It has been 25 years since the last time I was backpacking through Europe. At the time I bounced through 18 countries with little more than clothes and a tattered Let’s Go guide for the better part of a year. Looking back, most of what I brought with me was easily replaced. Well, except for one thing. That was my Eurail Pass. I held onto it like glue and hopped on and off trains with abandon through 18 countries and had a life-altering … [Read more...]
5 Interesting Ways to Make Travel Cheaper
Are you planning to travel but don’t have enough money to do so? Well, don’t let money problems prevent you from exploring the world. Believe it or not, there are numerous ways to see the world without breaking the bank. In this article, we are going to look at five ways to travel cheap and explore the world while on a budget. 1. Try House Sitting or House Swapping If you can’t afford your vacation, house sitting is a great option. … [Read more...]
Truly a Special Place, Chamonix in the French Alps
I have been fortunate to have visited France a number of times - but by far the trip that has stood out in my mind over the years was a trip to Chamonix in the summer with my brother as part of a longer trip backpacking through parts of Europe. Traveling on train from near Geneva to Chamonix is anywhere from 2 to 4 hours - we felt good because we had a Eurorail pass which covered most train travel within Europe for 30 days. But at the time we … [Read more...]
Doug Lansky: Travel Writer + Speaker
We first heard about Doug's travel adventures a number of years ago through his "Signspotting" website and later his book. This unique ongoing project highlights humorous and engaging signs from around the world. He even has a cool widget which you can embed on other websites displaying any new signs uploaded to his own site. Doug is a busy guy and certainly not one to stand still. He is involved in a number of projects that would make those with … [Read more...]
Explore Europe with a Eurail pass
As a worldly traveler, I'm happy to share all the ins and outs of the Eurail Pass- which continues to transport people of all ages throughout Europe. A Eurail Pass can really be considered an all access pass to the entire train network in select countries...and the best part...you get to choose the countries you would like to include. In fact, you have many options: One Country Pass: Your Eurail Pass can be a simple one country pass, for let's … [Read more...]
What are the differences between Eurail Pass and InterRail Pass?
Travelers who are interested in exploring Europe by train will find that there are two main types of rail passes: Eurail Passes and InterRail Passes. The choice is made simply based on the passenger's country of residency; they will be eligible to buy one and not the other. Here is the general rule: *** The Eurail product line is available to residents of a non-European country. You are eligible if you have been a resident of a non-European … [Read more...]
The ‘Amazing Race’ For The REST OF US!!!
COMPETITOURS is a team travel competition where 17 pairs of teams will converge upon Europe for a 2 week 5 country trip, earning points by accomplishing a series of fun, offbeat and interactive challenges while experiencing the diversity of Europe's people, places and culture. At stake is a grand prize travel spree with up to 40 nights at any Starwood property worldwide, plus up to 4 intl. airline tickets and up to $6500 spending money. … [Read more...]
Europe – Transportation
Finding one's way around a foreign city in the time of pre-Internet was a challenging situation at best taking significant time to avoid getting lost (which invariably happened anyway). One had printed maps that one had to determine their location on before being able to route a course to a desired destination. Not always easy without a digital blue dot to guide you. And road signs were often missing further causing complications. Later some … [Read more...]
Europe – More Info
This is information that was not able to find a home in any of the other categories in this article. Bathrooms Drinking Fountains Travel Books ID Cards Internet Access Student Organizations Links Airlines Transportation Budget General Tours Bathrooms Just about all the public bathrooms in Europe have an access charge. Usually this runs from several cents to several dollars depending on the country … [Read more...]