Letter To The Editor: "roughing it" overseas to save money

   Chris,

Anyway, I think my main concern about spending a few months traveling throughout Europe is cost. So some questions are:

Is it legal to sleep in a bivy sack or tiny tent if you can find a spot that is not very visible?

Are Youth Hostels really up to $30-$50 per night now?

Is hitchhiking a safe and reasonable way to move around if I have no schedule or destination?

A three-month Eurail Pass is around $2500 or more. That seems REALLY expensive to me, so would you advise me to purchase one or not?

Do most trains have sleeping quarters, and if so, does a Eurail Pass cover the use of them, or is there significant additional expenses to sleep on a train?

I'm a songwriter/guitar player, and am wondering if I will be able to buy a reasonably decent used acoustic guitar and pay for some of my food, drink, and perhaps housing by performing in the streets?

Since I am on a budget, do you have any advice on how to best cut corners financially but still be able to cover a lot of ground?

If you don't mind, I may send a few more questions later. Thanks a lot.

  D.

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   Hi D.,

Besides airfare, accommodation is probably going to be your biggest expense. Still, if your willing to rough it there are ways to save.  There seems to be a fine line between legal and tolerated in some cities when it comes to sleeping in parks.  If I were you I would error on the side of it being illegal and make sure you are fairly well concealed, up before the sun and or with a a couple more people.  It's always harder to ticket more than one person and easier to just send them on their way.  I'm not suggesting you break the law only letting you know that people do vagabond around Europe.  Ask other  travelers you see with sleeping bags for suggestions on where to sleep; they aren't the ones staying in hotels.

    Now another alternative to cozying up next to a tree in a park is sleeping in a train station.  This is in general legal.  I mean you're just waiting for your next train right?  At worst you are likely to be asked for your ticket  but even without that, chances are you will only be asked to move.   The best thing about camping out in train stations is that they will be warmer than the parks, enclosed and have some sort of security.  No matter where you choose to sleep be sure to protect your bags by either putting them in a locker or clipping them to your bag so no one can grab it and run.  Also be sure to have your passport on you as ID.  Without any identification the police might not be so willing to let you go.  Not having any ID on you is more illegal than sleeping in parks...at least as a guideline.  Besides all that, use common sense. 

   To save money but also be sure you're safe and legal, look into campgrounds that typically lie just outside the city.  You can often find pretty good prices at these and they will be cheaper than a dorm room around the city center.  Typically a dorm room bed in town is going to run you about 30 + bucks for a decent place but this may go as low as 15 USD.  By sleeping in a tent at a campground like Tiber Village outside Rome you will pay about 8 USD per night. 

    As far as hitchhiking, I have never done it in Europe.  From what I have gathered from other travelers who have, they feel it is safer to do it in Europe than it is in the States.  That being said were all people and there are always going to be crazies out their.  Here is an article that gives a run through of what to expect and how to go about hitchin'...although it doesn't seem very objective. This link will take you to a site that outlines each country's stance on hitching... Once again use common sense. 

   When buying a rail pass you are going to carefully weigh the cost of the pass against point to point tickets.  The more you move the quicker the pass will pay for itself.  I've had a great time with a rail pass and a horrible time.  On the one hand it gives you the freedom to hop on most trains and go where ever you want but on the other you have to be careful of what train you hopping on.  Jumping on a high-speed train without a reservation can lead to a fine with or without a pass and in Italy reservations can add up despite the trains being, in general, the worst you will find in Europe.  To me it sounds like you're more willing to rough it than the average traveler so you might want to seriously consider skipping this cost and just seeing how far the 2500 USD can get you without a pass.  When and if it runs out, stay put for awhile.  Use www.raileurope.com to get a sense of the cost of point to point tickets and see what will save you the most money.   My guess is that it will be hitchhiking and buying point to point tickets now and then.

    The only trains you are going to find with sleep quarters are the ones you would be taking for a long distance overnight.  Paris to Madrid or Barcelona to Seville for instance.  The rail pass will not cover the booking of these cabins, although it often does cover a portion (plus a reservation fee) of a regular old seat for the night.  From Barcelona to Seville, a cabin will cost you 134 dollars but with a pass you can get a seat for 40.  Still, with this in mind you have to think that if you were to get a hostel bed the cost is similar but with the train you moving along to your next destination.

   Playing guitar for money is a reasonably viable option I think. How much you can make off this is any body's guess though.  If nothing else you'll get to practice your art and mingle with the locals.  I have had friends when I studied overseas that found acoustic guitars for sale rather easily.  Hunt around in a University town and your chances will probably be better.   Be careful however to make sure you don't need a permit where you are going to perform.  Those street performers in Barcelona for example have applied for and received documents that allow them to be there.  Without them there can be serious fines.  Mind your surroundings and don't encroach on the local beggars turf either...they will run you off quicker than the police and they're typically not the kind of people you want to tick off.

     In terms of a few tips on saving money you can check out this recent article of mine.  Beyond that, share train tickets with other travelers.  There are often group specials on trains (particularly in Germany) that can significantly lower the cost.  Look for the Schones Wochende ticket  (happy weekend as it is translated on bahn.de) .  Also, if you stay in a hostel find one that offers free breakfast then make a sandwich for the road.  If possible look up friends or family overseas...often this ends up in a free place to stay overnight.

  I hope all this helps you.  Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you and be sure to keep me updated on your trip.

   Till soon,

     Chris.

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I've been checking out your website. It's great, with a lot of good links and info. I even joined your Facebook group, thinking maybe I can pick up some good tips from other global meanderers...

With western Europe seemingly so expensive these days, I'm pondering other possible travel plans. Either fly into eastern Europe, where things are less costly, and just explore day by day through the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and even over to Romania and Bulgaria... or maybe even fly up to Alaska, goof off a little there, then cross over into Russia and work my way by train all the way over to Mongolia and down into China. Just ideas...

Anyway, somebody suggested that if I do decide to carry a tent, two extra pounds would be well worth it for the type of tent that you can sit up in and read or whatever, instead of the type that is so low. I am just not in the financial condition to buy a $200-250 tent and then give it away, but I suppose I could mail it back to my home address if it gets too burdensome.

I really appreciate your efforts on your site. It's admirable to see people putting forth time and energy to help others best enjoy their traveling adventures.

The more I study and ponder, the more I realize that lodging will be the most threatening expense, and that's why I am leaning toward hauling a tent around with me. If a tent saves me $20-30 USD three or four times per week, then I could justify getting a decent single room at a Hostel or affordable B &B once or twice each week. My main concern is having a place to either shower or jump in a river or whatever to start each day. Sleep is important, but feeling clean and refreshed might be even more so.

So, a durable, comfortable, lightweight pair of boots, an ultra light tent, and maybe even a handheld GPS unit seem to be the things I don't yet have... and a small digital recording device, since I really like to record conversations and various sounds when I'm traveling... with permission of course.

If you're conducting a lot of dialog through your site, feel free to give out my email address to anybody whose traveled Europe lately and wants to offer what they've learned.  therealdoug [at] yahoo.com

Thanks.