Tag: budget travel

How to Solo Travel Safely While on a Budget 

Published on by vanessacepedaLeave a comment

If you’re reading this then you already know that traveling to new destinations can have a thrilling factor on your life. Its self-discovery, on top of feeding into one’s curiosity. While there are many sources out there to help you travel on a budget such as student discounts, military discounts and lastly, stay alternatives such as hostels, it never really seems to be enough of a discount to convince yourself to leap into this trip. We are always being told that sometimes you have to sacrifice comfort for these experiences and while true I am here to tell you that safety is not one of them. 

So far, during my study abroad experience I have been fortunate enough to have had the chance to travel to a couple of countries with some friends that also cared for economic alternatives. And this past weekend it was my turn to embark on a solo trip to Paris, France. It just so happened that everyone else already had their own travels booked and or had family plans. While I did not yet feel it, traveling alone this time was about to affect a little more than I thought it would, don’t get me wrong. I have traveled alone before, but it has always been to familiar destinations where I would be staying with people I knew. Of course, the difference with this time was that up until that point I had only traveled with friends to these unknown places. Spoiler alert- everything went amazing and below I will breakdown how I made this trip happen while on a budget and alone while prioritizing safety. 

  1. Research Your Destination Thoroughly

Okay, of course I knew I wanted to go to Paris and because the city is expensive as it is I knew a hotel was out of the question and unfortunately an Airbnb was booked for the weekend that I was playing on leaving. So hostel it was, because safety is important to me I specifically found a hostel that had an all-women’s dorm which is an option for a lot of countries by the way, I specifically used Expedia for this because if you are a member you can get extra discounts by simply creating an account with no fees, but I’m sure if you use hostel.com you can find similar results. Next, the airport of Charles was about an hour away from my hostel but fear not because through the French app called IDF Mobilites I got all the train tickets I needed. Now I recommend that whenever you go and whatever transportation you use, always get a day or a weekend pass because it’s way less expensive. If you take away anything from this is to always use your student statues. I signed up on the app and got a day pass for $10 instead of 20 because of the student discount. 

2. Share Your Itinerary with Friends and Family

This is completely optional, but I shared my itinerary with our program advisor as well as two other friends. It never hurts for others to know your whereabouts, it’s a message your future self will thank you for. 

3. Pack Light but Smart

Finding an economical flight will more times than not be equivalent to limiting you to a personal item. I suggest talking about a travel backpack, any backpack is the most recommended item because trust me you will get sick of a duffle bag. I got mine for e18 in Primark and I have gone to three countries with it and it’s still good as new. The difference between a travel backpack and a normal backpack is that a travel bag is water resistant, it has zippers that go all the way down the bag, it has a shoe compartment underneath, a tech pocket, and most importantly two buckles to secure the sides and help compress it down. Pro tip: wear your heaviest items.

4. Blend In and Avoid Flashy Valuables

This goes for short travels in general, I always recommend simply wearing your everyday essentials but if our everyday pieces are a bit flashy it’s always best to leave that behind because it’s better safe than sorry. 

5. Trust Your Instincts

This goes for many occasions but from a Europe perspective, don’t fall for signature petitions on metro exits, don’t take anything a stranger gives you, and most importantly don’t have anything in your pockets. For both men and women, it’s always best to carry a fanny pack or cross body bag because those are the ones closest to your torso instead of on the side of your body. When it comes to following your instincts, always re-assist your surroundings and with that comes with never leaving your belongings alone for no one is liable but yourself. 

6. Meet People Wisely

 I have had my fair encounters of strangers starting conversations and while a good majority have been wonderful and insightful, don’t feel bad if you feel like you have to walk away from one if you sense it becoming ingenuine or suspicious.

7. Stay Present and Enjoy the Moment

To channel this I personally prefer to walk around to my destinations while enjoying the scenery, reflecting on sights and perhaps journaling about them. Trying local foods instead of chains is always a good idea. Overall, the biggest advice I have is to not only focus on the main sights that Instagram or TikTok will give you but to find some of your own and build a new experience for those are the memories that last forever and good stories surface.

Ciao!

When an impulse booking goes right

Published on by showtimeherink2Leave a comment
budapest

You have finals week upcoming; shouldn’t you use your time wisely? But there is such a great deal on a trip to Budapest. $120 round trip and a two-night stay at a hostel for only $27 total. Screw it, let’s book the trip.

That was what was going through my mind last weekend. I was debating on whether on taking a trip to either Budapest or Venice because of how cheap plane tickets were and how cheap hostels were. I originally said no, but after some thinking, I said, “screw it” and booked the trip. It would be my first time in Hungary, and I was nervous at first, but as the week progressed, I became more excited about this trip.

Soon the day arrived for me to go to Budapest. I woke up at 3:15 am for a 4:30 am bus to the Brussels airport (my flight left at 9:00 am). I arrived at the airport at around 6:15 am and after getting through security, I spent the time before my flight wandering the airport, which is common for me when waiting for my flight. I soon boarded my flight and was on my way to Budapest for the weekend.

The flight was smooth, and I had no trouble finding my way to the city center. Before heading to my hostel, I stopped at a little brunch place and had an omelet and latte. After that, I checked into my hostel and made my way towards the Danube River. After crossing it, I hiked my way up to the Citadella, where I got an amazing view of the city. After that, I made my way to a castle where I got another view of the city and had some dinner up there as well. I spent the evening walking around the city and witnessed the Hungarian Parliament building lit up at night, which was a sight to behold. After walking around the Parliament, I went back to my hostel and fell asleep.

The next day I made my way back across the Danube and toured a fortress at the top of the hill overlooking the city. There, I learned about the history of Budapest and looked at some artifacts. After that, I attempted to book a tour of the Parliament building, but tickets were sold out the entire day. So, I walked around the building again and continued walking. I tried chimney cake, which is something big in Hungary and it was delicious. I then sat down at a coffee shop and had some lunch while planning out the rest of my day. I eventually made my way to the St. Stephen’s Basilica, where I toured the Basilica and enjoyed another view of the city from the top of the dome. I continued exploring the city and ended the night with some pizza and ice cream. At the end of the day, I had walked over 15 miles, and I was exhausted. I went to bed early because I had an early flight to catch the next morning.

I managed to get home with any issues and in the end, this impulse booking was totally worth it. Would I do it again? Possibly.