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The unlimited train pass could be awesome but it depends on how flexible you want your plans to be - if you're ok booking your trips in advance, it could actually be cheaper to do that. I've been putting a lot of research into it for my own ridiculously wide-spanning eurotrip (Istanbul --> Paris, and everywhere in between) and this guy has been super helpful: http://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-tickets.htm. But the train is definitely the way to go if you want to be able to just jump on whatever train strikes your fancy...
Awesome, thanks! Well, there are definitely some catches. Not all trains can just be "hopped" when you fancy. Some must be reserved in advance while others can't be reserved. Oi. Plus? There's a huge sale going on that ends on 3/29 where you can get free days and my 1st class global pass would only cost me $800. But I haven't even bought my plane ticket yet. So much to do!
 
Yes.


All these second look invites with "Business Casual" make me laugh because I know that generally means no jeans, etc but....If I showed up in California business casual I would probably get thrown out. I seriously had to buy new clothes for Vandy's "Business Casual with sports coat required." <-- SPORTS COAT!? I don't own one of those! :laugh: (well I do now)

Tie underneath? Too much? :laugh:
 
The unlimited train pass could be awesome but it depends on how flexible you want your plans to be - if you're ok booking your trips in advance, it could actually be cheaper to do that. I've been putting a lot of research into it for my own ridiculously wide-spanning eurotrip (Istanbul --> Paris, and everywhere in between) and this guy has been super helpful: http://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-tickets.htm. But the train is definitely the way to go if you want to be able to just jump on whatever train strikes your fancy...

yup love that site !

Awesome, thanks! Well, there are definitely some catches. Not all trains can just be "hopped" when you fancy. Some must be reserved in advance while others can't be reserved. Oi. Plus? There's a huge sale going on that ends on 3/29 where you can get free days and my 1st class global pass would only cost me $800. But I haven't even bought my plane ticket yet. So much to do!

be warned! I couldn't sleep on the trains =( but... I'm a pretty light sleeper.

Tie underneath? Too much? :laugh:

Personally, I think patterned ties underneath seem a bit stuffy. But I'm a fan of plain, simple ties or skinny ones.

6d8874e8eec1cf90c3f273f6a65c9c28.jpg
mens-dress-shirt-under-sweater.jpg
 
yup love that site !



be warned! I couldn't sleep on the trains =( but... I'm a pretty light sleeper.



Personally, I think patterned ties underneath seem a bit stuffy. But I'm a fan of plain, simple ties or skinny ones.

. . .
I'm a very light sleeper, too, but always carry earplugs with me. I also found out, since I can't prove that I'm a student at the moment to get the better student rate on plane tickets, that flying into Dublin, Ireland and taking the train into the continental EU is the way to go ($1200 airfare versus $1900). w00t! Man, I love Ireland, too. I was originally just planning to stick to the continental EU, though, since I've already visited England and Ireland. But hey, I'm not complaining. LoL
 
yup love that site !

be warned! I couldn't sleep on the trains =( but... I'm a pretty light sleeper.

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Yeah that site is super helpful. For the night trains I'm planning on either bringing Melatonin or just putting myself under with some Dramamine... 😀 do people tend to be pretty quiet/respectful on night trains in your experience? Did you get one of those couchette thingies or just a seat? Would've PM'd but I figure this might also be useful for Guero/other 2017ers planning trips...
 
Awesome, thanks! Well, there are definitely some catches. Not all trains can just be "hopped" when you fancy. Some must be reserved in advance while others can't be reserved. Oi. Plus? There's a huge sale going on that ends on 3/29 where you can get free days and my 1st class global pass would only cost me $800. But I haven't even bought my plane ticket yet. So much to do!

For peeps who are doing the Eurorail, a heads up because they're doing away with that deal in the next couple of years. By 2015, I think. Get your backpacking in before it's too late! Posting link as soon as I can find it somewheres


Also this thread is nuts. I'm always two pages behind D:
 
I found eurorail to be a pretty bad deal. Plane flights are ridiculously cheap between some places and if you have you pre-purchase your tickets for some trains anyways, you can get a pretty decent price. We'll see, maybe I will regret not going that route but I don't think so.

Maybe it is just because my trip is all over the place since I had some inflexible things and some parts were coordinated with other people. I am going: London --> Amsterdam --> Brussels --> London --> Madrid --> Dublin --> London --> Paris --> Munich --> Prague --> Berlin --> Home.
 
I found eurorail to be a pretty bad deal. Plane flights are ridiculously cheap between some places and if you have you pre-purchase your tickets for some trains anyways, you can get a pretty decent price. We'll see, maybe I will regret not going that route but I don't think so.

Maybe it is just because my trip is all over the place since I had some inflexible things and some parts were coordinated with other people. I am going: London --> Amsterdam --> Brussels --> London --> Madrid --> Dublin --> London --> Paris --> Munich --> Prague --> Berlin --> Home.

Looks very similar to the agenda I hope to plan, nearly identical actually. I think a huge factor in making the rail so good is that you can plan it so you can sleep and nix extra lodging fees.

Some trains have private sleeping quarters. I think it's all about planning ahead, making reservations, and ensuring you have plenty of "what if" buffer time surrounding your departures.
 
Dude, if you guys go to Vandy's second look, LET ME KNOW! We can all have drinks! 😀

I know! Now, I wish I was going to just so that we could meet up. First round is on me.
 
Has anyone else been procrastinating with filing taxes? I should probably use the return as motivation, but it's hard to care when it'll all go to credit cards anyway. #firstworldproblems
 
You haven't filled yet? Isn't the deadline some time soon?
 
You haven't filled yet? Isn't the deadline some time soon?

Haha yeah it's coming up, but they don't penalize you if they owe you money (only if you owe them money). I haven't filed yet because I'm unsure if I'm eligible for any extra deductions... almost my entire salary went to paying off debt from undergrad, so I'm hoping I can get at least a little extra back somehow. I'll probably just pick up Turbo Tax and knock it out this weekend.

Also, you interviewed at UCR? The acceptance letter indicates they have a lot of financial aid to give out, so I'm really curious to see what the financial package looks like...
 
I didn't actually have any income in 2012 (that's a first in a long while) so I guess I don't have to file? That's kinda nice, except for the part where I'm broke.
 
Wait a minute, when I look up reservations with the Global Rail Pass (e.g., London to Amsterdam), it still charges you for the trip (~$300)!? I thought the Global Rail Pass took care of all the fare... 😕
 
Wait a minute, when I look up reservations with the Global Rail Pass (e.g., London to Amsterdam), it still charges you for the trip (~$300)!? I thought the Global Rail Pass took care of all the fare... 😕

Exactly why I didn't think eurorail was a good idea. 😛 you have to pay extra for some routes, some trains, and sleeper cars I think. My roundtrip train tickets were from London to Amsterdam were less than 300 total. Including the stop over in Brussels.
 
Also, you interviewed at UCR? The acceptance letter indicates they have a lot of financial aid to give out, so I'm really curious to see what the financial package looks like...

Yeah, I did interview back in the beginning of February. Yeah, I remember reading that also in the letter but I have not received any personal financial package information yet. The only information (I think) that I got was regarding the scholarships that they mentioned during the interview and to make sure to apply for them.
 
Exactly why I didn't think eurorail was a good idea. 😛 you have to pay extra for some routes, some trains, and sleeper cars I think. My roundtrip train tickets were from London to Amsterdam were less than 300 total. Including the stop over in Brussels.

Yup, even with the Global Pass, a trip from London to Munich would cost $266. A flight would cost $59. :sigh: I could get a hostel spot for $30, which would still make it cheaper than the $266 sleeper cabin.

This blows. It's going to be so difficult to pull this off on a budget...

I guess this also qualifies as #firstworldproblems
 
Wow, I just found a hostel that charges like $25 for 3 days about a one minute walk from the Temple Bar district in Dublin! w00t! I think I can make this work after all... It's just going to be a wee bit more complicated and structured than I'd prefer... Meh. I'm just happy to do something exciting! 😀
 
Yup, even with the Global Pass, a trip from London to Munich would cost $266. A flight would cost $59. :sigh: I could get a hostel spot for $30, which would still make it cheaper than the $266 sleeper cabin.

This blows. It's going to be so difficult to pull this off on a budget...

I guess this also qualifies as #firstworldproblems

Oh yeahhh, I forgot England isn't covered by the pass. At least trains starting from most other countries would be covered... maybe fly on that one, and then a pass could be useful after that. Or just point-to-point tickets.
 
Wow, I just found a hostel that charges like $25 for 3 days about a one minute walk from the Temple Bar district in Dublin! w00t! I think I can make this work after all... It's just going to be a wee bit more complicated and structured than I'd prefer... Meh. I'm just happy to do something exciting! 😀

I got a really cheap hostel in Dublin too! Right next to the whiskey factory...hahaha
 
Oh yeahhh, I forgot England isn't covered by the pass. At least trains starting from most other countries would be covered... maybe fly on that one, and then a pass could be useful after that. Or just point-to-point tickets.
It's not just England 🙁 I haven't found a ticket that's entirely free yet. After spending $1k up front, it just isn't worth it. 😡 And they got my hopes up!
 
It's not just England 🙁 I haven't found a ticket that's entirely free yet. After spending $1k up front, it just isn't worth it. 😡 And they got my hopes up!

Hmm, I thought the only countries not covered were England, the Balkans and then eastern Europe. There shouldn't be more than a reservation fee/couchette fee otherwise... 😡 Eurailllllllll.....
 
Hmm, I thought the only countries not covered were England, the Balkans and then eastern Europe. There shouldn't be more than a reservation fee/couchette fee otherwise... 😡 Eurailllllllll.....
Yeah, the reservation fees are unreal. I'm finding I can spend more or less the same in total by buying advance intra-Euro plane tickets. Paris to Rome is a mere $61! It's all about finding which cities are cheaper to fly between. By going to Rome from Paris rather than going to Amsterdam from Paris, I save like $100 and just hit Amsterdam from a cheaper country. This is all so cool... I can't wait to actually BUY these darn tickets once I have more stability in my plans...c'mon OHSU! Tell me something!
 
I was filling out a form today, it asked for my zip code & when I used the number pad I automatically typed an 8 digit number. A bit weirded out I googled the number with out much luck and then realized that it was my AMCAS # ! My fingers are too used to it... soon enough I will forget.
 
I was filling out a form today, it asked for my zip code & when I used the number pad I automatically typed an 8 digit number. A bit weirded out I googled the number with out much luck and then realized that it was my AMCAS # ! My fingers are too used to it... soon enough I will forget.

You type it that often?! 😱
 
Ctrl-c, alt-tab, Ctrl-v, done!

But that comes from a dude that can navigate both apple and PC without a mouse... :special-derp:

I do miss the apple symbol. I liked to say "just press apple+q"
 
Yeah that site is super helpful. For the night trains I'm planning on either bringing Melatonin or just putting myself under with some Dramamine... 😀 do people tend to be pretty quiet/respectful on night trains in your experience? Did you get one of those couchette thingies or just a seat? Would've PM'd but I figure this might also be useful for Guero/other 2017ers planning trips...

Yeah people are pretty quiet, but it's still not noise you're used to, you know? I got a couchette/bunk bed thingy for my Madrid to Barcelona train. It was like.. four bunks in a tiny little compartment, right on top of each other with barely any space in between.

Yep, you don't have to file 👍

If it makes you feel better, I have to file and am still broke.

+1

Yup, even with the Global Pass, a trip from London to Munich would cost $266. A flight would cost $59. :sigh: I could get a hostel spot for $30, which would still make it cheaper than the $266 sleeper cabin.

This blows. It's going to be so difficult to pull this off on a budget...

I guess this also qualifies as #firstworldproblems

Ryan Air tends to have the cheapest prices if you book in advance, with the caveat that they can cancel on you at any time and you won't be refunded. I found British Air was generally the cheapest if you're flying out of or into London.

Wow, I just found a hostel that charges like $25 for 3 days about a one minute walk from the Temple Bar district in Dublin! w00t! I think I can make this work after all... It's just going to be a wee bit more complicated and structured than I'd prefer... Meh. I'm just happy to do something exciting! 😀

Hostels are cheap.. especially as you start sharing the room with more people. I think I stayed in like a 15 person room in Dublin for around $30 or less for 4 days.. I slept with my valuables underneath my pillow the entire time :scared:. Hostels with kitchens may allow you to save money if you cook a couple of easy meals (I don't like cooking on vacay though). Also, baguettes and cheese/pate are delicious and cheap in Paris (or a cornish pasty in London). :laugh: Personally, I'd save my money for paella and sangria in Spain and delicious Italian food (omg desserts) and wine in Rome and Florence.

I got a really cheap hostel in Dublin too! Right next to the whiskey factory...hahaha

Yay! Go to the whiskey factory! Tell me all about it! I wish I went to the Jameson factory instead of the Guinness factory..

Also. If you guys have the time in Dublin, go on the literary pub crawl ! It's a lot of fun. We met a bunch of local Dubliners that way and they showed us around town afterwards. Eat, drink, and be merry :laugh:.

It's not just England 🙁 I haven't found a ticket that's entirely free yet. After spending $1k up front, it just isn't worth it. 😡 And they got my hopes up!

🙁 sorry.

Yeah, the reservation fees are unreal. I'm finding I can spend more or less the same in total by buying advance intra-Euro plane tickets. Paris to Rome is a mere $61! It's all about finding which cities are cheaper to fly between. By going to Rome from Paris rather than going to Amsterdam from Paris, I save like $100 and just hit Amsterdam from a cheaper country. This is all so cool... I can't wait to actually BUY these darn tickets once I have more stability in my plans...c'mon OHSU! Tell me something!

kayak worked pretty well for me abroad.
 
. . . Ryan Air tends to have the cheapest prices if you book in advance, with the caveat that they can cancel on you at any time and you won't be refunded. I found British Air was generally the cheapest if you're flying out of or into London.

What!? They can cancel and refuse a refund!? I was totally going to go with them on each flight; but now I'm very wary...

Hostels are cheap.. especially as you start sharing the room with more people. I think I stayed in like a 15 person room in Dublin for around $30 or less for 4 days.. I slept with my valuables underneath my pillow the entire time :scared:. Hostels with kitchens may allow you to save money if you cook a couple of easy meals (I don't like cooking on vacay though). Also, baguettes and cheese/pate are delicious and cheap in Paris (or a cornish pasty in London). :laugh: Personally, I'd save my money for paella and sangria in Spain and delicious Italian food (omg desserts) and wine in Rome and Florence.

Heck yes, that's the way to go! The one I was looking at in Dublin offered luggage storage and safe deposit boxes... I couldn't imagine sleeping with my Euro-sized backpack. :uhno:

Yay! Go to the whiskey factory! Tell me all about it! I wish I went to the Jameson factory instead of the Guinness factory..

Hey, I had a blast at the Guinness factory! Although, that may've been because I was studying abroad, went with our group from school, all of which decided to give me and my then wife their beers because they couldn't handle it...man, the public trans ride back with that much beer in your bladder was not pleasant, lol.

Also. If you guys have the time in Dublin, go on the literary pub crawl ! It's a lot of fun. We met a bunch of local Dubliners that way and they showed us around town afterwards. Eat, drink, and be merry :laugh:.

I've heard that's awesome! I'll definitely check it out while I'm back.

🙁 sorry.

No, don't be sorry. I'm just glad I'm researching all of this in advance. I mean, the fact that you warned me abour RA is HUGE; I can't thank you enough for that considering I'm scheduling my trip rather than winging it. One cancellation could cancel my entire agenda and cost me thousands, you know?

kayak worked pretty well for me abroad.

That's what I've been using to guesstimate fares. So, just to be sure, I can buy intra-Euro flights for the Euro price while I'm in the US, right?

I want to see someone navigating a computer using just https://www.leapmotion.com/
Dude, that was so cool! It's like you're on CSI or in the Hackers movi: the fake navigating becomes real at last!
The banana key. It's a banana connected to a circuit connected to a laptop.

So many potassiums.

🤣 @ both of your posts!
 
No, don't be sorry. I'm just glad I'm researching all of this in advance. I mean, the fact that you warned me abour RA is HUGE; I can't thank you enough for that considering I'm scheduling my trip rather than winging it. One cancellation could cancel my entire agenda and cost me thousands, you know?

Yeah I rarely flew Ryan Air because of that.. but they didn't have very many canceled flights when I was abroad. My roommates used them all the time and had maybe one canceled flight (and it was like a cheap $30 flight so they just let it go).

Here's their latest policy:

If a Ryanair flight is cancelled and no suitable alternative flight is available, or you have advised Ryanair about your decision not to continue your journey; we will process a refund of all monies paid in respect of the unused flight sectors on your reservation back to the form of payment used to pay for the original booking.

If you wish to apply for a refund following the cancellation of your flights or if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours and you choose not to fly.

Click here and complete the refund application form.

Ryanair does not provide monetary compensation, pursuant under Article 7 of EU Regulation 261/2004 for flights that are delayed or cancelled for reasons beyond Ryanair's control (extraordinary circumstances). As per the regulation such circumstances may, in particular, occur in cases of political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety problems and strikes that affect the operation of an operating air carrier.

So... looks like they will refund you if the delay or cancellation is their fault.. but you have to apply for the refund. BUT if it's anything "beyond their control," which sounds like it includes (hah !) weather issues, then you're screwed without a refund.

source: http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/what-happens-if-my-flight-is-cancelled-by-ryanair
 
Yeah I rarely flew Ryan Air because of that.. but they didn't have very many canceled flights when I was abroad. My roommates used them all the time and had maybe one canceled flight (and it was like a cheap $30 flight so they just let it go).

Here's their latest policy:

If a Ryanair flight is cancelled and no suitable alternative flight is available, or you have advised Ryanair about your decision not to continue your journey; we will process a refund of all monies paid in respect of the unused flight sectors on your reservation back to the form of payment used to pay for the original booking.

If you wish to apply for a refund following the cancellation of your flights or if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours and you choose not to fly.

Click here and complete the refund application form.

Ryanair does not provide monetary compensation, pursuant under Article 7 of EU Regulation 261/2004 for flights that are delayed or cancelled for reasons beyond Ryanair's control (extraordinary circumstances). As per the regulation such circumstances may, in particular, occur in cases of political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety problems and strikes that affect the operation of an operating air carrier.

So... looks like they will refund you if the delay or cancellation is their fault.. but you have to apply for the refund. BUT if it's anything "beyond their control," which sounds like it includes (hah !) weather issues, then you're screwed without a refund.

source: http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/what-happens-if-my-flight-is-cancelled-by-ryanair
Thanks again, you've been so helpful! Thank goodness we're all able to help each other! I love this darn community! 😍
 
Just occurred to me I hijacked the thread when I could have PMed you.

Carry on with the bananas peeps.
 
Just occurred to me I hijacked the thread when I could have PMed you.

Carry on with the bananas peeps.
Tru dat, guys, I should've recognized that, too: my bad.

But srsly? It's a social thread that digressed into 'nanners. :shrug: I don't think anyone's that mad...'cept maybe the Owl King himself, Agent B. :d
 
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