Europe String

Recent Prague news sources have been reporting about updated US State Department country specific information on the Czech Republic. The not-so-cheerful report mentioned the pickpockets, high probability of being ripped off by taxi drivers and increased incidents of rophynol (the so-called date rape drug) being slipped into unsuspecting people’s drinks. The City of Prague and tourism folks are of course up in arms about this, not wanting to further endanger their tourist numbers which have already been affected by the low dollar and rising prices of the city. Never having visited this section of the State Department’s website, I decided …read more

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As if it wasn’t already all over the news, and a simple Internet check couldn’t confirm it; it’s official – airfare prices have gone up. American Express Business Travel has released new data revealing that airfare prices did indeed rise in the second quarter of 2008. The group tracked average fare paid for one-way travel in a variety of fare types including first class and economy, unrestricted and discount fares across hundreds of domestic and international routes.
Their survey found international airfare reached its highest price in nearly a decade. They reported an 11 percent increase from fare prices from …read more

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Money moguls, travelers and game lovers can unite with Hasbro’s new Monopoly version: Monopoly Here and Now: World Edition. Released this past week, world cities have replaced the streets of the original version. The cities in place were nominated by votes from around the world – and based on some of the choices, it seems some cities got their citizens involved. European destinations include some expected ones: Paris, London, Rome as well as Athens and Barcelona. Riga is an up-and-comer so that was nice to see. A few eyebrow raisers? Kyiv, Belgrade and Gdynia (it’s in Poland).
To celebrate the …read more

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Are you a big traveller? A recent report from Eurostat, an organization that collects information and statistics on a wide range of issues across the European Union found that, for the most part, Europeans are a travelling bunch.
The study covers the year 2006 and looked at what percentage of the population went away for four days or more. They also spilt the information between domestic and foreign trips. On average, about four out of 10 Europeans travelled abroad that year. For the most part though, more trips were made in-country than out. Exceptions include Luxembourg, where only 1 percent took …read more

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Whenever I return from a trip, I’m always infected with a new travel bug. The main symptom is that I immediately start searching for a new place to go. Recently returned from a long weekend in Copenhagen and that means I’ve been spending a lot of time on various websites, and have seen some pretty good deals. In case you too are beginning to feel the travel bug bite – here’s some medication.
If it’s a taste of Italy you are in the mood for check Europe Destinations. They have a Rome-Florence-Venice package starting at 635 USD that includes roundtrip …read more

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There is so much good information out there that sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. Not sure how often you get around to any of these sites, but here are some recent posts I found interesting and thought you may too!
Mary Jo from Fly Away Café is running a poll on how people choose their flights. Check in and share your opinion.
I love the pics posted at Travel Photo Daily. Visit daily and get a dose of travel envy.
I’ve started bringing a travel pillow with me on nearly every trip I take, even if I’m not flying. I find …read more

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Setting your budget before you even book your trip is a good way to get a handle on how much you can afford to spend, and then targeting destinations that will give you the most bang for your buck. Let’s look at all the expenses that go into your holiday. Note, this is not meant to depress, but inform you – remember, knowing is half the battle!
Think about what you’ll need to buy before you even leave your house for the airport. Do you have a passport? Do you need new luggage; this can include suitcases, carry-ons or even …read more

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No one wants to get sick while on holiday; not only can it ruin your trip, it could be potentially expensive as well. There are a couple things you can do before your holiday to ensure a healthful trip.
First, check with your health insurance provider to find out what, if anything, will be covered if something should go wrong. If you are traveling to a particularly dangerous place, or plan to participate in some potentially injuring activities, make sure your insurance covers you if the unexpected happens. Also, pay a visit to your doctor. You should do this anyway, …read more

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Do you have some holiday must have’s, do’s, see’s, no matter the cost? Are there some things you just refuse to spend money on? Knowing your boundaries before you start planning your trip and keeping inside them once on holiday will greatly help you stay on budget. And don’t forget – you ARE on holiday! You are supposed to be having fun and that includes spoiling yourself a little!
Here are a few suggestions for saving, and for splurging. Not everyone will agree, but please share what your splurges and saves are!
Don’t buy food or drink at the airport. Unless you …read more

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A sinking dollar combined with the credit crunch and insane gas prices has many people re-evaluating their budgets and cutting out non-essentials. Unfortunately for many, the first to go is travel. What are you doing for holiday this year? Have you been and gone already? What budget adjustments did you make? Are you foregoing a break this year, staying closer to home or perhaps participating in the oh-so-trendy “stay-cation?” Your traveling brethren in Europe feel your pain as well. News reports across the continent are bemoaning the lack of holidays being taken. Both tourism industry folks and plain old Joes …read more

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