Ben Juengel

Europe & Eurail Traveler

When did you go on your Europe trip?
December 2001-January 2002
How old were you when you took this trip?
24
Including your air ticket and other expenses (incl. air ticket, rail passes, etc.), about how much did your trip cost?
$2500
Nationality
USA
Where do you live now?
Seattle, Washington, USA
Did you buy a rail pass?
Yes
What pass(es) did you buy?
Selectpass youth
Occupation

Before your trip: Aircraft Mechanic
Now: Student

How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
Going to Europe confirmed my decision to go back to school.

What is the route you took/places you visited?
I started in Frankfurt, then on to Paris, then to Nice, off to Rome for Christmas, Naples and Pompeii, Venice, Milan, Basel and the Alps, on to Sweden for a while, Copenhagen, Amsterdam and then back to Frankfurt via Berlin.

Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I had 5 weeks off and money in my pocket. I love to travel and I always wanted to go to Europe.

What did your family, friends, co-workers, etc. think of your trip? Were they supportive of you? What is their opinion of your traveling and railing around Europe?
They all thought it was a great idea.
Out of all your experiences traveling around Europe, what was the:
- Best Moment
  Seeing the Papal address at the Vatican on Christmas Day.
- Worst Moment
  Getting robbed on the train in Italy.
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
  Remembering all the exchange rates, I love the euro!
- Biggest surprise?
  The people in Italy suck.
Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
Linda Lindbergh. She is Swedish and invited me to visit her while she was home. I would not have gone to Sweden otherwise. I found out Sweden, and all of Scandinavia, is fantastic!

How much planning and preparing did you do?
Planning is for tourists

What was your favorite piece of gear?
Good walking shoes.

What did you bring, that in hindsight you could've left at home?
Too many clothes!

How did your trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
I have a broader view of the world and a more objective perspective of the U.S.

If you had to sum up your trip in one sentence, what would it be?
F*@$k Italy, go to Sweden!

Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another trip to Europe?
Yes, always planning trips. I am going to Europe in August.

Why do you think people should take longer trips like this? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
Packaged tours are just that. You might as well go to Paris and The Venetian in Las Vegas. If you really want to get out and experience things, you don't need a guide. Chances of you dying are pretty slim so everything else is a learning experience.

What is the most valuable thing you learned?
Always be alert

What is the biggest myth that people have about traveling Europe by rail?
It's going to be nice and comfortable and clean and cheap. Those four words don't go together over here, why would they over there?

Why do you like to travel?
You get to see so many different things, meet new and exciting people, expand your mind, broaden your horizons.

What is your advice for people planning their own Europe trip?
Just go! Don't worry so much about reservations and time tables and schedules. If you deal with things as they arise you will have a much better time than having a pre-planned itinerary that gets screwed up the first day because of a rail strike in France.

What is a tip about Eurailing you would have, that would help other travelers who are using train travel in Europe?
Eurail is great. It can't be beat for the price. Just be prepared and don't get discouraged if you run on some bad luck. It will still be the trip of a lifetime.

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