Making the commitment - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**ajb3000** · 03-18-2006, 04:13 PM

Does anyone else find it really difficult to make the commitment and book the flights for a trip? I've been researching my trip for months, am completely psyched, yet I'm trying to put off actually booking my flights til the last minute. I've been keeping an eye on prices and they're starting to creep up, so I guess now is the time, yet I can't seem to do it.

I guess my main concerns are as follows. This will be my first backing experience alone, I've always been with mates before. This will also be my longest trip abroad, i'm going for 46 days and my previous longest single trip was 23 days! Then there's the fact I'm planning on going to the least travelled, most corrupt and poorest regions of Europe, which I wouldn't care about if I was going with someone, but have to admit to being a little wary. To add to the anxiety, I was planning on working over the easter break (I'm a uni student) to fund a reasonable part of the trip, but have just been informed there are no vacancies at the moment, so funding is going to be difficult. I could do it at a push (fully utilising my overdraft and being very careful with what I spend).

I know it'll all be fantastic when I get there, I just need a bit of a push.

**Slacker** · 03-18-2006, 04:35 PM

Yep I had the same problem. But I just told myself I HAD to have them booked by a certain date come hell or high water. You just gotta do it though.

futboller · 03-18-2006, 05:49 PM

I was just nervous I wouldn't go, you know? I'm on my first real backpacking experience period, so I was worried I'd end up one of those thousands of college kids who says they'll backpack Europe and ends up sitting at home playing video games. Buying the ticket made it suddenly real and no longer a dream. I knew that even if I didn't end up with any other plans made (railpasses or ryanair tickets or hostels) that I'd still end up stuck in Dublin for 6 weeks and have to do something with that time.

Buying the ticket is like gambling with $600 that you'll really be there. You'll do what it takes for that bet to go through.

At least, for me that's what it was like. I couldn't wait to get my hands on those tickets.

**bluepea** · 03-18-2006, 07:04 PM

Oh, I'm the exact opposite - I LOVE the booking the ticket part. I spend weeks and weeks researching, so it's like the climax

of it. Hopefully, after you book it, you'll really start to excited. The nervousness is very normal though.

**omisan** · 03-18-2006, 11:46 PM

I'm with Jamie - I absolutely love it. It kicks off the whole insane planning and anticipation phase, which is almost as fun as the trip itself.

**aliz** · 03-19-2006, 03:15 AM

i can so relate to this! I am so excited about buying my ticket but i am really reluctant about actually booking and paying for a flight. I am looking up airfares all the time but i really have to book my flight soon... i guess its because i have never spent this much money in one go before... and because its the first holiday i have organised by myself... i feel like i have to wait for my parents permission or something

**ajb3000** · 03-19-2006, 04:51 AM

That's exactly it, as soon as I've booked it I'll get really excited, but it does feel like I want someone else to say I'm doing the right thing. My mum stopped querying how I spent my money years ago

.

**lauren313** · 03-19-2006, 06:13 AM

I've been pestering my boyfriend to let us book our tickets for ages now, I can't wait! He finally said we'd do it in the easter holidays, so that's cool. He likes to put it off, but I spend forever researching and trying to get the best deals!

**ajb3000** · 03-19-2006, 08:53 AM

Well, I've booked the flight :D. I officially fly to Athens on 17th June. Now I need to work out where I want to fly home from 7 weeks later.

**tumblezweedz** · 03-19-2006, 09:56 AM

congrats on the ticket...it sounds like we need a "giving a push" smiley.

that'll do.

**beergal** · 03-19-2006, 10:16 AM

just a thought but what are you doing at university?

IM funding some of my trip tis year by completing an "aim higher" experience which is a government scheme. I dont know f you know anything about it but basically what you do is you work in a school for 2 weeks ( im doing mine first two weeks of June) and they pay you £40 a day so for 2 weeks plus 3 days of training im going to be making £520 tax free

Are you heading around Eastern Europe again (uber jealous!)

**Esterina** · 03-19-2006, 10:24 AM

If you need us to kick your derriere, just ask ! «Yes master, here's one more»

...

Congrats on your ticket, I'm also very excited for you, Adam !

**ajb3000** · 03-19-2006, 10:42 AM

Well my current plan is as follows:

Greece -> Albania -> Kosovo -> Macedonia -> (possibly)Turkey -> Moldova -> Ukraine -> Poland

Turkey is only if I feel I have time without rushing other parts of my trip, and would likely only be Istanbul. Poland is pretty much just for a cheap easyjet/ryanair flight home, so won't be spending much time there this trip either.

I'm studing a BEng in Computer Engineering at Uni. I don't know anything about the "aim higher" experience but I'm about to google it

.

**beergal** · 03-19-2006, 10:51 AM

definately contact your careers centre at uni as im sure they would be crying out for you to help the kids with your comp skills! I had to fight for my place on geography...god help me with what school they put me in!

futboller · 03-19-2006, 07:24 PM

Congrats on the ticket! That's an amazing itinerary, too. (Everytime someone posts theirs I feel jealous that I'm not going too!)

JustinDT · 03-22-2006, 07:13 AM

I was having the same problem last weekend but I finally went ahead and did it Monday.

1) Carolina - Atlanta - Frankfurt - Prague
2) Krakow - Gatwick London
3) London - Atlanta - Carolina

It's still a bit intimidating for a first timer going alone, but that G I just spent means it's there's no backing out now.

**ajb3000** · 03-22-2006, 11:36 AM

Just booked my return ticket now as well, I'll be flying home from Krakow on 3rd August, so 47 days in total and here is my route map :D.

The destinations in order:

Greece: Athens
Albania: Vlore, Tirana
Kosovo: Pristina (day trips to Mitrovice and Prizren)
Macedonia: Skopje
Turkey: Istanbul (if I feel I have the time to spare)
Bulgaria: Veliko Turnovo
Moldova: Chisinau, Tiraspol (day trip to Saharna)
Ukraine: Odessa, Yalta, Kiev
Poland: Krakow

Anyone have any opinions on must see towns/cities i've missed out or places I should skip?

**beergal** · 03-22-2006, 12:01 PM

im really sick with envy! your trip looks amazing! where did you find the route map planner?

**ajb3000** · 03-22-2006, 12:06 PM

I used the map from here and used Adobe Photoshop/Imageready to draw the line and the dots.

**aliz** · 03-22-2006, 11:06 PM

lol thats the same map i've been using to figure out where i'm going