Brandy Noice

Europe & Eurail Traveler

Brandy chums with Albert Einstein (left) at his house in Bern, Switzerland. Now she's gearing up to rail around the UK.

When did you go on your Europe trip?
March-April 2002
How old were you when you took this trip?
20
Including your air ticket and other expenses (incl. air ticket, rail passes, etc.), about how much did your trip cost?
$1700
Nationality
USA
Where do you live now?
Leeds, England, UK
Did you buy a rail pass?
Yes
What pass(es) did you buy?
Youth rail consecutive pass, 21 days
Occupation

Before your trip: student
Now: student

What is the route you took/places you visited?
We flew into Pescara, Italy, then went to Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice, Verona, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Munich, Zurich, Bern, Geneva, Paris, St. Malo.

Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
We are studying abroad here in England and had a 3-week break from classes. We wanted to travel.

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?
Amazed at all the places we saw. Very excited for me!
Out of all your experiences traveling around Europe, what was the:
- Best Moment
  Seeing our first beach in Italy. Were not expecting it at all!
- Worst Moment
  Our flight from France to England was delayed 2 hours, so we missed our connecting train and had to buy new tickets.
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
  Carrying our backpacks got very heavy. Made it hard for day trips when train stations did not have lockers.
Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
Some fun girls in one of the hostels in Rome.

How much planning and preparing did you do?
Just Enough

What was your favorite piece of gear?
My backpack

What did you bring, that in hindsight you could've left at home?
Can't think of anything. We packed pretty smart.

How did your trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
It was amazing. We got to see so much stuff that many people will never see in their lifetime! It was fun to see how the natives to the land are, compared to our American ways.

If you had to sum up your trip in one sentence, what would it be?
It was so awesome, I am so glad I had the opportunity to go. I'll never forget any of it, and I have the pictures if I do! (well, that was 2 sentences)

Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another trip to Europe?
Yes, I am traveling all of the UK next month!

Why do you think people should take longer trips like this? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
A packaged tour takes you places that you may not want to see or would rather spend more time than they allot. Also, it seems that as an individual traveler, not in a tour, you can do things for a lot cheaper. I wouldn't go on a tour, waste of my time and money. Plus, you have to stick with the tour... who wants to do that?

What is the most valuable thing you learned?
Pickpockets are everywhere! And, have an open mind, you'll enjoy things more if you do!

What is the biggest myth that people have about traveling Europe by rail?
Um, can't think of any myth I have ever heard!

Why do you like to travel?
There is so much in this world besides our home towns. Why not get out there and see as much as you can?!

What is your advice for people planning their own Europe trip?
Pick out the places you want to see the most, and then visit the cities in between that you may have never heard of. They can sometimes be the best part of your trip.

What is a tip about Eurailing you would have, that would help other travelers who are using train travel in Europe?
Make the most of your time in each city. If it is going to be an 8-hour train ride to the next city, do it overnight. Do not waste your days on the train.

Questions? Fired up about Eurailing? Email us. Or start using the BootsnAll RailSaver to figure out where you want to go.

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