Introducing some personal tips and information that might assist you in planning your next over-
 seas adventure! Ever wonder how some of those travelers do it? The ones you see at the inter-
 national ticket counter, with stacks of luggage and big bundled carry-ons? The basic rule I always
 keep in mind, is more luggage increases your chances of it getting lost somewhere. In fact,
 you'll probably wind up paying extra for additional weight! I've taken some of my experiences
 here and have assembled the information into what I hope will be an easy to understand
 formula to enable you to travel abroad with less hassle and greater ease.
 When I mention those other world travelers I have met, the basic question I've had to ask 
 myself is why they have to take so much extra luggage with them? Prior to listing my tips, I
 need to emphasize a basic disclaimer in that none of what I suggest is the "rule" of travel!
 

                         BUYING MY TICKET
 I don't trust online vendors. If I purchased my
 ticket from an online service and encounter
 some type of problem, who do I rectify the
 situation with? I've always dealt with local travel
 agents and have never had any problems.
 If you have any specific questions, they answer
 them for you on the spot. They can incorporate
 any additional travel you want to do upon your
 arrival at your intended destination.
 They can prorate fees for that additional type of
 travel, whether a Euro-train pass etc. and it will
 be added to your fare. Of course, you should also
 ask questions.
 If you want to make sure your ticket price is in 
 line with current pricing, don't hesitate to go to
 other nearby travel agents to see what they'd
 offer you. Make sure you provide the exact same
 information, itinerary, your intended time of
 departure and when you want to return, etc. I
 have used this method before, and have discover-
 ed a slight difference in pricing based on 
 available flights, where I would begin my depart-
 ure etc. So in a sense, don't hesitate to shop around for the best value that suits your buudget.
 

                                                     EMPHASIZE CONSOLIDATOR FARES!
 These fares are well known but if you don't remember to ask , you could be quoted for another
 kind of fare. Consolidator fares are regular scheduled tickets for the big airlines, bought in bulk by
 consolidators at wholesale fees and then resold with larger discounts to you, as the buying
 public in mind. Nothing underhanded since all of it is above board and the savings are passed on
 because of the initial wholesale purchase of these tickets by the consolidators. It's a pretty good
 deal and every overseas trip I've taken has been with a consolidator airfare.
 In fact, your travel agent will probably offer your quote & itinerary with a consolidator fare in 
 mind even if you don't ask but be sure to ask "consolidator rates" and be on the safe side.

                             OK! I'LL MENTION ONLY ONE ONLINE TICKET-RELATED SOURCE
 Yapta. Do you hafta? No, but I'm mentioning them because they are one of the newest online air
 fare related websites and allow you to compare pricing. Their purpose is to save you money and it
 has a downloadable "Tagger" that when you install it, you can enter the appropriate information
 concerning where you want to travel and it gives you all of your ticket fares.
 One of the best features of the program is an "alert" you will get when certain airfares drop, so
 you can either get a refund on a purchased ticket or opt to buy a lower fare ticket on a prime-
 flight. You simply set up an account and it doesn't cost you anything as a member.
 

                                                                                       
                                                                      SEATING ASSIGNMENT
 When first setting up my itinerary, and actually getting the ticket, window or aisle hasn't been a
 big priority. You can of course ask for it at your travel agent and most likely you should. But more
 often than not, you forget about a few things and this could be one of them. So assuming you've
 arrived at your departure gate's ticket / information counter, simply ask for one then.  I've gotten
 my window seat when buying my ticket in advance and other times when I've forgotten to ask, I

 have managed to set it up right at the departure gate's counter. In fact, a few times I've been hit
 with an aisle seat and one instance an older couple asked for my window seat because the aisle
 seat next to me was empty and their legs were crunched up being the first seats in the row up in
 the front of the plane (during a connecting flight within the states) where they were assigned.
 Short legs that I have, I obliged and everything went off without a hitch and I was able to still get
 my favorite window seat. You should expect small things like this to happen which will have good
 positive results.
                                                    SETTING UP YOUR LODGING IN ADVANCE
 Finding a reasonable place is easy nowadays, especially with the internet. You can easily look up
 "hotels" or "bed and breakfast" places online and one trick is to include the + sign followed by
 the city or town you intend on traveling to. For instance: "hotels + Rome Italy" would turn up a
 set of specific results and so on. Most places that do a respectable amount of business have 
  their own  web page and list pricing and other options including photographs and galleries of
  their offerings.
 Keep in mind the longer you stay at a place, the bigger the discount you should get. When  I
 travel, I don't like visiting a place for a week and like staying longer so I can get a better feeling
 of the area and you can get a better understanding of the people and the culture. 
 This only stands to reason. So ask for a "multiple week discount" and you might be
 asked for a deposit or the entire amount in advance, but you should ask this upon your arrival.
 You'll save a considerable amount of money doing this. If you set up your reservation online,
 most places will charge your credit card a certain amount.
 All hotels are different so look into it. In my early days before the internet, I had to research
 all of my intended hotels using travel brochures and then fax them and exchange
 information this way. It seemed very cumbersome but the web makes it so much easier.
 As to the types of places you choose, I suggest if you are on a budget, DON'T pick the cheapest.
 The old saying "What You See Is What You Get" really applies! and may not be very appealing. I

 call those the "flea bag" places. Look for a place that is run by a family or a group. You don't have
 to stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel to get reasonable service. Most European hotels all offer en suite
 bathrooms (shower and toilet within your room) and also a free breakfast each morning as part
 of your fee. The breakfast may be "continental" where you only get cereal or juice. But if they
 offer you a breakfast, it is usually the typical 2 eggs with toast and sausage and coffee or tea.

 Enough to keep the frugal or simple traveler alive for the day! You don't want to stay at any of the

                                                                    TRANSPORTATION
 Renting a car isn't my recommendation unless it's absolutely  necessary, or your stay will be in a
 rural area where you have less congestion. You surely won't know the lay of the land so to speak
 and renting a car in most European cities can be costly, not to mention the price of fuel is double
 to what it is back in North America. You'll also have to be insured. Use local bus services which
 are quite reliable and keep a rigorous time schedule at all bus stops no matter what city you 
 decide to visit.
 Schedules can be found at most convenient stores or even from your hotel. Upon arrival in
 the place you plan to stay, ask for a city map which is available in most convenience stores to get

 an idea of the area, the good & bad parts of the locale and ask your hotel questions.

 Buses also offer passes you can purchase for discount travel. These allow you multiple
 boarding on & off throughout a week or a designated number of days for much less than you'd
 normally pay for on time on & off pricing.
 
 Taxis and cabs are sometimes more expensive but a good driver knows his or her way around
 a city and you can get to your destination much faster if for instance you have a special time 
 to make a train departure.

 Many Euro taxi services I've used acknowledge any major credit card if you are trying to keep
 track of your expenses this way. And taxis are the norm to go from any airport to your hotel.

 Speaking of which, your hotel may offer a service where they can pick you up upon your arrival
 at the airport. Just ask them if this service is provided. Train service is also great in Europe and
 you can travel extensively throughout this part of the world because all of it is linked so well.

 Timetables are very reliable and pricing is inexpensive. With the introduction of the Chunnel,
 connecting the United Kingdom to the rest of Europe, train travel seems to be seeing a revival.
 Most long distance trains are clean and onboard service is available for food & drink with the
 longer runs.

 And the actual maintenance of the system is always being upgraded as new technology see
 things improve. A great for instance is The EuroStar which is only three hours long and takes
 you along the the country sides of England and Northern France if you are heading into one of
 the train stations in Paris.

 It really doesn't seem like three hours because of the speed and service though! And the views
 are spectacular through the French countryside and farmlands. Even if you plan to visit just
 London, it's highly recommended that you take a day trip to Paris as you can leave Waterloo 
 Station early in the morning, get to Paris and eat / shop and sight-see and back to London and
 be at your hotel that same evening!

 Something unheard of even back in the early 90's! 






 

    It is hoped this compendium of information will assist in the planning stages for starting your
   travels. It would be unprofessional NOT to insist that you buy travel books that pertain to your
 chosen country of travel. A particular set of books which I highly recommend are Frommer's Travel
 guides. The publisher of these annual books also has editors who are experienced world travelers
 who also offer their own insights, suggestions and caveats pertaining to all of their experiences in
 the cities and countries for each book series. The Frommer's line also includes in-depth maps and
 names of hotels, restaurants, places to see and things to do in each city or country. Very well done
 series of books which are not expensive at all. You can order online off of their web site and they
 can be found at most of your local bookstores such as Borders Books, Barnes & Noble etc.

   Other Resources We Recommend In Gathering Information For Your Overseas Trip!

 Some favorite funny travel cartoons we recommend: Travel Cartoon 1 - Travel Cartoon 2 - Travel Cartoon 3

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