Unlike some books on the topic, 'Rite of Passage: Tales of Backpacking 'Round Europe (Lonely Planet Journeys (Travel Literature))' relates stories and experiences other than parties remembered through a drunken haze. It's writers do a good job of summing up an intense and complex experience in an accesible and intelligent way.

While 'The Rough Guide to First-Time Europe 5 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)' is not a guide book in the stay-at-this-hotel, eat-overpriced-food-at-this-famous-restaurant sense of the term, it's very helpful during the planning stage and in giving you a sense of what you can expect from your upcoming trip.

Even though 'Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel' might not be the most useful travel book you could find (most vacationers don't find themselves on the back of an out of control camel), it's still a fun read. And if someday you do in fact come across a pirhana-infested river, you'll be glad that you took the time to look this over.

A Little Guidance

If you're back-packing your way through, 'Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring (Lonely Planet Europe on a Shoestring)' may not seem like the best choice as it weighs more than your entire bag should and seems twice as big. It is however one of the best generalized books on the market and will take you further beyond the tourist traps and traditional student stops than it's competitors. If you're willing to mangle your purchase a bit, bringing along torn-out sections for the countries you plan on stopping in is your best bet. Also very helpful are 'Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door 2003: The Travel Skills Handbook for Independent Travelers (Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door)' and www.hostelworld.com, which includes feedback from customers and (occasionally functional) online booking.

'Rick Steves' Mona Winks: Self-Guided Tours of Europe's Top Museums (5th Edition)' is smarter, funnier, and more useful than your average "[Topic] for the Brainless" guide. If you don't have the time (or the interest) to do hours of research into the contents of every museum you plan on visiting, Steves does a good job of hitting all of the highlights.

Everyday Neccesities

A good pocket dictionary will get you out of a lot of scrapes, and 'Lonely Planet Europe Phrasebook' is perfect for those traveling to a number of countries. Lonely Planet makes some of the best pocket dictionaries, and this version is both concise and convenient. More inclusive dictionaries are often useless- no matter what the publishers want you to think, you probably won't be having political discussions in a brand new language during your short stay.

For less than the price of a week of bar-hopping in most countries, you can buy 'Nikon Coolpix 3200 3.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom' and remember far more of what you've done. The picture quality is excellent, especially for it's price range, and it's also small and relatively light weight.

Finally, keep track of where you've been and where you're headed in your very own 'Oh, the Places You'll Go! Blank Journal'. It doesn't get much more appropriate than that. Happy Traveling!