There are a few things that will be very helpful to know before you start planning your trip...
There are always options to help save you money if you look hard enough.One such option is to get an International Student ID. Many tourist attractions and sites may offer you discounted prices if you show this card. It does cost $25 and you must prove that you are a student, but if it saves you a little money, why not.
Another benefit is becoming a member of Hosteling International(HI). Anyonw can get this membership. It is free for anyone under 18, it cost $28 a year for those between 18-54, and $18 for anyone over the age of 55. Having this membership wil allow you to stay at any HI Hostel and may even give you a discount in some cases.
This next bit of advice may be common sense but i am going to say it anyway...You are backpacking so make sure you buy a backpacking backpack. It is important that you get a good one as you will be carrying everything you tkae and if the backpack does not fit properly you can hurt yourself. These backpacks can be pretty expensive which is why you should start looking early...you might find a sale. Their prices can range from $150 to $350 or more depending on who big you want it.
Another common mistake is packing too much. I admit that my sister and I are guilty of this. You really only need to pack enough clothes for a week or a week and a half. Trust me... you do not want to carry more. You will not wear half of the things you pack, and you also have to remember that you will be buying things so your backpack should have empty space when you leave. It is a good idea to bring a light blanket or sheet. Some hostels do not offer this. I actually used mine when we stayed at a hostel in Greece. It was not airconditioned and it was about 100 degrees outside. My sister and I ended up sleeping on the balcony with our blankets.
If you plan to travel by ferry to a distination you should know this. The cheapest tickets are always for deck space... Which literally mean you will be sleeping where you can find space on the deck of the ship. There are also seats avaliable as well as rooms but they can be very expensive.
Okay... I think for my last bit of information I will tell you to NEVER get on public transportation without a ticket. I will tell you a story...My sister and I had arrived on the island of Ischia off the coast of Naples. As we searched for our hosteland bus driver told us that he knew where we were going and that he was headed that way. We didn't even think to ask about a ticket on such a small island. Well that was a mistake. I am sure they get lots of stupid tourist who do this so they have police that jump from bus to bus asking for tickets. Well we didn't have one. Long story short we ended up being fined and we had to find a post office the next day to pay the ticket. I believe it was about $70 each for not buying a $1 ticket. DO NOT make this mistake...It is very liekly that you will get caught eventually. If you dont know how much it is or if there is no ticket booth chances are that the bus driver sells the tickets... MAKE them give you one.
I hope this advice has been helpful make sure you check out the other parts of the site to learn some more.
International Student ID
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