Month Long Adventure

Just realised who the OP is So the wee tent's off on its' travels? Good lad

Trouble no one about their religion;

respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours.

~Chief Tecumseh~

 and i don't blame him. Even within this country bus and train travel can be a real eye opener.

There's a strata (I'm reluctant to say class as it normally brings out 'but my father worked down the mines' comments) of folk in the UK, maybe other countries too, who hate to think they may be 'tourist's'.   I think travellers are often tourists, some if not most of the time.  Tourists as I see defined above are really just static holiday makers.

I never Interrailed as it was too expensive for me back in my student days ('79-82) so I had to hitch. I don't know if anybody still does that anywhere in Europe anymore. It's still possible here in Turkey, though the buses and trains are cheap enough that you don't have to.

I did sometimes do long train journeys on Transalpino tickets and enjoyed it. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed Interrail though. I had friends who did it and you had to be travelling pretty constantly to make it worth the cost. I think the month of train journeys is different from the one or two long journeys to our destinations I (and I think Kate and others) are remembering.

To the OP. It might be worth deciding where you want to see, and then working out the cost of train travel between those places and comparing it to the interrail cost. I'm out of touch with these things, but in the old days, travelling as you are planning to, with days of sightseeing + walking in between the train journeys, Interrail wouldn't have been the cheapest option.

Anybody know if there's a current equivalent of Transalpino?

William, I did interrailing as well as some one off long-distance train journies. I used my interrail ticket to visit Roman sites and museums in central and northern Italy, southern France and the Rhineland when I was a 3rd year undergrad. Although it was a research trip, the experience of train travel round Europe was equally educational, and perhaps more important in terms of life skills, viz how to avoid unwanted amorous advances from hairy surgeons.

Moonlight Shadow wrote (see)

Still to watch that movie Paddy, sounds nice! Destiny was toying with me for that trip as I had missed my connection in Zurich the night before so decied to hang around for a day...and we left each other in Vienna...<lost youth melancholy>

Ah, Before Sunrise.  Flippin' excellent film.  Had me blubbing like a girl.  Don't be put off by the fact that it's directed and co-written by Richard Linklater, who's probably best known for School of Rock. 

Parky Again wrote (see)

You left out the irritating self-abusers who play with their laptops on trains bedders. I repeat that some people have an attention span, others don't.

 I'm guessing the get-out clause with that statement is 'play' but what, FFS, is wrong with using a laptop on a train?  I've got to travel to London & back tomorrow on the train - total about 6 hours & will likely be on the laptop most of the way.  

Jake wrote (see)

Moonlight Shadow wrote (see)

Still to watch that movie Paddy, sounds nice! Destiny was toying with me for that trip as I had missed my connection in Zurich the night before so decied to hang around for a day...and we left each other in Vienna...<lost youth melancholy>

Ah, Before Sunrise.  Flippin' excellent film.  Had me blubbing like a girl.  Don't be put off by the fact that it's directed and co-written by Richard Linklater, who's probably best known for School of Rock. 

Ah... but do they ever meet again?

Don't forget to watch Before Sunset!

Paddy Dillon wrote (see)

Jake wrote (see)

Moonlight Shadow wrote (see)

Still to watch that movie Paddy, sounds nice! Destiny was toying with me for that trip as I had missed my connection in Zurich the night before so decied to hang around for a day...and we left each other in Vienna...<lost youth melancholy>

Ah, Before Sunrise.  Flippin' excellent film.  Had me blubbing like a girl.  Don't be put off by the fact that it's directed and co-written by Richard Linklater, who's probably best known for School of Rock. 

Ah... but do they ever meet again?

Don't forget to watch Before Sunset!

Moonlight Shadow, Lets hope I can have such a romantic (or so it seems now ) holiday romance. I plan on keeping my stop in amsterdam short, easy to get very unproductive.

 Montgomery Wick, I have just recieved Rory Galleghers entire remastered collection. I have plenty of listening lined up if needed.

Kev, Thanks for the comment. The wee tent has had a few nights out (including one very drunk night in which I dont remeber getting back to it ), but the travels will be the real test. I would love to know what the top funniest qoute on here is. Or do I have to discover it for myself?

William, thanks for your advice. They have an interailing ticket which allows you to travel 22 days within a month which is cheaper than just a month ticket, so If I have a defiante route then it will allow me to plan around that. However I have to admit the freedom of the month pass is very appealing. I shall have to see how funds are closer to my leaving date.

Paddy, I will be sure to check out the films, they may not help with the travels, but at least they will pass an evening.

Thanks again all for the imput. The plans are really starting to take shape.

Are you planning to wild camp in/near Amsterdam...?

One day stop off. I think for the city thats in it, I will be getting a hostel that night.

I also have a good friend who's from Utrecht, so it may be amsterdam during the day, then the train out to utrecht for the evening.