Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm trying to plan a trip for 1 person with a small budget. And how much it should cost without the airfare.
First part of the trip I'm thinking about just staying in Dublin for 6 nights and taking day trips using public transportation to visit some of the sites in Ireland. I want to stay in a hostel and I've been looking at the Isaacs Hostel Dublin but does anyone have any recommendations on any others? Then I want to take a flight to London and spend 3 nights in a hostel. Does anyone have any recommendations on any of the hostel's. I plan on maybe a small meal for breakfast each day, a packed lunch, and having dinner at a nice small restaurant in each city I stay at. I love history and seeing new places so I don't really plan on going on a small shopping spree this trip, just visiting the sites in and around Dublin and London. I've been trying to look up on how much I should save since last year and was thinking of saving 5,000 (without the airfare)but I'm still not sure. I'm getting nervous about running out of money if I saved to little or something happening while I'm there. I'm a 19 year old female American and this will be my first solo trip in a different country. So any tips will help
If you're going for 10 days, that's 500 whatevers per day.
I'll assume dollars.
The hostel was around $20 for a dorm bed.
That leaves you $480 for food, excursions and travel.
Should be plenty
When I backpack around I usually plan for around $50 a day
Though, London and Dublin are probably more expensive than Germany, Poland, the Baltics and the Balkans where I mostly travel.
You might want to also look into bed and breakfasts, avoids the need to look for breakfast and less expensive than hotels. Staying pretty much anywhere is cheaper than London so consider staying overnight outside of London. Consider Cambridge/ Oxford and a cathedral town or two.
You can get stuff for lunch from groceries. For less expensive dinners consider Indian or pub food.
If you have not misplaced a zero you can travel far more comfortably.
Have you checked train and bus times in Ireland? It's a very rural country, you're not going to get that far and back in just a day, even by train, if you want to include much worthwhile sightseeing in your day. And I think 5 or 6 days in Dublin would be too much, unless you have relatives there.
Have you thought about staying on the outskirts of London, and travelling in in the mornings? Public transport into London from the suburbs is excellent, although don't expect a seat at rush-hour. I stayed at a Travelodge in Dorking, a town south of London, a few years ago - excellent train service, also some nice countryside around about.
I'm trying to plan a trip for 1 person with a small budget. And how much it should cost without the airfare.
First part of the trip I'm thinking about just staying in Dublin for 6 nights and taking day trips using public transportation to visit some of the sites in Ireland. I want to stay in a hostel and I've been looking at the Isaacs Hostel Dublin but does anyone have any recommendations on any others? Then I want to take a flight to London and spend 3 nights in a hostel. Does anyone have any recommendations on any of the hostel's. I plan on maybe a small meal for breakfast each day, a packed lunch, and having dinner at a nice small restaurant in each city I stay at. I love history and seeing new places so I don't really plan on going on a small shopping spree this trip, just visiting the sites in and around Dublin and London. I've been trying to look up on how much I should save since last year and was thinking of saving 5,000 (without the airfare)but I'm still not sure. I'm getting nervous about running out of money if I saved to little or something happening while I'm there. I'm a 19 year old female American and this will be my first solo trip in a different country. So any tips will help
$5000 for a 9 day trip, and you are worried about running out of money?? I don't call that small budget.
In 2010, I spent exactly 9 days in the UK (England and Scotland), with a budget of about $2500 INCLUDING airfare. And I didn't even stay at any hostel, only regular hotels (best-western etc).
Most attractions in the UK are free, it is pretty much airfare, transportation, hotel and meals.
If you want to spend less, don't go to UK/Ireland. They are very expensive. Choose somewhere like Spain or Portugal. Your dollar will go a lot farther, and those countries are more interesting than the British isle in my opinion.
$5000 for a 9 day trip, and you are worried about running out of money?? I don't call that small budget.
In 2010, I spent exactly 9 days in the UK (England and Scotland), with a budget of about $2500 INCLUDING airfare. And I didn't even stay at any hostel, only regular hotels (best-western etc).
Most attractions in the UK are free, it is pretty much airfare, transportation, hotel and meals.
If you want to spend less, don't go to UK/Ireland. They are very expensive. Choose somewhere like Spain or Portugal. Your dollar will go a lot farther, and those countries are more interesting than the British isle in my opinion.
I first wanted to go to Spain or Italy, but I only speak English so was worried about the language barrier. Most of the countries I wanted to go to are Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Czech republic, Austria, Greece and many more but most of them have a different official language. So I thought maybe start in Ireland and England for my first time traveling solo and then make my way over to the ones I want to visit the most.
Do you think it should be fine?
I first wanted to go to Spain or Italy, but I only speak English so was worried about the language barrier. Most of the countries I wanted to go to are Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Czech republic, Austria, Greece and many more but most of them have a different official language. So I thought maybe start in Ireland and England for my first time traveling solo and then make my way over to the ones I want to visit the most.
Do you think it should be fine?
I have been to every country you mentioned except Greece, and I don't speak any of their local languages (except a few sentences). You will be totally fine speaking English. Just be polite and nice, and people will treat you the same. Most people speak some English in tourist areas anyway. I can only see a problem if you go to the small non-touristy towns and villages in southern Spain or Italy.
Yes, of course you will be fine. I suggested southern Europe countries because they are cheap, but enjoy UK/Ireland!
I went to Slovenia on my own for 4 days, and, before going, I learnt the Slovenian for 'hello' and 'thank you,' and had a great time. Ditto Poland on my own. Don't worry about not speaking a foreign language, if you know a couple of phrases and have a nice smile, you'll do fine.
However, I can't speak for the French, in my experience you take them as you find them. Maybe it's different there for American visitors.
To get the most out of staying in Ireland for a few days, you'd have to think about a car rental.
I first wanted to go to Spain or Italy, but I only speak English so was worried about the language barrier. Most of the countries I wanted to go to are Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Czech republic, Austria, Greece and many more but most of them have a different official language. So I thought maybe start in Ireland and England for my first time traveling solo and then make my way over to the ones I want to visit the most.
Do you think it should be fine?
OP, if you want to go to Spain or Italy most, then you should totally go there and not change course due to language barrier. Nowadays, almost everyone in a big city will speak at least some English (especially young people in Europe).
Outside of Dublin, Ireland can be really boring, unless you're into castles. Ditto with UK, outside of London (which is one of the greatest cities in the world, IMO), I find the other smaller cities were just ok. I guess it also depends on your interests. If you're into castles, royal this and that, museums, you'll love UK and Ireland.
I was the opposite of you when I made my first solo European trip years ago. I wanted to go to Rome so badly at the time since I was really into ancient roman history, so I went. I didn't speak a lick of Italian, other than the most common phrases of thank you, etc, and I had a blast. I travel with the mindset of go today as tomorrow is not guaranteed. So I started with my most wanted cities first and worked my way down from there. This way, if I never get to visit some of the cities on the list, I would be ok since they're not my top choices anyway. Also, the local people I encountered in my travel were generally nice and helpful, just be polite and nice to others and you'll be fine. Even people in Paris, who were supposedly snobbish and arrogant, etc. I encountered none of those at all and, again, I don't speak French at all beyond Bonjour and Merci.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
