GENERAL INFO

use a credit card to take out money. don't take US dollars. pack as light as possible. don't bring stupid stuff. i would take a backpack and one other small bag. i'd mostly pack shirts. i'd wear one pair of jeans, go commando and turn shirts inside out. europeans are dirty so they won't notice. it just makes traveling so much easier.

when you go to a new city, especially in france, go directly to the tourist office. they can set up tours for you, give you maps and tell you what you need to see. i didn't learn this until later in my travels but it makes a huge difference.

i think the best way to travel europe is to travel one country heavily so you really get to know it. i took two roadtrips through france. i went to the country side, small towns and the big places along the way. i really got to know it so much better than the whirlwind tour my brothers took. you'll have time to do this if you want. it makes it more relaxing and in the end you'll appreciate it more. this is much easier if you rent a car. i think renting a car is the way to go if you decided to do this. trains are not the best way to travel europe. i can't emphasize this enough. the worst trip, in terms of time and money management, was the one i took with the brothers. the eurrail pass is a waste of money and you are restricted to the train schedule and the cities they go to. i drove from paris to rome to milan to munich to amsterdam to paris with three other guys. the total cost for gas and rental was $350 each. by train that would have been 1000 or more. that way you can make your own schedule, go at your own pace and see what you want. when driving in france it was amazing to drive, see a vineyard and pull in to taste their wine. the same with the castles. the freedome is what i appreciate. the second best way to travel is ryanair. go to their site: www.ryanair.com. they sometimes have flights for less than a dollar. all you have to pay is the runway tax. i flew from paris to barcelona to milan and back to paris for under $120. a good idea is to plan a month or so out. go to the site and find a cheap flight and go to that city. even if you don't know what is there. for the price it's worth it and i'm sure you'll find something that makes it fun. only go by train if you have to. easyjet.com is another good site for flights. the only bad thing about ryanair is that you have to take a bus ride to the airport which can be an hour long and sometimes you have to leave really early.

i also think it's better to travel with someone. going alone isn't that bad but the companionship is nice. my only warning with travel partners is to beware of chicks. i went on a road trip with some chick who was fun and then after two days i wanted to throw her under the car. they are high maintenance and no fun when you are with them so much.

bread and cheese is good cheap food when traveling. it's so fresh and delicious. i miss it so much. doner kabab is amazing too. it's turkish or greek food. kind of like a gyro. you will learn to love the doner. i am craving one right now.

get maps. small ones that you can fold in your pocket. travel books are good but can just be too much to pack sometimes. go to the websites and you can get most of the stuff you need. take walking tours every chance you get. and just get lost. take more pictures than you think you can handle. buy dvds to save your pictures to. they hold more and buy them in the US cause they are so much cheaper.

befriend americans living abroad. they are good resources to have. if you go to switzerland my dad's college roommate lives there and he'd let you stay even if he isn't around. i know people in paris and a city outside paris called chartres you could stay with too.

best way to contact home is through skype.com. download it on your computer and you can call a landline in the US for 2 cents a minute. if your mom downloads it you can talk for free. my name is jcamato.