ROAD STORE

 READING

• Hostels:
  The most common choice has many advantages. Firstly, a hostel is the cheapest, most practical choice available. For as little as US$8 a night, you can find a safe, clean (hopefully!) bed for the night. Hostels also offer a great environment to meet fellow travellers, share tips, gain local employment and may well be the only socialising you will do on your trip. 
  Some preparation for hostelling:
  • YHI Card: Buy a Youth Hostelling International membership card before you go, and get reductions in prices all over the world.
  • Sleeping Sheets: many hostels require you to have or else rent sleeping sheets before you can stay. If you plan to travel for long, these are worth buying, as they're relatively inexpensive and light. If you're so inclined, you could even make your own - just sew the sides of a bed sheet together, so it acts like a light sleeping bag.
  • Torch: useful for middle-of-night toilet trips, and stumbling into a dark dorm late at night.
  • Can opener: you may often make use of kitchen facilities in hostels, but they aren't always very well stocked

• Pensions:
  Popular in central Europe - particularly Germany, Switzerland et al, pensions offer cheap alternatives to hostels. Especially appealing to those who want to stay in private rooms (as opposed to dorms), pensions are the equivalent to bed and breakfasts, run by families in cheap, but cheerful houses in towns and cities. Budget slightly more than you would for staying in hostels, but worth the extra if you have it to spend.

• Hotels:
  Not really an option if you're on a budget. If you feel you must stay in a hotel, seek out the large budget chains, such as Ibis, which can work out reasonably cheap if there is 2 or 3 of you to share a room.

• Camping:
  If you're happy to sleep out under the stars, then camping is the ideal budget option. As long as you have a ground mat and sleeping bag, you can find a place to camp either free in the countryside (where permitted) or at a camping site at a low cost. Wherever you chose, be aware of how safe it is, and the transport costs to and from the camp site. It is relatively easy to find official camp site which will provide shower and other facilities at a cheap price. In some countries, it is permitted to camp out anywhere in the countryside, but in general, ask permission to save any trouble, and always take your rubbish with you!

• Sleeping Rough:
  If you're going to do it, do it safely. It isn't a safe option generally, but some possibilities include airports, train stations, and other 24 hour supervised areas. If you have a rail pass, consider catching an overnight train and sleeping on it, to save some accommodation costs. In all cases, consider putting your luggage into train station lockers to safeguard it. Keep passport, money etc. in a concealed money belt on your person at all times.

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