Europe called, they want me back... any TLLGers wanna meet or got backpacking ideas? - by Yakoob
Yakoob on 19/3/2016 at 19:08
I have just booked my ticket to Poland at the end of the month and plan to go travel-backpacking around EU and maybe swing by Asia for ~2 months. I'm curious if there's any TTLGers around who'd be down to meet, grab a brew, exchange some banter?
I don't know yet where I'll go and taking the research-proven strategy developed by Leroy McWingIt. So it's all up in the air :) I hope to do some WorkAway.com stuff to earn my keep but I got savings + my web/game dev thing I can do anywhere. It doesn't matter where I go. So if any TTLGers want to meet, that would be a good reason to add it to the list!
Also, please do share suggestions / tips / cautionary tales / etc. I traveled a lot before so know safety basics + keeping things light, tho I've never gone much around Europe and not as much extended backpacking (just occasional hostel or friend's couches). I'm thinking of Budapest, Copenhagen, some Nordic countries, maybe London and maybe Korea/Malaysia/etc.
(FYI I hate touristy stuff so don't even tell me about Eiffel tower :p I'm also a city person so looking at more urban than countryside)
WingedKagouti on 19/3/2016 at 20:24
Quote Posted by Yakoob
(FYI I hate touristy stuff so don't even tell me about Eiffel tower :p I'm also a city person so looking at more urban than countryside)
In that case, I'd suggest not going to the various capitals (unless going there to meet people), but rather to the other large cities in the country you're visiting. Capitals tend to be more expensive and have more touristy stuff.
henke on 20/3/2016 at 09:16
If you make it all the way up to Vaasa, you're more than welcome to crash on my couch. :)
Yakoob on 20/3/2016 at 19:48
Thanks guys this sounds great :) How long would you recommend to come for to get a good feel for the city without getting bored or overstaying? I'm thinking maybe 2-3 days?
@faetal - I've actually been considering France as well but kind of didn't want to do Paris since that's where everyone goes, so Lyon might be perfect (and I can still get to Paris from it). Would love to see ya and get toured by someone who knows the place :) Any idea if it'd be easier to fly in or take a train or bus (I'd assume the latter) from a neighboring country?
@henke - ooo I might take you on that offer, I did wanna check out the Nordic countries :D
bjack on 20/3/2016 at 21:33
Consider doing Paris in a day on the way to another destination. You can blow into town in the morning, see the Louvre, d'Orsay, walk under the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dam, etc, then hop on a train to a place like Bayeux in the evening. Tour the D-Day beaches the next morning, then wherever from there. Consider it. I've done it and it was a lot of fun.
WingedKagouti on 21/3/2016 at 01:48
Quote Posted by Yakoob
Thanks guys this sounds great :) How long would you recommend to come for to get a good feel for the city without getting bored or overstaying? I'm thinking maybe 2-3 days?
2-3 days should usually be enough to get a feeling of a city without getting bored, if you're trying to avoid obvious touristy stuff. Some cities can be experienced in a full day, so arriving in the evening to settle in, spending the entire second day seeing the city, and leaving early on the third day. Larger cities will often have enough variation in districts to last you two full days.
henke on 21/3/2016 at 06:54
Quote Posted by Yakoob
@henke - ooo I might take you on that offer, I did wanna check out the Nordic countries :D
Great. :) And sure, you can stay for 2-3 days if you want to. Should be plenty of time to get to know Vaasa, which, honestly, probably isn't as big as most of the cities on your journey (population about about 66 000). It is a beautiful city tho, especially in Spring/Summer. :)
faetal on 21/3/2016 at 14:59
Quote Posted by Yakoob
How long would you recommend to come for to get a good feel for the city without getting bored or overstaying? I'm thinking maybe 2-3 days?
2-3 days works great for me. Sofa bed is yours - we do have a young child, but she's sleeping through most nights and the area with the sofa bed is totally separate from the bit where we all sleep, so disturbances should be light if any.
Quote:
@faetal - I've actually been considering France as well but kind of didn't want to do Paris since that's where everyone goes, so Lyon might be perfect (and I can still get to Paris from it). Would love to see ya and get toured by someone who knows the place :) Any idea if it'd be easier to fly in or take a train or bus (I'd assume the latter) from a neighboring country?
Depends - Lyon does have an airport with decent connections, but it depends where you are coming from. It is however a mere 2 hours on the train to Paris and about 90 minutes to Geneva, so if you couldn't find flights direct to Lyon, you could go to Geneva and swing by en route to Paris or vice versa. When abouts would you be likely to swing by Lyon?
Yakoob on 22/3/2016 at 22:59
Sweet, PMs sent :D
