Touts - are best defined as those who try to solicit something out of you often in a somewhat bold and brazen manner. I will add the words "highly persistent" to this definition. Tangier is a fairly unfriendly port town - tourists coming across on the ferry from Spain may find it quite difficult to escape its clutches, especially if you are not used to dealing with aggressive touts. The closest town I can think of to compare to Tangier is … [Read more...]
Vang Vieng, Laos – Transportation
For a country among the 10 poorest in the world transportation on the whole is fairly easy to use. Public buses run several times from the capital city of Vientiane to Vang Vieng along the paved Route 13. The public buses are usually quite crowded and without fans and AC. They are however, among the cheapest ways to reach Vang Vieng from Vientiane. Once the seats fill up small plastic stools are offered and are placed down the aisle in order … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Other Information
Bookstores Money Travel Agency Visa Overstay Embassy Info Post Offices Mobile Phones Tropical Fruit Guidebooks Photo Printing Vaccinations 7-11 Stores Language Tailor VAT 7-11 Stores - seemingly on every block, the convenience of having so many 7-11's in the city is often much appreciated. One of our primary reasons for visiting 7-11's in Bangkok is the fact they will accept large bills for small … [Read more...]
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – What to Pack
Here Dave details what he packed for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. One may bring other items not listed here, or feel it unnecessary to pack some of the items mentioned below. This list and related information is provided as a reference only. For a climb like this one, you will need waterproof gear, and warm gear. If you already do not have any of the below items you will want to purchasing these items. Waterproof gear is a must. This … [Read more...]
Chamonix, France – Aiguille du Midi
Aiguille du Midi, the world's longest and highest tramway, is well worth the price of admission. The views from the top of the Chamonix Valley, and of Mt. Blanc and the nearby mountains are spectacular. This natural rock spire is pictured in numerous places in Chamonix. Tourist shops sell paintings of it, postcards, and photographs. It is situated at about 12,600 feet in the shadow of Mount Blanc which rises another 3000 feet or so higher. If … [Read more...]
Europe- What to Pack
The independent traveler will want to pack as light as possible, especially if planning on taking trains or boats. When I travel to Europe, I take trains or budget airlines everywhere; for the nimble traveler there are certain advantages to packing light. It is easier to keep an eye on your gear and it is easy to fit into the sometimes small luggage compartments. Key words to packing for Europe are: light, light, and light. I fit all my gear into … [Read more...]
Europe – Lodging, Hotels
For not having reservations pre-booked while traveling in Europe in mid summer, I had no issues booking hotels or hostels at the last minute. Before I arrived in Europe I made a list of hotels & hostels in every city I planned to stay the night in. Then I would then book various hotels while on the train or from downtime hanging around train stations or airports. Often times I would just show up in a city and find budget accommodation. Finding … [Read more...]
Europe – Money
The Euro was introduced on January 1, 2002. 14 billion Euro banknotes and 55 billion coins were initially introduced to more than 300 million people in 12 countries of the European Union. 12 countries who initially converted were: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands Spain and Portugal, & Monaco. For a list of the Euro conversion rates (for the participating countries old … [Read more...]
Europe – More Info
This is information that was not able to find a home in any of the other categories in this article. Bathrooms Drinking Fountains Travel Books ID Cards Internet Access Student Organizations Links Airlines Transportation Budget General Tours Bathrooms Just about all the public bathrooms in Europe have an access charge. Usually this runs from several cents to several dollars depending on the country … [Read more...]
Hopland, CA – Wine Tasting
Tiny Hopland contains a number of tasting rooms which deliver down to earth experiences for visitors - focusing on wines from Mendocino County. Although there are many wineries in Mendocino County including a number of tasting rooms in Hopland, this area does not have the recognition that perhaps Napa and Sonoma County have obtained over the decades. For the consumer, that is not a bad thing. Mendocino County is producing some stellar wines (the … [Read more...]