Originally Posted by
AnnaMossity
But anyways I have NO plans whatsoever for where to visit, it's all going to be on a whim. I want to see London and maybe Paris, maybe the beaches of Normandy in France and the alps perhaps but other than that, who caez? It's probably all interesting compared to Canada.
I would urge you to do a little research beforehand, rather than doing it ALL on a whim. There are substantial differences between the good parts and the mediocre parts. There are often lots of interesting things to see even in smaller towns. Take advantage of the information available in local tourist offices.
The best advice I can give you is don't skimp on maps. Buy detailed ones and learn how to take advantage of the wealth of information they contain. Avoid main roads whenever possible. There are generally lots of minor roads available in Europe and these are usually far more enjoyable than main roads for riding.
As for security, my experience has been that there's a lot more petty theft in Europe than in North America. I've never had anything stolen while touring or otherwise traveling in North America. I did have something stolen from my panniers in Spain (not on my recent trip, but 5 years ago). There was an attempt to enter my tent in a campground in France, and an attempt to pick my front pocket while I was riding the Paris Metro. Gypsy kids attempted to rob my friend while we were walking together on a Paris street. Sevilla and Barcelona in Spain have horrendous reputations for petty theft. FWIW, I never had any problems in the UK or Germany.