by Brett Jamieson

Created on: January 23, 2009

As a young backpacker-wannabe, I was itching to get my feet wet and find out what lay in store for in around every corner in Europe. But I was green behind the ears, and took advice on backpacking Europe from people that have only seen it on television. In retrospect, I found that taking someone's advice that has never done it is like taking cooking advice from my father, the peanut butter sandwich king.

There is no one perfect way to backpack Europe, and no one common goal behind wanting to do it. Some do it for the summer, others for years on end. Some do it to capture the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben on film (or digital card), others to experience culture and broaden their social understanding, while others do it to simply escape from the inevitability of growing up and having to get a real job. Tips on what to do when backpacking aren't going to help you very much, because you have your own idea of what it is supposed to be, your own agenda of what you want to accomplish, and your own desires for where you want to go.

Nonetheless, here I am providing you with tips on how to backpack Europe. The tips I have here, however, aren't advice on what to do, but how to go about doing it.

Planning Tips

1. Decide how long you want to go, and then make sure it is possible to double the time, if needed. There is nothing worse than coming home too soon. This may not apply for the summer pond-jumpers that are whooping it up before the next year of school starts, but if that is you, it is still nice to think you might be able to stay for the first semester, as well.

2. Choose a base. This is going to be your starting point, possibly your ending point. If you are going for a shorter time, you want to make sure it is strategically situated close to the areas you want to visit, as well as provides for a cheaper flight so that you can save money for other, more important things. If you are staying longer, this could possibly be where you stay the longest, the area you want to explore in more depth than other destinations.

3. Draw out a planned route. This is especially important if you are there for a short time. Research a bit and figure out what are the most important places for you to visit. Mark it on the map and use this to help determine your transportation needs, possible itinerary, and possible alternatives if things change.

4. Speaking of change: be prepared for change. You will surely find something, or hear about something, that simply cannot be missed. It might throw your

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