Europe String

Driving in Morocco is relatively easy however, renting a car isn’t cheap.  Apart from paying Dh500 per day, you have to shell out a few more Dirhams as most rent-a-cars demand a cash deposit.
An option would be to take taxis. They have bigger ones which you can share with other passengers.
But the best budget option would be to take the train.  Run by ONCF, Morocco’s train network goes from Tangier to Makkaresh and from Oujda to Makarresh.  And guess what, there are even rail discounts available?!
The Carte Fidelitè are available to passengers aged over 26.  For 149 Dirhams, you get …read more

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So, you’ve got the tickets covered and you’ve already booked your cheap accommodation. Great! You are now ready for the World Cup. Just a few more tips for you…

Beer. You can’t go to Germany without drinking Beer. The thing is, inside the stadiums, only Budweiser (eek!) and Bitburger are allowed. And we all know that in big events such as the World Cup, they wouldn’t be selling beer at budget prices.
Anyway, you can go to a pub after the game to celebrate or drown your sorrows, depending on which team won. However, note that when in …read more

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[photo: Discover Northern Ireland]
If you find yourself in UK, do try and find the time to discover Ireland, as well.  The abundance of budget airlines — with Ryanair and easyJet leading the pack — plying the route of London-Ireland gives travellers the best opportunity to see more without having to shell out a lot.
And to get into town (Dublin) from the airport, you have several budget choices:
CHEAP
For 5 Euros, the Airlink – The Express Service to Airport of Dublin Bus will take you to various points around the city.
CHEAPER
For 1,65 Euros, you can take the slower route by taking the Bus.  Bus #41, 41A. …read more

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Note that taxes, fees and charges will not exceed £15.20.
It’s a pretty good deal. But, like all the other nearly-free offers, there is always a catch.
Apart from the fact that you only have until midnight of thursday (23 February) to book, you cannot get the above offer during holidays, school breaks and any major sporting events. You’ve got to play hooky!
Check here for the booking details.

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Germany has just announced the presence of Bird Flu after 2 dead geese were found.  What does it mean for budget travellers?
Well, most of you would be advised to look for the sign “Imbiss” to cut down on cost.  But do keep in mind the following words:
Huehnchen or Huehn = Chicken
Ente =  Duck
When in doubt, look for stands or stores which sells Wuersts or Wuerstchen (Sausages) instead.
 
[photo source: www.dwb-taipei.org.tw]

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Spring is just around the corner and it probably is time to start planning that much awaited Spring break.  What better way to welcome the sun back than to party in hedonistic Ibiza.

Where to Stay:
With your backpack and sleeping bag, you can save more Euros by staying at Camping Cala Nova, one of Ibiza’s best camping grounds.
“By the southern end of Cala Nova beach, walking distance from Es Canar. Has a big barbeque in the middle that you and your friends can use, if your timing is good. Suitable for sporty types, who you’re likely to find here. Also has …read more

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Sometimes, budget travellers are caught with no choice.  Limited finances could mean camping or staying at cheap but poorly heated places. The Selk Bag would be perfect for situations like this, especially during cold, winter nights.
The Selk’ Bag, as blogged by Elektro Plankton, is “a sleeping bag system which looks like a giant full body uni-garment. Inside or outdoors, the Selk’bag gives the body maximum mobility and comfort. Fully lined and insulated but not bullky. Stand without any trouble, walk, cross your arms and legs, and when you get tired, just roll over and sleep“.
Check out Musuchouse (in Spanish), a Chilean company for the …read more

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Lovers of the cold, ice and snow would definitely love the idea of staying in an Ice Hotel.  However, it comes with a price.  To stay in an Ice Hotel in Sweden would set you back 320-650 Euros per night.
Yet another reason to head off to the Eastern part of this continent… to Romania, one of Europe’s poorest countries.
An ice hotel in Balea Lac in the Carpathia Mountains of Romania (near Bucharest) is now open.  It rents out rooms for only 43 Euros per night.  This “eight-room hotel, built 6,500 feet above sea level and accessible only by cable car in …read more

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When we hear Transylvania, most of us have images of Dracula and eerie castles in our heads. But, there is more to this (in-?) famous place that a lot of us probably never did get the chance to find out… like Sinaia.
Sinaia is Romania’s best skiing resort.
“It has a sub-Alpine montane-corridor climate with cool summers (July average temperature 14-16°C) and winters that are not too cold due to the mountains sheltering the resort (January average temperature -3.5°C). The annual average temperature is of about 6.5°C and the precipitation averages 800 – 1,000 mm annualy. In winter there is pleanty of snow, the snow blanket persisting …read more

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Like all the other European cities, Turin (Torino to Italianos) bundled up what they have to offer (entry or discount to major tourist sites and transportation) in a city card to give visitors the chance to sample what the city has to offer on a specific number of days at a cheaper cost.
The Torina Card Cultural Olympiad will be perfect for those who of you who are currently in Turin for the 2006 Winter Olympics. It will be your pass to Turin for 48, 72 hours or 5 days (at 16€, 18€ or 30€, respectively).
Advantages of having a Torino Card includes:

Cultural Olympiad …read more

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