Category Archives: Travel Tips

Guides $ 25 tools for $ 4,000 experiences. People are smart enough, otherwise the trip of your life on borrowed copy of the leader three years. The money spent to save the library the first day of travel, hotels and restaurants for a long closed. As a writer, guide books, I believe in sustainability. If I go somewhere, as a beginner – a place like Belize or Sri Lanka – I am referring to the modern management equip and expect to travel smart. I travel like old pro, not because I’m a big traveler, but as I have reliable information, and I use it. I am a connoisseur of guidebooks. My time is my child. I love it. And give him money to buy the best teachers.

Too many people are penny wise and pound and pound foolish when it comes to information. I see them every year based on the street corners of Paris, bleeding money. This cascade in € 100 fixed. Leaving disasters. Visitors without information, short on cash, after flying home soon, and hate the French. With a good guide, you can search in Paris for the first time you go anywhere in the home for less than $ 2 on the subway, you can enjoy unforgettable bistro dinner for $ 20 and $ 150 pay for a comfortable double room (perhaps with the song right) in the pedestrian street a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower – French so if you go through the morning, you think you are in life Poodle previously. All you need is a good guide.

Before buying a book under consideration. What is the information age? (The cheapest books are often the oldest – not a single case.) Who wrote it? What are the author’s experience? As it is written? The book is for you to work – or the tourism industry? Will specialize in hard opinions – or superlatives? This file is read? Personality should, without chatter and information without fluff.

Do not believe everything you read. Power of the printed word creepy. Books most importance to information not fight. It is amazing that this book can be a mistake. Resist some “writers” of temptation as a result of rumors, travel brochures, and other books, and if writing. The writers met at the airport official National Tourism Council teaches tips are only useful to others who met at the airport in an official document of the National Office of Tourism.

Europe is changing to yellow and begin to go before they are printed. It is important to travel with the latest information. Instructions are the most two or three years all but some chapters (like many of mine) actually updated each year. As a rule of thumb: if the year printed on the front page, the instruction per year (and you should be on the copyright page check updated information – usually only in the front or back – to see if It was up to date). If I choose a leader for travel, publication date, usually the most important factor, I buy.

While the information for travelers to keep you afloat, can too much information sink the ship. I bought a few guides for every country I visited, copied, and the relevant chapters in my own personal guide hybrid paste. For a copy of the book carefully, she bent to break the backbone of the score with a knife, and secure the border Collie chapter draw – or simply a butcher, and sewing. A project only the pages available. There is no point in force 120 pages of information about Scandinavia and dinner in Barcelona. When do I see the land, which I admit to each other, the leader of this region into the other travelers, or you can take it in my hotel room.

You can get instructions in all major bookstore. But most large cities, at least one good bookstore that specializes in trips to knowledgeable seller and a wide range. Ask around or search online to find in your area.
Travel Types

There are so many types of trips, as there are types of travelers. Here are some general guidelines to help you understand your options.

Different directions, they cover the task. A leader who specializes in urban areas in the country (such as Tuscany or the Loire Valley), some countries, a mixture of two or three neighboring countries (like Spain and Portugal), and some regions of the rest of the country (m . sh. Eastern Europe). Shop for strategy guides. For example, if only you visit Venice and Florence, it makes sense to take two thin guide thoroughly, and not pull an all-Italian heavy book, covering over much (and to a depth much less) than you need.

Here are some types of guided tours, you will:

Traditional Leaders: This is the industry standard – the largest text, with maps in black and white key areas that some of the photos normally and glossy color pages of maps, photographs, or sometimes in black and illustrations in all. To find and most of them under “Manuals Series,” below – - my guide for this model.

Interactive Guides: The guides are equipped with high-tech design, visually appealing photographs and illustrations in color (eg section important castles and churches). Visual learners and those who love beautiful images, as this format. However, written information is scarce and lacks depth, but the best in the short note enough to squeeze between the images represented. I do not know for the holidays (they are printed on glossy paper printed so that they weigh a ton) – but if I find, say, needed a painting by Caravaggio in the church, I am pleased with the tourists and trying to have copy of the Quick View. The Witnesses (published by DK) great guide for London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Florence, Prague, Budapest, Athens, Budapest, Vienna, Barcelona, ??Madrid, Dublin and many more, and in some regions and countries (20 – $ 30 each, are widely used in Europe).

Combination Card Instructions: The instructions are thin with various cities to focus on the cards, often including size, fold-out map of the target. The editors include the Metro Moon, Knopf MapGuide package and Fodor city. While they can be useful, I find this useless and forgotten.

“Lite” Instructions: This was thin, with each purse images with color maps and travel information distilled for maximum mobility. Often shortened version of the main series (such as witnesses Top 10, the Lonely Planet Best Of, or my new Pocket Guides Rick Steves’). Some are mainly found in the depth map with a few additions to the guide on the type of material (eg the moon or the subway button MapGuide).

Special Books: If an accent, has written a book specifically for you – if you are traveling with children, animals or grandparents. There are books for vegetarians, Martin rampant, the wine snobs, hedonists, young bird naughty, nude, pilgrim,, fun people, music lovers, pothead, backpackers, hikers, cyclists and motorcyclists. Some are for the rich and sophisticated, others are for the Earth at low cost and design. Visit a bookstore and asks for personal well travel assistance.

Books: With the proliferation of smartphones (including iPhone, Android and BlackBerry) and eReader and Tablet PCs (like the Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader and IPAD), the technology developer and publisher of the research is the perfect way find instructions in digital form for sale. Although the story books, like novels (you can read directly from start to finish) eReader function, reference books – including instructions – require more hopping in the text, making navigation difficult book . Editors working on different solutions, and not just a matter of time before the leadership work together on the screen than in printed form. Is including the location of coverage desired direction, and communication cards, GPS technology, so you do not to be missed – books that you can go really light, and finally they offer additional advantages not possible with traditional paper books. Many series of instructions, including most of my instructions, these books on different platforms. Smartphone applications, many of which are the subject guide, offering creative solutions for travelers. But digital format suitable solution is a convenient guide you hold in your hands.
Series Guide

As like most travelers take a traditional leader in Europe, what I focus on. All of the layers is a specialist area. Going to Bible students, dorm life, but you will be disappointed if you use it to experiment with trendy restaurants. If you are in fine restaurants, Michelin Red Guide can not be beaten. History nuts look with blue and Cadogan Guides Rough Guides. Some leaders (like me), more opinionated, selective choice to speak only the places most worth in each country and indeed in the details. They are perfect to beat for a short trip to stress, but without success, if you spend much time in one country – in this case, you should probably more than any leader in any way.

Cycling in Europe. River that flows near Salzburg, motorcycles, Bruges, and along the Rhine, to let the memory of the first plan. Some people travel almost exclusively by bicycle, and will not be otherwise. Rica Sorensen and Edwin McCain, who for years has been traveling through Europe on his way to the pleasure of cycling, which will help you install the following tips for biking to visit in Europe.

Cycling cheap and satisfying. Europe For $ 30 a day, you do not have a time machine. All you need is a bike, a farmers market, and campsites or hostels. Road Trip, which can not only save money and stay in shape, but will have the peace of his rare European tourists.

Despite the bicycle to visit one of the cheapest ways to see Europe, choose the most pedals for riders of simple joy. Imagine a low pass, gives a picturesque mountain bike (the smell of freshly cut grass) and then take pictures of Mercedes with the windows closed and the stereo (the smell of furniture). The driver might think, “masochistic nut !”… notice a smile on motorists as well – the human face of the tourists can see clearly from the mountain village and heard the birds singing, and anticipate a long and glorious hill long.

Determine whether the transport of the best bike for the trip. Determine how much you want to visit Europe and perform some basic questions to see if the bike is key to their freedom or albatross around the neck. Remember that it took all day to travel the same distance on a bike, you can cover in one hour by train or car. Sixty miles per day on average higher. To stop halfway through, rich in 40 years. For example, if you have a free all summer, you and your bike to cover more ground in, say, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy. But if you have a month or less, you are content to focus on one country or region? Because what you want your time, slow the bike in the balance for the benefit worth it? And finally, you want to spend more time in Europe and in small rural villages than in cities?

Take riding practices. Make sure you really like to always travel with bags loaded weight. Try a few of 60 miles per day (5:00 to 12 mph) in the city. If possible, take a camping trip this weekend with everything that goes to Europe. Find the tools to learn basic repairs (such as repairing a flat tire, replace the damaged beam, and adjusting brakes and derailleurs). Ask your local bike shop class.

When based on where you go. The temperature of the perfect bike between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while May is a good time for cycling in Mediterranean countries. Edwin began the journey of five weeks in Australia in May, before it was too hot, then cycle through the Balkans to Britain. It is a good temperature all the way, but the winds (prevailing westerly winds). Rich and his wife, Risa, Barcelona in the spring more relaxed in the fall was in France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Greece, not only temperature but also less suitable winds.

Bring your bicycle home. Although you can buy a bicycle tour in Europe, there are cheaper here, and you better be sure that the bike must be suitable for you, racks and bags for you. The debate about cyclists in the bike tour bicycle trip heavy or tired with thinner tires. ATV tires are more tolerant on the cobbled streets from time to time, but are more durable than those necessary for the path of most of Europe, and the thick flower design will make you lose time. Furthermore, the handlebars of mountain biking is limited to labor, increased fatigue of a long day of driving. If you already have a mountain bike, go ahead and take, but some extensions handlebars ..

A range of policies to check the different airlines. Call your airline directly. Airlines charge more for the bikes and “bike box” is. Some airlines flying to Europe for free, thinking it was one of the two pieces of checked baggage. The Most airlines require to participate in cycling and the open box. Get a bike box at local stores, airlines or Amtrak (case of the cave of the sales cycle). Strengthening the extra cardboard box and make sure to put a plastic spacer between the initial arrest (any bike shop will give you one). Airlines need to pedal a bike, do not let loose in the box. Whether you attach to shelves or return to one of their bags. You can jump in their bags, tents, etc. for the extra padding, provided they are under the weight limit of the airline. Give the tools you need to get your bike in the back so you can move out of European airports.

A condition. Hoping to rain and rain are runners-up. Two Gore-Tex waterproof windbreaker and cold weather. You may also be exposed to the sun, so you will use plenty of sun. The hours are generally required by law in Europe, so you should have one on his bike – “Hello” to manage the communication with other riders and “Look, here I come” Even if you never drive at night, at least should return the strobe lights for tunnels of a long and inevitable valve. Pay is the lack of basic standards in most of Europe, so if your bike Shraeder auto valve type, the adapter. Road Rash To protect ugly (and bad), always wear a helmet and motorcycle gloves.

Respect the rules of traffic in Europe. Cyclists follow the same rules that drivers in general. Some countries like the Netherlands, regulations and signs for cyclists: bike shows a bicycle blue circle shows the red bike bicycle cycle are not allowed. Warning signs show a blue bike lane needed to overcome even some of the exit of the most complex. Watch out for cyclists of calm may be right behind you, and use hand signals before stopping or turning. Stay away from the road. How little better on the bike, anyway.

Use a good map. Michelin map of Europe and individual planning well. In Europe, the use of the cards to the navigation of each day. Michelin introduced the Touring Club Italiano and 1:200,000 map all the way home in a quiet and even the slope of the hill. Not obsessed with following the planned route. A small detour and exciting spirit and excitement of spontaneous cycling

Take your bike on the train, which greatly expand the scope of his journey. Save an hour by train each day will be devoted to the saddle (and there is nothing so sweet to build a railroad from the rain and a sunny spot). To ensure that you and your bike trips in the same car, the train schedule to find bikes are marked with small symbols, or request information about the window of the station. In some countries need a car to bicycle to enable reservations in advance.

Bicycle thieves abound in Europe. The increased use of green kryptonite bike style for your bike to something solid. Do not let the pump, handlebar bags, panniers, water bottle, or a laptop on your bike when you can not see it. Make sure your bike possible. The pressure, ask if the bike locked room, and if not, order or request a place to put the bikes in the blink of an eye. Remember that many hotels and guest houses in good condition is to bring the bike in your room. Just be discreet. You can also wheeled into the elevator. Risa rich and camps to be sure, but still locked bikes together.

Travel light … or camp. If you want to travel light, stay in hostels or hotels, camping equipment (tent, sleeping bag, cooking utensils), which is heavy and large. However, if you want to go camping and want to go to Europe, making fun of camping and hang out aspects of your trip. A bottle of wine to share with your neighbors (which can be anywhere in Europe) popular entertainment.

Motorcycles make you more accessible. The interesting aspect of the meeting of European cycling. Europeans, such as bicycles, and often take when they dare to come to America to reject the opinion of the bus window for breathing through his country on two wheels. Your bike provides instant conversation piece, the perfect bridge to the maze of cultural and linguistic barriers.

Think short term rent a bicycle-friendly city and the region. Most things here for a long distance bike trip, but can also alter the rate of cycling pleasure if you travel by car or train. You can take the train from Paris to Amsterdam, then rent a bike for a few days to get around the city … and off the field of tulips and windmills. In many countries (including France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands), bike hire and train station is sometimes easy to “pick up and here is the” plan.

Anyone flying through time zones are known to fight with confusion biorhythmical such as jet lag. If you look at your first 6-9 hours, the body says, “Hey, what happened?” Body clocks are not reset so easily. All your life you have done things in a cycle of 24 hours. Now, after crossing the Atlantic, your body wants to eat when he is asked to sleep and sleep when you tell him to enjoy a museum.

Too many people their first day were made worthless by the time difference. Zombiedom not judge prematurely. Most people that I enjoyed productive with travel, of all ages – even hyper – the first day. You can not avoid jet lag, but there are a few tips to minimize symptoms.

Let a good recovery at home. Fly half the world’s population is stressful. If you are exhausted after a hectic night and the last wild-Bon Voyage party on the left, has a good chance you are not healthy for the first part of your trip. A trip will be first used in the cold part of my vacation, until I learned this trick very important: the plan from the beginning, if you have two days before they actually leave. Sanctify it in the last 48 hours (outside normal working hours), even if it means starting the first animated wrong. Then there are two good, quiet days later so that you are physically ready to fly to the lot. In meditation, you feel good to leave the house and start this adventure. Fly well rested and 100 percent capable of following the bombardment of your senses to enjoy.

In flight, drink lots, eat light and much more. Are dehydration on long flights. I ask for “two of orange juice without ice” every chance I get. Eat little, stay hydrated, and no coffee and sugar, at least until the flight is almost over. Alcohol and sedatives can stress your body and worsen jet lag. A slight chance to avoid a blood clot in the legs during long flights, to plan short trips. Flex your ankles while seated, and not the legs. Some people are more prone to blood clots (Such factors include obesity, age, use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, pregnancy, smoking or genetics). In flight movies are good for one thing – a nap. There are two or three hours of sleep during the transatlantic flight, you are in the functional on the day of landing.

Put your mind to local time. Known as the time of European pilot, set your mind on the clock. To not prolong jet lag by reminding you that now back at home. Are in Europe.

On arrival, stay awake at a local bed early. If from slumber to 16 hours and wake up in the middle of the night, you did nothing. Plan a walk until evening. Jet lag hates fresh air, sunshine and exercise. Your body is begging for sleep, but firmly rejects. Move groups of the body to local time. You will probably get up early your first morning. Try to sleep late is usually unnecessary. Get one and enjoy, “Pinch me, I’m in Europe” on foot, with the dealer market established in the city to life slowly. This is probably the rising sun is seen in Europe.

Consider jet-lag recovery. The last thing I want to do is to promote a pharmaceutical product, but I must admit that the sleeping pill Ambien (zolpidem generic name) my friend was in the fight against jet lag. As with all prescription medications can cause side effects of Ambien – Read and follow the instructions carefully and discuss the work with your doctor. Deceive is strong (almost comically so). I use it individually. I usually sleep with no problems on my first night in Europe, but wake up wired in just four hours. So I think that half a tablet of Ambien and pop on my bedside when I wake up for at least three hours of sleep. Management of seven hours of sleep per night in Europe (or after the return flight) speeds up my time to local time. In this way I can in no drowsiness in the afternoon, the first to be hit and can stay awake until bedtime decent. (I also use a half tablet of Ambien to sleep in a noisy environment, or if I go with a cold and wanted to sleep.) Other travelers rave about melatonin, a hormone that helps the king assumed – calibrate your internal clock (available over the counter in United States but illegal in some European countries).

The best recipe is: Let unfrazzled to minimize jet lag, time to grow in Europe, and will give you the opportunity to make your trip to enjoy the moment when the plane go down.