[EviLore]

I've told some of you already at various meetups or through the internets, but very shortly I'll be backpacking across Europe for a period of some months. I never had the chance to do something like this in my very-rapidly-defunct college days or while I was building up NeoGAF slowly and steadily, but now, with GAF being in a good place and a great team of moderators and sysadmins watching over it, and myself no longer in horrifying physical condition or in poverty, I can probably safely go on a grand adventure that dwarfs my month traveling the United States.

What's on the agenda? Basically, flying from New York to London. Getting back to London and flying home at some point before I get into visa trouble (so, like, <90 days). That's about it so far.

Really, though, I'd like to see the normal Euro sights, sure, but that's toward the bottom of my priorities. I want to immerse myself culturally, meet and befriend locals and travelers and hear their stories, go to interesting places and difficult places, shoot a ton of photography, drink many many kinds of beer, meet some NeoGAF members along the way, and most of all let go. Then chronicle it on NeoGAF, in words and photos. Extensively, for your entertainment and my satisfaction.

Logistically, it's not your college student trip; I'm not on sabbatical, and I need to keep tabs on NeoGAF while I'm doing all this, and also blog and photoblog in an EviL Travels thread along the way, but I don't think I'll be especially tied down by my gear requirements. As ever, laptop or tablet or smartphone in hand, internet connection somewhere around me, and I'm good to go.

Over in LA, Seth C strongly recommended that I stay in hostels rather than hotels, regardless of the financials, just because you get to meet many more people that way. So I'll be going that route.

I'm packing light. Unfortunately, despite the "backpacking" part, I have a shoulder injury that renders me unable to actually wear a backpack, haha, so I will have a messenger bag and a carry-on sized roller to stay relatively unburdened. As for my modes of transport, I can make use of anything in service of adventure: planes, trains, buses, cabs, rental cars, whatever. As long as it gets me there, wherever there is at any given time.

What's missing, currently, is what to actually do. Our lovely H.Protagonist has me climbing some crazy mountain above glacial lakes somewhere in Poland, but other than that I'm nowhere near filled to the brim with lists of impending adventure. Yet. But I will be, after thorough investigation and after you gaffers suggest a bunch of things!

The best part, I think, is the freeform nature of this and the lack of a rush to get through it. In my trip across the United States I had a hard time limit of a month, and the desire to make use of that JetBlue pass as much as I could, so even after I cut back on locations I still didn't have that much time in each part of the country. Fortunately I focused on the national parks, which was the definite way to go to see the best the USA had to offer. On this trip, though, I can just do whatever the hell I want; I'm not held back by time or money or ability or desire.

So let's see what you've got. Share your worldly experience with an international travel noob, or live vicariously through me, or have me try and perhaps fail so that you can better succeed when it's your turn. Tips, suggestions, locations, adventures! Big cities, small towns, historic castles, sexy beaches, lush forests, even lusher pubs, all of it! Shape my travels, NeoGAF, then live them with me.

[disappeared]

while the cat's away..


Have a good trip!

[Haly]

Rome is overrated, Venice is awesome though.

The view from Montmartre is uncontested.

The best food in London is either Spanish, French or Indian.

[ProtoCents]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy.

5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre



It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

[BigJonsson]

Check my London and Paris thread, Gaf gave me some good tips :p


When do you arrive in London?

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Don't die in a Eastern European hellhole, please.

But you should visit Scotland! Always thought that place looked cool, wanted to visit for a while. Go to the coast on some... highlands and creepy castles.

[Dragonzord]

I don't know if I could live with you. I think that's against the rules.

My friend just went to Athens and said that they have great night life.

[Bladenic]

Stop by in Romania. I'll be there lol.

Also the Black Sea beaches and club life at the beach is incredible.

[jasonng]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy. 5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

WOW.

[Fritz]

First things first:

You should travel by train with an InterRail Pass.

Traveling by train is kinda the way to go in Europe outside of flying. You'll see a lot of the countryside and it's the equivalent to hostels in that you'll meet other travelers there. Just imagine a train ride in an old little wagon along the Cote d'Azur, Villagers hoping on and of at the various stops hidden from the buzz of Nice or Cannes. Yeah it's romantic and it's awesome.

[Milchjon]

Don't forget the North. Sweden is incredibly beautiful. Holland is worth a trip and so small you can see the whole country in a few days. It also has great public transport (Free WiFi on the trains!). I spent a few days in Utrecht lately, very cute and not as overrun with tourists as Amsterdam. Nice girls, too.

Bruges is apparently a sight to behold, something special. Also, Belgian beer.

Paris is a can't miss. In Germany, Hamburg is my favorite city, while the South (Munich, Lake Constance, Allgäu, the Alps) is my favorite area.

If you make it to Germany, make sure to notify German GAF. There had been plans for a meet up, but we couldn't agree on a time and place, so it fell through. But maybe this could be the right occasion ;-)

[Bleepey]

Why not have city meetups when EvilLore is around,?

[aorange999]

Berlin is probably my favorite city in Europe right now, very artsy, very comfortable, lots of history and cultural stuff and also relatively affordable. Nightlife and beer is also top notch. Put it on the list. I also recommend Sevilla Spain as a slightly smaller but still kickass Spanish city.

[Leeness]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy. 5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

Omg. Please take me there.

Have fun, EviLore. I've wanted to do that for ages, but I don't have the monies. I dunno, someday I think I'm just gonna say screw it, buy a one way ticket and never come back, haha.

[Danj]

If you're planning to see more than one city per country, I heartily recommend Cambridge in addition to London. Direct trains are available from London, and also there's something for everyone (plenty of architecture, museums, art galleries, the famous University, pubs, nightclubs, etc etc etc).

[Boozeroony]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy. 5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

Yes.

Amazing sunsets too.

[Edmond Dantès]

The Scottish Highlands are a must. Arguably the most beautiful place in the UK.

[cashman]

Take some pretty pictures of Norweigan Fjords for me.

[Puddles]

Croatia is so fucking worth it.

I'd also recommend Turkey if you have the time. Istanbul is a fun city, and Cappadoccia and other areas in central Turkey have some of the most amazing scenery ever.

[Haly]

Since you'll eventually be leaving the UK islands, you can use Eurostar to get to Paris in only 2 hours.

[SalsaShark]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy. 5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

yupyupyup came to post this


also damn jelly.. hopefully I'll be able to do this in the next 5 years or so D:

have fun boss

[fanboi]

You should visit Northern Sweden.

But first go to Falsterbo, them travel to Stockholm where you stay and watch The Old town go on a ferry to our Islands in Stockholm waters (very beautifull).

Then you go North! You will see quite a big difference in nature and people!

Of course as per my usual Gaf friendlyness I offer shelter along the way...

[saelz8]

Istanbul, and people will debate whether it's Europe or not, but look into it. It's a city like no other, combining Eastern and Western cultures through thousands of years of history. You'll see Roman Aquaducts, passing by Ottoman Mosques, next to Byzantine buildings.

After you're done with Europe, go to:

Australia.

[Kabouter]

Istanbul, and people will debate whether it's Europe or not, but look into it. It's a city like no other, combining Eastern and Western cultures through thousands of years of history. You'll see Roman Aquaducts, passing by Ottoman Mosques, next to Byzantine buildings. After you're done with Europe, go to: Australia.

Well half is, half isn't :P.

[Fritz]

Berlin is probably my favorite city in Europe right now, very artsy, very comfortable, lots of history and cultural stuff and also relatively affordable. Nightlife and beer is also top notch. Put it on the list. I also recommend Sevilla Spain as a slightly smaller but still kickass Spanish city.

I'd second this. Apart from being my city it's really worth exploring and is one of the most interesting, unconventional and fun cities in the world, backpackers approved. Also has a bunch of Gaffers.

Check out tagrat's Berlin thread



You know you want to.

[mysticwhip]

how much money will this cost man?

[Dragonzord]

Did you try messaging ANSANE?

He's kind of the closest thing we have to an expert on here.

[jakershaker]

Sweden of course! But a simple vacation won't do. Move here and install Gaf on those new Facebook servers we're building.

On a more serious note Sweden/Norway and doing some hiking in the mountains is a great experience. Nature/landscape overdose. Norways coastline is amazing too, very dramatic. Sweden on the other hand has Stockholm which is a really nice city and Gotland, in the middle of the baltic sea. Half day trip then you have an island shock full of history from the middle ages and the Hanseatic League, it just feels really different and the people are supernice. Very special nature there too, barren and mysterious.

My favorite city is Berlin. So much to do. Been there for several weeks and don't even know if i've scratched the surface. Has everything from history to clubbing. Great museum, architecture, cafes, people and you'll never be bored. Kind of important to read up on it to decide what to do, at least to get a framework. BEER!

Croatia is also a gem, used to be a hidden one but not so much these days. Boat-hopping in the archipelago is awesome. Start from Split and go south, staying a few days on each of the islands until you reach Dubrovnik. Perfect to use as a "rest" period. Somewhat cheap with beautiful small towns (you can get nice apartments/rooms from people in the harbors) and lots of food. Finishing in Dubrovnik gives you history, city walls etc.

I'll try and add some more tips later.

[THE NO LIFE KING]

I hope your banging a chick in every country because you should do that. :D

[Digishine]

Go like this

London
Paris
Nice
Madrid
Ibiza
Venice
Athene
Germany
Amsterdam
Dublin
And back to london for austin texas.

[RatskyWatsky]

You should go to Finland and swim in the icy waters!

[Sloane]

how much money will this cost man?

If you stay in hostels, it's not that expensive actually.

Kinda difficult to give recommendations, if you are interested in almost everything but I'd definitely travel a lot in France and Italy. Beautiful cities, great food, a lot to see and very different from the US. Berlin is an interesting city, as others have pointed out, but other than that, there's nothing in Germany you really have to see, so check it out on your way to somewhere else if you can. For forests and historic castles and stuff like that, go to Ireland!

[H.Protagonist]

Riga, Latvia! Push the edges of the map, EL!


Riga was so fun that I extended my stay there when I was just meant to be passing through. The streets are cobbled, the buildings colorful and the beer cheap. Lots of travelers end up stopping through after the Trans-Siberian, so you'll probably find a lively crowd and lots of interesting tales.



It's got castles(old and new-ish) and ruins and the biggest grotto in the Baltics:



Plus the football matches are up close and personal:


(Cheapest seats in the house had you spilling beer on the players.)




I stayed at the "Riga Old Town Hostel" and met lots of crazy people. A fun place overall.
The local women were, of course, beautiful. :D

[EviLore]

When do you arrive in London?

Dunno, currently recovering from the soul-crushingly awful LA trip I just had, and starting to get my gear together and getting some NeoGAF matters in order. 2-4 weeks I guess.

Why not have city meetups when EvilLore is around,?

Sure. Can't provide extensive notice, though. I don't want to lock myself into anything ahead of time, so it would have to be after I arrive wherever. I'll have a big thread for all this, no worries.

how much money will this cost man?

Haha, no idea. I'm not going to bother budgeting or trying to make any real estimate. Gonna stay pretty reasonable though I think, staying in hostels and so forth most of the time, and I'm by myself so it's not like I'll be going to fancy restaurants every evening probably ;b, I'm too shy with the ladies to manage that, even as a charming, handsome, successful foreigner. :D $10k-$15k range?

[Tomat]

What's it like to be rich Evilore?

[Dragonzord]

, I'm too shy with the ladies to manage that, even as a charming, handsome, successful foreigner. :D $10k-$15k range?

I'll help you out.
"Hey girl, I can get you a tag on NeoGAF."

[Leeness]

Riga, Latvia! Push the edges of the map, EL! Riga was so fun that I extended my stay there when I was just meant to be passing through. The streets are cobbled, the buildings colorful and the beer cheap. Lots of travelers end up stopping through after the Trans-Siberian, so you'll probably find a lively crowd and lots of interesting tales. It's got castles(old and new-ish) and ruins and the biggest grotto in the Baltics:

CRYING. Why is Europe so beautiful?

[Death Dealer]

Rome is overrated, Venice is awesome though.

Why ? I've always wanted to see Rome.

I've heard Venice is one giant tourist area. But I haven't been there, only Naples and Sigonella.

[THE NO LIFE KING]

I'm too shy with the ladies to manage that, even as a charming, handsome, successful foreigner. :D $10k-$15k range?

For some reason, the Charisma Man comic just popped into my mind.

[zethren]

While studying abroad I loved Cinque Terre in Italy. 5 towns along the Italian Riviera with a beautiful coastal view all along the way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinque_Terre It is the perfect 10AM-6PM trail... just a nonstop amazing view.

My gf studied abroad for a month in Italy last summer and spent some time in Cinque Terre. Sounded amazing, however I'm fairly certain it was hit by a terrible storm shortly after she left Italy and saw a lot of bad damage... If so, hopefully it is getting back to normal because it looks stunning. I'd love to visit some day.

[H.Protagonist]

Why ? I've always wanted to see Rome. I've heard Venice is one giant tourist area. But I haven't been there, only Naples and Sigonella.

Rome was well enough, but Florence far more my speed. Venice... was pretty bad actually. A giant tourist trap poorly hidden behind a thin veneer of former glory. It felt gloomy and desperate. :(

CRYING. Why is Europe so beautiful?

You must go, Leeness! Now! Fly, you fool!

[BigJonsson]

Dunno, currently recovering from the soul-crushingly awful LA trip I just had, and starting to get my gear together and getting some NeoGAF matters in order. 2-4 weeks I guess.

Cool, I'm getting to London July 2nd and then heading to Paris July 10th, just in time for Bastille Day on July 14th which I hear is insane

[Prophet Steve]

Don't forget the North. Sweden is incredibly beautiful. Holland is worth a trip and so small you can see the whole country in a few days. It also has great public transport (Free WiFi on the trains!). I spent a few days in Utrecht lately, very cute and not as overrun with tourists as Amsterdam. Nice girls, too. Bruges is apparently a sight to behold, something special. Also, Belgian beer. Paris is a can't miss. In Germany, Hamburg is my favorite city, while the South (Munich, Lake Constance, Allgäu, the Alps) is my favorite area. If you make it to Germany, make sure to notify German GAF. There had been plans for a meet up, but we couldn't agree on a time and place, so it fell through. But maybe this could be the right occasion ;-)

I would not rely on it, to my knowledge only half of the trains have wifi, and it doesn't always work too well (and you cannot connect to it with Chrome).

[Kabouter]

CRYING. Why is Europe so beautiful?

Because those are photos of tourist places :P. Selectively posting shots from the United States will yield similar results.
http://i.imgur.com/TdoL2.jpg < Here, this is my view, taken a few minutes ago, in the Netherlands.

[Dragonzord]

Because those are photos of tourist places :P http://i.imgur.com/TdoL2.jpg < Here, this is my view, taken a few minutes ago.

ILIILI

[w00pdiw00p]

Over in LA, Seth C strongly recommended that I stay in hostels rather than hotels, regardless of the financials, just because you get to meet many more people that way. So I'll be going that route.

That really is the right thing to do. And someone mentioned the interrail pass, do that as well.
As for places to visit:
Bruges in Belgium. Great old town and Belgians brew the best beers in the world.
Rome, the history man, the history!
Istanbul, awesome mix of east and west.
Salamanca, has the prettiest cathedral I have ever seen.

[Tomat]

Because those are photos of tourist places :P. Selectively posting shots from the United States will yield similar results. http://i.imgur.com/TdoL2.jpg < Here, this is my view, taken a few minutes ago.

All dem trees. So nice.

[ty_hot]

Bookmarking this thread since I'll be in Europe for the next 6 to 18 months, hoping to have lots of free weekends in the university so I can get to know a little of each piece of earth in Europe.

A friend of mine told me Monaco is just the best place she has ever been (it was the F1 race weekend, so that must have helped).

Another one said Portugal was the best western country, great places and great people everywhere.

[vicktormerv]

Make sure to visit edinburgh, glasgow, inverness, and isle of skye in Scotland if you get the chance! Amazing amazing places the lot of em, loved it when I was there on student exchange. The food, the people, the scenery, all amazing! The selection of food in Glasgow was to die for. I miss it, and I live in LA lol

[trinest]

Because those are photos of tourist places :P. Selectively posting shots from the United States will yield similar results. http://i.imgur.com/TdoL2.jpg < Here, this is my view, taken a few minutes ago.

I don't think it gave simular results. That looks much more depressing then the Europe pictures.