So im relatively young(18) and i live on my own,own car etc etc but like alot of people on these forums,im bored with my life not JUST because im human but the repetetive 9-5 and such. So ive been contemplating for a couple years now backpacking through europe like everyone does as there "right of passage" and/or africa...but the problem is...or the plus side is,i DO NOT care about money....and i do not have much of it,only enough for a ticket,but im so frustrated with this life(no its not just teen angst being put out into a forum) that i dont even care and if my survival is threatned or not i can make money somehow in europe,let it be legal or not.


Now my question and this acctualy is going to influence me a little is,Lets say i get checked out by a doctor and everything and leave before the months end,with like 100 bucks in my pocket...will i be totaly screwed or is my hope in vain of having a glorious periled adventure through europe without the travel expenses,Hell,i wouldent mind sleeping outside,taking risks,killing animals for food etc;) im no primal beast but i know things get tough anywhere and i want to try and i want peoples opinions on this...(Disregard my horrid spelling:)

Maybe feedback if you have been to africa or europe? what to expect? is it easy to find the most simple job that i can live off?(i have ALOT of visible tattoos,i was going to school to become an artist but that fell threw,but im wondering if they are more lenient there about body modification?) i am having some not so great times in my life,yes,not a mid teen crisis;) ha but i just want opinions,feeback.

i have 20 days to decide.

I would suggest that you go to Cyprus rather than Africa or Europe (traditional Europe) there's a lot of really great places you can stay in beach resort towns there. There are mountains in Cyprus and the people are very nice.

Its also very close to Egypt if you wanted to go there on a whim.

Its just a lot safer going to a place like that than springboarding into Africa.

yea well africa would be "eventualy" my main things are i want to goto germany and sparta(greece) in europe..i just want to say when im older..."yea when i was 18 i just picked up a left and had a bad ass time"

cause i know the cost of living in the U.S. is bad but so it is in other countries as well.. but id goto europe probly first..then make my way around... my real question is it possible with such a short amount of money to accumulate more or steal possibly?

I think in light of your tatoos and indecision you should go somewhere that has a lot of tourists but is remote. So that you can be safe if you need to but then go off into the unknown.

Australia might be an idea. That's a once in a lifetime journey that most people can't take the time to do once they get older.

I'd suggest that as well.

Also if you are an American I wouldn't recommend Europe these days. They are not very nice to Americans at all. If you needed help I wouldn't rely on any European country to help you out.

I'd say Oz or the Med. Spain, Greece and Egypt.


ETA I know that Spain and Greece are considered Europe. I'm just differentiating in a lazy way.

hmmm well maybe id lie and just say im from canada;) and put a canadian sticker on my backpack ha but yea i understand our current state with other countries is not the best or has been for awhile:/ im open to go anywhere at all,i just want a change.

Well as I said, since you are uncertain about what you want, you'll need a sort of safety net of knowing that if you run into trouble you can get out of it.

Honestly Australia seems like a great idea for what you have in mind. Its a huge continent.

Have you been?im open to any ideas on where to go and suggestions on anything...this is an honest to god thing ive been thinking about for awhile but my personal convictions not just on politics here but on the "daily grind" in this country have gotten to much for me to bear even at 18(call me weak or knieve or whatever) i think austrialia would be beautiful.

I've been to Egypt and Cyprus and Europe. Europe isn't a nice place to go on a whim as an American. You need to have family or friends there.

Egypt can be dicey but they are used to tourists. Especially in Cairo and Sinai.

Cyprus is like the Bahamas for Europeans.

If I were you I'd go to Spain and then fly to Egypt and then hang in Cyprus for the summer.

Do you have aim msn or yahoo? i really want to talk to someone who has been but no one i know has been and i cannot find many people on messages boards to answer my questions..if you wouldent mind?

Not being American I can't really confirm or deny this but I would say that the American perception seems to be of Europe as a single country. This is far from reality. They way you will be treated in, for example, Germany is very different from the way you will be treated in Italy. To just dismiss Europe in this way is just plain wrong.

Many European nations have a lot to offer. Also how you are treated by the locals will depend on how you act. American tourists are often considered loud and brash, which is not the European way. This is what often tends to cause friction, not politics.

As a British tourist in Europe I have found that if you try to speak a few words of the local language when ordering food etc, then the locals will almost always be helpful and accommodating. Speak English and expect them to understand and all of a sudden there are no English speakers to be found (we Brits aren't the most popular of tourists abroad either).

I can only comment on cities I have visited but London is the centre of the known Universe (OK, I'm a bit biased on that one) You won't get any problems from the locals for being American, although some Londoners just don't like tourists. If you enjoy the pub culture, night life and music then Dublin is a very friendly city. A large portion of Dubliners have relatives in the US so you are unlikely to have any problems. I haven't been to Paris for a while. Parisians (even among the French) have a reputation for being rude. Don't mistake it for being anti-American, they are free of prejudice... they dislike everyone. Rome is a beautiful city. I thought London was steeped in history until I went here. Here you will receive friendly help IF you attempt to speak Italian. Try to find a nun or a priest if you are going to cross the road and cross with them, the traffic is less likely to aim at you. Berlin I only visited once. It is a city undergoing huge change and rebuilding. It is worth visiting to see what the oppression of the Nazi and Communist eras did. Amsterdam is a great city to visit on a short break and the Dutch are extremely friendly people. It has been a long time since I visited Brussels and I didn't get to see much of it.

As for Africa, I have visited South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. I enjoyed all three. I wouldn't recommend Zimbabwe at the moment. The political situation was poor when I went nearly 6 years ago. It has deteriorated drastically since then. South Africa has some beautiful places to visit. Cape Town is stunning. However the downside is that it is dangerous. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. I went on Safari to Kenya and loved it. Again though there are places that can be dangerous. I went on an organised tour. During one transfer from one camp to another we had to travel in a convoy protected front middle and rear by trucks filled with armed guards. I would recommend these places but not necessarily on a whim.

I have yet to visit Egypt but it is high on list of places to visit. A word of warning with Egypt though, it is a Muslim country and there have been a fair few terrorist attacks against tourists. Being American will not be an advantage there.

The reality is that if you decide to only visit places that you can guarantee you will not find any anti-American feelings you will never leave the States. If you are friendly, respectful and try to adapt to the country you are visiting you can greatly reduce any problems. Most people around the world are able to differentiate between dislike of American policy and dislike of Americans.

I think Europe used to be like that. But I wouldn't recommend "chancing" Europe after Bush's decision to send in more military.

Also you are European. When you have an American accent you are treated like garbage nowadays. Its hard to hide it.

I mean some places are nicer than others. That's why I suggested Spain but France? England? Fahgedduhboutit.

Yea well i dont plan on being rude or "brash" twords anyone at all...i respect everyone and there countries...my main question that has still yet to be answered is the money situation....any thoughts?

Well I don't think they'd hire you for anything.

That's why I suggested Cyprus. Lots of restaurants and boating places that would probably give you a go.

you think so? my father said europe is alot more open about tattoos and such,i mean im a very respectful and outgoing person,very nice and such but my tattoos obiously might turn some people off

That's what I'm saying LOL. They won't have a problem with the tatoos in Cyprus or in Europe either but they won't hire you for anything in Europe because you are an American.

or canadian *wink* ha

Maybe try wilderness introspection in the Grand Canyon, Everglades, Rockys, some deserts... all kinds of places you could probably live for years and years without encountering anyone. Pine Barrens...

or canadian *wink* ha

or canadian *wink* ha

You do realise that British troops are fighting along side American troops don't you? "Fahgedduhboutit" is the most sense you've made on this subject so far.

xK1Sovi3tx, do not let truethat put you off. You will find far less anti-American prejudice in Europe than you will find anti-European prejudice in truethat. It seems to me that the anti-French sentiment in the USA is far worse than the anti-American sentiment in France. During the summer most European cities are full of American tourists and they have no problems.

I also concede that some people will be rude but in Europe that is the extent of it. No one will shoot you for your accent. As for tattoos it really won't be much of a problem in most of Europe (it's almost compulsory in areas of Amsterdam) and If they allow male police officers with pony tails to guard the Bundestag I don't think they will have much problem with tattoos. It certainly won't be a draw back in London, tattoos are very common here (or in Dublin).

It won't be the accent that prevents you getting a job in Europe IF you can speak the language. It certainly isn't a problem in London on Dublin (although if you want a bar job in London you will have to fight it out with the Aussies. In almost any "Irish" pub in central London the first words you will here from the barman/maid is "G'day mate").

In truth though your best bet is to ignore both truethat and myself and go to the library. Get an up to date copies of Lonely Planet or other reputable guide book. Look at the countries you fancy visiting and see what they say.

If you have an out going personality and can be charming you will get by anywhere.

thank you two very much! apreciated

anyone else ahve anything to say? all the help would be apreciated,im going to quit my job and just leave,little nervous and scared but who cares

I am American, and I find that Europe is a great place to vacation to! For Backpacking, Germany and Austria are just amazing. Nothing beats the Alps!

My feedback along with my travel experience is extensive, feel free to PM me with any questions or reservations you may have about your trip, I will do my best to help advise.

Excuse me but there is no need for a personal attack on me? When was the last time you went to Europe as an American? What do you think its just ME I'm basing my opinion on? Please.


I love when moderators attack people personally for their opinions.


Troops fighting alongside the US has nothing to do with it.


As I stated ENDLESSLY its the OP's lack of destination and travel plans that make me think Europe is not a good idea especially now.

How many American tourists do you know who found work in Europe? Not too many.

The kind of destination he has in mind seems a bit random traveler and I think tourist destinations in the Med are far more likely to accommodate him.

So just get off your high horse already.

South Africa Personally some places you must look at Wilderness in the Western cape wounderfull place not really overrun with population , Cape Town ofcoarse is also a lovely place taking a little detour to table mountian . I wouldn't go walking around in Durban Town which is a pritty dangerious place , but breakers close to durban is a nice place and Richards bay pritty far apart but nice place for surfing . Indeed the crime is a bit of a prob . Also have a look at the vaal dam and orange river . Egype is one holiday i really enjoyed and would go back there anytime . As someone stated earlier zimbabwe would be a no go atm sad to say .

But being around on bussiness trips and holidays Europe or australia are the places i would choose. Well thats my two cents hope it comes in handy when ya decide to go on your trip.

/Regards

P.S. South Africa is the secound highest murder rate in the world

I'm all about going to various countries...but...

xK1Sovi3tx, are you running away from more than boredom?

I hope you're prepared for the culture shock. Good luck in whatever you choose.

Nope just boredom and i developed a distaste for this life in highschool and such..i graduated quickly so i can get into another "sinking ship" i just want to explore and have a different kind of hardship then majority of "americans" bills,cars,money,relationship problems,media influence etc

There was no personal attack, I attacked your point of view which is very anti-European. I can assure you that there are MANY American tourists working in MANY European cities and I base my opinions actually being here. Just because I am a moderator does not mean that I am not allowed to express a view or contradict someone I believe to be wrong.

And the Med IS Europe so where is your problem.

Didn't we all...

You can see as many differnt cultures and beautiful landscapes, inside the US, if you travel around a bit.

I'm friggin MARRIED to a European. I didn't say anything anti European. The guy asked for a good place to go on an adventure. Right now Europeans are not very nice to Americans and so it doesn't seem like a smart move if he's going to eventually have to try to get a job to make money.

I never stated anything ANTI European. I simply stated my opinion based on many many people I know who have gone to Europe on a trip and been treated like DIRT. My sister is also married to a European, from England. And she's visited quite frequently.

Many of our friends are European. So just get over yourself.

BTW I pointed out the the differentiation was due to my laziness. So when I say "Not Europe" its addressing the American sentiment of "backpacking through Europe" which is an understood area Germany, England, France, Switzerland, etc etc etc.

People generally don't include the Med in that idea of "back packing through Europe" its a cultural thing I don't expect you to understand.

Telling me I am ANTI European is an insult. I know the reality as an American experienced by me and my family and many of our friends and also their friends.

As I stated. You might LIVE there but its not the same thing as visiting it as an American. I find it weird that you think you are more in a position to tell someone what its like to visit Europe as an American when you aren't American.


ETA My husband who is European agrees with me by the way based on our experiences.

If I may...

I recently had some very nice, unpretentious-downright modest and quiet friends of mine go to Europe on a fun filled 14 day honeymoon. It lasted 9 days I believe.

It was a disaster...

No. Lemme re-phrase that...It was a f'n disaster. "Beyond suck" was the way Jason (my buddy) put it. Him and his new wife are pretty well off so I know it wasn't the money factor. They started out in Italy, cussed out everywhere they went as soon as anyone found out they were American. Hotels, bars, street vendors, etc... They left Italy early and headed East, to France-same thing, Belgium-Ditto. At least in the Netherlands, they felt they could eat without someone spitting on their food. On to England, hitting the pub, they thought they were safe because of the language was finally their own. It was all good until some bloke an earshot away found out they were '"Bloody f'n yanks" and then told Jason and his bride what they thought about Bush, Cheney and the rest of the nation. The rest of the bar started in and they left in tears. The next day they left Europe, vowing never to return.

They couldn't leave fast enough...

(And these two are liberal, tree-hugging, vegetarian Democrats!)

$9000 shot down the drain...

Australia, New Zealand (Wahiki Island-north of Aukland is incredible-construction jobs, it's cheap to live there, plenty of friendly college kids, nude beaches and plenty of weed) and Tazmania-thick forests and wonderful people (But watch out for the ants in Tazmania-Beyond wicked..), would be your best bets.

Don't go to Europe.

Yea it didnt seem like he was bashing anybody,just advice:)

i'm young and in the same boat pretty much man, however in this day in age you kinda need financial aims or goals at least unless you plan to move somewhere tropical and live off the land, thats never a bad idea... I suggest only what i myself am going to do and that is finnish school (college or university) and THEN go venture off to see the world, that way i have no time limits and can basically go off on a whim backpacking about without any kind of commitments binding me down. The upsides to finnishing college or univ outweigh just going off right after highschool because that way, once you have your ticket in school i.e. some kind of diploma, the world is your oyster so i mean if you went somewhere and absolutly fell in love with it, since you got a diploma theres little stopping you from settling down wherever you end up doing what you went to school for in the first place. Cheers mate , hope the best for your travels.

sorry i didnt read the whole thing, but i suggest you learn to be a labourer for roofing or say concrete forming or something, learn at least the basics of some kind of trade thats gonna be done all over the world that way if you did get strapped for cash , if you know how to work, the money is right there... and yah be humble to strangers, remember people can tell your from outta town so be polite and smile remember despite language barriers theres always the universal language of good intentions and people will naturally pick up on that....

all and all if you dont have any skills in trades or tickets in post secondary school, i really suggest you learn some stuff before you take off... trust me ive thought it out myself, but realisticly if you dont know how to provide a service your screwed because you need money especially if your a stranger to the land...

Fair enough. Here's my advice:

If you decide to go to Cyprus you can probably get a job in Larnaca or Limmasol. These are beach towns. You're in luck too because the nicer side of Cyprus is the Turkish side, (Well as far as beaches go) but when we went we were only on the Greek side.

There are lots of places that rent motorbikes and lots of restaurants there that you should be able to pick up a job at.

You should definitely find out which areas will allow people to work off the books no matter where you go. Also look into youth hostels which are cheaper than hotels.

You should be very careful if you go into places that have strict drug laws (like life in prison strict and death penalty strict) because even if you don't carry anything if people know you are randomly traveling they could plant on you. So be aware of that.

In addition try looking on Craigslist. There are links for countries all over the world and you could sort out some of your questions this way.

Good luck and have fun. I think its a great idea.

Ha well i am one of those crazy vegetarians,not so much liberal (to many labels these days) as an independant,im not going more or less to eat in nice places or any of that,im going for history,i just want to goto germany for ww2 sites,russia for stalin and lenin/communist interests(im not a comi;) ha) and sparta for obiously the culture aspect... and thats all i really want to see in europe..i realize russia is horrible for crime and im a little nervous,ive learned enough russian and german to hold a conversation when i go to the country...(ive been planning this for a couple years like i said) so ive been trying to prepare myself and i would lie and say im canadian

The best thing to do is to go where your heart leads you .

well you have been alot of help to me truethat,i apreciate it very much! i will look on craigslist,thats a good idea,im glad no one really shot down my idea of leaving on a whim,maybe europe isent the best place to start but i assumed id get responses like "ZOMG YOU ARE SO STUPID FOR JUST LEAVING" and all that,but i think being young is a good justification for it and i can do it because im somewhat a kid considered still and i would love to live abroad for awhile

I think this is much more valuable than college right now. Seeing the world is a wonderful goal and the truth is the older you get with more responsibilities the harder it is to do.

Ex. I have three kids so it costs my family over $5,000 just in plane fair to Cyprus. Now's the time!


ETA If by chance you are in college you can check out to see if your school offers an exchange program. My sister studied in England for a year and loved it. Though that was a while ago.

In addition in my college they regularly offer exchanges to China and Africa. So see if they have something like that. Then you'd pay a fraction of the cost, you could take out a student loan to cover it and you'd be covered as far as housing and meals go.

thats what i was saying! my grandmother was like wait a few years and plan it out,but thats how some people get stuck and dont do it for awhile(no disrespect to anyone) but my dad is like LEAVE NOW! haha

Oopps one last thing. Depending on where you live you might be able to swap your apartment with someone!

I just checked out craigslist and was drooling over some of the apartments they were renting!

If you don't have a lot of travel experience you might consider French Canada first. There are (of course) certain skills that you develop living on the cheap in a foreign country. It's better to develop these BEFORE you go to a place thats totally different from your home, like Africa. Then when you DO go to Africa you'll be able to enjoy it without scrambling around figuring out how to live as an ex-patriot.

I love travelling on the cheap. I've hiked through the Andes, parts of Africa, Indonesia, etc. I've lived on the road for years at a time. I simply couldn't have done this if I hadn't lived in England and France first. Now, from what other people here write, England and France are so hostile to American politics (I don't blame them) that they aren't fun places for Americans to visit. That's why I suggest Canada. It's not exotic but it's a good place to start.

BTW, if you do any exotic travel, get all your travel shots and get them HERE. Sometimes when you get shots in Africa (say, you spontaneously decided to travel to a place with Yellow Fever and went to get a shot at a local clinic...) they inject roomfuls of people at one time and use the same needle on everyone. Travel shots are a pain in the neck but if you're living cheaply you really, really need them. Maybe that's another reason to do Canada first.

While I'm dispensing boring travel advice:

If I were you, I'd aim to leave with $300-$500 if you're going some place other than Canada. If travelling turns out to be "your thing", the first couple days after you land in a foreign country for the first time will be this incredible high you remember for the rest of your life. You find some hostel were you can stash your luggage and get over your jet lag, then you step out on the street and... you did it! You're actually there. It's a feeling of power and freedom and a realization that you CAN make your life interesting. It's one of the best feelings in the world. If you only have a hundred bucks you're going to have to start worrying about money right away.

It's so much more pleasant to savor the fun of it all and get over the jet lag before you start dealing with money.

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Regarding killing animals for food: if you don't have a lot of hunting experience this is going to be difficult. You'll have trouble bringing a gun with you (and don't try to smuggle!). In most countries, you can't just go to a store and buy a gun. And you don't want to deal with the kind of people who'll sell you one on the side. Fishing is a good way to get food and you won't have trouble bringing a fishing pole around.

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I hope I'm not raining on your parade with this practical advice. I think travelling is a wonderful idea and you're going to have a blast. Just prep up a little before you leave (like, learn how to fillet a fish). And get a little cash together so you can take time out to enjoy yourself.

Why do you only have twenty days to decide? You're 18 years old. Hell, you might have 80 years to decide.

Europe is a nice place. But be sure you know exactly what you're doing, and plan everything out beforehand.

Truethat, if anyone is gonna be doing an exchange program to China ect, it's best for them to speak basic mandarin and be able to read most - if not all - Chinese letters. It's not for really for anyone who only speaks english - being that you'll be living with a Chinese family in a Village/City.