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Saturday 28 February 2009

Tips For Ladies From Backpacker Katie

Katie from Long Island, NY, states:

In 2005, I flew by myself and then had to navigate Heathrow Airport and the bus system in the UK to get to Exeter, which is four hours from London, by myself with less than 30 minutes to make my bus and I could not understand what anyone was saying. I relied on my smile, a helpless look, some laughter, and found that people were more than willing to help me.

The best advice that I can give to another woman traveling Europe on her own or with others is to just trust your instincts. You know when a situation doesn't feel right, when you don't get a good vibe from someone - you wouldn't trust a shady person in the States, so don't be swayed by the magical illusion that there are no shady people in Europe.

Most people in this world are good, decent people who are willing to help you, befriend you, even show you a good time, but on occasion you will find those that aren't like that - the tough part is filtering the bad ones out.

So how can you do that? By having some common sense, a trait that seems to be lacking while we are on vacation. Don't flash your money around, don't announce where you're staying or that you're alone and, most importantly, don't indulge in the local "treats" to a point where you are unable to take care of yourself.

But enough of all the bad forewarning - European men are fabulous. They dress sharp, look different, sound amazing, and most seem to love American women, so take it all in and enjoy it!

Thursday 26 February 2009

The Concept of Red Wine Helps You Sleep On Trains

This is not a book to tell you where to stay or where to eat. This will not give you guidance on prices of admission to museums or a detailed list of each historic site to see while in Rome. We will not harp on the importance of culture and art or wine tastings in Tuscany. We won’t shed light on the possibility of renting a car and driving the autobahn and returning safely to Oktoberfest. We will try not to tell too many bland stories of my experiences on the rails of Europe.

We will, however, try our hardest to give advice on blisters, pocket knives, and internet cafes. We will illuminate the upside of knowing how to find north on a compass and tell you how not to get your stuff stolen. We will tell you how and where to pay to poop and show you how to cut stinky cheese and open a bottle of wine with a Swiss army knife. We will teach you how to survive hostel showers and kitchens and the art of catching a midnight train. This is the way of backpacking Europe on less than a budget when you're just plain poor.

Go ahead and buy that overpriced massive 'travel guide' with no photos that gives excessively detailed information about where to eat and admission fees, but remember that it will probably be outdated by the time it’s published. Or we have another suggestion for you. Save your money by doing all your research of cities and sights online and then pick up this book for the rest of the essential information the young American backpacker needs to survive backpacking Europe.

Hot to Use a Swiss Army Knife Can Opener