Party is Party and it's all the same most of the time. It's no fun to spend the next day hungover on the walking tour. It's no fun to not remember your awesome night in Prague or whatever. You normally won't meet anyone that awesome at a club, mainly just guidos. Bars are nice, laid back places, and cheaper also. You can get a feel for the local nightlife and talk to people who aren't just wanting to...whatever like at clubs. If you want to dance with your girlfriends, like we did in Prague, then go dance! But after a night of trying all the local beers and special liquors and dancing into the morning at da club, getting woke up by the other people in your hostel room at 8:30 a.m., it's probably a once a trip thing, not every night.
No more 3x5's.John Mayer was wise with that song. Much of the moment is lost when spent behind a camera lens. Not to mention all those hundreds of photos to go through are really annoying, most being of the same architecture, the same streets, oh look the same lake. For me it's that way anyway, though i'm learning, especially with a new incredibly slow laptop. For others who like to have pictures of themselves, much of them can look completely posed, fake, which um they are, so put the camera down for awhile. Have it with you of course, but shoot only what really has meaning for you-that captures the moment you are actually having. Because really, how many of those pictures are you going to look back upon later.
Backpacks or suitcase?It's a hard decision. If you're flying on a discount airline, you'll have to do the backpack, but make sure the hostel you're at let's you leave it there, if you've got an early checkout and late departure. Duffle bags suck. Backpacks can get really heavy. However, suitcases are really annoying on metros, trams, stairs, and all of those cobblestone walkways in Europe that need to be fixed.
HostelsNever never do more than a 6 person bedroom. Six people is enough. Research and call the hell out of a hostel before you go. Ask all these questions: Can I leave my bags at the hostel for the day, after I check out? Do you have free breakfast? (Always nice) Can I do laundry there? Is there a full bathroom in my room or what is the bathroom situation like? How late can I check in and out? How much is the key deposit? The check all the reviews on hostel websites, such as hostelworld.com, and make sure you can get there easily from the metro stop or wherever you're coming from. All in all though, choose to stay in a hostel if you're under 27. They can be super nice, helpful, inexpensive places.
Travel is stressfulOrganizing the trains and metro lines to take to get to the airport on time, trying to find the most inexpensive flights, trying to book a nice cheap hostel, researching the city and things to do, and doing all this planning around the people you're going with-trying to make it fit in their budget and their schedule can be really stressful. It's easiest to travel with someone with a similar budget to your's, whom is as excited as you are for the trip, so you know they won't flake out last minute after you already bought tickets, who isn't scared to stay in a hostel or with couchsurfers, who enjoys the same activities as you do (beaches, eating, hiking, outdoors), and who has the same sense of time as you do. Some people like no plans, some like some plans, but then some have to have everything planned.
Talk a lot before you leave, and agree what you want to do. They may have like 100 things they want to see, but if you don't want to be exhausted and miserable try to compromise and narrow it down a little if you're within a time limit.
Say yes, but then also say noDon't be afraid to say to know to the sweet man turned ugly after refusing to buy his cheese he shoved into your hands to taste. You didn't ask for it. Don't be afraid to say yes to meeting up with some people you met earlier on a scuba diving excursion at a bar later if they are nice. Say yes to new foods. No to American foods you can have when you go home. Go with your instincts on people, but sadly from what i've learned, if you're a young nice american tourist/backpacker you have to be careful.
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