Expert: Emoor - 5/30/2011

Question
So I just had to choose a random person on the website, so hopefully you have some knowledge. I'll be traveling extensively through Europe and North Africa this summer and fall and I was hoping to go to the Reading or Leeds Festival. Unfortunately, there websites don't offer much help for overseas tourists/visitors. I was looking for airline tickets- as those seem to be much faster and cheaper- from Croatia to either Leeds or Reading. The thing is the only airport I could find near Reading is in London, a whooping forty miles from Reading, and with my narrow knowledge of England, a taxi would cost me a fortune. Furthermore, I have no earthly idea where to stay- i'm a college student so as all college students, I'm broke and I was looking for a small decent hotel/place to stay, but the Reading site contains some random camp site info I don't really comprehend. On the other hand, Leeds, that has the airport has tickets prices four times the amount/price of the tickets to London, so my location would be closer. Here I also run into the whole hotel problem. In either case I was wondering whether there is a closer airport to Reading or perhaps a cheaper way to get there than taxi? And in either Reading or Leeds- hotel recommendations that are safe, "nice" and well on the cheaper scale?
Sorry for rambling, but I want to make sure all goes well if I can go, especially if forced to go alone- which is what it looks like now. Thanks.

Answer
Flights from Croatia:

Check out Thomson's flights.  There are a number from Dubrovnik to London.  Here is their website:

http://flights.thomson.co.uk

They usually fly to Gatwick Airport which is 40 miles from Reading.  Actually, Heathrow Airport is quite close to Reading so you might inquire if they have any flights to Heathrow.

Take a coach or bus, much cheaper than taxi.

National Express will show bus transport from Gatwick Airport to cities all over England.  Here is their website:

www.nationalexpress.com

Reading has hostels, several of them.  Contact  http://www.hostelworld.com  or any number of hostel organizations.  You should have no trouble finding inexpensive lodging.