What to pack in your bag

You don't need your fashionable clothes in here!

First of all, purchase a good backpack (trust me it is important, it is not so nice to have back pain when travelling and I insist on this!), do not even think about pulling a suitcase around - it will not work - and after your trip is complete, your suitcase will look like it has been rapped and abused by 1000 airline luggage handlers!

                                    Just to give you an idea of how it will look like later on...

                                                                       Look...

                                                 Don't look away! Isn't this enough ?

                                                             You want more???

                                                      I hope you got your lesson!

Always keep some snacks and water in case of emergency. Yes my dear child, snack bars can be helpful too even if you are not MacGyver .

Avoid carrying pepper spray or weapons, first because in some countries they are banned and second because you do not want to get in trouble.

Carry only multi-purpose clothes, they might not look great but they will do their work, choose clothes easy to dry warm or thin, but be also prepared for a heavy rain, blizzard, Apocalypse or Ragnaroc, depending the season you prefer to travel and because you never know, a poncho or something waterproof in case of rain.

Don't forget to buy good shoes, your All-Stars shoes will turn into dust after some time if you do wear them when you walk a lot every day, causing back- and knee-pain, prefer trainers with confident and flexible sole for you (for my trips I carry 2 pairs of shoes, 1 for walking 1 for clubbing, the amount of clothes depends also on how long I decide to travel).

Remember : your fancy shoes will not last long!

Pack personal care items in a smaller bag, really useful if you have to sleep on the train
Medicine, liquid & dry wipes, hand gel, contact lenses liquid, shampoo, make up, perfume, deodorants (cause you do not wish to make your travel mates to suffer), sprays, RPG, etc.
Are you planning to sleep on the train? take a spray for mites and bed-bugs that might live in the mattress just to be on the safe side.

The multi-tool

A few plastic bags, multipurpose multi tool... it's a miracle what you can do with them. They are weightless, take up very small place. Their uses are limitless : separate wet clothes from dry ones, either separate dirty clothes from clean ones, put your shoes in them, waterproof any sensitive electronic devices you carry. These little bastards are useful!

Example of backpack cover

Backpack cover, because nobody would be happy to carry extra weight and have all documents, electronics and staff totally soaked! You can find these in shops selling camping or sports products. They are cheap, heat and scratch resistant. Some backpacks might already be equipped with a cover, placed at the bottom pocket of them, so have a look first over there just to be sure.





Lock, a small one could do the job just to make sure nobody would dare to steal something from your backpack when you use it as a pillow, also could be used as a proper lock to store in small lockers (usually placed in airport, coach stations or train stations) for specific duration and cost.



(For travellers in India : if you are travelling by train, be careful of the enormous free range cockroaches strolling around the floor - buy the most chemical bug spray you can find ... and I personally with you  good luck!)

Diary, can be more useful than you would think. You can keep a record of memories in it, as well as a record of your expenses and available budget on your trip, so next time you can be more prepared.

Plug adaptor, this part can be pretty annoying. In the old times each mobile phone company had a different charger, luckily all of them now use the same style of charger! Make sure that the plugs in your country are the same with the ones you will visit. Here is how a multi-plug adaptor looks like.

Dry and wet napkins, all time favorite for freaks with cleaning!

Money, before you go abroad inform your bank that you plan to travel and let them know which countries you will visit. Some banks may block any transactions from a card if things get suspicious! Do not carry huge amount of cash with you, split small amounts of money in many different places such as your pocket, inside pocket of your bag, hidden pockets.

Scan, print and leave back home some copies of the documents you will decide to carry around with you, take also some with you too and put them in a safe folder(This will save you loads of time if you get pick pocked, the local police will try to help you even more).

I do not support buying tourist guides for this kind of travelling, they are expensive,sometimes heave and take precious space in backpack, plus I do not suggest having them in ebook form stored in iPads,Kindles and sh*t.


Do you want to visit many cities without spending too much money on maps, guides etc? Easy-Peasy, download in .pdf form the maps for all the cities you want and transfer them to your smartphone, problem solved! Otherwise get a detailed map of the big cities from shops around train stations and souvenir shops. You want to go super-cheap? An acceptable solution is to ask people behind the information desks to give you a small map (like the ones with advertisements in them, ask first if they are for free) but do not expect highly
accurate and quality printed maps! Some local restaurants may have a printed map on the back side of their menus too, whatever rocks your boat!

Example of German EHIC

European Health Insurance Card, definitely important for every EU citizen traveling within the European Union countries (plus some more countries in Europe). Are you having a health problem but you are abroad? Show this card to the doctor of the local hospital and he/she will take care of the rest, this card covers all or most of the costs for your treatment, visit in the hospital or health center etc.

Before you make one for yourself, please do your research first. You can get the basic feedback from Wikipedia.


I will upload a post talking about backpacks suitable for traveling.

One thing - I strongly support purchasing an official book with the European Train timetables each season (includes accurate timetables, train connections from city to city, short codes for trains, telephone numbers, advices etc, for more information: http://www.europeanrailtimetable.eu/home.html), make sure you get the timetable book for the season you need! (sometimes they are printed a bit later than expected, try to contact with a good bookstore or purchase it online)

More information :

The telegraph : Travel advice, tips and information

Huffington Post : Your Life in a Backpack: What to Pack For 6 Months Traveling Abroad


Know what you want. Be prepared. Enjoy

• Introduction
  Who am I and why start blogging?
• A helpful and inspirational guide before you travel by train
  Where to start and what to think before travelling
• How to pack your bag
  Overstuffed and overweight bag, at least keep it overstuffed 
• What to pack in your bag
  You don't need your fashionable clothes in here! 
• Travelling Solo VS Travelling as a group
  Loneliness doesn't always have to feel bad
• Couchsurfing and stay
  Make your stay safe 
• Raildude,ticket purchasing
  How to get the pass,the rules in the train station 
• Maps and books
  Should I get a map, guide or ignore everything? 
• On the way/train
  You can't get bored here my friend 
• Law,stereotypes,different lifestyles and adopting
  How not to end up behind the bars! 
• Types of travellers
  People worth meeting and not 
• Journeys
  Past personal Experiences 
• Additional tips
  Weren't all these enough?
• Self awareness, Self confidence, Passion and Personal awesomeness
  So you think you are not cool enough?

Travelling Solo VS Travelling as a group

Loneliness doesn't always have to feel bad

 

Whether you are a lonely person who wants to travel solo or in group, you must always follow some simple rules to keep yourself safe. The fact that you are travelling does not mean that people want to abuse your insecurity that you are "out of your water", but this should not let you down. Doing something you are not meant to do is the spark that could let you have a real adventure even if it is not your first time you travel.


Do not let in public view your personal belongings, sunglasses, wallet, mobile phone, noticing that your stuff is gone can be a huge disappointment. If you are travelling solo, you are teasing potential pickpockets and you are an easy target for them. If you are in a team, you could ask for 1-2 members each time to guard the stuff of all the team members in turns.

Keep in touch with somebody back home,whether you are solo or in a team  you might need to ask for some help. Whether you have an unpredictable health problem, got lost or need psychological support make sure you choose the right persons to keep in contact with. (Don't forget to top up your phone, bring a phone charger with you and make sure your network provider works for other countries too)

Make your plans safely and with a clear mind, travelling totally with no plan could be a real disaster. Solo, it is not a big deal but at least let somebody know, in a team prepare for WW III about arguing where to go next if all members do not agree. Stay informed about the places you might visit!
Have some "checkpoints" during your journey, to let you take a break, explore even more places and keep you really surprised.

Travelling solo will give you the independence to travel anytime, anywhere you want for as much as you like and can afford, but it has some disadvantages too, you always have to keep an eye on your stuff, find the personal strength to protect yourself and sometimes having a small feeling of loneliness. Avoid heavy drinking and wild partying cause you never know where you might end up!
If you are part of a team, things might get a bit complicated, everyone must be punctual to the meetings, keep frequently good communication with the other members. Respect their choices,opinions, listen to what they have to say and most of all being responsible, so choose your teammates wisely.



Know what you want. Be prepared. Enjoy

• Introduction
  Who am I and why start blogging?
• A helpful and inspirational guide before you travel by train
  Where to start and what to think before travelling
• How to pack your bag
  Overstuffed and overweight bag, at least keep it overstuffed 
• What to pack in your bag
  You don't need your fashionable clothes in here! 
• Travelling Solo VS Travelling as a group
  Loneliness doesn't always have to feel bad
• Couchsurfing and stay
  Make your stay safe 
• Raildude,ticket purchasing
  How to get the pass,the rules in the train station 
• Maps and books
  Should I get a map, guide or ignore everything? 
• On the way/train
  You can't get bored here my friend 
• Law,stereotypes,different lifestyles and adopting
  How not to end up behind the bars! 
• Types of travellers
  People worth meeting and not 
• Journeys
  Past personal Experiences 
• Additional tips
  Weren't all these enough?
• Self awareness, Self confidence, Passion and Personal awesomeness
  So you think you are not cool enough?

A helpful and inspirational guide before you travel by train

Where to start and what to think before travelling

Not sure if you should have a little break and you hold yourself back having the time of your life because you are insecure ? Are you in dilemma that it might be too dangerous to go out of our own house and explore the world ? You, my friend are making a big mistake. Times have passed and the world has changed, people are scared to go out their houses because they are scared either that something bad can happen to them or they feel there aren't many like-minded people. There are the same chances for something bad to happen whether you are in the toilet, in your bed or on a train.

I will tell you the story of a guy, who was studying somewhere in Europe, wasting all his time in hos small flat, accepting the routine in his life without doing anything! It killed his creativity, minimised his will to live differently from others and kept him depressed all the time. What he did ? For the first time in his lifetime had the best idea ever: going abroad by train without making any plans and he never regret it. During his trip he went outside his comfort zone, socialised and met incredible people and felt more complete than ever before. 

As André Gide wisely said : "One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight, for a very long time, of the shore."

Travelling by train is not as bad as it used to, of course there might be difficulties but experiences, good times and good people is what is left in your memory at the end. Trains are the best way to travel : low prices, often trains, access to any destination, relaxing, fast way of travelling, a lot of space, chance to meet cool people, enjoy the places you pass by, being more respectful to other cultures, people, religions, being responsible.


 Low prices,often train departures,etc. nowadays you can get anywhere you want because of the technology paying a cheap ticket, I am sure you never bothered to have a look and use the train.About the "Chance to meet cool people", I am not saying that you will find Bill Gates and other celebrities on the same train with you - but do not expect to find them in your house - there are many open-minded remarkable people too, who do know how do enjoy their life. There are many other people who would tell you why it is so amazing to travel, here is an example from some TEDx Events :

• Learn to travel ---Travel to learn by Robin Esroc at TEDxVancouver
• The value of travel by Rick Steves at TEDx Rainier

 Whether you are a lonely person who wants to travel solo or in group, you must always follow some simple rules to keep yourself safe. The fact that you are travelling does not mean that people want to abuse your insecurity that you are "out of your water" but this should not let you down. Doing something you are not meant to do is the spark that could let you have a real adventure even if it is not your first time you travel.

Still not sure if you want to travel?
Keep in mind that studies have shown that people who tend to spend money on travel will make you happier than buying material goods. So, if you buy a pair of shoes worth £300, they will still remain "shoes" after some time, but with money spent on travel you will be able to live unforgettable experiences or in some cases change your life in a better way. Even if your trip is short or long it is still worth doing it. And how can travelling affect your skills? talk to strangers or people who you not share a common language between you, you will immediately improve your communication skill! you missed a train? you will think of alternative ways to get to your destination on time, working on your problem solving skills!
Travelling as a hobby in your CV is interesting, and make you differ from the typical hobbies of other applicants for a job.

/*How to purchase the tickets? Quite easy, whether you are a EU or non-EU citizen you can get a pass that will offer you free or low priced tickets (depends in which country you are).
Where EUrail pass is for non-EU citizens (unfortunately the prices are not the same) and Interrail pass for EU citizens. You can choose between a Global pass and 1-2-3 country pass, for both categories (global pass is more expensive as you expected). */




Know what you want. Be prepared. Enjoy

• Introduction
  Who am I and why start blogging?
• A helpful and inspirational guide before you travel by train
  Where to start and what to think before travelling
• How to pack your bag
  Overstuffed and overweight bag, at least keep it overstuffed 
• What to pack in your bag
  You don't need your fashionable clothes in here! 
• Travelling Solo VS Travelling as a group
  Loneliness doesn't always have to feel bad
• Couchsurfing and stay
  Make your stay safe 
• Raildude,ticket purchasing
  How to get the pass,the rules in the train station 
• Maps and books
  Should I get a map, guide or ignore everything? 
• On the way/train
  You can't get bored here my friend 
• Law,stereotypes,different lifestyles and adopting
  How not to end up behind the bars! 
• Types of travellers
  People worth meeting and not 
• Journeys
  Past personal Experiences 
• Additional tips
  Weren't all these enough?
• Self awareness, Self confidence, Passion and Personal awesomeness
  So you think you are not cool enough?