Organised tour, train fly? HOw many countries?

[2cjs]

HI There All,
Well I am writing to see if anyone can offer suggestions because I am so unsure of what to do and see over in Europe.
First of all my HUsband and I are moving to Edinburgh Scotland in Jan 2005 and have about 2 and half weeks of free travel time before heading up that way.
WE are young, 22 and 25, and are unsure whether to just have a look around the UK and Ireland, or go see a few countries in Europe.
SO comes the dilemma, do we do the old organised tour, Contiki etc, eurail pass, or fly in europe. The Uk and Ireland I am not to concerned about, I think that we will just make our way around slowly if wqe go with this option.
I have reservations about organised tours especially contiki, you with their reputation, I have heard many a stroy about the drunken nights and young ones hooking up etc, not really my scene?
Is 2 1/2 weeks too short to bother with eurail? How many countries are worthwile seeing in this short time?
Any help wopuld be appreciated!
Oh yeah and if anyone has info on Edinburgh that would be a big help too, I mean its going to be our new home for a while!
Hope you can all help!

[bellelass]

Young ones will ALWAYS drink and hookup. Stick around here a while and you'll be a believer...

My own personal thoughts are that it isnt worth seeing europe if you kind of fly through everything and it all blurs together. Maybe pick a city (Munich, Barcelona, A-dam, London, Paris..?) or a general region (valencia, bordeaux, Tuscany?) and spend your time there, kind of getting to know the place...

I can't wait to get to Edinburgh, myself, this spring when I'm based in london. Home of J.K. Rowling and also a bit of a literary capital. Somebody was telling me the other day that there is a really neat sort of pagan ritual thing in Feb... hope I can make it. And of course you've heard of Fringe Fest in August?

[JiveTurkey]

Well, I think 2 1/2 weeks is a good little chunk of time. I would not go with a tour co. insted I would use easyjet.com (or ryanair.com) and maybe eurail.

WELCOME!!

[worldwidemike]

I agree...you don't need an organized tour. Pick out a few places you'd like to see and just go. Easyjet or whatever low cost carrier can make it quite affordable being based in the UK. Check out www.cheaptickets.com, and you'll see all kinds of great prices on trips to parts of Europe.

worldwidemike

[skorch]

The people taking the bus tour called Busabout were heavy partiers. From what I hear about bus tours, you'll either get partying Aussies or a geriatric bus. I agree with everyone else, take easyjet for long distances and get a train pass for shorter travel/day trips.

If you're going to be in eastern europe, I'd just buy individual tickets as you need them since rail travel is so cheap there.

Supposedly, once you've lived in the UK for more than 6months, you qualify for the extremely cheap european resident rail passes. They're better to Eurail in every way. That doesn't help you out if you're going to be traveling before hand though.