2023-11-29 03:21:39
Travel is not just for the rich. Even common people can travel abroad at low cost if proper planning is done. A young man named Salman Najeeb is showing this through his own experience. So far, Salman has flown to 10 countries with dreams of traveling from a village in Malappuram. Salman’s travels include Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal and Saudi Arabia. Salman talks to Manorama Online regarding his recent trip to Europe and his experiences; And cool techniques that have made European travel budget-friendly.
Ghent Festival
Trips… Trips… Trips…
It was during his graduation that Salman Najib felt an insatiable passion for travel. Salman got the chance to travel solo when he was working at Milma in Thiruvananthapuram following his studies. Decided to go to Kashmir on four or five days leave. But finally Salman arrived in Singapore. The reason for making the trip abroad was that the ticket prices to Singapore and Kashmir were the same.
Hamburg
Hamburg
Salman’s first trip was very budget-friendly. After that, Salman went to Vietnam and Malaysia on a budget. Now it has gone to Europe which is very expensive and known as the celebrity’s own resort. Salman says that a budget trip is also possible in Europe.
Europe is not just for the rich
It is generally accepted that traveling to Europe means having good cash in hand. The reason for this is that traveling to Europe is very expensive. But Salman says that with a little care and clear planning, the travel expenses can be kept under control. The trip to Europe was in July this year. Salman first learned regarding the Schengen visa system, which allows travel through 28 countries in Europe. The search for a Schengen visa started with the information available on the internet. Salman says that often misleading information was available on the internet. This may have been the reason for last year regarding 18 percent of the applications to fail.
Schengen visa approval is done by investigating whether you are going to leave the country, if you go there, then look for a job and settle in Europe. Doubts in these matters often lead to not getting a visa. Schengen Visa is around Rs.10,000. Applying for a Schengen visa should be in the country where you have decided to visit or the country where you intend to spend the most time.
Schengen visa
Schengen visa
About Schengen Visa…
Application for Schengen visa should be made to the Indian consulate of the destination country. First make an appointment online. It can take up to three months to get an appointment. It also doesn’t have to be where you think it is. Salman got an appointment in Pondicherry instead of in Kochi; That too following four months. Those who plan to travel to Europe should plan their trip in advance.
Salman Najib applied at the German Embassy. First you have to give a covering letter to the visa officer. What is the job, why are you going, how many days will you travel, where will you stay, previous travel experiences and so on should be clearly stated in the letter. Salman also submitted evidence of his previous foreign trips. It also helped to get the visa.
Schengen visa has an invite friends and family criterion. It is an option for permanent residents of Europe to invite friends and family to Europe. Salman gets this with the help of a Dutch friend he met in Vietnam. Salman applied for the visa by writing the application on a white paper from his friend, his name and address, a copy of his passport and the address proof of his residence.
To cut costs, dummy tickets were booked instead of full payment of the flight ticket. Moreover, the hostel booking was not fully confirmed and the visa was applied for. Then even if the visa fails, the money will not be lost. So following all the investigations, the Schengen visa finally arrived for Salman. 30 day visa.
Hamburg
Now to Europe
A trip through Europe was Salman’s dream. The thing that makes Salman happy is that he was able to travel before his friends and he was able to travel at a lower cost according to his budget. If you don’t plan everything before you go to Europe, quick decisions made following you get there can often add up to costs.
Salman kept his travel expenses down by pre-booking hotels and cooking meals at hostels that might cook. Train tickets in Europe sometimes cost more than flights. So Salman pre-booked the train to travel through Europe. Salman traveled through Europe for eight days.
A system called the 49 euro ticket or Deutschland ticket exists in Germany. With it you can use any public transport in Germany. Can be used on services like metro, suburban, buses and local trains. So apart from this ticket, Salman did not incur any other travel expenses. It cost Salman only 27,000 rupees to reach Hamburg from the German city of Hamburg. Salman also points out that this is the specialty of his journey.
Spice shop in Groningen
Hamburg, who does not hesitate to ask questions
Salman Najeeb started his European journey from Bengaluru. The reason for choosing Bengaluru is that the ticket prices are low there. Usually everyone lands in Frankfurt, Germany. But Salman went to Hamburg. Arriving at the Hamburg airport was really exciting. Because I have heard that the immigration in Europe is a bit strict. Asking too many questions will cause trouble. Therefore, copies of many documents were taken. Copies of hostel bookings, invitation letters and Euro currency were all prepared. The only questions that came to him were why he came to Germany, how many days he would stay, and where was the return ticket. Soon all procedures were completed and left the airport.
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
Hamburg is a city in the northern part of Germany. Salman felt the weather there was similar to Ooty and Kodaikanal. Although it was summer, it was very cold. Then it rains unexpectedly. What surprised Salman there was the rise in the standard of living. The people there have a very luxurious life. Germany is home to many world-class car brand manufacturers. They seemed to take special pride in using home-made cars. Germans are very nationalistic. At the same time, Germans do not want to maintain relations with each other. Salman rarely experienced friendly approaches and familiar behavior towards foreigners.
With Berliner Marina
With Marina…
Berlinkari Marina is a friend I met in Kuala Lumpur during my previous trip to Malaysia. Marina was mentioned regarding coming to Germany. Therefore, we did not have to rely on hostels for accommodation. Stayed in Berlin in Marina’s apartment. Marina prepared dinner in German style. Taken to parks and public places where they go during their free time. Marina is a person who has traveled a lot at a very young age. Salman says that he felt very happy to see Marina once more.
Walking Tour in Berlin
Walking Tour in Berlin
Salman had participated in walking tours on the same day he arrived in Germany. There are websites for such walking tours. First you have to register and book the tour. Then you have to go and stay at the point they say at the time they say. Later they will come there and join us. The specialty of walking tours is that we can see the city and know its history by walking.
The Berlin Wall
Berlin is a place of great historical importance. Salman saw the universities where Karl Marx and Albert Einstein studied, Hitler’s headquarters, the Berlin Wall and Check Point Charlie. Eating during the walking tour was also cost-effective as it was a very inexpensive trip. Coffee and bread will be bought from supermarkets. There was no sit down food in the big restaurants. The aim was to see maximum places at minimum cost.
Salman at Check Point Charlie
‘Word’ brought it to the Netherlands…
Salman returned from Berlin to Hamburg and then reached Groningen City in the Netherlands by train. Kroningen is not a big tourist town. But what drew Salman to Croningen was meeting his friend Yell in the travel community Couchsurfing. He met and talked to Yell earlier in Thiruvananthapuram. He had just said to Yell that one day he would come to Kroningal and see you. Salman says that the word got him there.
Park in Groningen Netherlands
Groningen is a town in the northernmost part of the Netherlands. As the area is close to Germany, the same architectural style as in the northern cities of Germany is available here. Salman says that when he got there, he was surprised by the change in the way people travel. Everyone has a bicycle in Kroningen. There were very few people walking there. Children, adults and lovers travel on bicycles. At times the cycle track felt nicer and wider than the road. The use of bicycles by the locals is such that it is doubtful whether there is any other country where bicycles are so important.
Land of bicycles
with Yell
Yell was received by his friend by saying yes you made it and hugging him. Despite being from two countries, two languages and two cultures, our desire to travel made us friends. Both of us are very proud of that partnership” – says Salman. Yale provided accommodation in its own residence. When I got to Yell’s house, the silence was more than surprising. This silence is also the specialty of that country. No sounds of cars or other machines.
Yell’s father was a musician. Yell heard his music albums. Also, Yel also showed the gifts given by the previous visitors like Salman. Yell loves Indian food very much. Especially the spicy food here. Yell, who loves to eat and make such food, also prepared a nice dinner for Salman.
Yel took Salman on a tour of Kroningen town early the next morning. Spice shops were one of the attractions there. The things were arranged very nicely there. So I went around the country and said goodbye to Yell and returned to Amsterdam. Before leaving, Salman did not forget to present Yell with a box of gulab jamun which he had brought from the country.
Amsterdam
Whatever city you reach, you will join a travel group called Guruwak and book a walking tour. Salman also went on a walking tour in Amsterdam. Walked around the city in the morning. Amsterdam is a beautiful city. The beauty of the buildings there is different. It is a city with many canals. This was the main center of Dutch traders in the past. The Netherlands is a place where Salman has many friends. These natives are very close-minded. They are willing to help each other. Those who don’t hesitate to share what they don’t know. As a foreigner, the locals have a very considerate attitude. This was something he might not see in Germany. Salman also says that his favorite people are from the Netherlands.
The red street is one of the famous places in Amsterdam. Travelers come from different parts of the world to see this. Tourists who often come too much are difficult for the locals. Due to the ban on tourists during the Covid period, the locals had a comfortable life. The host who was with the walking tour informed that now they are facing difficulties once more. Salman saw many disturbing sights in that red street. During the journey, the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company was also shown. Salman did not forget to taste Amsterdam’s famous chocolate cookies, cakes and fries during the trip. Later he traveled back to Belgium from there.
Brussels
Brussels is the capital of Belgium. After arriving in Brussels, I went to the house of my friend Stephen from Couchsurfing. Salman’s stay in Brussels was with the Scarlett-Stephen couple who are in their 60s. Scarlett was Belgian and Stephen was American. Stephen has traveled to 185 countries. They have no children. They were people who saw travel as very important. What surprised them when they entered their house was the realization that it was not a house but their dream. The house was so beautiful and different and full of travel memories. All the pictures and collections of Stephen and Scarlett’s travels were stacked there.
With Stephen and Scarlett
Salman went with fruits to meet Scarlett and Stephen. They were happy. Stephen is working in IT field. He points to the pictures on the wall and tells Salman to find out where India is in it. While Salman’s search ended with a beautiful picture of India, Stephen said India was his favorite out of 185 countries he had traveled to. Salman says that he felt proud following hearing that.
Ghent Festival
A town far away from Brussels was the Ghent Festival. It was a very popular and must-see festival. Stephen Salman was taken there. Scarlett’s home is in Ghent. Ghent is home to stone-built palaces and dreamlike structures and areas. Places so beautiful, like paintings. During the trip, Stephen said that the three classic cities in Europe are Paris, Prague and Vienna. Salman decides to go to Paris in that car.
Many different street dances, other arts and music can be seen and heard in Ghent. There you can see how the people there turn every night into a celebration. It was the same feeling as if we went to a festival in our country. The difference is that everything happened on the beat of the alcohol they ingested. There is music and everything until midnight. They were celebrating wildly. People from different parts of Europe came to this festival. Stephen commented that Ghent is a city that should never be missed by any Sundersikanet in Belgium. The greatest feature of the land is that it is still preserved as it was in the past.
But what surprised Salman more than Ghent was Stephen and Scarlett. At 68, Stephen and Scarlett are enjoying life. Even at that age they travel enjoy music concerts, attend festivals… they talk to each other with love and respect. Salman says that even at this age, they keep their love alive through travel. Stephen and Scarlett are rewriting the way we think of aging as relaxing and therapeutic.
Around town with Storm
Salman was able to meet his very dear friend in Brussels, whom he might not meet in the Netherlands. It was Storm who sent the invitation for the Schengen visa. They first met in Vietnam and later in India. See you in Brussels following that.
Walked through the city of Brussels with Storm. Belgium chocolate and waffles are two famous foods in Brussels. They were tasted with storm. Besides seeing Brussels, the trip was also an opportunity to renew friendships and relive old memories. Storm asked regarding his experience of traveling to Europe so far. “Europe is beautiful, but Iam not impressed” was Salman’s reply. Salman felt that European travel was not that interesting compared to many Asian countries that offer great travel experiences. Said goodbye to Storm and returned to Paris from Brussels.
Paris
Salman returned to Paris because Stephen said that the classic life in Europe is in Paris. He stayed in a hostel there. The next morning we went on a walking tour. Saw Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower, Seine River, Louvre Museum, Montmartre Hill, Champs Elysees and many more. Paris is a very classic and romantic city. Even its buildings were very beautiful. We saw the Arc de Triomphe, built in memory of the brave soldiers who died in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, and the Croissant area, famous for its bakeries. From there, croissants and macaroons were tasted. Salman says that the Eiffel Tower did not feel as beautiful as the Taj Mahal. And because it was a busy time, I didn’t get a chance to enjoy it. Salman also says that the beauty captured by the camera is not seen directly. So following seeing the sights of Paris, I finally caught the train to Hamburg.
Love of travel is enough to become a traveller
There are two questions that they ask Salman when they meet Asians abroad. One, how did you get here? Two, whether student or business. No, everyone is surprised when I say that I am a passenger. Then their next question is, will you be the richest person in the country? That is, behind those questions is the belief that travel is only for the rich. But the truth is that none of the travelers were often rich. It is not the sights that stay in the European travel mind, but rather the faces of the loved ones there. Salman wants to say that if he gets another chance to see those who have taken care of him so much, he will come to Europe once more.
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