Want to get paid to see the sights of Europe (over and over again)? Want to spend an entire summer in a perpetual cycle of drunkenness and regret-tinged hangovers? Fancy your chances with drunk 18-year-old gap-year girls? Got the patience of a saint? You might be perfect for working on bus tours of Europe. You won’t get paid much, but you’ll never forget it…
Who?
Tour companies in Europe that are currently hiring (and most do pretty much the same thing – including the same routes around the continent) include Contiki, Top Deck, BusAbout, Kumuka and Budget Expeditions.
What jobs are there?
Probably the most sought-after job is that of tour leader, the person at the front of the bus with the mic who tells their hungover passengers what to do and where to go. Then there are the coach drivers, on-board cooks, and cooks based in campsites. Contiki also has staff based in its chalets across Europe.
What’s best?
If you can drive coaches and don’t mind staying off the booze before drive days, get behind the wheel. The money’s okay, plus, for some reason, girls will love you. Cooking can be hard work, but you also get a fair bit of spare time. Tour leaders have to be patient, have the ability to bullshit, and occasionally scrape drunken passengers off the pavement.
Pay?
Rubbish. Expect to start on around $60 a day for working around the clock; drivers get about double that. Food and accommodation are generally free though, and you can usually scam free or discounted drinks.
Costs?
You’ll have to get to the UK, so that will set you back about $1500. Then you’ll have to pay for your own training, which will cost you $500 on Contiki (refundable on completion of training), or $430 on Top Deck (refundable after two years’ employment). This is for a nightmarish six-week training tour that you could easily get booted off of.