over seas travel virgin.. - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

browneyedgrrl · 07-11-2004, 09:57 PM

I grew up in various locations around the US, but I've never gotten to travel over seas... and I have always wanted to go to Ireland. Problem is, I have virtually no clue where to begin. I have looked online for ideas, but I'm a bit overwhelmed. And considering I've lived in tourist traps, and hated the stereotypical tourists... I really dont want to be one and wind up doing corny tourist things instead of really experiencing Ireland. I probably couldnt afford to go for atleast another year, but I'd like to start getting an idea of how much money I should set aside and different things I should check out that arent listed in every travel brochure.

Any ideas or suggestions would be wonderful and super duper apprecciated!

Sorry this was so long!

**skidrage** · 07-11-2004, 10:39 PM

OK, where to start. First, you should look at a budget/backpacker minded tour book such as Let's Go, Lonely Planet, or Rough Guide. My choice is Let's Go and it will give you cities that are not as touristed as the big ones.

Money wise. Depending on how long you travel, you will probably want to pick up a rail pass. These can go anywhere from $200 for travel in only a single or two/three countries to over $1000 for continual travel for three months. This will not get you through every country though, as only Hungary is covered out of the Eastern countries. A flight bought from a cheap online site such as Orbitz or the like will depend on where you depart from, but should be around the $400-$700 range unless you go in the middle of summer. If you go from May-August, prices will be higher and there will be more tourists. If you go in the offseason, it will be cheaper and less touristy, but the weather might not be as nice. Also, Europe has cheap flights within the continent that can range from $10-$50 depending on when you buy them from companies such as Ryan Air, Easy Jet, and German Wings.

Staying at a hostel or private room in a pension can run anywhere from $10-$25 a night depending on the size of the room and what country you are in. Food also varies. In Eastern Europe, you can eat excellent meals for $5 or less, but $5 in Western Europe won't buy you too much. Here is a breakdown for daily expenses

Western Europe - $75 per day will get you a hostel room, transportation, admission to a couple museums, a good meal in a restaurant, and maybe a couple beers later on.

Eastern Europe - $40 per day will get you a small hostel room or private room in a pension, two very good restaurant meals, transportation, site admission, and money to party

England/Scandanavia/Switzerland - These countries are the most expensive. $100 a day will get you the same as Western Europe.

Of course, you can survive on less a day by cooking your own meals and not going out or avoiding museums and the like. If you give an idea on some countries you want to visit, this will help us give you some more detailed descriptions.

browneyedgrrl · 07-11-2004, 10:52 PM

THANK YOU! This is the first site I've been on that is actually clear and gives feed back pretty fast.

I was hoping to go to Ireland and maybe eventually Australia. But Ireland is mainly where I would like to go. I've also been thinking about seeing if I could get a job in Ireland for a few months or a year just to experience it. I've done the employee housing thing in the states and it was an awesome experience. But I dont know much about passports or work visas so I could do it over seas...

bout yez · 07-13-2004, 04:01 AM

Hi, im irish and can guarantee you that you'll have a great time if come over to visit. Firstly if you plan on coming over for a while you should have no problems getting work(esp bar work). Best places to visit for work are any cities with universities( belfast, dublin, cork, galway etc) altho if you arrive during the summer a lot of students go home and work may be scarce. If you're not that keen on cities County Donegal in the north is a great place to visit and anywhere in the south will enable you to experience Irish culture at its best(esp. the further down south you go)Although chances of getting work in small villages will probably be slim. I would definately advise trying to see the west coast of ireland as you will see some of the nicest, unspoilt scenery around IMO anyway. If you have rough ideas where you want to go contact recruitment agencies in the big cities to try and arrange tempory work for the big cities, save a bit of money and tour all over the place. If you need any more advice e-mail me and i'll try and help as much as i can.

browneyedgrrl · 07-13-2004, 11:40 AM

thanks oodles! please check your email.

**worldwidemike** · 07-13-2004, 07:37 PM

Ireland is a great place to start your overseas travel...they speak your language (I'm assuming here...), it has a wonderful combination of scenery, sights and some of the friendliest people, and you can do it at all levels of budget: bare bones, hostels, B&Bs, etc.

Heck, you can even find some awesome air/rental car/week's of B&Bs package deals, too, especially in the "off season."

Welcome to the Boards, Brownie!

worldwidemike

artgreen · 08-06-2004, 08:32 PM

me and my buds are backpacking europe, while attending university, anyone wanna join us

**U2fan** · 08-07-2004, 12:31 PM

hey there, and welcome to the boards! I spent a few months in Ireland in 2002, and had an amazing time! I think, mostly, that you should have a contingency plan if you cannot get a job there. I just got back from Europe and met this Canadian girl who went over and spent weeks searching for any sort of job, unsuccessfully. She said that with the recent EU expansion, lots of eastern Europeans are coming west now and the jobs are being given to them most of the time. So, not to be too pessimistic, but it sounds like it is not always easy to get a job. That being said, I think you can get by with much less than $75 a day that was given as an estimate above. Ireland is not extremely cheap, but if you get groceries instead of eating out, and cut back in other ways, you can get really far on much less money. And if you are just staying in Ireland, I would advise against getting a rail pass as the tickets are not all that expensive since the journeys are relatively short and it would likely be cheaper for you to pay individually for each trip. Plus if you are there awhile, and especially if you get a job, you will likely meet locals and be able to get a ride someplace.

Things to see, I agree with the above, the west coast is incredible. The ring of Kerry, Dingle...rent a bike and go bike riding, that is what I did and it was my favorite thing I did my whole trip. Also, not too far outside of Dublin is a world heritage site called Newgrange; it is an ancient tomb older than both the pyramids and stonehenge. Really incredible!

Ok, that's all for now. Let us know if you have more questions!

Love,
Lauren

browneyedgrrl · 08-08-2004, 11:22 AM

Thanks you guys!

So far my little plan is as follows... hopefully get this job at the hospital by my house (pays more and has better hours), save money... maybe do a bit of community college (there is some program that can help you get an associates in 2 years) and then try to go work in Ireland. This way I have something that might make it a little easier to get a job, and have something to fall back on. So if I go it probably wont be until 2006 or 7. But thank you oodles for the ideas.

2 years seems like forever... haha

pasique · 08-11-2004, 03:16 AM

hey brownie! looks like we got the same dream of travelling but still got some years ahead before it can come true. i'm planning on going to western europe too, but still studying now, still got one year left before i can go anywhere.. and then i still have to find a job that pays greatly and then save up some money to go. maybe i'll just go in 2006 to see the world cup. woohoo..!!

if any job left for me, maybe i'll take it too..
well, good luck girl! wish me luck too..

browneyedgrrl · 08-11-2004, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pasique@Aug 11 2004, 02:16 AM
well, good luck girl! wish me luck too..*

I'll cross my fingers and pray for the both of us. Who knows, maybe I'll bump into you someday and we'll grab a pint.

crious · 08-18-2004, 09:55 PM

Browneyes,

I am about to go on a long long trip and have been looking into the working criteria for Ireland, Scotland, and England for a while now. Getting a job is not the hardest part any more. The most difficult part for U.S. citizen’s now is getting the work permit to be able to work while you are there legally. I talked to the Irish, British, and Scotish Consults in D.C. and they told me I was better off saving my money and just visiting. If you do want to do it, shoot me an email to tqctek@hotmail.com and I will send you all the stuff they sent me for applying for a work permit. FYI there is about a 1 1/2 year application process time so if you are serious you may want to get started now. I ended up finding out about a working holiday permit in New Zealand that I have gotten free of charge. If you want that stuff I can send it to you as well. I hope this can help!!

Good Luck,

Mikie