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.
If you have already made your mind up before any experience of "Europe" ( a culturally, socially, geographically, architecturally, culinary wise, music-wise, mores and traditions-wise, economically incredibly varied continent) then I suspect the answer is a big fat "NO".
This was my thought from the moment I read the OP.
(Interesting to see the OP has not yet returned.)
Anyway, I thought why not give the person the benefit of the doubt; it's not as if we have not had this discussion before.
As for Alamosakid, if you are originally from Alamosa, Colorado, that's quite a bit of traveling under the belt already, just getting out of the county to Detroit, let alone to Uganda.
I can't help but think that some time and experience will add a lot more seasoning to your opinions, but whatever or wherever you go, the main thing is to make the most of it, so you might as well go where your instincts lead you.
I've heard it said that some people travel to have their stereotypes confirmed for them; there is probably some truth to that, but not for long-time travelers.
It's not a political issue, little one; hopefully you'll learn that as you mature.
This is a message board, we respond to absurd posts all the time; yours included.
Oy, so because I used the word "Democratic," that means I must be talking about politics? hahahahaha. Someone needs to go outside more. Let me explain.
To be inwardly democratic is to give all things equal attention, just like a democracy does in comparison to an aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, etc, wherein very few have the power.
Being inwardly democratic is, for example
Paying EQUAL attention to each of the following:
desire for sex
desire for food
desire to watch House
desire to skydive
...etc
It's when you don't use common sense to justify what deserves attention, and what does not. This is something we regularly discuss in my school's philosophy department.
Same goes for travel--I give every single place equal attention rather than focusing on what places interest me. I have an equal interest in traveling to every single country on earth because of some undying principle (being inwardly democratic), not because I want to travel to every nation.
Being inwardly democratic does NOT mean that I'm a liberal traveler or whatever conclusion you came to.
P.S. "Little one"? As opposed to what, an old wrinkly hag? I'll take being young adult. Thanks.
Last edited by alamosakid; 11-16-2010 at 08:45 AM..
But he didn't leave it at that.
He argued his point time and again based on nothing.
He argued based on erroneous information that he admittedly made up.
Not that he didn't want to go to Europe, but that Europe is x, y and z when Europe is not.
He admitted that he had no facts and was going on his opinion that was not fact based.
No one said it was for everyone, but why make up lies as your basis?
Alrighty, I'll say this for the last time: If I was lying, prove me wrong. (for the record, it has been days now. I think I made my point. I didn't lie about jack.) If you and others hadn't gotten so riled by my SINGLE post and decided to respond, I would not have responded in return. If you had let my SINGLE post be instead of having a big fat hissy fit over someone's opinion that was asked for in this thread, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. Period.
I went to Istanbul... That was the only time I left the western hemisphere... Some people consider it Europe others not so much... I´ve been to about 20 countries all in the W. Hemisphere though... I would like to visit a lot of countries in Europe... But it is so expensive... I also feel that it´s kind of "easier" and "safer" to go to Europe... Im 24 now and I feel, when I´m old with children I can go to Europe very easily... I have no european ancestors, but I don´t think that is a reason why I lack interest in Europe... I´ve never been to my ancestoral home either...
There is an aspect to this that has so far, I think, been left unaddressed.
Europe is definitely not for the Budget Traveler. The cost of traveling in Europe is at least double, and often ten times as much, as traveling anywhere else in the world.
What Europe would offer a traveler may or may not be worth the extra cost. It would cost more to take a taxi from Heathrow to central London, than to ride a train the entire length of India. How much one would get out of that cost is up to the individual traveler.
But if you are the kind of traveler who would go to India and sleep in a $200 a night hotel, you would probably like London better, and Yes, then Europe would be for you. But in India, there is a perfectly safe and comfortable hotel down the street for $5, and if that is your travel budget, then Europe is most emphatically wrong for you, no mater what laudable features Europe offers.
Sorry, I am going to heartily disagree there.
Not every traveler to Europe stays at $200 a night hotels, nor is every budget traveler in Europe a raggedy unshaven backpacker kid.
Of course there are expensive aspects to Europe.
I personally have never paid less than $25 a night for lodging, but it is certainly possible to go and see and do there without spending an arm and a leg. I have couch surfed quite successfully, which cost me nothing but a bottle of wine and a pleasant meal with my host.
Sorry, I am going to heartily disagree there.
Not every traveler to Europe stays at $200 a night hotels, nor is every budget traveler in Europe a raggedy unshaven backpacker kid.
Of course there are expensive aspects to Europe.
I personally have never paid less than $25 a night for lodging, but it is certainly possible to go and see and do there without spending an arm and a leg. I have couch surfed quite successfully, which cost me nothing but a bottle of wine and a pleasant meal with my host.
Who takes a taxi from Heathrow to central London?
You can disagree as heartily as you like, but I challenge you to spend two weeks in Europe sleeping in private rooms with beds and travel 1,000 miles on public transport and eat three wholesome meals a day for less than double or even triple the cost of doing the same thing in Thailand or Chile or Kenya. There is simply no way you can escape the fact that in Europe, the most basic amenities will cost much more than anywhere else, even if you spend nearly all your time searching for the rare cheap alternative.
Even in relatively expensive Korea and Taiwan, my wife and I considered $15 a day each to be our target budget for food, lodging and transport. Eating three meals a day, served at our table, a private room with a bed every night. In most of the rest of southeast Asia, it was easy at $10 a day or less. In what Euro country can you do that for less than $30 per person per day?
Arthur Frommer's famous book is now published as "Europe on $50 a day". Think you can do it much cheaper?
Even in relatively expensive Korea and Taiwan, my wife and I considered $15 a day each to be our target budget for food, lodging and transport. Eating three meals a day, served at our table, a private room with a bed every night. In most of the rest of southeast Asia, it was easy at $10 a day or less. In what Euro country can you do that for less than $30 per person per day?
How do you get a woman to do that? My girlfriend complained about our $20/night hotel in Mumbai :P
You can disagree as heartily as you like, but I challenge you to spend two weeks in Europe sleeping in private rooms with beds and travel 1,000 miles on public transport and eat three wholesome meals a day for less than double or even triple the cost of doing the same thing in Thailand or Chile or Kenya. There is simply no way you can escape the fact that in Europe, the most basic amenities will cost much more than anywhere else, even if you spend nearly all your time searching for the rare cheap alternative.
The "cheap alternative" is to Couch Surf and/or use other lodging sources.
My basic amenities were absolutely FREE.
It does not require great effort, and is a really good way to meet locals.
Do I travel the entire trip this way? No. But others do.
I don't think I would be traveling 1,000 miles on public transport in Europe, but that is neither here nor there. I am never going to get a Thai, Chilean, or Kenyan experience in Croatia or Portugal, now am I? The reverse is true as well.
Quote:
Even in relatively expensive Korea and Taiwan, my wife and I considered $15 a day each to be our target budget for food, lodging and transport. Eating three meals a day, served at our table, a private room with a bed every night. In most of the rest of southeast Asia, it was easy at $10 a day or less. In what Euro country can you do that for less than $30 per person per day?
Well, I did it for less than $30 in 1974 but that was a few years ago.
Listen, if your only criteria is money, then I salute you and your target budgets.
But IMHO it is ridiculous to reject Europe because it's not as cheap as Korea.
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.
