Hello everyone, today I'm going to review my first solo trip to Europe, which took place from April 6th to 19th, 2016.



This trip was a solo adventure and my first trip to Europe. I chose to visit France, Switzerland, and Italy, with a focus on France. As usual, I aimed for budget-friendly travel, booking cheap flights and staying in shared rooms. However, I still indulged in plenty of sightseeing and delicious food, as is my style. My expenses are summarized below.



When it comes to Europe, many people may not even think or dream that they will have the opportunity to visit. It may seem like a distant place for many people. I am one of those people who used to think that way, so I chose to travel to nearby countries in Asia first. I have been to many countries, some of them multiple times. I felt that it was time to find new places that were different from Asia. So I looked to Europe.


This was another trip that I felt excited and challenged by, as I was traveling alone and going to Europe for the first time. It was also my first time sleeping in a shared room with other people, and I hadn't planned the trip very well beforehand. I was basically just going to figure things out as I went along. But this was actually one of the best parts of the trip, because it forced me to use all of my survival skills. I learned so much about traveling on this trip, and it was a truly valuable experience.




This review is an overview of the trip, not a detailed itinerary of each destination. I will be doing separate reviews for each place. If you would like to read a more detailed itinerary or have any questions, please feel free to message me on my page below.



For those who like my travel style and writing reviews, you can follow me on
Fanpage : https://www.facebook.com/MJourneyPrabin
I have the opportunity to travel regularly. I will review it for you to follow often. ^^



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Here are some of my previous reviews, in case you haven't read them yet.

1. [CR]Review A trip for teenagers to travel to Japan on their own for the first time is not difficult and does not cost as much as you think.

Link >>> http://pantip.com/topic/32965847

2. [CR] Review a teenager's trip to conquer the snow, travel to Korea on your own, on a budget

Link >>> http://pantip.com/topic/33356101

3. [CR]Review Solo backpacking trip to Japan & Malaysia for only 14,2XX baht

Link >>> http://pantip.com/topic/33614863

4. [CR]Review A teenager's trip to "Taiwan" for the first time by themselves, not difficult and doesn't require a lot of budget

Link >>> http://pantip.com/topic/33978116

5. [CR]Review Hong Kong trip by yourself 3 days 2 nights, just this much, you can travel to the fullest and don't need to spend a lot of budget. Fly Cathay Pacific

Link >>> http://pantip.com/topic/34934967>>> The source of this trip request

Starting with booking a round-trip ticket from Bangkok to Paris for 12,741 baht. When I saw the page, my friend told me about the promotion, I immediately booked it. I didn't invite anyone. When you find a good deal, you have to make a decision quickly or it will be gone. Actually, I booked it in advance because I had to apply for a visa. I don't know if it will be approved. I booked it a year in advance.



You can find reviews of Jet Airways at this link:

[CR]Review Jet Airways flight from Bangkok to Paris with a stopover in Mumbai for a great price of 12,741 baht.

http://pantip.com/topic/35088517

>>> Got the tickets, let's move on to the visa.





90 days before the trip, I applied for a Schengen visa for France through TLS. As soon as it was available, I applied for it. I wanted to know quickly whether it would be approved or not. It only took 3 working days to find out that it was approved. It was very fast. I have shared my experience of preparing documents for a visa application in this thread. You can check it out. Schengen visa for France is easy to get. Travel plans, accommodation bookings, train bookings or flight tickets between cities are not required. You only need to submit a few documents to apply. See the details in the thread.



"Sharing the experience of applying for a Schengen visa (France) for the first time, it's not as difficult as you think. Europe is not as far away as you dream."

http://pantip.com/topic/34722108>>> Travel plan



I only started planning my trip after my visa was approved. At first, I was overwhelmed by all the information, but I gradually read reviews and watched travel shows to get a general idea of what to expect. To be honest, I didn't have much time to prepare for this trip due to work and other commitments. I even canceled the trip at first, but many people encouraged me to go since I had already booked my tickets and visa. Some things had already been paid for as well. So, I decided to go six days before the trip.



And this is my travel plan, which I brought with me on the day of travel.

The text mentions that there is only a plan to get to the hotel and travel across the city. It doesn't say which days they will go where or how they will get there. This is because they didn't have enough time to prepare. So they plan to find information day by day. Their main goal is to get to their accommodation first and then figure out the rest later. (If anyone thinks they want a travel plan file, there really isn't one for this trip. There's only what's mentioned above.)



Before the trip, I felt quite apprehensive. Normally, if I'm going somewhere, I need to have everything planned out perfectly. How to get there, which station to get off at, which exit to take, all this information needs to be in my plan. But this trip, I didn't have any. I happened to read a comment that said, "Europe is much easier to travel around than Japan." So I thought, "Well, I've already been to Japan solo, so let's try going solo in Europe. If I can get through this trip, it will be a truly valuable travel experience."



This trip can be considered as another trip that I felt challenged my survival skills abroad quite a bit. Because

1. No travel plan yet. Will decide where to go based on the weather and search for travel information and attractions day by day.

2. It was my first time sleeping in a dorm with other people, and it was a great experience for this trip.

3. The longest flight of my life. It's really far. It's the first time I've been on a flight this long. I've already finished watching 3 movies and we're still not there.

4. Traveling alone, we can't rely on others. We have to rely on ourselves. We have to survive on our own. >>> Things to watch out for

Don't think that everything will be beautiful. There are still things we need to be careful about when traveling to Paris or Italy. That is, we must be careful of pickpocketing gangs, which from what I've read in reviews, are very common. They come in many forms. Most of them are on the train or at various tourist attractions.



>>>The prevention methods I use are

1. Keep your money and passport in a small pouch that you can wear around your waist or chest, and then put on a jacket over it. Then, take out only enough money for the day's expenses.

2. When boarding the train, try to avoid crowded carriages. If someone approaches you closely, even though there are plenty of empty seats, walk away. Don't worry about being rude or losing your manners.

3. Buy a small padlock to lock your backpack zipper.

4. When I am in my accommodation, if I have to leave the room, no matter how long or short, I will always lock up my belongings. I will not leave any opportunity for theft.

5. Avoid going to places that are risky or feel dangerous.

6. Pack your bags and belongings to make yourself as mobile as possible. Don't carry anything bulky.

7. When you have to be in a crowded place and can't avoid it, keep your backpack or other belongings in front of you or in a place where you can see them.

8. I will prepare a bicycle lock to lock my luggage when I take the train across the city. This is to prevent people from taking my luggage, whether intentionally or unintentionally.





Roughly speaking, it's like this. You have to be careful when traveling. Until the end of my trip, I was able to travel safely and securely. Nothing bad happened.



>>>Websites for booking train tickets across cities or across countries in Europe.


http://www.sncf.com/

http://www.raileurope.com/

Let's compare prices. Book the cheaper one. >>> Summary of expenses



This trip was a budget-friendly one, with total expenses amounting to approximately 54,850 baht. This is considered quite affordable for a 14-day trip covering 3 countries. The focus was on saving on flight tickets and accommodation, while other expenses like food and sightseeing were kept within normal limits.



This trip, I only brought 500 EUR in cash, which is about 19,500 baht.

and withdrew another 300 CHF, or about 11,000 baht, from Switzerland.

I was able to exchange about 24,000 baht back because I actually used very little cash.

The ones that accept cards are those that accept credit cards. Especially in France, having a credit card is much more convenient than having cash. You can use your card for everything, no matter how much it costs. The ticket machines and vending machines all accept cards. It's very convenient.

1. Airline ticket



Nowadays, flight tickets to Europe are quite cheap. Round-trip tickets are often available for around 10,000-18,000 baht. For example, I booked a Jet Airways ticket for 12,741 baht round-trip, which is very cheap. Thanks to this cheap ticket, this trip became possible.



You can find reviews of Jet Airways at this link.

[CR]Review Jet Airways flight from Bangkok to Paris with a stopover in Mumbai for a great price of 12,741 baht.

http://pantip.com/topic/35088517





2. Accommodation

Traveling solo, I opted for a hostel dorm room instead of a private room, which would have been significantly more expensive. Choosing a dorm room helped me save a considerable amount on accommodation costs. For the entire 12-night trip, I spent approximately 11,125 baht on lodging.



Accommodation options are available to suit all budgets. Each individual may have different preferences.

I stayed at a total of 5 accommodations. I have provided separate reviews for each, which you can find below.

[CR]Review 5 Budget-Friendly Accommodations in Europe for Travelers, with Tips on Preparing for Shared Sleeping Arrangements


http://pantip.com/topic/35096471



3. Food and eating

If you want to save money on food, bring your own snacks. I brought a lot on this trip, like canned food, instant noodles, and bread, which are easy to carry and have a long shelf life.

For the most part, we only eat out once or twice a day, as we have breakfast at our accommodation and sometimes bring our own food for dinner.

The food outside that I buy to eat is usually simple. Most foreigners eat things like burgers, sandwiches, and ham bread. There are a lot of them for sale, and the price is around 3-10 euros. My usual restaurant is McDonald's. It's easy to order and eat, haha.





4. Transportation within the city, or across cities and countries

In Paris and Italy, you can use the Metro. The prices are not expensive, and you won't spend a lot if you're only traveling within the city.

For international trains, it's best to book well in advance to get the best deals. You can also compare prices with low-cost airlines like Transavia, easyJet, and Ryanair if you're booking closer to your travel date.



My budget-friendly travel doesn't mean I have to starve myself or make myself uncomfortable. I eat when I'm hungry, rest when I'm tired, and travel solo with ease. I focus on saving money on accommodation and airfare, and then I enjoy myself to the fullest with sightseeing and eating.



As you can see, traveling to Europe doesn't have to be as expensive as you might think. Anyone can go!

Let's start at *** Paris, France ***





Upon arriving in Paris, I must say it felt like a dream come true. I never thought I would ever get to visit, but finally, I had the opportunity. Paris is an incredibly charming city, a large metropolis steeped in history. It's no wonder that France has been the world's top tourist destination for many years in a row.



As I wandered around, I couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer scale of everything. It made me think back to the French colonial era. Their cities have been developed for a very long time. Even their trains, which have been around for ages, are now considered outdated.



Paris is a truly magnificent city, boasting a grand scale and impressive architecture.



Here is the translation:

Here are the tourist attractions in Paris that I visited:

Please note that I have only selected the places that I wanted to visit + I also checked the weather conditions for each day. Because during the time I went, it rained for many days.





1. Eiffel Tower <<<



The Eiffel Tower is a landmark of France. When I first came out of the train station and saw the Eiffel Tower, I was very excited. The Eiffel Tower is tall, prominent and majestic. No matter where I walked, I always had to look back at the Eiffel Tower because it was so prominent.



When you are at the Eiffel Tower, be careful. There will be people who come up to you and ask if you speak English. They will be holding a piece of paper or a notebook. Do not talk to them. It seems like they want you to write your name to donate money. There are many people like this.



Travel

- Take Metro line 6 or 9 to Trocadero station. Follow the signs for Tour Eiffel and you will be there.

Paris also has cherry blossom trees. I saw a lot of them when I left the airport. If they planted more, it would be as beautiful as Japan, I'm sure.


2. Montmartre (Montmarte & Sacre Couer Basilica) <<<


The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is located on the hill of Montmartre, a high hill that offers a view of the city of Paris. It is beautiful both day and night.



Travel

  • Take Metro Line 2 to Anvers station. Follow the signs for Sacre-Coeur and you will find it.


The area is beautifully decorated with flowers.


3. The Louvre Museum <<<


It is a very large museum. It houses many famous works of art. My goal for coming here is to finally see the Mona Lisa painting in person.



Travel

- Take Metro Line 1 or 7 and get off at Palais Royal Musee du Louvre station. Follow the signs for Musee du Louvre and you will find it.

Here it is, the Mona Lisa painting. I've seen it, I can go now. Haha.


The sun is setting. The photo was taken around 8pm.



This sentence is in Thai and translates to:

"In Paris, during the month of April, it gets dark around 9 pm."

4.Notre Dame Cathedral <<<



The Notre Dame Cathedral is truly magnificent and grand. The top of the cathedral is accessible to visitors. I found myself chuckling at this point. As I was about to leave, I noticed a queue beside the cathedral and joined it without knowing what it was for. I assumed it must be for going up to the top, and probably free of charge. As I made my way up, I encountered a ticket booth and ended up paying 10 euros in a daze. I had no idea what awaited me up there.



Travel

- Take the RER B or C train to St.Michel Notre-Dame station. There are signs to follow, and the exit is right in front of you.



As I reached the top, the view took my breath away. It was the same view I had seen countless times in reviews and on postcards. It's a popular spot, a must-see for anyone visiting. I couldn't stop taking pictures. It's a shame the sky was a bit overcast today, but even so, I don't regret spending the money to come up here. The view is definitely worth it.



I've arrived at the area next to the church. The atmosphere is fantastic today. I'm sitting on a chair, watching people and taking in the scenery. I'm really enjoying this time. I used to wonder why foreigners like to sit in the sun so much. Isn't it hot? But now that I've tried it myself, I understand. Sitting in the sun and taking in the scenery is both warm and relaxing. Haha!



5. Palace of Versailles <<<



Upon arrival, I must say, why is it so big and magnificent? Today, I intend to visit only the garden. The garden entrance fee is 10 euros.





Travel

- Take the RER C line to Versailles RC Chateau station, which is the terminus. Upon exiting the station, turn right and walk until you reach an intersection. Then turn left and continue walking straight ahead. You will find it there.



The garden is just as grand as the palace itself. Today's weather is perfect, you can spend the whole day exploring the garden. Walk around and see all the different parts, it's really huge.


The people here are all out and about, doing various activities, soaking up the sun. It looks like a very relaxing day. The atmosphere is truly wonderful today.


6.Arc de Triomphe <<<



Travel

- Take Metro lines 1, 2, 6, or RER A to Charles de Gaulle Etoile station. Follow the signs for Arc de Triomphe.



Emerging from the train station, the Victory Monument stood prominently in the center of a roundabout with numerous vehicles passing by. Tourists were busy taking pictures.

In the late afternoon, go up to the Arc de Triomphe to wait for the last light and the beautiful night lights. The intersection of the road that cuts through the Arc de Triomphe roundabout. The cost is 12 euros.


7. Champs-Élysées



Travel

  • Take Metro lines 1, 2, 6, or RER A to Charles de Gaulle Etoile station, exit 1 Champs Elysees.



Looking from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, the street with the Ferris wheel is the Champs-Élysées.

8.Paris Opera House <<<





Travel

- Take Metro lines 3, 7, or 8 to the Opera station. The RoissyBus to and from CDG Airport also stops here.

Evening light, the sun is setting.

*** Switzerland Switzerland ***



Crossing over to Switzerland for 4 days, I must say that the atmosphere is completely different from Paris. Paris is the ultimate big, magnificent city, while Switzerland is the ultimate natural beauty of this world. I feel very envious of the people here who get to live amidst such beautiful nature.



Living in Switzerland has made it much more relaxing to travel. I don't have to be as vigilant about pickpockets as I used to be, but I'm still careful. It's just a lot more comfortable to travel now.



As the train entered Switzerland, the scenery on both sides was simply breathtaking. Lush green meadows, snow-capped mountains, it's a country whose beauty cannot be captured in photographs. You have to see it with your own eyes to truly appreciate it. The vastness of the natural landscape stretches as far as the eye can see.



Switzerland, what I want to see is beautiful green meadows, I want to see the view of snow-capped mountains, I want to see only these 2 things. I didn't specify where it is, so I tried to find information and choose. Where should I go to see these 2 things at the lowest cost?



I spent 4 days in Switzerland and bought a 4-day Swiss Pass, which was a great way to get around. I was able to visit many different cities in that time.



Basel City <<<


The rain welcomed me to Basel. I stopped to take a picture of the red town hall, which is a symbol of the city. On the way there, I took the tram from Basel SBB station. On the way back, I walked back, haha, enjoying the city along the way.

Grindelwald <<<



I took the train up to Grindelwald Station and enjoyed the surrounding atmosphere. This station is the way up to Jungfrau, but I didn't go up to Jungfrau, so I came to enjoy the atmosphere around Grindelwald because I could use the Swiss pass to get up here.

Many people say that the villages around here are beautiful and have a good atmosphere. It's another place worth staying in this area. So I came up to take a look. It's really beautiful.


Spiez <<<


While waiting for the train to Zermatt, I walked out of Spiez station. It is beautiful and the atmosphere is very good. It is worth staying here, because this station is a station where many trains pass by. To go to many places, you have to stop at this station to change trains.

Zermatt <<<


Of course, when you come here, you have to see the Matterhorn. Today the weather is very good, the sun is very strong, but it is not hot, but it is black.

To reach the Matterhorn viewpoint, you must ascend to the Gornergrat peak.


Lauterbrunnen <<<





This is another way to get to Jungfrau. Stop by to see the atmosphere and walk around again. I've read some people arguing that if you want to go up to Jungfrau, try staying in Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, which is more beautiful than staying in Interlaken. So this trip, I explored both. But I think both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald have a good atmosphere, quiet and without too many people. I don't really like it. Anyway, I think staying in Interlaken would be better. For me.



Bern <<<



Visiting the capital of Switzerland. Today, the sky is not cooperating again. The sky is cloudy. When I arrived in Bern, I must say that I came to visit without looking at much information beforehand. I picked up a tourist map at the train station and started walking around. I happened to have to change trains to Lucerne, so I stopped by to visit first.

The clock tower, a symbol of this city.


They said there are bears to see here. Just walk straight from the clock tower and you'll find them. Do you see the bears? There are 3 of them.


Lucerne <<<


I have arrived in Lucerne. I stopped by to take a picture of the Chapel Bridge, the symbol of the city. Walk out in front of Lucerne train station, cross the road to the left, and you will find it. It's easy to find.



Afterwards, take a boat trip on Lake Lucerne to travel to Mt. Rigi, renowned as the Queen of the Swiss Mountains.



It takes about 1 hour by boat to reach Vitznau pier, where you can take the train up to Mt. Rigi. If you have a Swiss Pass, this route is free of charge. You don't have to pay anything extra for the boat trip or the train ride up to Mt. Rigi.


The view is beautiful from the train window.



This is the Rigi summit, where the drama "Don't Forget Me" was filmed. If anyone has seen it,


The view is beautiful and very wide. You can see as far as the eye can see. You can also see the city below. The actual place is really big.


On the way down, I met DJ Put and Khun Jui Warattaya. We took the train down from Mount Rigi together. They were both lovely and down-to-earth.



It was a total coincidence! There are many ways to get down from Mount Rigi, and most people take the same route they came up on. But I chose to take a different route to see different views. Not many people were on this route. At the first station, there were only about 7 people. I thought that was all, but when I got off at the next station, I saw DJ Put and his wife, Jui, getting on the train. I didn't dare ask for a photo while we were on the train, but when we got off, a Thai person who was also traveling with us on the mountain went up to ask for a photo, so I got to take one too! Haha. I was really impressed. They were very friendly. I'll keep my face out of the photo though. I don't want to be overshadowed by the celebrities! Haha. Actually, there were a lot of celebrities around during my trip. I saw some in Paris, Switzerland, and even Milan. But I didn't meet any of the others. Haha.



The last stop in Switzerland is a picture of a tram. Each city has a tram, and people walk past each other without any barriers. Trams and cars share the same road, which is a strange sight.

*** Milan, Italy ***





I have arrived in Italy. This trip, I only have 2 days in Italy, so I chose to stay in Milan. I came to see the atmosphere of Italy for a bit, to see what it's like. Maybe next time I'll have the chance to experience Italy fully. In Milan, the only goal I had was to visit the Duomo. But unfortunately, during my visit, the weather wasn't very good. It rained and was overcast almost the entire day.



The Duomo <<<



Travel

  • Take the Yellow or Red Metro Line and get off at Duomo Station. You can exit from any exit.



Visiting the Duomo, I recommend going up to the rooftop. You'll realize how grand and detailed it is, befitting its 500-year construction period.


The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping center is perfect for shoppers, but for me it was just a place to stroll and soak up the atmosphere. Be sure to watch your belongings closely when walking here, as it gets very crowded.



The atmosphere at night around the Duomo


End of review.



As mentioned above, this review is an overview of the trip and does not go into great detail about each destination. I will be doing separate reviews for each place, so stay tuned for those if you'd like a more detailed breakdown of the itinerary.



Please follow the page "M Pa Bin" for updates on reviews. We will keep you updated.

Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/MJourneyPrabin For those who have read to the end, I hope this post will inspire you to try traveling.



Traveling to Europe is not difficult. If you can travel to Japan, you can also travel to Europe. This is because transportation in Europe, especially by train, is easy and not as complicated as in Japan.



And the budget isn't that much. If you travel for a few days, it probably won't cost that much. But if you're going all the way, make the most of it. Go for several days, several countries, to make it worth the long flight. Plane tickets to Europe are so cheap these days, sometimes even cheaper than going to Japan.



As for visas, it's not that difficult to get one. Especially if you have a permanent job, it's easy to get approved.



Someone once said, "While you have a regular job and the energy to travel, go to faraway places first because it's difficult to get there and you need a visa. As for nearby places, you can go anytime because you don't need a visa." I agree. If you have plans to go somewhere, go when it's easy to get a visa.



Europe is definitely a must-visit destination. The cities, countries, and houses are truly magnificent and impressive. I was amazed by what I saw.



If you can't find a travel companion, go solo! You'll be surprised to find that many people travel alone. From my experience, I've met many solo travelers at accommodations and tourist attractions.



"Traveling alone is not difficult, just be brave."

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