TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

If you plan to travel to Europe for a few months, make sure you are aware of the Schengen rules, because these rules dictate how long you can stay in Europe. Some people plan extensive trips through Europe without realizing that they are not allowed to stay for months and months on end.

Most, but not all, countries in Europe are part of the Schengen Agreement. In total, the agreement was signed by 25 countries. The most notable exception is the United Kingdom, which is not a part of the Schengen Agreement.

Countries included in the Schengen Agreement are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Basically, as a US visitor you are allowed to travel freely between any of these 25 Schengen countries for a period of up to 90 days (out of every 180 days).

That means for a 6 month period, you can spend 3 months in the Schengen area.

Here's an example of how it works: If you want to travel to Italy, France, and Spain all within a 90 day period, that's fine. However, if you want to stay in Italy for 2 months, France for months, and Spain for 2 months, you are technically not allowed (unless you acquire a long-term visa, which you would need to do beforehand).

Understanding the Schengen Agreement is pretty straightforward. Just make sure you plan accordingly!

When you are researching things to see and do for your vacation, don't just read about all the regular attractions. Check on schedules for annual events as well. They're not always listed along with the typical tourist spots, so can easily be missed (especially when browsing on websites).

You should check for 2 reasons. The first is that you don't want to miss a chance to attend something you might really enjoy. Especially if its something you could have easily adjusted your schedule for.

Secondly, you still need to watch for major events that you *don't* want to go to. Small towns can be inundated with people if there is something going on, and you might want to avoid visiting during those times if you hate crowds. In some cases, hotel rates may actually be higher anyway.

Some people like carrying around the safety net of a guidebook when they travel. But guidebooks can be expensive, and you'll probably only use them once. So is it worth it to buy one (or more)?

If you're on a budget, or if you don't want to carry around the extra bulk of a guidebook, consider this option:

Check your local libraries for their most recent guidebooks about your intended destination. Usually a good library will have the most updated version in their catalog.

Check out the book and flip through it at your leisure, taking notes or using sticky notes to mark certain pages. Use a copy machine and photocopy pages that you feel will be useful, such as maps. Then all you need to bring on the trip are your notes and a few photocopied pages. Once you're at your destination, you can visit the local tourist office to fill in any gaps about what to do and where. They'll have loads of free maps and pamphlets that you can take!

If you are planning to travel to a foreign country, one thing you need to check is how long you are legally allowed to stay in that country. For some countries, like the UK, you are allowed to stay up to 6 months. For other countries, like Thailand, you are only allowed to stay for 4 weeks. Therefore it's best to check the length of time that you are allowed to stay in the country that you plan on visiting.

You can check for these details on the country's embassy website.

If you are planning to do a lot of sightseeing, or if you are going on a multi-city trip, it's a good idea to print out maps from the Internet before you go.

On Google maps, you can zoom in and out to show just the right amount of information that you need. Make sure you have maps that show you where your hotel is located, as well as any other attractions or landmarks that you want to see.

This is especially handy if you plan to visit a lot of cities (or even countries!) and you don't have room for the bulky, folded maps of each destination.

If you're travelling within the United States, it's not really necessary to worry about overloading your luggage with all the souvenirs you pick up on your travels, or even an excess of clothing.

Mail your souvenirs back to yourself - packed appropriately, of course. And if you're tired of lugging all your clothes around - mail that back as well!

The cost of postage is usually not that bad, considering the ease and comfort and peace of mind you'll receive by not having to worry about carting everything around with you.

Just make sure you pack fragile items carefully. The post office does not keep all packages right side up, and a Fragile sticker really doesn't mean anything. If you want a seashell or a statuette to arrive safely, pack it in bubble wrap, nestle it in peanuts, and use a sturdy box to ensure safe delivery.

No matter where you travel, it's important that you have an exact plan of what you will do for the next few hours after you land at your destination. Whether you arrange for someone to meet you at the airport, or whether you book a hotel room in advance - it's always better to know exactly what you'll be doing once you collect your luggage and mosey on your way.

The reason for this is that we often underestimate how tiring traveling can be. You may arrive at your destination more fatigued that you imagined you would be, and/or the travel may make you disoriented. Because of this, it's always better to plan beforehand exactly what you will do and where you will go upon arrival.

This advice is especially true for foreign travel. While there is something romantic and alluring about just showing up somewhere and seeing where fate leads you, it's best not to have this attitude when you've just come off of a 6 or 8 hour flight. You can leave your adventuring for after you've rested and gotten on your feet a bit. Until then, stick to a plan and get some rest!

When you're working out your travel budget, you need to be aware of more than just the exchange rate when figuring out what you're going to spend at your destination. Even after you account for the currency differences, some cities can be far more expensive than others. You might not notice when booking a hotel, since they are obviously catering to tourists.

But you are more likely to notice when you are eating at restaurants or doing any shopping. Transport within the city (buses, taxis) may also be much more than you're used to.

Cities in Japan and several Scandinavian countries are usually on the list of "most expensive cities to visit", though this type of thing changes all the time due to global economics. Lists are issued each year, so check online for the latest list of costly destinations.