Your Favourite Backpacking Trip

Rocsteady wrote:

Corazon de Leon wrote:USA. Wasn't quite backpacking per se(I had a suitcase) but six weeks of moving from hostel to hostel for "university research"* purposes. Every single night would be spent with a few beers and whoever happened to be passing through on that particular night - Icelandics, Croatians, Australians(loads of Australians), Kiwis, English, one Scottish, some Canadians and a ton of Irish. Genuinely the best time I've had, would go back and do it all again in a second.

* please. It's incredible I finished that degree.

That's cool, I was told years back that the hostel situation in the U.S.wasn't the best. Which state(s) were you in?

The US is my big plan for next year, want to drive the big sur and go around California a bit after hearing how incredible it is (pretty sure from folk on here).

It was just at the point of getting up to scratch when I went - there wasn’t much choice in where to stay and it was reasonably shitty in terms of facilities - all the places I stayed in were like big boarding houses but I just joined a nearby gym for the better shower facilities. Was in Texas and the District of Columbia.

Basque country.

Pretend your Ernest Hemingway.

Rocsteady wrote:

Corazon de Leon wrote:USA. Wasn't quite backpacking per se(I had a suitcase) but six weeks of moving from hostel to hostel for "university research"* purposes. Every single night would be spent with a few beers and whoever happened to be passing through on that particular night - Icelandics, Croatians, Australians(loads of Australians), Kiwis, English, one Scottish, some Canadians and a ton of Irish. Genuinely the best time I've had, would go back and do it all again in a second.

* please. It's incredible I finished that degree.

That's cool, I was told years back that the hostel situation in the U.S.wasn't the best. Which state(s) were you in?

The US is my big plan for next year, want to drive the big sur and go around California a bit after hearing how incredible it is (pretty sure from folk on here).

I'm arranging a Pacific highway drive for my honeymoon and accommodation is not cheap.

I have never as an adult wanted to go backpacking , I have either wanted to stay home or go in caravans or b&bs or hotels. Therefore my favourite backpacking trip was at age 16 , 6 of us took our backpacks and 2 tents all told our parents we were staying at one lads house, we instead went and stayed in tents in a small woods between 2 farmers fields, basically we dug a fire pit cooked baked beans, drank cider, passed around a few joints and talked about everything life, dreams, aspirations, movies, music. It was probably the last time we all hung out togther before going our separate ways.

I have just got back because I got quite stressed with things not going great and did what I normally and ran away, got on a plane, hired a camper van, meet up with a friend and hit the road, this time we ended up in Russia (great time to visit with the current political climate I know) and it was funny in a bizarre way with how miserable everyone seems to be, They are clearly not fans of the jumping all over the world dance, apart from to Florida it’s the furthest away from home I have ever been, my favourite trip was last year in the summer when we visited a lot of Eastern European countries, if things improve and the money starts coming in then hopefully we can do a couple of months exploring Southern Europe

Last year, not so much backpacking, more of a camping road trip to Croatia. Took the ferry over to Calais, across France to Colmar, taking in the other towns in region (Riquewihr and Eguisheim). Into Switzerland and Lauterbrunnen (stunning place). Next we went down into Italy and Lake Orta then onto Sirmione on Lake Garda. Next day onto Slovenia and Postonja and one of the world’s largest cave networks. Camped in the woods during a massive thunderstorm, all the while shitting it as there were supposed to be bears.

Next day into Croatia, stopping off at Buzet (more accurate to say I nearly got my car stuck in a tiny cobbled alleyway) and Motovun. Onto Rovinj where we had rented a room for 5 nights. Next stop was Venice, there is a campsite in Mestre which is a 10 minute bus ride away from Venice and costs like €20 a night. Next stop was Lake Como and a great scuzzy little campsite in Mennagio, right on the lake front. After that it was Freiburg then into Luxembourg and Clervaux to catch the Family of Man exhibition. Up into Belgium and the last stop, Bruges. It was a strawberry floating fairytale, what with the canals and cobbled streets.

Did South America. Back when I was picking beans in Guatemala, we used to make fresh coffee, right off the trees I mean. That was good.

OnlyShallow wrote:After that it was Freiburg then into Luxembourg and Clervaux to catch the Family of Man exhibition. Up into Belgium and the last stop, Bruges. It was a strawberry floating fairytale, what with the canals and cobbled streets.

What did you think of Freiburg. My gf and I live in Germany but we've not seen any of the south so far. A lot of people suggested Freiburg, especially for its proximity to the black forest.

We are in the process of planning a eurotrip but I'm unsure of what to do. We are definetly going back to Rome, and a bit more of Italy. We were thinking of Siciliy too, but unsure how easy it is to get around (we don't drive). Italy is bad enough for transport in small areas, so God knows what Siciliy is like.

However, I'd like to see some other places too. We are in Hamburg so I'm wondering of a route that gets down to Rome. I think I'll have around 2 weeks or so and will want at least 4 in Rome. I'd actually quite like to see more of the Balkans, but it would be them or Siciliy, not both.

We've not done Switzerland or Austria yet, and both are obviously enroute to Italy. Anyone been to either and have a preference?

SandyCoin wrote:

OnlyShallow wrote:After that it was Freiburg then into Luxembourg and Clervaux to catch the Family of Man exhibition. Up into Belgium and the last stop, Bruges. It was a strawberry floating fairytale, what with the canals and cobbled streets.

What did you think of Freiburg. My gf and I live in Germany but we've not seen any of the south so far. A lot of people suggested Freiburg, especially for its proximity to the black forest.

We are in the process of planning a eurotrip but I'm unsure of what to do. We are definetly going back to Rome, and a bit more of Italy. We were thinking of Siciliy too, but unsure how easy it is to get around (we don't drive). Italy is bad enough for transport in small areas, so God knows what Siciliy is like.

However, I'd like to see some other places too. We are in Hamburg so I'm wondering of a route that gets down to Rome. I think I'll have around 2 weeks or so and will want at least 4 in Rome. I'd actually quite like to see more of the Balkans, but it would be them or Siciliy, not both.

We've not done Switzerland or Austria yet, and both are obviously enroute to Italy. Anyone been to either and have a preference?

If I’m being honest, I wasn’t that taken by it. It wasn’t helped by the fact that the day before we had been at Lake Como, drinking Aperol Spritz in the sun, then we get to Freiburg and it’s cold and raining. The architecture was more modern than I was expecting (compared to most of the towns and cities nearby). It has an interesting cathedral and the buildings were in the square around it are cool. Oh just remembered the Feierling biergarten was pretty good to hang out in. Actually, thinking back, it was alright

I’ve been through Austria on a previous road trip and stopped off in Salzburg. Really liked it there. Again, it is a place with a smashing biergarten, this one is in a monastery. I’m seeing a theme here.... Vienna is also a great city, totally different to Salzburg. In some ways it is more like Paris, huge boulevards and imposing architecture.

Edit: since you are in Germany, if you haven’t already, you should check out Limburg an der Lahn. A proper chocolate box German town.