Are YOU Traveling to Spain On A Budget?

What a coincidence, so am I!  Here are the websites I used to book my accommodation and transits.

Booking.com
It was easy to search within each city I was staying in, set the number people per room, and find the best deal. It was also helpful using the map function to see what was nearby. I always paid the extra 1 to 5 euros for cancellation rights, because plans change and I didn't want to take the risk! Most listings on booking.com have free cancellation.

Renfe
Renfe is the train service in Spain. If the website is in Spanish when you navigate to it, make sure to click "welcome" on the top right of the page:

This site is pretty straight forward. For Americans, it's very similar to booking a plane ticket. Make sure you buy your tickets ahead of time if your traveling in peak season (June - August). They do fill up during holidays and tourist season.

ALSA
ALSA is a bus service that operates throughout Spain. Again, if it's in Spanish, be sure to click on the itty bitty British flag in the middle top of the screen.

ALSA is also a straight forward booking site, similar to Renfe. Definitely check both sites before booking. Buses are a little bit slower, but sometimes can save you a lot of money.

Veulling
Veulling is very similar to EasyJet in terms of price and availability, but they did seem to offer flights in some locations of Spain that were more affordable than EasyJet (i.e. Seville to Barcelona). So compare the two sites before booking a flight.

If any more websites come to mind, I will be sure to share them with you.

Safe travels,

Danielle

Oh Money, Where Art Thou?

FRONT

This is the exact question I asked Chase Bank earlier this week, but without the Shakespearean flare. You have quite a few options for exchanging currency. You can do it at your local bank branch, at airports, and at many hotels and hostels. However, if you know ahead of time what you're planning to spend, you're better off doing it before your trip at your bank.

Here's how it works at Chase. You call the number on the back of your debit card and tell them that you would like to obtain currency from the following countries [where ever you are traveling to] and the amounts in USD. They will order the money to your local branch, who will then call you once it arrives. You go pick up your money, pay for it in USD at the current exchange rates, and then you're set.

BACK

Well, hey now, what are you going to do with all that cash?

Put it in a nifty little money belt, but of course. I decided to go with a simple design by Eagle Creek Travel Gear. Basically, you should only have the currency you need for the day in your wallet, and then place the rest in this money belt. You wear this underneath your clothing during the day. That way if you get pick pocketed or purse snatched, you still have the rest of your money. As per the point of the money belt, you want to wear it ninja style. That means don't advertise that you're wearing it by going into it multiple times a day, especially in public. Be discrete. Be a ninja.

CLICK HERE for a completely unrelated article on how to be stealthy like a ninja.

Travel Light, Buy a Backpack!

Osprey Atmos 50 Pack

If you want to cut down on travel costs and save your back, then you need to adopt a 'travel-light' philosophy. Now, if you're anything like me, then you probably pack a suitcase for a weekend getaway. So how in the world am I supposed to change my ways and pack a 50L backpacking bag for two months? Well, I haven't quite figured it out yet. But here's the bag I choose after trying on twenty different backpacks at REI.

I choose this pack because the dimensions are still small enough to qualify as a carry on on EasyJet flights, so i won't have to pay the ridiculous baggage fees when flying from country to country. Also, for the ladies out there, I tried on both men's packs and women's packs and I did not see that much difference.

TIP: Try on the right size regardless of gender and learn how to adjust it. I choose this one for the awesome mesh back (super comfy and airy) and extra padding on the hip and shoulder straps.

I iniially planned on purchasing a backpack on ebay, but honestly, if I'm going to be saddled with this thing for two months, I better make sure it's comfortable! I'm taking this bad boy on a practice run for a week long getaway in just a few days and I have my fingers crossed I can leave my suitcase ways behind.

Wish me luck!

Helpful Websites for Traveling in Europe

With tons of resources available on the interweb, it can be difficult to narrow down the most trust worthy and helpful sites for booking your flights, rentals, and hostels when backpacking through Europe. Below are a few websites I've been using for my travels.

1. Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor is one of many corporate travel sites that offer tips on where to go as well as reviews of hotels and restaurants in which ever city you wish to visit. I have found this site very easy to navigate. The attractions for each city are laid out clearly, so it helps new-be travelers like me narrow which cities are worthwhile to visit and which are not. The public forums are especially helpful, as I've found answers to many questions I've had regarding topics from safety to hole in the wall restaurants and attractions off the beaten path.

2. Rail Europe
Rail Europe is basically a one stop shop for train tickets in Europe. For other Americans out there who haven't made the transatlantic trek yet, the train system in Europe is very intricate and travels to almost every major destination in Europe.  The Rail Passes are great for extensive travel within a single country, such as France or Spain. However, I have found that single way tickets can be more expensive than flying if not bought far in advance.

3. EasyJet
I wish we had a company like EasyJet in America. The closest comparison would be Southwest Airlines. EasyJet is an airline that flies all over Europe for a fraction of the price of other major airlines. They fly to every major city, and allow one standard carry on bag for free.
TIP: You can save money by booking everyone's flight on one debit or credit card, each passenger saves you a little bit more! Also, booking with a debit card saves you a couple more dollars than a credit card.

4. Hostel World and Booking
Both of these websites are great for tracking down affordable accommodation. Watch out for booking fees! Once you track down the place you want to stay, see if the main company website or if another travel website is offering the same deal without a booking fee. Booking.com usually has no booking fee and almost always offers free cancellation.

5. AirBNB
AirBNB is an example of consumer focused innovation of the BNB industry. Now, normal people can rent out rooms or entire dwellings and earn an income like any other BNB or hotel. With detailed reviews from both the home owners and customers, it makes it easy to find safe accommodations for short and long periods of time.
TIP: Read through all fees (extra person fee; cleaning fee; security deposit). Read the reviews carefully to make sure almost everyone received their security deposit back and to ensure that other people had positive experiences.

6. Couch Surfing
Looking to meet locals and experience the daily life of the city your visiting? Then check out couch surfing! Couch Surfing is an international organization that connects travelers with FREE accommodation all over the world. People open up their homes to travelers, and are usually more than happy to discuss places to visit and exchange travel stories.  Like AirBNB, couch surfing has a detailed review system to keep the site safe and honest. When surfing, make sure you provide a gift or service to the home owner to show your appreciation. The gift should be the equivalent to what it cost them to host you. For short term visits, taking them out for coffee may be sufficient. For longer term visits, make sure to do something more, such as helping with yard work or making them dinner. Basically, you don't want to make their life harder by being there. Simply think of the costs you would incur if you were hosting them in your home (i.e. food, water, electricity for a day). Couch surfing operates on the philosophy of reciprocity.

I hope you find these sites helpful in your trip planning. What are your favorite travel sites?

The Journey Begins...

T-MINUS 90 DAYS

On May 4th, I will leave behind many of my friends and family in California and depart on a two month backpacking trip across Europe. To say I'm excited wouldn't come close to covering how I feel about this trip. A more well-rounded pathos of excitement, anxiety, and stir-craziness would be a tad more accurate.

I will do my best to document the planning process on this blog. I will also post updates while I'm on my trip when I have internet access.

To give you a general idea, here is a wish-list of the countries we hope to spend time in:



United Kingdom
France
Spain
Italy
Switzerland
Germany
Austria
Czech Republic
Luxembourg
Belgium
Netherlands


I know a couple of these countries probably won't happen, but we're dreaming big. Did I mention I'll be taking two classes during this trip? The joys of graduate school!

For those of you who do not know me, I am currently attending graduate school in San Francisco, CA, USA and will studying abroad for Spring and early Summer in the UK. There is a small group of us who will be studying abroad together and are planning this trip to get the most out of our time in Europe.

I hope you'll follow our journey,

Danielle