I did it-- 5 weeks in Europe with just carry-on luggage

[Apple]

We did it!  We did the trip with a carry-on bag each, a laptop bag, and my purse.  Five weeks, all over Europe.

We bought the Eurail pass before we left, and it was worth it for us.  I bought it (first class for both of us) when they had a deal for five days free if you bought a one month pass, plus, if I did both of us on one ticket, I could save 15%.  I pretty much filled up the cover sheet between all the trains and buses we took.

As I watched some of the other people try to juggle huge bags, or multiple bags, I was really glad we packed light.  It made a few runs to the laundromat, and a couple rounds of sink laundry, well worth it.

I had a general idea of where we would go, but wanted to keep things flexible.  It was a good thing, because during the first week, DS asked about a location I'd researched, but forgot about (Verdun, France).  So, I figured out how to make it fit in.  Most places we stayed two nights, but we did have some overnight trains as well as some single nights in different hotels.

I came in well under my budget, so our last day we loaded up on a few more souvenirs and checked one of the carry-ons (filled it with all the cloths).  I could have redistributed the weight a little and just made it a carry-on as well, but it was nice not to drag it with us on the flight home.  And, I really would not have minded if that bag was lost and we just got paid for the lost luggage.  All the important stuff was in the carry-on.

We did have a few souvenirs shipped home-- DS found some stuff at a store in Bruges/Brugge, Belgium, and I bought a mid-range cuckoo clock for my parents as a thank you for keeping my dog.  Had three areas of movement and they've always wanted one, so I think they'll like it.  Should be here in a few weeks.

We were able to visit Ardennes American Cemetery and leave flowers for a coworker's uncle and a fellow poster's father.  

I haven't started to go through the photos yet, but when I do, I'll be sure to post some.  I did map out our trip today--my dad was curious how many miles we covered.  There was a "double back" to Paris from Southern France to Zurich, but that was so we could take advantage of a night train and still get to Zurich in the morning.  It worked out pretty well, and we wasted less time that way (a straight ride to Zurich would have been a lot of hours with a long layover in a train station).  We ended up doing four night trains, and I'd easily do them again.

Here is the route we took:




It was an amazing five weeks, and I really did not want to come home (except for a night in my own bed, with AC, and to see the dog--other than that, there wasn't much I wanted to come home to!)

[Deleted]

That sounds awesome!

[Jaguar]

Absolutely awesome !!!


Someone I knew back in the early 80's done this as well. Her and her boyfriend travelled all over Europe for 6 months.

[taz157]

Jul 23, 2015 21:19:19 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

That sounds awesome!

Yeah that!

[Apple]

As mentioned in a previous thread, we also met up with debthaven for coffee, and saw the play Spamalot in Munich (a lot of fun).

The last couple days, I took steph08's advice and used the Caen Museum to do a tour of the Normandy Beaches.  We did a two day tour (museum, guided tour of the beaches, and then a night in Bayeux with tickets for the museum there and a visit to the Normandy Tapestry, with transportation back to the train station included).  Definitely was worth it!

Also, I'm totally plugging this guy because he was awesome...  if you ever want a great tour of the Maginot Line in the Sedan, France area, look up Tucker Tours. I found him through trip advisor when I was trying to figure out a way to see the Maginot Line without going too far away, and found him, with well deserved excellent reviews.  He also recommended a place to stay, and when I found out it was a (very reasonably priced) castle, I couldn't resist!  I've always wanted to stay in a castle.  wyouser had mentioned the Maginot Line, Dachau, as well as several other places we visited in Nuremberg (the rally grounds, etc).

I know several other people made suggestions, and I reviewed them while planning the trip more than once!  So, thanks everyone for the input  

I loved Krakow (we did Auschwitz, the salt mines, and Schindler's Factory-- all highly recommended).  We did the 6 hour educational Auschwitz tour, as the shorter tours looked liked they'd just be way too rushed.  A sad, sobering place.  Schindler's Factory was not what I was expecting going in (not sure what I expected really, but it was different, and a great museum-- we did two concentration camps, but the factory, in the second to last room, is where I started to tear up and had to leave the room, gather myself, and come back in-- it was a white room, with music, rotating pillars, and quotes plastered on the walls "newspaper collage" style.)

We also did stuff like the Stasi Prison, Checkpoint Charlie (we just saw the replica in the street, but didn't do the museum).  

I need a five week vacation every month!

[Apple]

Jul 23, 2015 21:18:30 GMT -5 @tbird said:

wonderful!



 what was the price tag?

Including everything-- flight, hotels, trains, metro/bus tickets, museums, and a few pricey souvenirs (I splurged on a few things, knowing I was well within my budget), it came in under $14k.  I'd have to double check my numbers, but I believe it was right around $13k.  However, almost $500 was spent on a cuckoo clock for my parents, as a thank you for watching the dog, and another few hundred on some stuff my son wanted, that I told him to go for since he hadn't bought anything halfway through the trip, and they were things he wanted.  

My average room cost came under $100/night, and that was with some splurging as well (single sleeper car, a single room for each of us halfway through the trip to get away from each other, a night in Bruges, which is crazy expensive, etc).  We also did a very expensive dinner (for me, anyway, it was 98 Euros, and that was without alcohol).  Rooms were twin rooms or apartments I found on booking.com-- I looked for inexpensive but with a good rating.  Krakow was so inexpensive that I did an apartment right on the corner of the old town square (for $70/night).

I had budgeted $15k, but wanted to be under that.  I wanted to make sure I had enough to cover everything/anything we wanted to do, and it did.

A reminder for the future... mailing postcards was cheapest from Germany... I should have mailed them all from there!  I spent near $100 just on stamps (postcards daily to send home for my album, plus cards to family).

[Deleted]

This is going to sound silly but what did you pack in your carry on? Did you end up wearing the same outfit over and over or could you mix and match?

It really does sound like an amazing trip.

[mmhmm]

Your trip sounds absolutely marvelous! I'm so glad you were able to go and to really enjoy it. Yay for you and DS!

[Apple]

Jul 23, 2015 21:46:26 GMT -5 laterbloomer said:

This is going to sound silly but what did you pack in your carry on? Did you end up wearing the same outfit over and over or could you mix and match?

It really does sound like an amazing trip.

My son had six shirts (one was a nicer polo), and four pairs of REI/Columbia Sportswear pants.  Four pairs of underwear, and five pairs of socks, all "quick dry", so if we did sink laundry they'd be dry in a day or two.  Oh, also a hoodie and two pairs of shoes, but he only ever wore one.

I started out with three skirts (solid black, black with a tan and grey pattern, and cream with a red, grey, and tan pattern) and a pair of capris, but ended up buying a second pair of capris when we were in Munich.  I had three short sleeved shirts (black, light blue, grey), two tank tops (grey and black), a polo shirt (grey), and three really lightweight 3/4 sleeve length shirts for over the tanks (they were pretty sheer, so couldn't be worn alone-- white, light blue, and red).  8 pairs of socks (some were really thin, and more like liners), five pair underwear, 3 bras, and few "undersummers" or "jimmies" for under the skirts (because heat and walking don't feel good on bare thighs).  I also had a hoodie, pair of black shoes, and a pair of closed-toe sandals.  I could have cut down on clothing, but it gave me several options and I could mix and match a few things.  Next time I think I'll just do one skirt and a few capris, with a few shirts that all mix-and-match.  With all the work stress and related weight gain, I couldn't take what I'd planned to wear, so two of the skirts were a last-minute purchase.

We each had a pair of pjs as well (tank and thin cotton pants for me, shorts and tee for DS).

[debthaven]

I'm so happy everything went so well Apple! Again, I really enjoyed meeting you and your son in Versailles! 

And VERY impressive about going only carry-on! I'm a pretty light packer but  ! 

[Deleted]

because heat and walking don't feel good on bare thighs

I was thinking that when I read 3 skirts! I'm impressed! It's my ongoing mission in life to get my wardrobe down to a sensible level and stop spending so much on clothes. Travelling only with carry on is part of that.

[nutty]

Girl, I just want to say I AM SO JEALOUS.

[movingforward]

That sounds absolutely amazing!!  I am so impressed you it with only carry on luggage. 

I hope to one day take a trip like that.  I get 4 weeks of vacation a year but we are not allowed to take more than 2 weeks off at a time.  Looks like it will be retirement before I am able to take a month long trip (sigh).

[wvugurl26]

Clothes are totally my weakness. I like options. Especially since I've been caught numerous times not having the right stuff. The liquid rules also get me. I wear contacts and have bad allergies so I always bring my own body wash, shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser, etc.

I'm waiting on a flight now. There wasn't a CVS or anything like that near our hotel. This trip I also needed work and casual clothes. Narrowing down clothing and shoes choices is always the hardest part of packing for me.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I am so glad you and your son did this and had such an amazing time!  And holy cow on both the price and only having a carryon! 

[Deleted]

Thanks for the report! I made 2 trips to Europe with a Eurailpass but never covered as much ground as you. And what an experience for your son!  DH and I love the European trains; we rarely fly from place to place in Europe because the trains are so great.

DH and I have gotten pretty good about traveling light; getting big bags on and off public transportation is a royal pain and inevitably you end up in a subway station with a giant flight of steps and no escalator or elevator. The drawback is that EVERYTHING you have with you must meet TSA rules when you get onto planes.

I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures!

[steph08]

I'm glad you did the Caen Museum and tour - we only did a one day thing but it was one of my favorite parts of our whole 2.5 week Europe trip!

[Lizard Queen]

Jul 23, 2015 21:41:52 GMT -5 Apple said:

Jul 23, 2015 21:18:30 GMT -5 @tbird said:

wonderful!



 what was the price tag?

My average room cost came under $100/night, and that was with some splurging as well (single sleeper car, a single room for each of us halfway through the trip to get away from each other, a night in Bruges, which is crazy expensive, etc).  We also did a very expensive dinner (for me, anyway, it was 98 Euros, and that was without alcohol).  Rooms were twin rooms or apartments I found on booking.com-- I looked for inexpensive but with a good rating.  Krakow was so inexpensive that I did an apartment right on the corner of the old town square (for $70/night).

That right there has me wanting to go pack my bags and book a flight right now.  (I have relations there I could stay with for free, but not in Krakow, and not on the old town square.)  Awesome! 

[NastyWoman]

So did your son get to buy his licorice in Amsterdam  Just a few more weeks and I'm flying there and get to see my sibs and their families 

[mollyanna58]

Sounds absolutely amazing!  And you are a wonderful planner to get so much done for so reasonable a cost.

[tskeeter]

Welcome home!  Glad to have you back.  We've been looking forward to learning all about your trip. 

Maybe you'd write us a series of posts about your top 10 places to see/things you did, from your trip?  And maybe a couple of posts about the mechanics of your trip.  What went well and what you'd do differently?  (Obviously, your luggage strategy worked really well for you and DS.  That's a great lesson for the rest of us.)   

[HoneyBBQ]

Awesome! Any pictures you want to share?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jul 24, 2015 9:03:55 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Clothes are totally my weakness. I like options. Especially since I've been caught numerous times not having the right stuff. The liquid rules also get me. I wear contacts and have bad allergies so I always bring my own body wash, shampoo, conditioner, face cleanser, etc.

I'm waiting on a flight now. There wasn't a CVS or anything like that near our hotel. This trip I also needed work and casual clothes. Narrowing down clothing and shoes choices is always the hardest part of packing for me.

In your place, I'd take carry ons and check it for the liquids.  I've figured out how to minimize what I need when I travel because I always travel with my 22" carry on, and if Boston ever stops making travel sized solutions, I'm screwed.  I was able to do 3+ weeks in Turkey with it, but needed to expand it to the max for the goodies I bought.

My clothing list looked very much like Apple's son, other than I added a sundress and light cardigan, sandals and a swimsuit.  

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

 for the packing and for absolutely maximizing your budget.  YOU are my travel hero.  

And here are some celebratory dancing bananas for your successful trip.  The memories are absolutely priceless, I am sure. 

Well done, Apple, well done!!!

[Deleted]

Wow, your trip sounds great! Glad you had such as good time.

 I'm also really admiring the carry on only.

 Must feel so freeing. Less to haul around & fewer decisions to make.

[Apple]

I'll share more this weekend, hopefully. Today has been a lot of trying to get things back in order...

Also want to start going through the hard drive I saved my photos on. Once I start getting some re-sized, I'll be able to share (file sizes are huge). I just got Lightroom recently, and I think there is a way to do a big "pile" of photos all at once, so I want to check that out, it would save me a ton of time to just select the ones I want and let the program resize them all.

DS did find the candy, but then he realized it still wasn't the right one. Turns out the one he really wanted was in Sweden! (?) Figures... He realized it at the second to last day, otherwise we would have made a a detour to Sweden.

I'll go through my "journal" and see if I anything is interesting enough to share.

Already though, I want to go back to southern France, Munich, Krakow, and Salzburg! I'll have to start planning my next trip soon I probably won't get to do one that long again for many years though, I need to get my vacation accrued first.

[Deleted]

That sounds like it was an awesome adventure for you and your son. And honestly, it's an inspiration for worrywarts like me that can't imagine traveling to another continent by myself with just a basic plan and just going with the flow. I'm working on that kind of confidence. I want to be like you when I grow up. Well done indeed!

[TheOtherMe]

Sounds like a great trip.  I would love to take a trip like this one day. 

[Baby Fawkes]

That's seems like a brilliant trip you took Apple . I remember the first time that I took DW back to Europe to visit family and tack on some extra sightseeing. She had been to Germany once before and had multiple bags, which brought all the extra hassle of lugging it around and paying to transport it. These days she is completely reformed and gives me a run for my money on light packing. I usually go with a single backpack ( 50L so it's large enough that I prefcer to pack it on planes, but easy to carry) and my wife is now down to the same size bag for multi week trips.

I think she summed it up brilliantly after that trip when she said "I honestly can't remember how many times I repeated the same outfit, but I can definitely remember all the things we saw and the places we visited while wearing it"

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Not nearly the same as a 5 week trip to Europe, but I will say that I have managed to put together a wardrobe and toiletries that fit into the smallest rolling suitcase for ALL of the many college visits near and FAR! that I have been on with both DSs during the past year and a half.  I have one set for winter visits and another for trips during milder seasons.  I gone as long as 10 days with that one small suitcase.  I wash all the clothes as soon as I return and keep them together in my closet.  I can pack for those trips in about 5 minutes.  

I think I need a 5 week European adventure to see if my packing skills measure up to Apple's.