Traveling Abroad Part One: The Basics

 

All right pocket change travelers: at this point, we have covered the basic travel options for college students. Eventually, however, you will uncover an urge to see places that you cannot drive to for the weekend--namely, abroad. In the next few posts, I will be covering my favorite way to travel and highlighting a few of the places that I have been as examples. Hopefully, you will learn from my mistakes and be able to travel to as many distant places as you want without defaulting on your upcoming tuition payment.


   I recently read an article on USA Today College that outlined a few ways that students studying abroad can save money. (You can find the original article here.) While I believe that studying abroad and traveling abroad are two entirely different experiences, a few of the things that the author pointed out transfer well to traveling.

1. Street Food:  Happe, the author, points out that street food "is your new best friend" because of its low price and local flair, but of course you knew that already from this blog. Happe is correct, however, in saying that it is a great way to subsidize your eating without spending a fortune. I would add that you should be picky about what street food you partake of. While most vendors are honest and safe, if it looks risky, give it a second look--I once ended up with octopus on a stick in Miyajima, Japan that gave me a rough experience.
2. Walking Tours: It is true that a lot of hostels, especially in Europe, offer free walking tours to those staying the night. These tours can range from an hour to an entire day, and give you what Happe deems the "SparksNotes" version of the city you are in.  She is right in saying that you are  in no way obligated to tip your tour guide if you did not like your tour. However, I was a tour guide for two years, and if the reason you did not like the tour was because it was raining, the streets were crowded or the museums seemed boring, these are not adequate reasons to keep you from at least donating a euro or two to someone who spent their whole day smiling and answering your questions.
3. Plan Transportation: As I have said before, the best way to save money while traveling is to avoid unexpected expenses, and plan as much as you possible can.  This applies particularly to transportation.  Happe refers to these surprises as "hidden expenses" and astutely points out that they can add up. If you remember that you will have to get to the airport somehow, you are less likely to forget that these expenses add up. Also, I try to walk as many places as possible--it's a great way to see more of where you are, and it can make you feel better about eating all of that street food.
4. Museum Passes: Let's face it, museums are some of the best parts of some cities, but also some of the most expensive things to do. While I agree with Happe that these city-wide museum passes can be a way to see more for less, I also agree with her that they can be deceptive. Often, the student discount you receive will be better than paying for a pass, especially if you do not plan on seeing every museum that the pass is for.  These "plans" can be deceptive in that they not only offer mere discounts, as Happe found out, but they also may only cover certain museums--some that you never wanted to see anyway.  My advice here is to find out exactly what museums you want to see, and consult travel sites and blogs to see if they offer specific discounts, or perhaps are free on certain days of the week.
5. Hostels are not always cheap: This is true. Unfortunately, many hostels in the center of happening metropolises are not always the pocket change traveler's best friend. Happe proposes that you use the alternative, CouchSurfing, as a free alternative.  While this can be a good way to save and meet new people, there is also something to be said about the hostel experience.  CouchSurfing also pulls you out of the city center anyway, and when you are out of that high-price area, the hostels are also going to be cheaper. I once stayed in a hostel in Osaka, Japan that was located in a soccer stadium. Yes, it was a train ride to the center of Osaka, but we also got to see the sports complex neighborhood that we never would have ventured into otherwise.

Happe does a good job of covering the basics, but I'm afraid she gives up too easily sometimes.  The more creative you are and the more research you do, the more you will save while traveling without having to compromise on any experiences.

This only scratches the surface of traveling abroad but is at least a briefing into one of the best experiences you will ever have. Traveling abroad, more than any other type, gives you an invaluable education in culture and interaction, and I cannot wait to share even more with you.

Let's be legal here, here is my bibliography for the article by Happe:

Happe, M. (2012, May 2). Five ways to travel Europe on a student budget.      Retrieved April 5, 2013, from USA Today College website:      http://www.usatodayeducate.com/staging/index.php/study-abroad/      five-ways-to-travel-europe-on-a-student-budget