17 too young to solo in Europe?

In my opinion, it is too young. I was 19 (and therefore a legal adult) when I spent a semester in college in Austria and traveled around from there, at times on my own. It was OK then (many moons ago) but there is no way I would allow a daughter of mine to do that now, particularly if she was under age. You don't say how long your group trip is, but you have never traveled in Europe, or alone. Both things can be daunting on their own, and you won't get enough experience on your group trip to help you much. With no travel experience, you don't even know what you don't know. How would you handle a medical emergency? What if you lost your passport? What if you were robbed? Can you speak Portuguese or Spanish? You might find English speakers in some places, but what if you don't? I think it would be wiser to get a taste of Europe with your group, and then consider a future solo trip.

Jackie Steves, Rick's daughter at 17 went to Europe with her friend and no parents, but I would think having a Dad like Rick, she learned a lot growing up about traveling Europe. But she hasn't traveled all alone yet, but for now she traveled with her friend.Here is a link to Jackie's blog on her 2008 trip to Europe. It's a good read!

http://www.ricksteves.com/jackiesteves/

I agree with Nancy on this one. Now, telling a 17 year old that they are too young for something is like waving the proverbial red flag in front of a bull. But, you really need to think about this ALOT.

As Valerie said, there are things you can run into that you would probably never foresee, and being that far from home and help can put you in a very difficult, even dangerous, situation. Just like everywhere else, there are unscrupulous people who take advantage of tourists, and a young female one might be just too tempting. I would seriously consider waiting a year or two.

A short story: when I was in college, a group of students studied a semester in Salzburg, Austria. During Christmas break, we were free to take off to wherever we wanted. My future wife and a friend decided to go to Denmark to visit a former exchange student. The train trip put them in the Hamburg, Germany rail station late at night. Some guys started hasseling them and even though the girls ignored them, the guys wouldn't leave them alone.
One guy put his hand up my wife's skirt as she walked past them in the train car. She was petrified!

Just a warning to think long and hard.

Steve - Richmond, VA

What I am about to write is not politically correct, but unfortunately true, as I have observed working with NATO over the years. Many young men in Europe are of the mistaken impression that young American females are exceptionally promiscuous. This unfortunate misperception comes from years of watching American television programs and movies, and the very rare, but all too noticable American college students who go a little too crazy on their study abroad programs (nobody remembers the vast majority who represent the US well). If you travel to Europe unaccompanied, especially not knowing Europe well, you will have a bullseye on your back for unwanted attention. My advice? Enjoy your group trip, then come back when you're in college... and then again for the rest of your life.

I am going to go in the opposite direction and say go for it. The maturity level of 17 year olds varies wildly. My husband joined the Army at 17, I moved out of the house 2 months after turning 18. People even get married at 16 occasionally. I think that Valerie and her parents may have a lot of discussion ahead. When I was in high school back in the early 70's, I planned on going to Europe with a friend for the summer after graduation. I got my backpack, my Europe on $5 a day book, researched airfares and basically received the ok from my parents even though I would not turn 18 til the middle of Aug. Long story short, my friend decided to move to Fla. instead of tramping around Europe and my parents refused to let me go by myself. I know that I was mature enough to go and often wonder if my life would have taken some different turns if I had done this. I always missed having this summer in Europe experience. Who would have thought that I would end up over here 13 years later?

I do think it would be good to have someone else with you though, so perhaps you can talk another friend into staying. The story of the train incident is something that can happen anywhere and really should not be used as an excuse not to go to Europe, but it is a good reason why girls should have some sort of martial arts training. My daughter would have kick-boxed the guy.

Valerie, as a parent (3 Sons), I have somewhat "mixed feelings" regarding your question. It's somewhat difficult to offer an opinion, as I have little knowledge of your level of maturity or "life experience". However, a few thoughts.....

On the one hand, I'd be apprehensive allowing a daughter to travel solo at 17 years. One of my Sons left for Europe at 18 and while I was a bit concerned I felt that he was mature enough and at 6' 5" he would probably be OK (that turned out to be VERY true). I'd be interested to know what your Parents think of the idea? Incidentally, my parents were worried about me traveling solo, even though I'm 50+, 6' and over 225 lbs.!

On the other hand, I'm wondering if it would really make a difference if you were 18, 19 or 20. You have to get travel experience sometime, and regardless of how old you are parents will still worry. I've spoken with girls your age who were travelling solo in Europe, and they seemed to be handling things just fine. If you plan well using Rick's books & travel information and perhaps take a Cell Phone, I'm sure it would be a great learning experience.

I recall a story that was posted on another travel board last year regarding a young lady from the US that was assaulted at the Naples train station (late at night after missing the last train) by two individuals posing as security guards. You need to be aware of situations like that. I believe Rick's ETBD has a section covering the topic of ladies travelling alone.

If you're staying in Hostels, you'll meet others in the same situation (some of whom may be very knowledgeable travellers who speak the local language) and you'll be able to take day tours with a group ("safety in numbers"). Just be sure to pick quality Hostels, as I know some girls who had problems with "unwanted attention" at dodgy properties.

It will be interesting to see more opinions on this, as I'm a bit undecided at the moment.

Cheers!

I have to agree with the previous posters. If you had a friend to travel with, considered yourself "street-savvy," and had travel experience..then maybe.

But by yourself, I'd say wait. You have so much time ahead of you and so many trips ahead of you. No need to rush.

Again...sounding politically incorrect as well, a single young female is a much bigger target for lots of things than a single male would be. And the countries you mentioned, while wonderful, can be dicey for someone like yourself.

Enjoy the group trip, get a taste for Europe, and then, when you're in college, get some friends together and go have fun.

Pat, please explain the statement "I bet you are tiny, little thing. LOL"

What makes you think that she is little?
Why does it make you LOL?

I would have let my daughter travel at 17. She is street savvy and doesn't take crap from anyone. I pity the guy that tries to take advantage of her. People coddle their kids way too much these days. All wrapped in little cocoons of safety til they reach some magical age and then POOF! they are supposed to know how to handle things. I tried to raise my childrent to be self-sufficient and responsible, which hopefully will make them have an easier time of it out there in the wide world and they won't be eaten alive by the bad guys.

I think it is a good idea to pull up some crime statistics for the various countries and cities, including Canada and the US. Then we can really talk about it instead of just speculating.

Valerie: We don't know you, of course, but if you are a mature person with good judgment who is unlikely to act nutty, I don't think it's dangerous for you to be alone in Europe.

You're generally safer on the streets of European cities than you are at home. Just don't be out late at night in shady areas, and you'll probably be fine. Socialize at the hostel in the evenings.

The travel infrastructure (trains, hostels, etc.) provides a certain safety net you will never find in the US. IF someone is bothering you in your hostel, you'll have roommates and lodging with rules and supervisors of some sort. Stay in HI hostels rather than private hostels, and you'll have an ersatz parental safety net. And I'd much prefer my daughter were traveling by train in Europe than on Greyhound.

That said, it would be good for you to be with a friend if possible and have a cellphone for possible emergencies. Also, southern Europe is generally considered a little riskier for solo women travelers and travelers in general than northern Europe, so for your first solo trip, you might consider visiting places north of the Alps that you don't get to see on your group trip. Summer in the south can be plenty hot and uncomfortable anyway.

Before you even go on your group tour, take a good self defense class. You need to develop a good "Don't F**K with me!" attitude. You don't have to walk around with a chip on your shoulder, but the wolves will go after the meek and mild.

Since you'll be legally able to drink, you have some decisions there as well. Maybe you already know your alcohol tolerance. If you can have a glass of wine with dinner, don't get drunk, and can stop at that one glass, fine. If not, avoid it all together. Certainly, if you're on your own, make a pledge that you'll stay away from alcohol and drugs. I don't say this from a moral stance, but just for safety's sake.

The poster who said that whether you're 17, 18, 19, you have to get that first trip in, was right. This kind of trip can give you a whole new world of self confidence. That said, it may be best in small doses. Stay over for a week or two, not a month or more.

You can learn a lot by reading this and other boards. Educate yourself, communicate (honestly) with your parents, get some good street smarts. Have fun.

Valerie, you need to discuss some things with your parents. How gullible are you? Being street smart is not just figuring out someone is following you. It really involves reading people. That nice person at the hostel who tells lots of wild stories that don't really add up-maybe you shouldn't go out with them alone. And over-confidence in your savviness can be dangerous as well.

Do you take public transportation at home? Even if you don't need to, maybe you should just to get some practice. Maybe go to DC for the day?

Please check back with us. Many of us have kids your age. We're not just advising YOU, we're working out what we'll do about our own children.

By calendar age, you are most certainly NOT too young to travel, and, even in Spain/Portugal, you'll probably be perfectly safe, assuming that you have a good head on your shoulders.
Southern European men can be very 'touchy' and cheeky, by American standards, but overall, Europe is still a fairly non-violent society.
How ALONE will you be? Will you have European contacts, meet up with friends somewhere? Places to stay?
I have traveled 'alone' since a very young age, so have my children, and now my grandchildren.
But there always somebody at the other end.
Tell us more about your plans, Valerie!
You are not too young at all, the question is: are you MATURE enough?

Valerie,

I think you are a bit too young to travel alone.
I know many teenagers are much more mature than I was, but I still believe that at such young aga one can't achive the maturity necessary to be safe in Europe, or some place else. This reminds me of Britney Spears a few yaers ago when she was 19 or 20 years old. On a TV show she was asked to give advice about relationships, but in my opinion she didn't have enough experience to do so. I would never listen to a such young person's advice about life.
However Europe has its own problems with pickpockets and what we call here in the US street "sexual haressment".
I started traveling with my very closed friends, without my parents when I was about 20 years old. And believe me I was a good kid from mnay points of view and raised in a "spartanic way".

Valerie, I won't comment so much on your maturity( which I will assume is reasonable, since event the act of posting here shows a certain level of "smarts"), and many do seem to dwell on if "you are mature " etc.. what I have told my kids at various times, and I assume many other parents have also said,, is
" its not you I am worried about its the other kids" ,, in other words, you may be mature, level headed and self diciplined,,, but you may encounter situations that you are not prepared for, and being alone does make you more vulernable.

I think you could consider staying behind, but, I would not consider it alone( at 17, as your first trip). I think it just makes you more of a target. I have a son that I would worry about , but he is 6'2",, and I bet you are a tiny little thing, LOL

And yes, Europe IS generally very safe, but , please people take off the rose colored glasses, rape and murder DOES happen in every Europeon country, anyone knows of a country where such crimes don't occur please let us all know. Human nature is the same everywhere.

PS As for RS daughter, I read her blog on her trip to Morrocco, she was 17, but she was not alone, she went on some sort of school echange and stayed with a family.. her blog showed an amazing maturity , and was a fasicnating read.. look it up.

RS son went to Europe right after high school, but , not alone either.

Hey Valerie,
Ok, so I traveled to Europe this summer for the first time, and I am 22. I spent three weeks on my own, and two weeks with a friend. I know that 22 is a bit older than 17, and I am a university grad and all that, but I still say go for it. In my five weeks I never felt unsafe, and the experiences I had changed me - seriously, no hyperbole here. I think traveling on one's own for the first time is scary no matter what your age, so why wait? BTW, while I loved being with my friend, I preferred being on my own.
That said, here are my tips. First, DO YOUR RESEARCH. I cannot stress this enough! Read Rick Steves' Europe through the Back Door, as it is half travel skills, so it will really help you with taking the train, what to pack, etc. Also, I know some people like to travel spur-of-the-moment, but since this is your first time, plan. Book your accommodations ahead of time, know what you want to see everyday, and how much money you can spend on food, admissions, hostels, etc. You do not have to follow you daily plan exactly, but I found it comforting to know that I could fall back on something if I had to.
Second, stay in hostels. I used www.hostelz.com to find places to stay, and found the reviews very accurate. Hostels are cheap, and they are an amazing way to meet people. I got to know a lot of 17 and 18 year olds who had just graduated from high school and were traveling for the summer. I spent my days by myself, but it was nice to have someone to talk to at night.
Thirdly, I would echo the advice of others - stick to more northern countries. Travel the United Kingdom - no language barrier, phenomenal sights, and the most exciting city, London. I went to France and Italy as well, and they were easy to get by in too. If you do venture into a country with a foreign country, bring a phrasebook - Rick Steves sells a French-Italian-German book.
If you have any questions or if you would like some hostel recommendations just let me know. Have fun!

pat writes, "...please people take off the rose colored glasses, rape and murder DOES happen in every Europeon country, anyone knows of a country where such crimes don't occur please let us all know. Human nature is the same everywhere."

Maybe we are all the same, but crime isn't. You have a 50% greater chance of getting murdered in the US than you do in France, one of the more violent places in Europe. Yet parents here routinely send their kids at 17 or 18 off to virtually unsupervised college campuses across the US, many in some very iffy cities.

And let's not forget that when it comes to rape, 80% of the time the perpetrator is someone the victim knows - so anonymous European travel is doubtless a WHOLE lot safer than staying home. I'm guessing, but I'd be willing to bet my daughter's college fund that the rate of forcible rape is enormously higher on college campuses than it is for European travelers.

If we're going to scare poor Valerie into thinking she could get raped or murdered during her short European visit, we ought to have some data to back this up.

Hi Valerie :)
I'm an 18 year old girl, and I've been to Europe several times. Last summer I went without my parents. I had an awesome time, had absolutely no trouble from anyone. You should definitely do some extra traveling next summer; however, consider taking a friend with you. Since you have no experience in Europe, it will be comforting for you to have someone with you who speaks the same language (in 3 weeks, I met 2 people I could talk to in English). The other thing you should do is contact any family friends or relatives living there that you could stay with. For me, this would be the ideal situation, since you would still have the freedom to do/see what you want, but you would also have the added security of people who could help you in case anything went wrong (ie losing your passport, etc.) I hope this was (at least a little) helpful. Please feel free to PM me if you want to ask anything :)

Cila,
you hit the nail on the head!
As long as there is a safety net of friends/family to stay with, contact in a jam, there is absolutely nothing wrong with traveling through southern Europe alone as a 17 year old.
I, at the age of 16, looooooooooooong time ago, traveled to Carcasonne, France as an exchange student. Due to a freak accident, my guest family was unable to pick me up the train station, and due to a transcription error, I did not have the correct address or phone number of my guest family.
I ended up going home with the conductor of the train, who invited me to spend the night at his home.
I spent two wonderful days in their humble home, until everything was straightened out, befriended his children Odette and Jean (with whom I am still friends today), and got a whiff of traveling alone, and have done it ever since. But I always had a safety net in the background,
so should you :-))

Jo,, I merely meant she was likely not 6'2 like my son, nor 6'5 like the ohter posters son. Duh. No secret agenda on size Jo.

Corinna., I am glad your adventure turned out so well, but it is hardly well advised for any young girl( well anyone solo really) to go home with strangers.

To whoever posted about the stranger /rape thing, keep in mind many rapists are yes, someone the victim "knows" , but that "knows" can encompass the man( and chat with daily) they buy their groceries from or a student in their class, not strangers in the complete sense of the word, but not exactly friends. Don't even try going there with me on rape,, since my friend was raped and murdered in Honolulu I have spent 20 yrs learning about rape and assault.. really, don't go there .
Rape DOES happen everywhere, but is undereported in some places. Human nature is the sane. Rape is not a crime related to socio economic culture like break and enter, robbery, assault, and murders can be.

And NO, I am not trying to scare Valerie, for goodness sake, what nonsense, but it makes sense for a young girl who has NEVER been to Europe to perhaps take her first trip with a friend.

Corrina, just wondering,, how did you converse with this conductor,, did you speak the same language as him, or did you both have another language in common?? I would think having a language in common would be most helpful.

And lastly Valerie, I have had some experiences alone in France at 18, but, I did speak a bit of french and had friends and family all around. Big difference to being truly alone if you know you can pick up a phone and make a local call and have help in 1/2 hour if you needed it.
My next trip wasn't till 23, and then I did travel around Europe for 3 months, but, with a friend, which was handy for many reasons, it was also the most fun I think I have every had.. aaaah to be young and free like that. Find a friend and spend a month or two there, you will not regret it.

I'm with the 'go for it' crowd here.

Since you are travelling at first as part of a group you will become somewhat familiarised with the vagaries of European travel (as opposed to travel at home where everything is familiar - language, customs, currency, shopping hours).

Ideally check to see if anyone else on the trip are also staying, and start your 'solo' travel with them along.

If you are planning on travelling inside the hostel circuit you will find others doing the same/similar things who you can travel with.

Bad things can happen anywhere in the world (and to people of any age), be prepared for that and take the normal precautions to not place yourself in dangerous situations, but don't be more concerned than you would be in any of the larger cities at home.

The only single thing I'd suggest is that if you go out at night, walk with a group - normally there are several people in any given hostel headed out to the same places.

Disclaimer - I'm not female :) - so I don't have quite the same mindset or fear of physical danger.

I've felt in more danger in some areas of the US than I did anywhere in Europe while travelling.

Thanks, Corinna :)
My advice comes from experience. In Budapest there was a minor mishap with my accommodations- basically I ended up somewhere I shouldn't have been. My first call was to my cousin, who drove 4 hours to pick me up. It is definitely comforting to know there is a safety net, and that you're not on your own in a foreign world if something goes wrong :D

Pat,
it is good advice you gave, a girl should never go with a stranger! Especially not in a strange culture, or country.
I spoke a bit of French at the time, he spoke a little German. He showed me pictures of his kids ( might have well been puppies . .), his sister ran the sausage stand outside the station, the station manager was also the brother-in-law, and the mayor of their town. I just knew that it would be fine.
Famous last words, but it was fine.
We didn't worry about murder then,
but you are right to point out that there are dangers everywhere.
Bad example on my part!!!!!!!!
Asche auf mein Haupt!

Very sorry to hear about your friend, pat. But your advice to Valerie not to travel in Europe alone, presumably based on your friend's experience, doesn't seem reasonable. I think both of us should "go there" and look at the numbers. The data show that rape is twice as common in the US as it is in Spain or France; 3 times higher than in Germany; and 6 times higher than in Switzerland. Our nature may all be the same, but there simply is less risk overall in Europe.

The fact that we all have a common "human nature" doesn't mean we can assume Europeans BEHAVE just like us. They don't. Their cultures have different behavioral norms. That's what culture is all about. The fact that some of us look at the data and the actual risk is the exact opposite of wearing "rose-colored glasses".

"Rape DOES happen everywhere", says pat. Very true. But no one said it didn't. It's just that if we could travel only in countries where rape never occurs, the travel industry would be dead.

"it makes sense for a young girl who has NEVER been to Europe to perhaps take her first trip with a friend."

I agree - I told Valerie that it makes sense too - but not because it's dangerous for normal teens with some common sense and an understanding of basic safety to travel alone in Europe at that age.

I gave a link for jackie steves Blog that was not her school trip. She went to many places in Europe in the summer of 2008 with one girl friend. Check it out.
However, personally I would be afraid if I had a 17 year old daughter traveling alone. I guess Jackie is 18 now, not 17, but that's still young! But on the other hand, it has to depend on the person. I'm very small, and traveled alone to NYC at 18. I'm small but tough and had some street smarts. So I hate to say not to travel to Europe when you are still a teen. But I still would feel better for a teen to travel with someone else like Jackie Steves did just this past summer.

One problem with following a group trip with a solo trip as a FIRST trip is: what if you decide solo travel isn't for you once you are committed to it? Presumably you will have to arrange your return ticket before you leave home. What if, while on the group part of the trip, you decide that solo travel (or European travel) just isn't for you? You'll be stuck on your own for however many days until your flight back, like it or not.

I think we have to keep in mind the differences in the culture of Europe and the U.S. In Germany, for example, teens travel alone frequently to other cities via train. Elementary-age kids ride the city bus into town at a young age. The mind set is just different there.

And here in California I won't let my 17 year old drive to the mall by herself.

I think the 'buddy system' is the best for traveling. There's safety in numbers.

Valerie - it is not so much the age of you traveling in Europe that I question but the going alone thing. I am basing this on my own daughters experience and I realize that everyone is different, but I thought she had an interesting take. She and 3 friends went for 3+ weeks immediately after high school graduation. She was only 17. Don't get me wrong - they had a GREAT time but she said that one thing that was odd was that in all the hostels, the "young people" setting, they were the youngest for sure. She actually said that she wished they had gone the summer after their freshman year just so they would have more in common with the other kids they met. Even though they were all collee bound, there is still a difference in kids who are living at home, with parents, attending high school and kids who are more on their own in college - including the many here in the states who go away for college. But, it was all still okay, because at least they had each other. This is the daughter I have spoken about on this board who was in France for the whole year last year and had a wonderful time as the ONLY person from her school to do the program in Strasbourg, but again, by this time she had 2 years of living away under her belt. She returned this month for a week on her own - she knew she'd eventually meet up with people she knew from the prior year but she wasn't even sure where she was spending the first night!

You say you have never been to Europe and never traveled alone. I say try out Europe with your group (which is what you are doing) and then return at a later time solo, or go with at least one other person this time. Don't think it is your ONLY chance to go - if you love it as much as we do you will be back one way or another, over & over again.

Traveling alone is significantly more complicted and at times more difficult than traveling with someone else. When you're along, there's nobody to watch your bag while you pop into the bathroom, nobody to share tasks with, nobody to provide a second opinion on whether one place looks good or not, if your idea is crazy or sound, or a thousand other little items that come up every day. Traveling alone can be rewarding - you get a tremendous sense of freedom - but it's a lot more "work" than going with someone else. Since you've never gone to Europe (or traveled alone) heading out alone sounds like it might be biting off quite a bit, maybe too much.

My advice would be to enjoy the "group" part of the trip, and to take advantage of the brief times when you will be on your own (I'm sure you won't be on a leesh 24/7) to learn some basic travel skills (how to ask directions, read a map, figure out a bus/subway schedule, find your way across a city, etc.). Start making plans for your next trip, which would be good to do with a friend or two.

There's no hurry. You'll go back.

So good you are inquiring first. It is not advised. Just like traveling solo in your own home state at 17.

I can perfectly understand where Valerie comes from. I traveled to Europe for the first time when I was 16, and I'm now planning to return (possibly to London) in June for around 2 weeks. That'll be about a month before my 19th birthday.

In Valerie's case, I would suggest to stay behind for a shorter amount of time (about a week maybe), just to get an idea of traveling alone. Choose a city or two, a safe hostel, don't stay out late at night, keep your passport and money in your moneybelt. Make sure you don't have to take the train late at night and allow plenty of time to get to the train station or airport so you don't have any trouble to make it on time. This way, you get to experience a bit of Europe on your own, you'll discover what you like and don't like (don't forget that by the time your group trip will be over, you'll likely know what aspects of traveling you like and don't like).

Hi Valerie,

I went to Europe with my college group when I was 20 for two months. I also had the option to extend the trip and had made plans to do so, but when the time came I was scared and returned home with the group. Initially it seemed so exciting and I had always wanted to do this trip; however even though it was exciting, it was also very frightening to me.I think it would have been different if another student had stayed with me.

Here are a few things to consider:
-Make plans before you venture out on your own, ie: reserve hotels, make travel arrangements, plan your itinerary. This way if you have any questions then your teacher or someone else can advise you before you are left alone.
-Have you ever been away from home, by your self and if so, did you like it? This is important because you may find yourself somewhere where they may or may not speak your language and you will need to be self sufficient.
-You will be traveling at peak season, so if you change your mind and want to come back with the rest of the group, you may not have the option at that point. This happened to me, not to mention the $250 change fee.
-Since this is your first trip to Europe, it may be a good idea to get a taste for it with your group and then save up enough money to go again next year when you are 18 and have more places that you want to visit.

Age isn't necessarily a good indicator of maturity and even assuming you are the most mature 17 year old, your parents are still your guardians and should be hesitant to send a minor to another country and continent all alone. Of course you can probably have an amazingly fun time, possibly without incident.....but if something were to happen it would take them at least a day to get to you, maybe longer since it will be peak season.

I'm one of those who traveled alone at age 19. I have to say that while I was reasonably responsible, I wasn't necessarily the most mature 19-year-old on the planet and I didn't always think before I acted or wrote home. Nevertheless it was probably the best trip of my life. I keep trying to duplicate it. (I come close, but it's hard to match those lovely 6 months!) My dad did several things before my trip. First, he wrote to his contacts in Europe and told them that his daughter would be studying and traveling in Europe and asked if they would serve as emergency contacts. Of course they all said yes! I went equipped with a list of addresses and phone numbers for use in emergencies. And, yes I did actually use one of the emergency contacts. I was supposed to meet up with friends in Athens and it fell apart. The emergency contact bailed me out. I know in this age of cell phones it may seem like overkill, but nothing beats a local contact that knows Mom or Dad. Have fun. Stay in Hostels. Meet up with friends and relatives. Call home. Pam

Joliane, you travelled alone to Europe at 16,,that is very impressive. Your parents are definately very relaxed,, I can't imagine allowing my 16 yr old to travel around alone ,, unless they were on a tour or a school exchange..

I am curious how this trip of yours occurred,, did parents just pay for you to go on holiday alone? Most 16 yr olds haven't been able to work long enough to amass alot of money, at least not for a holiday. I suppose if one was mature and careful with their money they could though, I always just wasted my babysitting money,, clothes etc, but if a person was very careful they could definately amass enough in a few years. Of course when I was younger it was very difficult for a person under 16 to get a real job,, but now I think it may be easier.

This thread reminds me of a movie I saw in Amsterdam over the summer. It's called "Taken" and stars Liam Neeson; it opens in the US in January. Neeson plays an ex-cia agent (with a thick Irish accent and bad hairpiece) whose 17 year old daughter wants to travel with a friend to Europe. As a CIA operative he know the "evils" of the big bad world and is opposed, but the ex-wife, step-father, and daughter nag him into saying okay. As the title of the movie implies, within 60 minutes of landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport said daughter is abducted by the Albanian Mafia, forcibly addicted to heroin, sold into human trafficking, and it's Neeson's job to blast his way through Paris to retrieve his daughter. I know human trafficking exists and is a growing problem, and I don't mean to make light of it, but this is one of the worst movie I have ever seen. Ironically, even though it's an English language film, it was actually produced by a French Studio, directed/written by Frenchmen, and almost the entire rest of the cast is French. So don't blame Hollywood for portraying Paris in a bad light:) Ohh, and Valerie make sure your parents don't watch it!

Valerie,

I have a few more thoughts to add to my previous Post.....

First, I'd highly recommend that you read Europe Through The Back Door, as it provides a lot of information on the skills you'll need to travel safely and smartly in Europe.

I'd also reiterate my suggestion that you take a Cell Phone. It would be some reassurance for both you and your parents. Also pack a list of address and phone number information for U.S. Embassies in the cities you'll be visiting.

It also occurred to me that perhaps a "test run" would be a good idea. One thing you might consider is to attend one of Rick's Travel Festivals in Edmonds. These are usually held once or twice a year, often late winter or early spring (the seminars are free, but of course you'll have to cover the costs to get there). Plan the flights and the trip entirely by yourself and travel solo. Although it won't be the same as being in Europe, it will give you some idea how you handle travelling by yourself. Of course the main benefit of attending the Festival is that you'll get a huge amount of information about European travel, and will be able to speak with lots of experienced travellers (as well as Rick's staff and perhaps some of his Guides).

Solo travel can be somewhat challenging and a bit lonely at times, but it's also a wonderful experience. If you plan very precisely, the uncertainties will be greatly reduced (be sure to leave a copy of your Itinerary with your parents).

Good luck!

I would strongly recommend you NOT do this. Obvioulsy you've started your research, and posting on here shows us that you probably do have a high level of maturity - but I still don't think nearly any 17 year old would have the maturity and life experiences to make this safe and sucessful. There are so many unforseen incidents that could come up. Yeah, it could go fine - but you've got lots of time to travel the world. Get to know Europe while you are there with the group and come home and plan your next trip using the knowledge that you've gained from your first trip. Let us know what you decide!

So, Valerie, are you going to come back and talk to us? Perhaps give us a bit more info?

pat, I did not travel alone on my first trip. It was organized by my school and my grandparents paid for it.

Joliane, and that makes perfect sense for a first trip for such a young person, I bet you learned to love travel from having such a positive first adventure in Europe. Once one is bitten by the travel bug they must then continue to travel the rest of their lives, with breaks for other assorted activities( career , marriage, children) lol

I do hope Valerie is able to talk a friend into staying with her and exploring Europe a bit more, if not she still has many many years ahead of her, and as Rick says, you should always count on going back!

Brief hijkacking here.

25 years ago my friend and I travelled around Europe for 3 months.

There were no cell phones. Long distance calling was expensive and in some places a hassle( Greek island you had to go(try to find one) to a post office) .

I think its hilarious how many people feel they NEED a cell phone now.

In an emergency the cell phone may be of no help to you at all, its kind of a crutch though. If you are being hassled by a weird guy a cell phone is not much help,, you likely do not know the local numbers for police, or taxi. You likely may not even know what the equivelant of 911 is, and if you do , and they ask yuo where are you, you may not know that either..

I am not against cell phones, I have one, at home. I leave it at home too. I have heard of couples who will split up in museums and then call each other to rendezvous.. to think in the "olden days" we would just set a time to meet at the front doors, LOL

I do know the new phones, seem to have internet, and that does seem a tad more helpful, you could look up hotels and restos on that,, but, my point is, the cell phone can be a false sense of security,, as
Laura point out so well, its common sense, street smarts, and partly just a persons temperment and personality that will be more important in keeping a person safe .

I travelled around the USA when I was 18. It was a great experience and really made me grow up, although I was shocked by how much more crime I encountered than at home. There were a few sticky moments!

To judge whether you could survive in Europe you need to look at how you behave at home. Are you street savvy on public transport at home? If a guy gets too heavy with you in a club are you confident sorting it out? If you lost your purse when out shopping would you know how to sort it out or would you fall to pieces? Are you good at dealing with drunks/junkies/oddballs? Are you basically an independent kind of girl at home? If you are the sort who rings your parents the moment anything goes wrong then maybe you need to postpone the trip for a few years. But, if you are streetwise and not naive then I would say go for it. Just remember to have a phone and a credit card on you and do your research.

Laura makes some excellent points. And it makes me think of something related. So many people today are over-reliant on their cell phones. Instead of dealing with the problem at hand in person, they pick up the phone. It's so convenient, but leads to a loss of independence and confidence. My son was in another city and called to ask where the train station was. I pointed out that he had come from that very train station the day before. He said, yeah, but he'd been on the phone and didn't notice much. Recently a woman was stuck on a patch of ice, and when I tried to direct her out, she was on the phone telling someone how scared she was. (You all may notice that cell phone usage is a pet peeve of mine, and I'm not trying to hijack this thread to complain about it.)

So Valerie, to foster your own independence, keep the phone in your pocket unless absolutely necessary. Deal with what's going on around you. Look up from the screen. Make that a habit now and you won't feel so lost and bereft in Europe.