Don’t worry though, we’re here to help! Check out our guide to staying veggie on your travels:

1. Prepare Online

Probably the single best way to make sure you can find something to eat is to do some research online before you go. Look up specialist restaurants and places you know you can trust. Most restaurants let you download a menu to your smartphone so you’ve always got a handy reference. Try going to a few travel forums and ask the question. There may even be apps for your phone that will help.

2. Learn A Phrase Or Two (And Carry A Cheat Sheet!)

If you are not fluent in the language of the country you are travelling in then look up the phrase for “Please can you show me the meat-free options” and have it handy (in case your studying doesn’t pay off!). The word “vegetarian” doesn’t translate all that well, so find ways to articulate a meatless meal! Useful phrases to consider looking up include knowing the phrases for various meats (so you can avoid them on the menu) and a way to ask if animal fats are used in all their cooking (obviously this depends how strict you are!)

3. Or Just Cheat!

Many restaurants have “tourist menus” which are typically in English and can make choosing food much easier. Although, be careful as sometimes translations can be inventive. Don’t be afraid to ask for a substitution or to leave ingredients out, most places recognise different dietary needs.

4. Pick Your Restaurant

As a vegetarian you will know that some types of restaurants are more likely to have suitable food for you than others. The usual culprits of salad, pizza, pasta as well as Middle-east and Asian dishes should be high on the “safe bet” lists. It’s also fair to say that while most restaurants will accommodate you you’re better off heading to the hipper, younger areas of a city to get good veggie grub – while traditional restaurants are often superb many can be stuck in their ways!

5. Forage!

Okay, so we’re not advocating becoming one with nature and living in the Tiergraten, Parc Guell or Hyde Park but you can stick to great fruit and vegetables, as well as lots of tasty snacks from various markets in most cities. It’s a fairly good feeling to be enjoying fresh fruit from a local market while exploring the lesser known parts of a flourishing vibrant city.

Or how far does one Euro take you ….

The gasping void in your purse, who does not know that feeling of dwindling funds? The month-end is still far away and payday is not yet in sight. An uneasy feeling slowly rises out of the stomach, sweat appears on your forehead, if you look in your wallet. Yesterday there was the 10 euro bill and now one only copper coin.

Money is running out and it becomes invisible in your wallet. Most of the times you don’t remember, where you have spent it. In Germany, since 2002 the Euro replaced the good old Deutsche Mark and the older generations still revert back to it. “€ 1 which is 2 DM”, it sounds in many ears. But has the value decreased or has it been just adjusted? The minds are split.

One Euro is 100 cents, 10 small gold coins. What can you buy for that? Especially in 2013?

In the 40’s you got twelve pints of beer for one Euro, that is a whopping 6 litres. In the 70’s you could purchase a total of 48 eggs for one Euro and in the 80′s you even got a litre of petrol for a goldling. Today petrol prices almost doubled and if you’re lucky, you get 0.5 litres for the price of one euro. In Britain you get just two packets of crisps and 1.5 cans of mean beanz for € 1.

Looking at the Euro as international purchasing power you can buy can buy 3 pints of beer in Panama for 100 cents. In Costa Rica, for the same amount of dough you get 1 fresh, juicy pineapple. In India, you can even buy 6 Kit Kats for € 1. This is three times as many as in Germany … So, ”take a break” in India!

But if you want to let your hair down and get a complete make over, head down to the Philippines. There you get the real deal and value for money. €1 and you get a new haircut.

Back in Germany the reality will hit you. In Berlin a one way ticket with the BVV in the AB zone costs € 2.40 and Berlin is already cheap as chips compared to the cost of public transport in London or Copenhagen. Zone 1 to 2 diminishes your dosh by £ 2.80 (€ 3.20) in London and DKK 24 (€3.21) in Copenhagen. So much to low cost travelling….

Just imagine, on 21st March Generator is organizing a massive 24-hour huge bed sale. For 24 hours (these are 1440 minutes) you can buy a bed for € 1 at Generator Berlin East for the rest of the year.

These are 285 days until the end of the year, every day a chance to stay in Berlin for 1 €. Madness …. so, what are you waiting for?

Brace your credit card (you just need it to make an online reservation), decide when you want to go to Berlin (in April for the Marathon, in May for the Summer Rave in Tempelhof, CSD in June or many other top events) and then go and book your bed!

So if you’re not feeling the love this 14 February, Generator has created its very own ‘Love to Hate Valentine’s Day’ package.

Don’t fancy playing gooseberry this year to your coupled up house-mates? No problem. Got your heart set on a more appealing venue than your local bar to hang out with your friends? Sorted. Simply flee the country and head to one of Generator’s boutique hostels in Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, and Hamburg where your adoring hosts will be laying on a mush-free international speed-dating evening.

Whether you’re travelling alone or grabbing a couple of your closest soul-mates along the way, the ‘Love to Hate Valentine’s Day’ package starts from just £10.50pp (for 4-bed and female-only dorms) and £16.50pp for twin rooms, including B&B accommodation and the chance of a foreign affair to remember.

So if you feel like sticking two fingers up to Cupid this year simply choose which city you’d most love to visit, decide whether to pack a couple of cherished companions or go it alone and head off into the speed dating sunset.

Welcome to Generator’s Heartbreak Hostel. We can’t promise a love story but a good time’s definitely guaranteed.

3 simple steps to booking your ‘Love to Hate Valentine’s Day’ package:

• Decide your European dating style: will you lose your heart in Hamburg or go crazy in Copenhagen?
• Contact the hostels directly by email or telephone to book your anti-Valentine’s escape in one of Europe’s most lively cities.
• Prices include bed, breakfast and an evening speed dating in the property.
• Have yourself a jolly bon voyage.

BERLIN EAST

Dorms from £19.50pp/ twin room £27pp

berlin@generatorhostels.com

Tel: +49 (0)30 417 2400

COPENHAGEN

Dorms from £10.50pp/ twin room £16.50pp

copenhagen@generatorhostels.com

Tel: +45 7877 5400

DUBLIN

Dorms from £11/ twin room £18.50pp

dublin@generatorhostels.com

Tel: +353 1 9010222

HAMBURG

Dorms from £14pp/ twin room £19.50pp

Hamburg@generatorhostels.com

Tel: +49 (0)40 226 358 460

Make sure you heed our top ten tips for keeping your money safe while travelling:

1. Stay Awake! Falling asleep on public transport, especially with headphones on, is a really easy way to have your cash stolen – it makes waking up with a hangover on the overnight train even worse.
2. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Take a card, take cash, have a secret compartment in your bag with some emergency money or (a popular one) hide it in a wash-bag in a plastic film canister. Carrying your whole travel budget around with you is a terrible idea. We’ve even got a guide to travel light in Europe, just to help you out that little bit more.
3. Call the bank in advance – let them know where you’re going. If you don’t you may find that your card will get blocked, which isn’t a great situation to find yourself in when you need to withdraw some cash to get a taxi back to the hostel.
4. Don’t get mugged. By this we mean, don’t walk down an obviously “dodgy” un-lit alleyway or wander off from your group while tipsy. Remember to trust your gut – if something doesn’t feel safe or right, get yourself to somewhere safe. Stick to well-lit streets in the evening and be wary of strangers, who want to “help you with your bags” immediately outside the train station.

1. Keep it close.While not very fetching money belts can be lifesavers. They’re an ideal way of keeping your money close to you. There’s a huge variety available from simple “belts” to clever, concealed straps a little like a bandolier – go with what feels comfy, can be worn all day, and doesn’t make you feel like a smuggler.
2. Discretion. Avoid outrageous shows of wealth – throwing your cash around in a bar can make you feel good (probably because you’re drunk, but it marks you out as someone worth shaking down to the less desirables.
3. The back-up plan. Make sure you have copies of all the important numbers you’ll need, if something does go wrong. Make sure you have card details somewhere safe and emergency contact numbers for the bank back home.
4. Don’t lose sight of your card. Most scams involving card cloning and the like require a little bit of alone time with your card. If you can’t see the card machine the merchant is using then cash is always a better option.
5. At the ATM. Some scams involve the rigging of ATM machines, so always have a quick look at any ATM machine you’re using, if it seems a broken or something feels off about it you may be better off walking to the next one. Additionally you should make sure you’re aware of the charges a machine may have and the rates of exchange – while many are fine some can be extortionate. Find an ATM you trust and understand in a city and use that for all your transactions.
6. Stay in a group. While we mentioned this before it’s usually better to make some decisions as part of a group – and makes bad decisions a little less scary!

Bag Basics

First of all you need a light bag; a fabric backpack is the best option. Many airlines only let you carry on less than 10kg for hand luggage and a hard case can be 3kg of that. It is easier to figure out what’s important when you have a bag that only gives you a limited amount of space!

A quick note on security: always have a lock with you – usually a light coil lock is best. You’re not trying to make the bag impossible to open; you’re just hoping to put off the opportunist criminal. Generator offers secure bag areas – but it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Staying In Season

The season can change how you pack. Winter is tricky because of the tendency to layer up: but this can be solved with one larger warm coat. Summer has the advantage of light clothing with nothing too heavy going in your bag.

Take a limited amount of shirts and trousers to mix and match along the way; everything in your bag should match everything else. Equally, dark outfits are your best friend as this means less cleaning!

One pair of comfortable, stylish, shoes is more than enough for city walking but make sure they pass as “smart” shoes, to avoid getting turned away at the club door!

Divide (the Bill) and Conquer

Backpacking is much more fun when with friends, and cheaper! You can buy hygiene supplies locally and share. You can also save money by splitting your food costs with friends – make sure you check out the Generator website to avoid tourist traps.

You Can’t Take It All With You

Souvenirs are a big part of travelling but they can be a problem – as it was hard enough to pack in the first place! Instead, focus on taking pictures and videos – they’re a great way to keep memories alive. Store you pictures securely online to avoid carrying a mountain of SD cards.

Don’t bring all your gadgets, one is more than enough! Keeping in touch and surfing is easily done with a smartphone. Generator offers free Wi-Fi so staying connected is hassle-free.

The Lightest Thing You’ll Pack

Research online before heading out; Generator’s website can be an amazing place to get inspired. As you look for the “to do list” of each city destination, also look for the list that says what not to do: avoid getting caught up in an awkward situations because of cultural differences or wandering into the wrong side of town!

The backpacking world is an unforgettable experience, and it gives you a taste of a city that can’t be gained from a book. Remember, your life can’t always fit in a suitcase: so don’t bring it all with you!