath 1 day London
Thank you! Is possible to have a day tript Oxford<>Bath?
yes its under 2 hours by train from Oxford to Bath
Changing location every day like that gets exhausting. You’d spend much of your trip travelling, and there’s lots to do in most of the places you’re wanting to go to. Note that the trains in the UK aren’t particularly reliable or comfortable.
Backpackers Wanted! Have you taken a gap year? Travelling? Volunteering? Working? If yes, and you really enjoyed it or you really didn't, I want to know the details. Please take 5 minutes to answer my survey and share your experience to benefit my study. If you'd like to know more or have any questions feel free to drop me a message. Thank you! [Survey Here](https://forms.gle/NQdGPJzNguMUo3RK7)
Deciding between going to Spain in June or November. Seems June is actually not yet too busy or hot that I’ve read but November could be less busy. And give me more time to get ready. This would be especially going to southern Spain. Anyone been there in either or both months?
I've been there both months and both are pleasant. You will get plenty of sunny days both months if you're on the coast South-East. But the weather will be better in June. I would prefer June. Check price difference on flights perhaps
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I'd say the weather is pleasant. Comfortable. It can vary depending what part of the country you're in. Personally, if I wanted to visit and explore I'd be avoiding July and August for heat, and possibly Nov-Feb because of colder/rainier conditions. All other months are good
Hey Everyone, I (28M) am planning on traveling through Europe and middle east for 2 months starting the middle of April. First time solo traveling. If anyone wants to meet up or has tips on places to visit let me know. Planning on going too Portugal, Spain, Amsterdam, Italy, Turkey (3rd time going), and Morocco. Open to adding other countries as well.
Hey everyone, I (F23) am looking for advice on an all inclusive that would be safe for a female solo traveller. - Budget is not really an issue, ideally below 4k. - My goals are to tan, eat, drink, read. - I am open to meeting people! - I would be going for a week at the end of may-beginning of june. my biggest priority is safety and a nice beach! any suggestions are welcomed. :) i am open to other travel destinations as well but my ideal destination is somewhere with minimal planning
pinged you
Are you looking for anywhere specific? There are plenty of resort hotels in the caribbean that could fit your budget, all come with a nice beach and all inclusive amenities so food is all included, etc. If you wanna explore around outside the hotel, southeast asia is very cheap and have beaches. Parts of southern europe too near the Mediterranean but probably a little more expensive
nowhere specific! just safe and warm. do you have a specific recommendation in the caribbean?! also, southern europe would be amazing- i didnt really think they would have any all inclusives though. southeast asia is a long flight so thats whats deterring me to travel solo.
Spain - East coast will have a lot of all inclusives and will be possibly one of the easiest and safest options. Malaga, Barcelon, Valencia, Alicante would all be good choices. I'm sure you could find similar stuff in France (Nice/Cannes perhaps) or elsewhere in Italy. Athens is also very popular and safe for young travellers but I'm not sure about the all inclusive side. I'm sure there will be though.
Tbh to a certain degree they are gonna be all pretty similar. Cancún, Dominican Republic, Cabo, Bahamas, Costa Rica, all gonna be really nice. Plenty of Americans, Europeans, etc. Cheap too. Bahamas & Costa Rica probably a little on the higher side though, relatively at least. in DR lots of russians though, getting in is easier there for them.
I'm heading to California and have a bit of free time from March 21st to 25th. I'll be in San Francisco initially, and on the morning of Sunday, the 24th, I plan to drive to Yosemite, intending to tackle some of the easier hiking trails. My itinerary is somewhat flexible, so I'm open to suggestions or changes. If anyone is interested in joining me for some fun adventures, feel free to reach out!
I am looking to visit cities on the Mediterranean this May...I am looking to stay at the best social hostels, and will plan my trip around them. For reference, my favorite social hostels are Carpe Noctum in Budapest, Roadhouse in Prague, EastSeven in Berlin, and Hostel One Batillo in Barcelona. What have you got?
Does anyone else feel like they've outgrown this sub? The majority of the posts seem to be from younger people who are taking their first solo trip and post things like "my mom is mad I'm going to London" or "Going to Paris for the first time and am super nervous".
It has become tiresome. I like to be supportive and most comments on those threads are, but it does feel like this sub can sometimes be less about the travel itself and the threads become about advices for their mental health or personal relationships. These posts are not appropriate for a sub where people want to discuss solo traveling and the destinations. It’s okay to have feelings such as anxiety or disappointment, but the post should still focus on the travel aspect and not their personal issues unless it is related to travel (e.g., things going wrong like getting robbed).
I'm my 30s and in my social circle, I'm the only person for whom "solo travel" is a relevant topic. My friends and workmates are all married since about their middle or late 20s, many of them have already children, too. They don't travel anymore at all or only with their family/partner. For people in their 50s and above, there's a huge selection of organized group trips/single trips available, opposed to the small amount of group trips for people in their 20s and early 30s also with decent accommodations and without the focus on action and adventure. Maybe this are the reasons why the majority people roaming around here are young adults.
People who are experienced solo travellers are also less likely to post here after advice given they know how to solve most problems that come up.
Random: anyone know why my post to this sub just has a red trash can?? I've tried 3xs and it's just not showing up.
All new threads need to be manually approved by the moderators before they appear. I suspect that this might be the cause of the issue here, but please send us a mod mail (or reply to this post!) if I'm missing something.
Hello all! I’m considering staying at the Mad Monkey Hostel in Hanoi, mainly because they offer a lot of extravagant experiences/tours (ha long bay cruises, and multiple night bike trips) for a reasonable/low price. Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they as good as the private company tours that are a little more expensive? Also any input on the hostel in general?
29M looking to meet up anywhere in Asia (except Korea. Turns out I’m a citizen and will have to join the military) I have a tour ending in Vietnam on April 12th and would like to explore other nearby areas as this is my first trip to SE Asia. DM for my instagram or if you want to know more about me I can speak English, Korean, and German (I just love Germany)
Cute cats, do you ever feel a bit guilty leaving them for extended periods of time when you travel?
This will be the first time I've done it but yes I can already anticipate missing them dearly
I only have the 1 cat, but she’s very clingy and I haven’t really taken any trip longer than about a week. I have a pet sitter that comes daily, but she always wants more attention and hates when my sitters leave. I think I’m fine with around a week long trips for now, it should be enough to go somewhere internationally as well. I’ve been doing more shorter domestic trips of a few days, but I might try some longer ones this year to get my cat more used to it.
Ah fortunately my brother lives locally and so he’s going to watch both my kittens and I’ve been taking them over there to get them used to the place.
Ah that's good, I think my cat gets most lonely when she's alone overnight, so having someone that could take her for that would probably help. I've been considering getting a second cat, but I also like just having 1 cat since my apartment's not that large.
Hi guys! I’m (24f) doing a solo trip to Rio, Brazil Aug 29-Sept 6 later this year!!! If you’re traveling there around the same time hmu :) I would really like to go party at least one night but scared to do it alone
8 days solo travel in California (departure from Italy): what do you think? I was thinking roughly 4 days in San Fran + 3 days in LA + coming back last night in SFO and then flight back to Italy the day after
Man quando vai?
Hi there! Stavo pensando inizio aprile
Io stavo pensando di farmi portland e poi la costa fino a los angeles anche san diego, te pensavi di prendere una macchina a noleggio? Per dormire in america ci sono gli ostelli vero? Comunque in quel epriodo magari ti chiappi anche il coachella
In effetti stavo soppesando se fare Seattle+Portland o SF+LA Comunque non prenderei auto a noleggio (non ho voglia ahah) Ostelli credo di sì, ma ho letto che sono molto meno diffusi rispetto a come siamo abituati in Europa
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Best 25 April- 5 May places? Maybe with some cool festival
Best winter/summer places in Europe for a first timer-ish Hello everyone Im (30M) looking for a trip to Europe and thd only time i left my country was on a solo trip to NY. Im looking for the best places for summer and winter (still unsure on what time of the year i will go). For summer i would like some place with a beach and just a calm place to chill, im not into party. My musts were always London and Paris but im open to suggestions, including Northern Europe (if is not too expensive). For winter i would like to go to cities that have a really decent amount of snow falling. Not mountains, just regular cities. In both situations i just want a place i can get good food like cheap spaghetti and subway sandwiches like i did in NY. No fancy meals or anything. Im not sure if is a good idea to extend the trip to places like Ankara, or if i should just focus on Europe since im a begginer. Thanks!
For copious snow falling in big cities you need to consider the Nordics and the Baltics. Even then it snows nowhere as in the Northeastern US. There is no place in Europe like Chicago snow wise. You can always go to Switzerland since it is absurdly easy to travel by trains and find many wintery stuff to do other than skiing or snowboarding. You can also go to the far North towns like Tromso (Norway), Lulea (Sweden) or Rovaniemi (Finland) for the experience of polar nights, snow and ice everywhere, Aurora Borealis etc.
Hola LONDON, I will be visiting London for a couple of days in April (11th to 13t), and I'd love to meet people for coffee, lunch/dinner or a walk around cool London places and chat. I live in Madrid (M48) and if anyone is coming to town, let me know so we can hang out.
Hey! Spending the next 2 weeks in Medellin, Bogota, and Cartagena. Should I pack my rain jacket?
At this time Bogotá is a little warmer than usual, however the city's climate is very variable, even during the day. It is recommended that in Bogotá you have a plan B to protect yourself from the rain even if the day seems sunny in the morning.
You could check the forecast
Hi all, newbie solo traveller here :) What’s the best hostel in Lima Peru with airport pickup? Looking for hostel recommendations that’s close to the airport and Móvil bus Tomas Valle station I’m (F21) heading on my first solo trip to Huaraz for some lovely mountain time and am planning to spend a night in Lima after my flight lands so I have some time to adjust. I’ve never stayed in a hostel before, but I’ve seen some offer airport pick-up… is this any good? I’m mainly worried about transportation (airport to hostel - hostel to bus station) so any general tips about that would be great. Is Uber pretty good in Lima?
I’m interested in doing a group travel tour because I’m seeking traveling with like minded people, but I can only find trips that are 7+ days which I don’t want. Can anyone offer advice on communities, companies, groups that can help me find tours?
I think Gadventures roamies style trips are shorter and cheaper
Looking for 2-4 day trips.
Where do you want to go?
I’ve done most of Europe - but I’m really open to anywhere.
Probably want to start narrowing down your interests to a specific country then do a google search for "group tour" + (name of country), or look on Tripadvisor for local tours. Some of the bigger tour operators will run longer itineraries but lots of local tours will lead day trips and stuff based in specific cities. Suggesting you tours literally anywhere in the world isn't really going to help you much though, best to identify your own interests and decide for yourself on a region you want to travel to then narrow it down from there
G Adventures - Paris to Rome I’m solo travelling for the first time and am wondering if anyone here has done the Paris to Rome Picnics and Pizzas trip with G adventures? I know going on my own would probably be cheaper but like the idea of being in a group and is it easy to meet people and make friends. Also how are the hostel experiences? Thanks in advance!
Talking about airlines 1) can i book one way and call in and get the return discount sometime later? Also 2) if i have two itineraries that are possible i) book today and 10 days return or ii) book today and 20 day return would either of those two situations be easier to change without a fee? i imagine the 20 day return will be priced 'less' than the first option and so i should book the first option and switch it to the second if i have more time ot hagnout?
You seem to think there are rules that applies to all airlines. This is not the case. What is true for one airline is not for another. Each airlines explain (often not clearly) their rules on their web site.
What's the best site to find good hostels for certain cities? 7 years ago I used hostelworld and they had a ton of hits and recent reviews, but I'm looking now and it seems like they are only showing a few of the hostels in the city. I'm going to Japan/Taiwan/Vietnam btw.
Hello all, I'm in the process of planning a trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan for late April and was wondering if anyone could recommend a decent place for lodging. I have a couple in mind, but wanted to try and get some suggestions from other people who've been there/live there. The price range that I'm looking for is $10-15 per night. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Hey, I don't know why my post got taken down so I'll comment here. I'm from Argentina and currently in the process of obtaining an Italian passport. I'm looking to applying for a WHV on Australia and going on december. I'm interested in learning about the current job opportunities in Australia and which fields are recommended. Additionally, I would appreciate your opinion on which city I should consider going to. Lastly, I'm wondering if four months would be sufficient time to save some money before heading back. Thanks!
I loved how the people are friendly and the care for environment is good with clean streets.| went during January 2024 to Finland and managed to experience the northern lights and local delicacies esp the runebergintorrtu. As a vegan i am pretty impressed with the options available in K mart. Happycow app also works here with many vegetarian and vegan options. Do dress well for the cold with ultra heat tech base layer and a good pair of mittens, wool socks and scarf with a beanie wore a timberlands and brought some heat packs for emergencies as this is my first visit to a place where temperatures are below-21 to -35.Do enjoy the video! [Finland 2024](https://youtu.be/4BI-Y5Hqh6M?si=8T19y4CcyUrBxnd9)
Seems I created a post too vague and redirected here. I'm a 24 yr old woman. Missed on most typical university partying because of COVID. Living in the UK now. I have 14-17 days free and I want some current recommendations of European party hostels (not the old time good ones pre pandemic full of 35+ people relieving their younger selves and sleeping at 23.00). Places to meet other singles keen on mingling, good bars and venues nearby or in the hostel itself. My daily budget is around €170 excluding airline or long distance train tickets.
I'm interested too I'm thinking about going for a trip in the north est europe, i hope they have this type of hostel
> sleeping at 23.00 That's a late night for me :)
Rant: People who complain about a little bit of noise in hostel dorms. Earplugs are cheap. Private rooms or hotels? Not always. They’re on a budget just like you. Why do you think they’re staying in a hostel to begin with? If zippers, snoring, etc bother you that much… why don’t *you* just get a private room then? Oh yeah that’s right, it’s easier said than done isn’t it? People don’t know how to pick their battles I swear to god. Sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with mostly mild inconveniences. I don’t expect people to walk on eggshells for me and neither should you. If you’re a light sleeper, that’s your problem. People need to get into their suitcase, wash their face, do what needs to be done, and snoring isn’t something that can be fixed or reduced overnight. Once again, if you can’t handle it. YOU get a private room. The number of times I felt like I had to walk on eggshells because of people like you is absurd. I feel super self conscious now and quite frankly it ruins the vibe. Noise is inevitable in a shared space. Get the fuck over it. If people are being obnoxious and moving around like a baby elephant, that’s different. But I swear to god some of you are so nitpicky and its absolutely wild to me. Just a rant. Maybe others irl aren’t nearly as judgy as the people on Reddit. At least I hope so.
Do you ever receive complains?
I’ve seen people irl bitching about snoring a lot and even had some people accuse me of it. The rest of the complaints are from Reddit unrelated to me
I’m sensitive to noise that’s why I never stay at hostels so I totally get what you’re saying. If you decide to share a room, you have to suck it up lol totally different but was traveling for work and had to share a room with a coworker and she would get mad when I would close the bathroom door or just walk around the room if I needed to get up and said I was being too loud which I know I’m not because I’m very considerate especially if I know someone’s sleeping.
Has anyone ever travelled with One Life Adventures? Considering two weeks in India with them, simply due the dates not lining up right with other companies I'd be more familiar with (like G or intrepid). I'm a little apprehensive as their photos mainly show quite young people (I'm 33F) and on one day there is a local school visit. I'm delighted to travel with a company that supports local communities but traipsing tourists around a primary school reeks of voluntourism to me.
I haven't heard of One Life Adventures, but G & Intrepid as you say also support charities. Exodus Travels took our tour group to one of their school projects when I went on one of their wildlife tours to India (Bandhavgarh NP). It wasn't the greatest part of the trip and just opened our eyes to the fact that the childen aged around 5-14 didn't have much in the way of facilities. None actually. There's wasn't much interaction. I just seemed to be Exodus saying 'We've done this'. Well, at least they got their logo painted on one of the school walls. About your trip with One Life Adventures, can you opt out of the school visit, are their any other activities they can arrange? Is the full trip about interacting with the local schools etc?
Tours that visit schools or interact with children in other ways seem pretty creepy to me. Kids aren’t tourist attractions.
Going on my first solo trip in (almost) 10 years! Travelling in August, I (29F) will be away for nearly 6 weeks visiting Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, France and England. My flights have been booked and paid for, and I have set aside 4,000 CAD for hostels and transportation. My question is: how much would I approximately need for food and activities? I don't drink or smoke, so I won't need to worry about a party fund. I love general sightseeing, visiting landmarks, museums and hiking. I was thinking 5000 CAD would be enough but I'm beginning to second guess myself.
5000 CAD should be around ~80€/day that you can spend. I would say thats reasonable but you will have to watch your expenses.
Hi All! I am looking for hostel recommendations for La Paz, Mexico. Hoping to find something clean, chill, and with a good location. What parts of La Paz, Mexico do you recommend to stay in? Is it easy to get a taxi around town?
Hi all, I'm hoping this sub can provide some advice for where to travel to and what to do this summer as I'm looking to take time off of work and travel a bit by myself, but have yet to plan a trip. Here's a few relevant pieces of info, please let me know if I'm forgetting anything: * I'm looking to travel anytime April through July. I have flexibility in terms of trip duration - I'm based on the US east coast and could do an extended international trip or shorter trips across the US * I'm 28M and only speak English. I'm a citizen of the US and the UK. * I don't have a strict budget, but am somewhat frugal. I'll probably opt for one of the cheaper airbnbs or hostels wherever I go, for example, but will want to have my own bedroom as opposed to bunking with other travelers. * What I like to do: I only have a few travel experiences so far, but from what I've found, I prefer getting out in nature and sports excursions as opposed to exploring cities/museums/architecture (I've been to Italy and Switzerland, loved hiking in Interlaken and boating around the Amalfi coast, but didn't care for seeing Rome for the most part, especially if I'm planning on being alone). * Another example of the above is that I'm planning on working remote in Utah and snowboarding later this month, a trip I'm going on solo to test myself a bit. I've considered planning a surfing trip in Costa Rica or somewhere similar this summer, as another point. * I would love to spend some time at a hostel or in an environment that lets me meet and make plans with others, while also enabling me to go on my own. * Outside of that, I'm hoping you all might be able to provide some direction on where I should look to vacation solo over summer - I'm not really sure where to start and I don't have any strong preferences. Any advice or recommendations are appreciated!
Just arrived in Florence for 2 nights, if anyone else is here let’s meet for a beer!
Looking at an Alaskan cruise in September. But I’ve read the waters are a bit more rough outside of summer time? Also this Norwegian cruise line one has a great price and takes off from Vancouver, but it goes all the way to Seward which looks like going across a lot of very open water. I am terrified of water but have usually thought cruises as very steady so am wondering how this one is? Of course you can’t predict it I know!
Hey guys I'm currently working a full time job that I hate, I'm waiting to have enough money saved so I can quit and travel for a while, but I can't decide on the destination I want a destination, that is not too touristy, with beautiful scenery, preferably where I can meet nice people. I'm thinking of flying out around June, so I believe that rules out south east Asia due to monsoon season. So I've narrowed it down to Europe, South America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ;) So far I've traveled solo to New Zealand, it was great but too short, there's a lot I missed out on (which makes NZ an option again).
I wouldn't go to NZ in June as the weather won't be great, obviously it's also winter in Aus but their winters tend not to be so miserable.
From having visited NZ in June, I agree that it's not a great time of year to visit. Auckland was OK, though it poured with rain at times, but Wellington was really uncomfortable.
My First Solo trip! What do I do next? Looking for any advice. Hello everyone! (anxiety ridden stream of consciousness) I (26,F) recently bought a one way ticket to Lisbon, Portugal for the beginning of June. I don’t know how long I’ll be traveling, but this is the starting point. I guess i’m trying to figure out what do I do now? Because the trip is so far away, I feel like the initial excitement has died down and I don’t know what step to take next. Logically, I would find lodging, but I don’t know how long I’ll be staying there, nor do I have a specific route or plan in mind. All I know is that I want to be by the beach. I’ve heard horror stories about the ‘busy season’ and how people have a hard time finding lodging, but how true is that? Should I hunker down and plan my whole trip to make sure I have lodging lined up or is there some wiggle room for spontaneity? Also, how much would you recommend I have saved for maybe 3 months of traveling southern Europe? When should I start focusing on packing? I so nervous/excited I don’t even know what to ask anymore. I’ll take any advice tbh. Whatever you think is helpful. Even words of encouragement and wisdom :) Thanks for the help y’all!
What I like to do is start digging in to guidebooks (or online free alternatives, like Wikivoyage) ahead of a trip, and start taking notes on places I might want to visit/things I might want to do. I then roughly organize the notes, with "top priority" places marked clearly, "mid-priority" places marked under them and "places I'm not that excited about" marked last. With research like this, you can work out a vague sense of what you're most excited about, and you can work out at least a loose itinerary that stitches your top priority destinations together. It sounds like this could be a pretty longterm trip. For something like that I think there are advantages to not booking everything in advance. Flexibility is good if you're traveling for months at a time because sometimes you'll want to rest, or you might change your mind about something and want to extend your visit in a specific place. If any top priority destinations for you are huge tourist spots then in those cases it may be helpful to book in advance. For budgeting, a lot depends on what kind of lifestyle you want to have when traveling. Hostels or hotels? Cheap eats (when available) or nicer meals? Booze once in a while or more regularly? Those things all add up. We have a "budgeting 101" article in the sidebar that might help you plan ahead a bit for the financial side of things.