You will meet all the other young travellers that thought that it would be quiet during winter. 
As for weather being a hassle it really shouldn't, i mean unless some sort of major weather event happens, if the locals can get around you can get around. 
Also learn a little of the language of wherever you may be, even just a little will earn you respect. 

Hey guys, I am 20 years old and travelling to Europe for the first time at the end of the year and I cant wait. Will be starting in Stockholm in mid November where I will be staying with a friend who lives there before making my way down to Germany to stay for a week or so by myself. Then I'll head off to the Uk, staying in London for 10 days then in Edinburgh for 5-7 days before finishing the trip with a contiki tour. 
As its my first time travelling largely solo, let alone travelling in Europe, I would love some advice. My biggest reservation i have about the trip is that I will be over there during winter and not only will getting out and about become difficult with the weather, it will also be the off season for tourism. As much as I cant wait to see the all the sights without the crowds, I am still interested in meeting lots of people and 'partying'. I will be staying in hostels for the most part, but will I have trouble meeting young people and other tourists like myself in winter? Does anyone have recommendations as which hostels are best for young people that time of year? Also any tips for a novice traveler like myself would be greatly appreciated. 

Vincenzogold, my wife had the same concerns when we went on our 5 1/2wks from last Christmas.
Paris first - a real worry for her - no probs touch wood good timing I say.
London next - no worries again good timing and we went to Barrow Markets London Bridge and all the other typical tourist sights - oh yer Spurs Chelski game at WHL, again good timing no worries. By the way, despite the currency exchange loss to the $lb we thought you got alot more when shopping but we had sales time.
Portugal Spain then Italy.
I told her what do you do stay home, turned out great obviously - good timing.
By the way, Italy was the best for me :) loved all the trip but I just loved it there the most, she also thought Rome was the best overall.
Enjoy mate.

My wife 2 kids and i are travelling to Europe in August. We were going over there for a wedding which has now been called off so doesn't matter for us we will go anyway.

First time i have been to europe so i am pretty excited/nervous.

We fly to Manchester first and im hoping to watch everton first game of the season at home to stoke.
picking up a car from liverpool and driving wales then along the bottom of england doing stonehenge and cottsworlds.
After all that driving we are taking the kids to stay at legoland the night which btw costs a fortune $1000 a night but includes breakfast and dinner and tickets into legoland.
Then off to horsham for 4 days to where the wedding was going to be haha then back to london for 4 nights and off to italy for a week and a half.

Whilst i have been very excited since the day we booked i am becoming a little nervous about the trip due to all the action that has been happening. 

We felt perfectly fine in Paris during Jan this year, plenty of security but as well know things happen.
Talking London we went to Barrow Markets London Bridge etc after Paris.
Timing, its all about timing, what can you do, this is life today.

Were looking to set up the next trip for 2018, Portugal/Paris and regional/Italy.

I feel safer in Israel than South Africa. 

Has anyone travelled for fun runs? 

My old man is heading up this wkend to the Gold Coast for a half marathon and I have a small, pipedream idea for early-to-mid next year to travel overseas for a marathon. Anyone done a run abroad before?

I lived next to the Ziggurat of Ur for six months, the biblical prophet Abraham lived at its base. The ancient city of Uruk is also nearby, along with a ton of Babylonian sites. The neighbourhood has gone downhill since then and there is little else in the way of entertainment nearby.

I'd feel safer in Israel than France. I think Israel has good security.

Turkey I hear is getting worse, a part from being a terror risk, they have banned alcohol at many places and eg tourist boat trips etc as the president is turning it into a much stricter country.

Israel tourism is heavily marketed in Germany. I keep telling myself shit can happen anywhere though I'd feel a bit more nervous in Israel or Turkey. A real shame as I'd like to go to Turkey.

Has anyone been to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem?

I am a little interested, there are tv ads every match I was Bundesliga. 

I always wanted to go to Istanbul, for the food, but have left it too late now as it is dodgy. 

Carnical don't do alcohol packages if your cruise originates from an australiab port so thats a bit annoying, but i also hate shit beer, not a wine drinker and dont really drink spirits so i probably won't drink that much.  Having said that, i may get on it one or two nights.  Depends. Don't really have a huge amount of cash to spend as we didn't really plan going away in a month. My mum and sister went on a Sydney to Melbourne cruise and spent over $300 in two nights so i have to watch my cash. 

Be careful with the bar.  Me and a few mates went around Vanuatu and nearby islands.  We bought what was meant to be an unlimited alcohol package yet we were pretty much interned after we looked even slightly pissed.  They didn't let us drink for the next three days because they thought we were trouble.

I was returning from Europe the first time after a year away and told my mum I was landing at 7 am on the 5th. I was actually departing Malaysia on the evening of the 5th, arriving in Sydney on the 6th. The +1 day just didn't catch my attention rather the final date printed. 

She got up at 5am. Drove down the F3 and when I didn't come out the airline didn't want to tell her where I was. Dad came and got me the next day.

Yeah i was planning on just taking the seasickness tablet anyway.
As for the strict meal times, with 16 bars and restaurants there's always something to eat, including 24hr pizza (which speaking to a friend is actually good) and some other 24hr stuff. The bars have really flexible bar snacks and meals too so hopefully that should get me through, probably come off 10kg heavier, i hope the at sea days won't be as frustrating i imagine it will be. 

Take a seasick tablet every morning and you won't need to find out if you get sea sick or not. That's what I did when I went on a cruise and it was easy.

I did a cruise from Syd to NZ. 

The at-sea days were the killers. Loved the days we hopped off the ship and adventured. 

Also the idea of the scheduled meal times etc killed me. There didn't seem to be "freedom" that you get on other holidays. 

But a good experience and worth the trip in the end!

Cheers, although I'm not a hugely outdoorsy kinda guy (even though that's all I ever used to be) whenever we go on holidays I don't really want to be sitting around, unless its in a craft beer venue. the missus loves to lounge about and chill, which means that we either separate or she gets dragged about. I'm keen for the islands and getting off the ship but much like you I fear I'm going to feel like I'm caged up. I will take some sea sickness meds just in case, though had it once and I think anyone would've been that day.

We shall see how it pans out
I guess the bonus is, as much as I don't think its right that the mother in law is blowing all her money on this shit (I only accepted as she had literally spent $100,000 on a cruise for my wifes other sisters and partners last year), it is a free trip for us, other than personal expenses (drinks etc)

Cruise's.
Some love them, some don't, just depends on what stage in life your at as well and type of holidays preferred AND what the cruise has marketed at the time.
Even having a family of 3 I just find it to OTT re kids, more so the ones that Mum and Dad have left them at their own devise's and are lacking manners, seems quite the norm today.
Not for me - I'm not tolerant enough my wife keeps reminding me !
Eat and drink all you like, this is great value as long as you don't abuse your drinking for this adds up quickly with great weather sitting back putting away cocktails or whatever is your poison.
Carnival is not a bad liner, farfar better than P&O. Its not that tacky.
Overall not my go to holiday - I hate being caged up so to speak, I'm more active type for hols but its not too bad being 10days you'll survive.
The wife loves them because she hardly needs to do a thing but chill out.
Pray the seas are pretty steady - if your prone to sea sickness be prepared, get a shot from the local GP prior to departure and take some prescribed pills just in case.
Making use of the ships quack is a great cash cow for the company.

So anyone done any cruises.

My mother in law was taking my wife on a cruise later this year then i get a call Monday morning saying that I'm going too (as well as my sister in laws boyfriend)... anyway turns out we leave on anzac day... so less than a month. 

Not too keen on it but never been on one and am just trying to see if anyone's got some tips 

Carnival Spirit
10 days

Lifou
Mystery island
noumea 
Mare

Apparently they don't do a drinks package which is a bummer but massive range of food. 

Is it really as tacky as i envisioned? Will i be forever dodging wheelchairs, mobility scooters and whinging children?

Will be an interesting experience. 

:laugh:
Love it mate. Damn, its the same everywhere, wife/Mum always makes out not to belittle her they know what they are doing, bitter sweet when the tables are turned and never to live it down lol.......rippa storey pv.

Wow Interlaken !
mcjules, air tickets are amazing how much they fluctuate - true re Shanghai return for eg, I mostly fly Qantas and do near on 6 china return a year and at times I've been charged A$1500-1700 down to A$900 - $600 like wtf.
Do USA annually - Vegas return business conference. Those return flights vary just as much same as the hotel bookings.

Won't go into detail, but fortunately the trip is free for me. Except for just flying down.

Hope you took out a mortgage. I had a week in Basel and couldn't believe how much it cost there.

Booked flights 2 weeks Switzerland in the Summer, including Interlaken.



Chocolate watches knives and FIFA

:lol: bloody Mums. 

One story of our family that we still hold against Mum to this day was when my niece had to fly from Sydney to Perth on her own as a youngen. Mum sorted the flights etc, and told us that my nieces flight left Sydney at 7:25am. Dad asked if he could check it and got in a tonne of trouble for not trusting Mum, "belittling her", etc. So Dad, my niece & I got up bloody early, headed down to Sydney, rocked up to the airport and found out that her flight left at 5:25pm, or 1725. A phone call to Mum & boy had the tables turned :lol: 

We ended up having a really nice day cruising around Sydney with the niece though, so it was all OK in the end. But never again has Mum been trusted with times/dates/important details and if she challenges us on it, we always bring up that day :lol:

It was with China Eastern so it was "full service" though that service isn't anywhere near as good as Qantas, Singapore or many other airlines. The price was also one of those super limited offer(i.e. handful of seats). 

My point wasn't really about those tickets in particular just that international travel is outrageously cheap at the moment (even Qantas have a fare Sydney to Beijing for under $500). Because of that, it's easy to ignore the fact that there are heaps of amazing places locally to visit.

Back in oz Zimbos? Probably wont be doing any big travel for a while but I'll keep your offer in mind :)

Spot on zimbos re "cheap flights" - double check the small print ! especially for OS return flights, domestic you can live with it being hour flights here and there but for eg Syd Perth 5hrs.
On board weight restrictions AND luggage weight restrictions. I know people boast I got cheap flights haha BUT then they are not once the add ons are tallied up.
I'm lucky being frequent traveler having extras BUT I lol'd just through Jan on the family OS holiday.
My wife had booked a coach trip from Faro/Portugal to Seville.
She was rapt it was great pricing and locked it in. I should have checked but we had countless bookings for this trip so I just didn't bother.
1. she neglected to read the time was in 24hrs so she had it marked down in her dairy departure was 1.45pm.
We got there prior obviously and was advised sorry the coach departed at 1.45am LOL.......therefore no wonder why it cheap ! lol........,
My kids just went beauty Mum, I just laughed but we discussed of the situation with the Bus Line and thankfully they arranged us to be able to get on the next departing coach later that afternoon (lucky not booked out)...it doesn't always turn out this way so I was most relieved for we had other bookings upon arrival at Seville to meet.
Moral is once again - if nice and cheap always check check check.

We did it 18 months ago, though it was only for 2 weeks, and only got as far as loch lomond and Edinburgh in Scotland as we tacked our uk trip onto the front of a previously organised spain trip.
Scotland was amazing regretted that we didn't get into the Highlands i can just imagine how good it is.
I didn't think id be too enamored with the uk but boy was i wrong! 

Those Beijing flights are probably with one of the low cost carriers and do not include luggage. I work in travel and we had a special that was 2 for 1 from Gold Coast to Narita, roughly about $450 return for two people. It was 7kgs hand luggage travelling with Jetstar. No food or entertainment or anything else. For and extra $300 you can go with a full service airline direct from Brisbane. Just really depends. See it every day at work. (Now for my shameful plug) So if you guys see anything and want to know all the details, let me know, chances are I can knock off some $$ for you. 

Was lucky enough to be in the highlands in a mild and dry week or so in about late august/early september 2015. Almost disappointing we didn't see the true Scotland aha

The most amazing scenery and drives I have ever done were through the highlands. I was just blown away. It's mystical. It just feels historic and you sense you could be in any of the classic fantasy type stories ever written.

Can't recommend it enough. I have seen some beautiful cities but as far as landscape goes, I reckon I rate it as my favourite.

yeh are pretty lucky. My mum and dad are flying into london for 3 nights when the wedding is on so they can look after the kids while me and the wife go out drinking with everyone else which is handy

We fly in to manchester first then off too liverpool for Goodison Park then getting a car and driving around wales and doing the bottom of england to do all the tourist shit.

Never cared for wales until i started reading into it and looking at all the places it looks amazing same with Italy didn't interest me either until now some of the places we are staying at in italy are lush especially venice have a room overlooking the water.

We both turn 30 this year so we are using it as a bit of a celebration.