I have the excellent fortune of taking my next semester of college abroad–in Sydney, Australia. On the way there, in January and February, I’m going to be spending six days in Paris, four days in Amsterdam, and three days in Vienna. Then three weeks in Japan, four months in Australia, and finally a week in Auckland, NZ, before coming home in July. I booked the flights through STA Travel, if anyone’s curious, for under $3000.
Wow. Just typing that makes me really excited.
!!! :eek:
I’m going to read through the Lonely Planet books, of course, but what about the collective wisdom of the Doper community? What can’t I miss?
My budget is fairly tight, of course, but I’m willing to spend money for an unforgettable experience. Good, authentic (and cheap) **food ** is of particular interest. The weather will most likely be lousy for the European leg of my trip, so cultural attractions should probably be a priority. Also any suggestions about particularly good places to stay (hostels or really cheap hotels) anywhere would be appreciated.
You can eat very well and cheaply off the street vendors in both Paris and Amsterdam. In Paris you’ll need to give it a hearty “Bonjour!”, making eye contact, and point a bit at the lovely grub on offer. The vendors are used to tourists, but in general they’ll be more helpful and you will get on a lot easier if at least an attempt is made in French. They pretty much all will understand your English if you get stuck - the gesture is important, though.
For cheap eats in Amsterdam, well I adore herring, love chips and mayo, and quite like eel. All these only cost a couple of euros. Amsterdam is also full of shoarma places that are open all night and only cost a few euros too. English is the only language you’ll need.
Link to info on Central Auckland backpackers hostels. Cheapest places for food would be away from the city centre in Auckland, but you still might find something you like at places on the North Shore, on the other side of the Waitemata Harbour. If you have some cash to get you out of Auckland, there’s some scenic spots just outside the region – depends on what you’re interested in, really.
Macquarie. Two of my three courses will be in ActSci, incidentally–one technical course on financial risk mathematics, and a non-technical course on insurance and superannuation (which I take means pensions?)
Ice Wolf I’ve heard mention, something about “farm stays.” Do you know anything about that?
I stayed here as well when I visited Amsterdam this summer. Not only is the hostel really nice but I hung out with several of my roommates there, which was nice as I was traveling alone for a three week stretch and turned 21 on my first day in Amsterdam. Of course, hostels are always great for meeting people but I was especially lucky with this one (though certain substances may have contributed to the warm feelings). They also have a service where you can purchase your museum tickets there without standing in line. I can’t emphasize enough the value of taking advantage of this. Amsterdam had by far the most crowded museums of any city I’ve ever been to. I foolishly spent 45 minutes-1 hour waiting in line at the Anne Frank House - and this was in the evening. I wised up and bought hostel tickets for the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, whose lines ended up being far, far longer. Even if you don’t stay in one of the Stayokay hostels, I think you can still buy tickets there. I know for sure you can at one of the half dozen or so tourist offices around town.
Also, the Dutch have several restaurant chains that are basically walls of vending machines. You put in a euro or so, open a door and get yourself a little hamburger. It’s a novel experience, one of the cheapest ways to eat in Amsterdam and avoids conversation if you feel uncomfortable with talking to non-native speakers (though they’ll still most likely understand you anyway).
One of the best things to do in Amsterdam is free - just wander around the city, maybe with a camera. I don’t know if I’d say it’s a beautiful city overall - there are lots of seriously seedy areas and streets packed with tourist traps - but there are definitely some gorgeous spots, especially by the canals. The Netherlands is incredibly compact for the most part, so I’d also recommend taking at least one day trip - with four days in Amsterdam, you should have enough time. My favorite place in the Netherlands was Haarlem, which is only about 15 minutes from Amsterdam by train. It’s just a quintessentially Dutch city, complete with a windmill. Other places I visited when I was in the Netherlands this summer were Rotterdam, Utrecht and Den Haag (The Hague). I recommend them in roughly that order but I liked all of them.
I didn’t mean this to be so long. Enjoy your trip!
All right, I LITERALLY just returned from a three week journey to Europe. I visted Pisa, Florence, Rome, Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris, Brussels, and Brugge. So I feel qualified to help in some ways. If you’re looking for good deals with hotels/places to stay I used www.venere.com and loved it. It has a lot of cheap rates, and you can do a search of hotels + hostels. Also it was really convineint with poiting out the locations of the places to stay, which made it very easy to book the area of the cities I wanted to stay in. This was important for me because I did all my travel using the European rail system, so I would book all my hotels close to the train stations. This was very important when you’re in a new city where no one speaks English and cab rates are through the roof.
Also, even though Notre Dame was fantastic, the semi-hidden gem IMHO in Paris was about 3 blocks away, Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral.
I have also visited Japan and Australia. I can’t help you with Japan, because I stayed with friends of the family the whole time. Australia is a big place though, if you’re staying in Sydney go to theSydney Zoo. I’ve been to the San Diego zoo, and even visited the zoo in Vienna (supposedly the world’s oldest)… but the Sydney zoo took the cake as my favorite.
Also, try to visit the Northern Territory in Australia. Darwin was one of the most amazing places I have ever been to.
Oh, I forgot to say in my earlier post: Auckland is a nice enough city, but I’d suggest checking out the rest of the North Island rather than staying there for a whole week. If nothing else, you should go to Rotorua, which has some serious geothermal weirdness. I also liked Taupo – good hiking in the area, and quite a nice hostel (Rainbow Lodge, IIRC).
New Zealand is probably the easiest country I’ve seen for backpacker-style traveling – there are about a million hostels, and lots of discounts available for people with student cards.
The real overlooked gem in Paris is St Denis-- arguably the first “Gothic” church and the site of the old royal burials. Take the metro a long ways out and see the “other Paris”.
There are a number of good threads of Amsterdam and Vienna on here.
Japan I’ve not been to but the cultural/artistic center is in the Kyoto and Nara areas, so that’s the first place I’d head.
Bigbabysweets2000-- you missed out by skipping over Ghent on your way to Bruges. The best of both those overrun worlds.
Yes. “Super fund” = “Pension fund”. The term pension fund isn’t common here because retirement benefits are usually paid as lump sums, not as pensions.
That is one hell of an itinerary! Talk about culture shock…plus jet lag…and the substance abuse that is going to happen in Amsterdam…well, you will be lucky to remember 30 minutes of this trip.
Still, although this is probably one of the strangest tours I have ever heard of, you are certainly going to be experiencing a lot. I have been to Paris twice, once poor and once with lots of money (and hated it both times) so I am no help there, although there is/was a really cool bookshop, The Village Voice, that had lots of American ex-pats hanging around and were interesting to talk to. I have only been to Amsterdam once, but it was for two weeks and I like the city a lot…many things to do, but mostly the nightlife and meeting other people and simply experiencing a country that is about a free as it gets is worth the trip…Vienna is quite a snooze…rather slow, dusty museums and you might as well go to bed at about nine at night, you won’t be missing anything…but some really great palaces and there is a wine district that can be fun…that is the extent of my personal experience.
I have really good friends in Christchurch, NZ and have met quite a few Aussies in my travels…so you should have a great time down there.
Let me know how that 3,400 hour flight was.
And seriously, have a great time and discover things on your own…the best way to learn a city is to get lost in that city and just find your way back…that is how you find the great pubs, the great restaurants and just really learn what the place is all about.
Oh, and one other tip…when you are hungry or thirsty…go to the main tourist area and then walk about two or three blocks away…that is where the employees at the tourist traps go to eat and drink, and that simple little walk will save you money and you will find FAR better food and drink, at much cheaper prices. Plus you get to meet the locals. This trick has worked for me in every city I have ever vistited.
Google up Zealand and “farm stays” and you should find links like this one, iwakura43. I’ve heard some good stuff about farm stays. Would certainly be a great way to see the countryside!
And I have to agree with Fretful Porpentine – I love my city, but you should try to see if your money will stretch to seeing more of the North Island than just my region. Depends on your budget, though. My email’s in my profile if you’d like me to go digging up any info for you.
I bought a Nintendo DS to keep me busy during the endless hours on trains and in airports, and dropped about $100 at CVS on everything from a sleep mask and earplugs to toothpaste and Immodium. I found hostels to stay at in Europe and for my first couple days in Japan.
Also Cunctator, if you’re reading this: care to meet me for a pint sometime? It’d be great to talk shop (and more) with an Aussie, maybe learn something :). If so, drop me a line, ns-sdmb@neko5.net
I can help you with some of these: Sydney/Australia, Vienna, Japan, and a little bit regarding Paris. If you want more, see my profile for my email address.
Sydney
Sydney / Australia. In Sydney itself, it’s really only the harbour that gets all the touristy attention. You’ve got the magnificent bridge (which you can climb, in a guided and securely tethered way), the Opera House, Taronga Zoo (on the other side from the Opera House) and the Aquarium, and lots of tourist trap places to eat, drink and have fun. I climbed the bridge, and I’d say it’s a fun thing to do if you’re into that sort of thing, but not un-missable. If you are going to do it, only do it if the weather is nice, warm, sunny and dry. In bad weather, it’s really not a nice experience. Oh, and you cannot take your own camera up there and take your own pics. You can only buy their official souvenir pic of your climb.
The Opera House… I’ve seen it every which way and even seen an opera performed inside. The guided tours… not really worth it. The best thing about the OH is its external experience, which you can enjoy for free. The Botanical Gardens near the OH are free and very nice, and have signs saying ‘Please Walk On The Grass’.
Taronga Zoo… one of the best in the world, but only go if it’s good weather and in the peak season. Out of season, it’s mainly repairs, rebulding work, scaffolding and signs apologising for key attractions being closed. This only becomes apparent after you have paid to get in.
The Aquarium is very good indeed, and has all the great stuff you expect in a modern aquarium, such as underwater tunnels where you walk around and see the sharks etc. from underneath. It’s not quite San Diego Seaworld, but it’s good.
If you are going to Australia, you simply must go to see Ayer’s Rock / Uluru. Any travel agent in Sydney can book your trip. It’s easy. You just get on a plane, fly four about two and a half hours, and you’re there. You can stay at any one of the small, flat hotels in the Ayer’s Rock resort, spend one day and one night there, and then fly back. There are several optional tours to choose from. I did everything… flew around it by helicopter, went on the ‘Sounds Of Silence’ tour (‘al fresco’ meal served in sight of the Rock during sunset, with entertainment and a good, fun, interesting lecture) and another tour to see the Rock at sunrise, and then a guided tour that was part coach trip and part walk around. You don’t need to do all of these things, of course, but definitely go and see the Rock and enjoy it somehow. Just get the cheapest options you can, and beg, steal or borrow the necessary funds if you have to. It is unmissable.
The rest of Sydney, outside the main touristy hubs, isn’t particuilarly interesting and doesn’t try to be. If you can get trips to some of the other attractions outside the city, take them. The Jenolan Caves are well worth a visit, so are The Blue Mountains, and so is Scenic World (www.scenicworld.com.au).
Rest Of Australia
Melbourne is a great city and worth visiting if you get the chance. Some good stuff there… the tallest observation tower in the southern hemisphere and some really nice botanical gardens.
If you get the chance to drive along or explore the Great Ocean Road, take it. It’s magnificent, and unlike anything else on the planet. And if you get the chance to visit The Twelve Aposltes (big rock formations sticking out of the sea, but now there are actually only nine left) then take it. Quite magnificent.
Not worth doing: you may have heard of Philipps Island and the ‘march of the oenguins’. Years ago, this was worth going to if you got the chance, and was an amazing slice of living natural history. Now it’s been completely ruined by a crass commercial operation. You can’t even take photographs… not even without flash… only buy official merchandise. And if you like sick jokes, the whole sprawling commercial complex prides itsef on its ‘eco-friendly’ mission, yet is partly sponsored by Exxon corporation. As in ‘the Exxon Valdez’. Worth avoiding.
Not worth going to: Canberra, the nation’s capital. A tiny, suburban concrete wilderness offering absolutely nothing to the visiting tourist. Avoid at all costs.
There’s lots more to see and enjoy in Oz, but that’s all I know about.
Vienna
The only essential point is this: stay in a hotel near the centre. As near as you can. I second the venere.com website because I think it does cough up the cheapest possible deals. I stayed at the Hotel Am Opernring, which I think offers a brilliant combination in terms of cost / facilities / standard of service (great breakfast buffet) and prime location.
Vienna is a great city to visit. There’s lots to see and do, and most of the touristy bits are neatly confined within the city centre so you can enjoy them all on foot wihtout covering too much mileage. Plus the Viennese people are genuinely warm, friendly and welcoming. Most speak enough English to get by, especially in the touristy areas.
Must see and do:
the Kunsthistoriche art gallery
the Hofburg Palace complex (make sure you go inside as well as admiring it from outside)
afternoon tea and cake at Demel’s
the old town
Belvedere
Karls Plaza and the Karlskirche church, and be sure to go inside and take the elevator up to the Dome.
If you want a special treat and can afford one nice meal, go to the Sacher Hotel and have an evening meal at the Cafe, not the restaurant. The restaurant is stupif expensive, but the Cafe is more reasonable and just as nice an experience. This is where the ‘world famous’ Sacher Torte (chocolate cake) comes from.
Extra nice point about Vienna: it doesn’t matter if you go in the summer, peak of season or in the winter - it’s still perfectly enjoyable. And they do New Year’s Eve really, really well. The whole cty centre is turned into one huge, very enjoyable party.
Japan
If you understand Japanese, great. If you don’t, be prepared for the language barrier to be a real pain in the neck. It’s not like going somewhere where they use the same alhabet but different words… you can always pick up enough to begin to get by. But in Japan, it’s different. You just can’t make sense of anything. Not even a bus map or a restaurant sign. If you’re starving, go into a McDonalds, they have English versions on the back of the counter menus.
There’s lots to see and do in Tokyo itself, of course, as the main tourist hub, but see if there’s any way to get together with a guide or a friend who can translate. This will make life SO much easier. I can recommend someone who might be prepared to serve as a guide in and around Tokyo for a negotiable amount.
This may be beyond your budget, but if at all possible get out to Kyoto and get a guided tour of some of the temples, including (this is essential) the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku) at Kitayama, north west of Kyoto city.
I also think Hiroshima is well worth visiting, including the Peace Memorial Museum.
Have a great time - and PLEASE write back on this thread to let us know how things are going!
I would love to be going to Europe for my first time again…it was a life-altering adventure for me, so I am eager to re-live that experience through your eyes.
