Budget Travel

I have been asked several times, How can you afford to take this trip? Isn't it really expensive?

Due Diligence and preparation!! Thank god for the Internet. I have read a lot of reviews and Compared prices etc.. It is NOT as Pricey as you Think it is! That my friends is a misconception and Yes I did have that Misconception until One small post was posted on Facebook about a year ago about joining someone on this trip, I jumped on it with both feet. Here I am almost 30 days until I take off! I am ready. This will NOT be my last ATW Trip. Amazon.com and free shipping is my friend for all the Necessities like my backpack shipped right to me.

All my flights were easily obtained from www.bootsnall.com. (Indie) 
You can input several different routes and get instant price quotes before you buy! I found out that they are Non refundable Flights.

I got all my Flights for less than $2,000 for 6 countries round trip! Hostels 612.50 total for 31 days. I will be eating Cheap Local cuisine for sometimes less than $2.00 USD per meal. I will be utilizing all the Free things to do and Free Attractions in Each country I go to.

Here is a  VIDEO  for you.

I have Accumulated a few Links to Share for Information and Inspiration. 

Preparing To Travel Around the World: How to guide.

5 Countries to Visit for Under $500

The Budget Traveler’s Guide to Wine Tasting in Italy

Sometimes You Just Need to Go

Laid off? Can't find a job? It's a great time to travel the world
How to backpack on a budget: The insider's guide to traveling around the world

You can travel around the world for a year-- and visit dozens of countries-- for the same cost as living in New York City. This is a great time to escape from the economic recession in the United States by visiting countries where the dollar is relatively strong. I am getting my Gypsy feet wet by starting off with a 31 day trip ATW. Europe.

Moroccan Horizons

ONLY 39 days Until I take off and I cannot be anymore excited!
(Well, I guess I will be in the coming days lol)

It is confirmed that I will have a Travel Companion for half of my Journey thru #Europe! A Very Special friend of mine +Candy Treft AKA +Gypsy Nurse will be joining me in London, England, Marrakesh, Morocco and Barcelona, Spain. Candy has done a bit of International traveling herself and I am over the moon she will be joining me on the very first one of my International endeavors!

Candy is definitely going to have to teach me what to eat in Morocco. I was watching some you tube videos earlier in the day about Morocco and was a bit worried about the heads,brains and tongue I've seen there! I Spoke to Candy and Candy has promised not to let me starve while she is with me in Morocco ;) 

Candy stated "I love Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. I will certainly find something for you to eat Cheryl... I promise you won't starve while I'm there." "Have you looked up 'tagine'? It's the Moroccan version of a stew!! Lots of Lentils, Rice and Fresh Veggies in their diet as well..." 

I have since then looked it up and I think I will be just fine lol. I am all for adventure but I do have limits on heads, brains and Tongue.

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• Moroccan Tagines or Stews

  Tagines are primarily used to slow-cook savory stews and vegetable dishes. Because the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tagine traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables to buttery-tenderness. This method of cooking is very practical in areas where water supplies are limited or where public water is not yet available.

  The traditional method of cooking with a tagine is to place the tagine over coals. Large bricks of charcoal are purchased specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours. Smaller pieces of charcoal are reserved for cooking brochettes and other grilled meats.

Vaccinations :(

Well, I only have to have 2 Vaccinations,everything else is up to date.

First one is Hepatitis A which is a 2 part series and  the second one is for Typhoid. 

I really am not looking forward to getting these shots nor the price of these shots but, will have to, to protect myself mainly while I am in Marrakesh, Morocco which is Northern Africa.

As luck would have it travel vaccinations are not covered by medical insurance

Since regular medical offices do not even provide travel vaccinations nor stock them you need to seek out a travel clinic.After clicking through all the websites I realized that nobody provides pricing information online, yet seeing as how I am a budget traveler and the shots all cost a fortune I went through the painful process of calling each and every one of them to get a quote.

Packing list

Packing 101 by Rick Steves

How do you fit a months worth of luggage into a small backpack? The answer is simple: Bring very little.

Spread out everything you think you might need on the living-room floor. Pick up each item one at a time and scrutinize it. Ask yourself, "Will I really use this snorkel and these fins enough to justify carrying them around all summer?" Not "Will I use them?" but "Will I use them enough to feel good about hauling them over the Swiss Alps?" Frugal as I may be, I'd buy them in Greece and give them away before I'd carry that extra weight over the Alps.

Don't pack for the worst-case scenario. Pack for the best-case scenario and simply buy yourself out of any jams. Bring layers rather than take a heavy coat. Think in terms of what you can do without — not what will be handy on your trip. When in doubt, leave it out. I've seen people pack a whole summer's supply of deodorant or razors, thinking they can't get them there. The world is getting really small: You can buy Dial soap, Colgate toothpaste, Nivea cream, and Gillette razors in Sicily and Slovakia. Tourist shops in major international hotels are a sure bet whenever you have difficulty finding a personal item. If you can't find one of your essentials, ask yourself how half a billion Europeans can live without it. Rather than carry a whole trip's supply of toiletries, take enough to get started and look forward to running out of toothpaste in Bulgaria. Then you have the perfect excuse to go into a Bulgarian department store, shop around, and pick up something you think might be toothpaste.

Whether you're traveling for three weeks or three months, pack exactly the same. To keep your clothes tightly packed and well organized, zip them up in packing cubes, airless baggies, or a clothes compressor. I like specially designed folding boards (such as Eagle Creek's Pack-It Folder) to fold and carry clothes with minimal wrinkling. For smaller items, use packing cubes or mesh bags (one for underwear and socks, another for miscellaneous stuff such as a first-aid kit, earplugs, clothesline, sewing kit, and gadgets).

Go casual, simple, and very light. Remember, in your travels you'll meet two kinds of tourists — those who pack light and those who wish they had. Say it out loud: "PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT PACK LIGHT." 

My Clothing for Backpack

4 dark colored T-shirts – One for sleeping. Easy to buy abroad too.
1 pair of shorts – for sleeping.
3 pair of pants
2 long sleeve shirts
2 light sweaters
1 Dark colored Hoodie – Good for cold transportation and moderate temperatures.
1 fleece lined rain jacket – 
2 scarfs
1 pair of gloves
2 bras
7 pairs of socks
7 pairs of underwear 
*1 pair of boots and Sneakers.

Always best to dress in layers during the season that I am going.

Some Accessories I am taking:

~Travel Towel 
~Shower Shoes
~Packing cubes (I got 3 small and 3 large but won't need to use them all)
~Baby wipes and hand sanitizer
~ Medicine~Including Immodium
~Toiletries Bag~ Take basic toiletries to get you thru, you can 
  purchase these items abroad and won't need to weigh your backpack down unecessarily. 
~First-Aid kit with a needle and thread for sure.
~Recommended to take At least 7 days of underwear and socks 
~Money Belt (cant stress this one enough)
~Bike Chain Lock (great to lock your bag to the bed or to lock your locker at the hostel when you're gone...not that someone wont steal it if their determined enough but if there is a room full of bags they are going to try to steal the one that will come the easiest first)
~Camera and Charger
~Tablet and charger
~Money/ATM Card (The card is great because of easiness with exchange rates, but make sure and watch the ATM fees, they can wipe you out pretty quick if you're not careful).
~Day Pack (to put things in that you will take with you during the day and your important documents).
~Sunglasses
~Converter and plug in(I also got the 4 plug oulet to plug in multiple items at once.)
~Travel pillow for planes, trains and buses(I got a blow up one that will fit easily into my backpack for very little weight)
~Passport and Drivers License
~Copies of: Itinerary, passport, extra passport photo in case I lose my passport it will be easier to obtain new passport thru the US embassy)
  **also leaving copies with my Spouse.

~I have registered with the State Dept for each country I am going to.
~ Vaccinations are in the works.
~ I have Travel Insurance.

My Backpack

Traveling To Europe for 31 days on a Budget requires some planning and A Great Backpack.

Jack Wolfskin 55L Backpack~ I got the Wine red :) This should hold everything I need for my trip.

 Pack light,Pack Light,Pack Lighter!

The best advice that has been given to me is:
Spread everything out on your bed, take half of what you got on it and twice the money ;)

I have purchased a Patch for every country 

I have been in and the ones I am going to ! 

These patches were glued onto my backpack.

Where I am going

Hello! 

I will blog all about my Around the world European adventures here. I have never blogged so we shall see how this all comes together.

 I will be leaving Solo on February 4th 2014 and returning March 8th 2014 (which by chance is my Birthday). 

I will leave Nashville TN and then: 

London, England for 3 days, 

Marrakesh, Morocco for 5 days, 

Barcelona, Spain for 5 days, 

Rome, Italy for 7 days, 

Athens, Greece for 6 days

Munich, Germany for 3 days. 

I will land in NYC and stay there for 2 days to 'get my grip' after such a long adventure then on to Nashville Tn.

Hostels and weather

These are the Hostels/B&B's I have booked and all the weather I have researched: All of these Hostels are under 30.00 a night.

 London England~ Palmers Swiss Cottage

Gatwick England~ Yew Tree Guest House

 The month of February in London is characterized by gradually rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs around 47°F throughout the month, exceeding 55°F or dropping below 37°F only one day in ten.

Marrakesh, Morocco~ Riad Layla Rouge

The temperature in Marrakesh in the month of February ranges from 8 degrees Celsius up to 20 degrees, depending on the time of the month and the time of day. The average temperature on any given day is around 14 degrees Celsius. Nights in Marrakesh can be quite chilly when compared to day temperatures. As to be expected, travelers enjoy at least eleven hours of sunshine while in the area. And the area begins to see less and less rainfall in February with an average of 40 mm of precipitation which usually falls over six days in the month.

 Casa Gracia Barcelona,Spain Hostel

In February, the weather in Barcelona, Spain is a mixed bag which can offer everything from sunny days, to cloud and rainfall. You can experience sunny mornings and everything can take a turn for the worst in few minutes. The average daytime temperatures are around 14°C (about 57°F) whereas the average minimum temperatures are around 5°C (about 41°F).

 Rome,Italy Coliseum Lodge

Rome~Italy~ Temperature The month of February is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs ranging from 54°F to 59°F over the course of the month, exceeding 65°F or dropping below 47°F only one day in ten

 Greece~Athens Backpackers Hostel

March is the beginning of spring in Athens,Greece so the weather starts to warm up. The average daily temperature for Athens in this month can reach highs of 16°C (61°F) or drop to an average minimum temperature of 8°C (46°F). With the rise in temperatures, sunnier days are also seen from March onwards and the expectation of rain drops, compared to the wet winter months. Athens sees an average of 8 hours sunshine per day throughout this month.

 Munich, Germany 'The 4 You Hostel Munich'

Munich Germany Temperature The month of March is characterized by rapidly rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 43°F to 52°F over the course of the month, exceeding 64°F or dropping below 31°F only one day in ten.