You can get to Europe, even travel around it, without help. But without a little pre-trip planning, you'll make mistakes - wasting both time and money. This book won't tell you where to go, but it will give you the tools to custom design the best possible journey for your time frame and budget. There are some things, such as rail passes, volunteer projects or cooking courses, that need to be booked in advance. This book will explain which things to plan for, which are best done on the fly, and how to do it. It will also help you pack what you need, so you don't end up carrying around items you never use and give budget tricks and skills so you can save GBP5-GBP15 per day with minimal effort (which can add up to GBP900 on a two-month trip). Essentially, this book contains the sort of information you could probably figure out on your own after about four or five years on the road. Just seems a little easier to get it in an hour or two. Prepare for the adventure with "The Rough Guide First-Time Europe".