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Europe Rail Passes

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:39:57 +0000

Italy Rail Passes

Want to engage in La Dolce Vita? Feast on giant bowls of pasta, paper thin-prociutto and aromatic wines while passing through the dazzling landscapes of Italy. Spend as much time as you want in the countryside, Sicily or any of its great cities. Linger in lovely Venice, view all the facades of Florence or get lost in Rome (and not mind.) If you would like to travel to Italy and 2 to 4 other countries, be sure to check out our Eurail Selectpass. If you would like the flexibility to see up to 16 other countries then the Eurailpass is just the pass for you! >France ‘n Italy Pass:

The two most popular European countries, France and Italy, are now available to you in one great railpass. Saverpass and Youthpass versions are also available.

Trenitalia Pass:

Provides you with any 4 days unlimited train travel in a 2 months period and an option of adding up to 6 additional days.

Trenitalia Pass Saver:

Provides you with a discounted version of our Trenitalia Pass if you will be traveling throughout Italy with a friend or more.

Trenitalia Pass Youth:

A special discounted version of the Trenitalia Pass for travelers under 26 years of age.

Eurail Greece ‘n Italy Pass:

Two great countries with one great pass! Saverpass and Youthpass versions are also available.

Italy Rail ‘n Drive:

Is for 4 days train and 2 days car in Italy

Greek Rail ‘n Fly

Greece, and the Greek Islands, are truly inspiring, historic, enchanting and memorable. You can experience everything from famous ruins to wonderfully exotic beaches. And we’ve put together a package to help you see it all and do it all, so pack your bags!

Your flight coupon on Olympic Airways provides service to the following Greek Islands: Astypalea, Chania (Crete), Chios, Heraklion (Crete), Ikaria, Ioannina, Kalamata, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastellorizo, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefalinia, Kerkyra (Corfu), Kythira, Kos, Kozani, Leros, Limnos, Milos, Mykonos, Mytilini, Naxos, Paros, Preveza, Rodos, Samos, Santorini, Sitia, Skiathos, Skyros, Syros, Thessaloniki, Zakynthos. Airport taxes additional. We also offer the Greek Flexipass Rail ‘n Fly Youth, a special discounted versions of the Greek Flexipass Rail ‘n Fly for those under 26 years of age at a great savings!

If you would like to travel to Greece and 2 to 4 other countries, be sure to check out our Eurail Selectpass. If you would like the flexibility to see up to 16 other countries then the Eurailpass is just the pass for you!

You Get:
Any 3 days unlimited 1st class train travel in 1 month
Two flight coupons for selected air travel journeys with Ionian Travel.
1st class
Bonuses:
Bonuses in Greece
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date

Bulgaria Flexipass

The southern-most country of eastern Europe, Bulgaria, claims the title as the “Jewel of the Balkans”. Visit Varna, the gem of the Black Sea. In the capital of Sofia you can ski and hike. Or view one of the many monasteries throughout this new NATO nation. P.S. While traveling here, remember that an up and down nod of the head signifies no, and a left and right shake of the head signifies yes!

Interested in traveling to Bulgaria and 5 other countries? The Balkan Flexipass is valid for travel in Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia (including Serbia and Montenegro).

You get:
Any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 1 month period
1st class train travel
Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
If an overnight train starts after 7pm on a validated Eurail Selectpass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

Czech Flexipass

Prepare to be in “spired.” With our Czech Flexipass, you can visit Prague, the city of spires and cobblestone streets. Channel your inner hippie by exploring Bohemian bookstores and beer halls. Soak in curative thermal springs in Karlovy Vary. And don’t forget to Czech out the UNESCO Heritage Site of Cesky Krumlov.

If you’d like to travel to the Czech Republic and 4 other countries, see our European East Pass.

You get:
Any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 15 day period
Choice of 1st or 2nd class train travel
Option to add up to 5 additional days
Travel may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date
Passes must be validated prior to first day of use
If an overnight train starts after 7pm on a validated Eurail Selectpass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

Hungarian Flexipass

Hungary not on your Liszt? It should be. From the 19th century composer and the pedigreed vizsla to traditional folk songs and salami, this country has world-class culture.

You get:
Any 5 days unlimited train travel in a 15 day period on the national rail network of Hungary
Consecutive or non-consecutive travel
1st and 2nd class train travel
Option:
Purchase up to 5 additional rail days
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date
Passes must be validated prior to boarding the first train

Romanian Pass

Known mostly for its tumbling gymnasts and vampire heritage, Romania is also an adventure traveler’s dream. Lie on the beaches of the Black Sea, visit castles and fortresses or soak in a natural spa. The capital, Bucharest, is referred to as the “Paris of the East.”

You get:
Any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 15 day period
1st class train travel
Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Option:
Up to 12 additional rail days may be added
Bonuses:
Holders of a Romanian Pass may travel on any train, including IC and ICE at no additional cost. To secure a train reservation, pass holders must present their pass to any ticket office representative at any Romanian railway station.
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
Passes must be validated prior to first day of use.

Norway Railpass

Norway is a delightful country of contrasts with mountains, valleys, forests and fjords. And the best way to see it is up close by train. Bring a picnic lunch, hike or relax and admire the scenery. And don’t forget to bring a camera, as this is picture-perfect countryside.

We also have special discounted versions of the Norway Railpass for those 60 years of age and over (Norway Rail Pass Senior) and for those under 26 years of age (Norway Rail Pass Youth.)

Combine traveling by rail, ferry, and bus through spectacular Norway scenery with the Norway in a Nutshell, experience one of Norway’s most beautiful coastlines with the Triangle Tour or choose the SognefjordExpressboat circular itinerary to see some of the most magnificent scenery in western Norway.

If you’d like to travel to Norway and 16 other countries, be sure to check our Eurailpass. Or for Norway and 3 other Scandinavian nations, check our Scanrail Pass.

You get:
Any 3 days unlimited train travel in 1 month
Travel may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Valid for DIRECT connections between Oslo-Stockholm on X2000
trains and between Oslo-Gothenburg on NSB regional trains
2nd class train travel
Complimentary tea and coffee
Bonuses:
Norway Railpass Bonuses
Option:
Purchase up to 5 additional days of train travel
Conditions:
Norway Rail Pass is not valid on the Airport Express train
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
Passes must be validated prior to boarding the first train.
If an overnight train starts after 7pm on a validated Eurail Selectpass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

France ‘n Italy Pass

Waiting for someone to take you to Paris? Want to experience a gondola ride? Don’t wait for your travel dreams to come true. If you’ve always wanted to visit France and Italy, go at it alone or with a teenage daughter or college-bound son who has an appreciation for art and culture (and if you have that, boy are you lucky.)

The France ‘n Italy Pass gives you 4 days unlimited train travel within a 2-month period. Think what you can see with those 4 days of train travel: Hit the City of Light before heading to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. View ancient Roman ruins or bask in the sun on Sicily. Don’t pass up two of Europe’s most magnificent countries.

Get special prices for two people traveling together with a France ‘n Italy Saverpass or the France ‘n Italy Youthpass for those under 26 years of age.

If you’d like to travel to France and Italy and 1, 3 or 15 other countries, be sure to check our Eurail Selectpass or Eurailpass. You get:
Any 4 days unlimited train travel within 2 months
Choice of 1st or 2nd class train travel
Options:
Purchase up to 6 extra days of train travel
Bonuses:
Special fares for Eurostar and for other journey trains: Artesia, Italy Night Train, Elipsos, France-Swiss TGV, Brussels-France TGV, Geneva-Med TGV
Special travel bonuses
Conditions:
Passes must be validated prior to first train journey.
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
If an overnight train starts after 7 pm on a validated pass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

France’n Spain Pass

It’s Ooh-la-la and Olé in one convenient rail pass! France and Spain, two of the most popular European countries, offer travelers fabulous food, flamenco, art and architecture. See world famous museums like the Louvre and the Prado. Feast of croissants early in the morning and eat tapas late in the evening.

Traveling with a group of 2 or more people? The France ‘n Spain Saverpass offers a great discount per person when you travel together!

We also offer the France ‘n Spain Youthpass, a special discounted version of the France ‘n Spain Pass for those under 26 years of age.

If you would like to travel to France and Spain and 1 to 3 other countries, be sure to check out our Eurail Selectpass. If your stay is much longer and you would like the flexibility to see up to 15 other countries, then the Eurailpass is just the pass for you!

You get:
Unlimited train travel on the national rail networks of France and Spain.
Any 4 days unlimited train travel in a 2 month period
Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Choice of 1st or 2nd class train travel
Options:
Purchase up to 6 more days of train travel
Bonuses:
Special travel bonuses
Conditions:
Passes must be validated prior to first train journey.
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
If an overnight train starts after 7 pm on a validated pass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

France’n Switzerland Pass

France conjures up images of rolling vineyards, fine food and cheese and incomparable art. This is a nation to see in its entirety. Why settle for Paris alone when you can bike the Loire Valley, or sachet along the South of France sand?

The same goes for scenic Switzerland. Visit world-class cities – centers of Olympic tradition (Lausanne) and banking (Geneva.) Taste mouthwatering chocolates and shuss down snow-capped mountains. See it all while relaxing by the train’s subtle chugging, transporting you through these two incredible countries.

Get special prices for two people traveling together with a France ‘n Switzerland Saverpass or the France ‘n Switzerland Youthpass for those under 26 years of age.

If you’d like to travel to France and Switzerland and 1, 3 or 15 other countries, be sure to check our Eurail Selectpass or Eurailpass.

You get:
Unlimited travel on the national rail network of France and the SBB network of Switzerland (including some private railroads (see area of coverage)
Any 4 days unlimited train travel within 2 months
Travel days may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
1st class train travel
Options:
Purchase up to 6 extra days of train travel
Glacier Express “Add-On” (available only in conjunction with a France ‘n Switzerland Pass or a Switzerland ‘n Austria Pass)
Bonuses:
Bonuses in Switzerland
Bonuses in France
Special travel bonuses
FAQs
Conditions:
Passes must be validated prior to first train journey.
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
If an overnight train starts after 7 pm on a validated pass, the passholder must enter the next day’s date on the pass, provided it falls within the validity of the pass.

Spain Rail Pass

All trains of the Iberian Peninsula reach out to the great cities from Madrid and Lisbon, which are geographical and cultural centers. If your trip consists of Spain, Portugal or both, Rail Europe has a rail pass to suit your needs.

If you would like to travel to Spain and 2 to 4 other countries, be sure to check out our Eurail Selectpass. If you would like the flexibility to see up to 16 other countries then the Eurailpass is just the pass for you!

Spain Flexipass:
provides you with any 3 days unlimited train travel throughout Spain in a 2 month period
Spain Rail ‘n Drive Pass:
combines 3 days unlimited train travel and 2 days in your own rental car.
Portuguese Railpass:
provides you with any 4 days unlimited train travel throughout Portugal in a 15 day period
NEW! Eurail Spain ‘n Portugal Pass:
combines Spain and Portugal into one pass valid for any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 2 month period.
NEW! Eurail Spain ‘n Portugal Saverpass:
combines Spain and Portugal into one pass valid for any 3 days unlimited train travel in a 2 month period when you travel with a friend. Requires a minimum of two people traveling together at all times.
France ‘n Spain Pass: Two of the most popular European countries, France and Spain, are now available to you in one great railpass. Saverpass and Youthpass versions are also available.

Portuguese Railpass

Portugal is a small, diverse country, covered in mountains, deep valleys, rolling hills, flat plains and gorgeous coastline. In the southern Algarve region, travelers soak up a Mediterranean climate and laid back attitude while the north has chillier air and a decidedly more religious atmosphere.

The Portuguese have a sweet tooth, evident in the many pastry shops that line Lisbon. Stop in Porto for, what else? Port wine – fortified with brandy making it sweet and smooth – just the way they like it.

If you would like to travel to Portugal and 2 to 4 other countries, be sure to check out our Eurail Selectpass. If you would like the flexibility to see up to 16 other countries then the Eurailpass is just the pass for you!

You get:
Any 4 days unlimited train travel in a 15 day period
1st class train travel
Travel may be used consecutively or non-consecutively
Conditions:
Passes must be validated within 6 months of issue date.
Passes must be validated prior to first day of use.

Real de Catorce

admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 19:03:52 +0000

Category	Town

Description	Mining town in Sierra Madre Mountains at over 8000 feet altitude. Almost desereted until a few years ago it is coming back to life with many outsiders moving to the area.
Address	Real de Catorce Nearest Larger Town: Matehuala State: San Luis Potosi By bus Real de Catorce is about 10 hours from Mexico City
Phone
Email
Price Range
Text
This colonial mining town once had a population of about 40,000 people. As the silver and gold mines in the area slowly gave out the population dwindled to only a little over 100 people. Today wealthy Mexicans and foreigners have moved into Real de Catorce looking for an unusual retreat. Many people say the Real de Catorce could become like San Miguel de Allende and Cuernavaca, the place to be for artists and the alternative foreign crowd in central Mexico. Real de Catorce is unique from the first moment you arrive, or try to arrive. There are only two roads into town. The main road rises some 4000 feet in only about 10 miles. The road ends in a tunnel through the mountain that surrounds the town. The tunnel is almost a mile and half long and only one car wide. If you take a bus to Real de Catorce you will have to get off you normal size bus and board a mini bus for the last leg of the journey into town. The ride in the mini bus into town is a never to forget experience. The driver will go hurling through the curved tunnel at break neck speed. This is especially memorable due to the fact that the mini bus only clears the walls and roof of the tunnel by inches. The town of Real de Catorce has some of the most amazing views in Mexico. You can see for miles out over the surrounding desert and mountains from many areas in town. The town is towered over by Parroquia de San Francisco. Each October between 50,000 and 100,000 pilgrims enter Real de Catorce for the weeklong festival of San Francisco. The church is not one of the more impressive ones in Mexico. What is worth visiting in the church is a room off the main sanctuary that displays the thousands of small amateur religious paintings called “retablos” that pilgrims leave as thanks for answered prayers. Real de Catorce tends to attract an unusually diverse bunch of people. There are wealthy foreigners and Mexican that have constructed large mansions in and around the town. There are pilgrims in town to pray at the church. There are also always a number of people in town for a different type of trip. Real de Catorce is in the center of the area where the peyote cactus grows wild. This cactus is a hallucinogen. Many people looking for an alternative experience to the norm make the pilgrimage to Real de Catorce in search of this cactus. Real de Catorce is located in the Northern section of the San Luis Potosi state. It can be reached by bus from the town of Matehuala ($2.50 for the 1 ½ hour bus ride). If you are planning on driving to Real de Catorce please note that large vehicles such as campers cannot enter the town.

Pop Cafeteria – Merida, Mexico

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:54:46 +0000

Title	Pop Cafeteria – A nice cool Place to eat
Category	Eating
Date	15 Sep 2000
Description	Pop Cafeteria is just two blocks off the main plaza in Merida. When its 105º F in Merida its wonderful to walk into this air conditioned restaurant.
Address	Pop Cafeteria Calle 57 between calle 60 and 62 Merida, Mexico
Phone	(99)28-61-63
Email
Price Range	$2.50-$6
Text
Pop Cafeteria is named after “pop” the fist month in the Mayan calendar not some mysterious Pop character. The restaurant is just two blocks from the main plaza in Merida. Merida regularly gets over 100º F and overly air-conditioned Pop is the perfect place to go when the heat gets to you. You can sit and drink their wonderful cool drinks served by a serious man in a white guayabera. Pop has an average main course menu of enchiladas, burgers, spaghetti and chicken for $3-$6. Pop is more popular for breakfast with good coffee, fruit or pastries for $2.50 -$5. The best things about Pop are the drinks and the service. Pop serves two Mexican drinks that are great for the heat, Jamaica and Orchata. Jamaica (HA_MAY_I_CA) is a cool aide type sweet drink made out of hibiscus flowers. Orchata is a white drink that tastes like rice pudding with a bit of almond in it. The service in Pop is appreciated due to the fact that they will let you sit and write a postcard or journal for a long time without bothering you as long as you have ordered something at some time at you table. Perfect for the solo traveler. Pop Cafeteria is located on Calle 57 between calle 60 and 62. It is open daily from 7 AM to Midnight.

Pulau Ambon

admin — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:47:27 +0000

Stories from a Market

Pasar Mardika, like any market, is a microcosm of the society it serves. On the surface it is the thriving, if ugly, commercial heart of the city, but the market also exemplifies the roiling tensions and brewing conflict that threatens to tear Indonesia apart.

Within Mardika are sold those goods which it is deemed profitable to transport to this isolated corner of the globe such as manufactured goods from Western Indonesia and the rest of South East Asia, as well as a few imported goods from the West. More fascinating for the Westerner is the exotic produce imported from the even more isolated specks of land which form the Malukan archipelago – fruits such as rambutan, durian, and manggosteen, plus any number of different varieties of banana from the tiny pisang susu (milk banana) to the huge pisang Ambon (Ambon banana) and all sizes in between. Spices are sold here too, intoxicating to the senses – cengkeh (cloves) and pala (nutmeg), native to this part of the world, marica (pepper), kayu manis (cinnamon) and, of course, cabe (chilli). The smelliest section of the market is undoubtedly the pasar ikan (fish market), the most frustrating is the clothes shops – no matter how I try I can’t fit even the XXXL clothes over my sturdy Western frame.

However, the market tells other stories, too – the design itself speaks eloquently of the poor town planning, appallingly bad architecture and shoddy workmanship that is characteristic of much of the developing world. The result of lack of funding and unimaginative beauracracy, Mardika consists of a series of concrete boxes, four stories high, arranged into long avenues in which identical shop fronts display their bewildering array of goods. In odd corners, enterprising marketeers set up trellises of cheap consumer items, vie-ing for space with the innumberable mini-busses which fan out from here to all corners of the island.

The market encompasses a huge area – extending for nearly a kilometre in all directions. The box construction of the concrete buildings, lining long, crowded and bewildering avenues of people and goods is disorienting for someone unfamiliar with the district. This can be dangerous in a city which is on the edge of anarchy, for Mardika exemplifies the very real tensions which beset the entire Maluku Archipeligo. Mass transmigration of Muslims from the overcrowded islands of Western Indonesia has created a growing sense of frustration and alienation among the predominantly Christian Eastern Indonesians.

“I wouldn’t mind being considered a second class citizen if I lived in Australia or the Netherlands” says my exchange sister, Stany, “but I am made to feel like a second class citizen in my own country, and it isn’t right!”.

Caught uneasily between these two groups is the native muslim population – they too feel threatened for space and livelihood by the transmigrants, yet remain irrevocably tied to them by the sense of brotherhood that is the essence of Islam.

Added to these tensions is the lack of education, which can make people suspicious of outsiders, as well as poverty which encourages resentment of us rich Westerners. One day when I was trying to find a bus that would take me from the market to the city centre I found myself totally lost. I turned corner after corner only to find myself confronting yet another long, stifling avenue of tall concrete boxes lined with yet more stalls of bewildering colour and content.

Gradually I found myself moving into the rougher areas of the market where there were few respectable traders. Asking for directions, I found myself caught up in a group of youths, both guys and girls, who, although not physically threatening, appeared to derive great joy from my plight. They whispered snidely to each other and menganggu (teased) me with their refusal to give me logical directions. One of them, with a leer on his face, offered to give me a lift on the back of his scooter, which I hastily declined.

Into this scene of conflict between East and West strode more tinder in the form of a man who, in his presence, exemplified the tensions between the two halves of Indonesia. He was a young Javanese transmigrant, but I don’t remember his name despite his gallantry – perhaps because for me he is the archetype of all that is good and bad about Java. Taller and thinner than the locals, with straight hair in place of Ambonese curls, he consciously sought to maintain his Javanese halus (calm) in the face of the youths’ kasar (courseness).

Indicating that I should follow him, he walked briskly through the market, with me skipping along to keep up with him. He wore his “halus” like a shield, unaware (or uncaring) that the locals interpreted it as arrogance, and that the youths we had by now left behind would consider his actions extremely provocative.

Within a few minutes we found a bus that would take me to the centre of the city, and as I had discovered that it was his destination too, I insisted on paying his fare as a thankyou. He protested vigourously that he was quite happy to walk, and looked sullen during the ride. When we reached our destination he left the bus with barely a word or backward look, and it was only later that I realised what the problem was.

He was bored.

Lacking both employment and money, he was desperate for something to while away the hours. Too “halus” to lower himself to the sport of “menganggu” Westerners, he had been looking forward to the stroll as a way of passing the time. I, in my stupid, Western arrogance, had stolen his walk, making his day half an hour longer than it needed to be.

********

Four months after this trip to Ambon, sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians broke out in the city. Pasar Mardika was one of the first areas to be razed, in a conflict which has taken over 3,000 lives. The fighting still continues, 2 years later despite (because of?) the intervention of the Indonesian Army, which consists primarily of Western Indonesian Muslims.

Bed and Breakfast in San Cristobal

admin — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:38:24 +0000

Description	The Hospedaje Bed and Breakfast Madero 83 is a bargain with a bed in a clean dorm room and breakfast for only about $4.
Address	Calle Mader #83 San Cristobal de las Casas Chiapas, Mexico Five Blocks East of the main Plaza
Phone	(967)8-04-40
Email
Price Range	$4-$12 breakfasat included
Text
The Hospedaje Bed and Breakfast Madero 83 is a clean small family run place a 10 minute walk from the center of San Cristobal de las Casas. They have dorm rooms (3 or 4 beds to a room), singles and doubles with shared baths and singles and doubles with private baths. The baths don’t anyways have hot water but its still a steal at the price. The price of a room includes breakfast. The breakfast is usually beans, tortilla, and a fried egg along with coffee. For a couple pesos they will let you use their kitchen. The whole place only sleeps about 15 people so it fills up early. Breakfast around the one large round table is a great place to meet people to do things with during the day. A side note: I highly recommend visiting San Cristobal de las Casas, I lived there one year during the height of political problems and never had any, as long as you stay out of politics it is a safe area to travel in. The prices as of June 1999 were Dorm bed $4 Single $5.50 Single with private bath $8.50 Double with private bath $12

Terror Australis

admin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:33:32 +0000

"This bloke had his backside over the edge of the dinghy” said Colin, our host, nursing his fifth beer of the evening, in a strange and desolate place called Shark Bay in Western Australia.

“His shorts were down by his ankles, but mate, ya know, when ya gotta go, ya gotta go. I told him, I says, Mike, there are crocs in those waters, you better watch out. But no, he knows better. He always did. Such a smartarse. I’m telling him these salties have jaws like sharks.”

Colin’s lounge was a museum of maritime memorabilia, a place where the bookshelves displayed the evil open mouths of dessicated sharks, the rib of a dugong, rusting pirate hooks and the poor flattened skin of a mink which he was using as a drinks coaster.s

"You’ve just gotta understand where a shark is coming from,
he said, cracking open another tin. “And I don’t mean east or west. These guys only attack if they know they stand a chance – if he thinks you’re too big, he’ll leave you alone. “Just look here," he’d said, picking up one of the toothy treasures, running his fingers lovingly over the rows of fortified calcium that could tear a man to shreds in less time than he could shout SHARK!

“What you gotta do is make yourself look much larger than you really are."

Colin was a charter fisherman by profession, so he should know what he was talking about. There were piles of shark related magazines, fishing almanacs with images of glazed-eyed fishermen staggering under the weight of their trophies. Blood and guts spilled on decks and feet. I assured him that confronted with my inevitable death, I wasn’t about to stick around to find out if my bark was bigger than the shark’s bite.

"Yeah. Mike. Well, there he was, doing what he had to do, when suddenly there was this incredible rush of water and Mike leaps up and screams, not even pulling up his Daks, and the boat almost capsizes as this bloody great saltie leaps out the water and almost bites off Mike’s backside. Talk about blood and guts."

He paused to let this incredible scene sink in, about as deeply as the
teeth of the fifteen footer. Then he laughed. "Poor bloke has to lie on his stomach for three months ….that’s what we call scared shitless."

In any other place in the world, this story would be ranked alongside the
Improbable Jonah and his Whale and Gulliver’s Travels.

But we were in Western Australia, close to where the first Dutch explorer
accidentally found Terra Australis in the seventeenth century. Had he not turned sail and fled back to Batavia when he saw what an inhospitable land it was, he would have spent a good deal of his time scurvy riddled and trembling with fear.

For this is a strange, red country, where evil looking lizards dress in
frilled collars that Mozart would kill for, dolphins cruise into shore to check out the latest human visitors, kangaroos stop traffic in their tracks and puff adders play hide and seek in sleeping bags. It is here that one dares not run out of petrol or water, that it makes more sense to have a jack than a jill and not having a footy team to barrack for is unwise.

In the heat of noon that same day, we’d talked to an environmental officer working on a conservation project to remove – by baiting and poisoning – the foxes, rabbits and feral cats that were wrecking the area so that the bandicoots, echidnas and other indigenous creatures would eventually return to their natural habitat, and the land would resort to what it was three hundred years ago.

Outside, a fat coastal sun had long since slunk behind the sea and we decided we’d escape Colin’s teeth rattling tales to seek out another of Australia’s oddities – the great Australian pub.

The wide, deserted bitumen street carved its way alongside the beach, lit at long intervals by weak streetlamps. We could see through large windows into the beach houses where the occupants watched television, stubbies perched on fat bellies, bare feet on cane coffee tables. A couple of yachts were moored on the lagoon still water, but otherwise the place was deadly quiet.

We walked between the streetlights, watching our shadows overtake us, into the dark.

From nowhere, a hissing, screeching, ball of flying fur came out of the dark, flung itself against my legs and spat.

I screamed. It cackled, hissed and spat again. I screamed again.

It cared not that I was twenty times its size. It paid no heed to the fact that it couldn’t possibly swallow me. It ran circles around me, this wild orange cackling fur-ball, claws extended, swelled to three times its normal size as if it had been plugged into an electrical socket, and attacked my foot.

My husband, my protector, Tony – the man I’d spent a quarter of my life with, screamed from under the light of a lamppost to where he’d retreated in his panic to escape the thing.

"Big! Big!” he shrieked, remembering Colin’s advice, and retreating further into the shadows. “Make yourself big!"

I whipped off my coat and flapped it like a matador in the maniacal yellow
eyes of my tormentor, but it was less scared than a two ton bull.

Seeing his beloved fighting for her life with an electrified fur-ball, Tony did what all chivalrous men do: he burst out laughing, and in so doing, dipped accidentally back into the shadows.

The monster let go of me, and lunged at his kneecaps, and my big, beefy hero, my saviour, screamed again, and his balletic acrobatics flung the creature from his leg.

"Light! Light!” He yelled to me. “Get into the light!"

We sprinted to the next streetlight, with the hissing thing lunging at our ankles, wondering about community spirit, neighbourliness, the residents watching us through the windows. Were they all deaf, dead, disinterested? Here we were, visitors to their town, drenched in the cold sweat of adrenalin, terrified by this alien orange fur ball, and everyone just went on watching television.

The thing retreated to a sandy hollow in the shadows, and licked its paws.
Its fur flattened and I swear I heard it laughing.

With the theme from Jaws playing in my head, the thing struck again. Bouncing around as if it was on a pogo stick, it bared its orange teeth and hissed and growled and cackled, tearing strips off my jeans. I flung my foot out and in the protracted second that the thing became airborne, we ran to the next light.

The thing retreated to the shadows. It paused just long enough for us
to begin breathing again before it lunged for Tony’s beard, claws bared, and we could almost smell its fishy breath. It screeched. We screamed. It spat. We screamed.

The residents turned up the volume on their tv’s.

We battered on the nearest door. It was opened by a man wearing a singlet, track pants and slippers.

"Help! We’ve been attacked!" we gasped. "On the way to the pub. This thing came
for us ..orange … fur .. teeth .. help!!"

"Um." He replied. "The pub’s up the road. Just past the next streetlight." Then he closed the door.

We ran past two people who’d been having a nocturnal beach stroll. She was
holding the arm of a man wearing one thong and an overcoat.

"Going for a walk?" We smiled through gritted teeth.

"Um." she answered.

"Careful!" we volunteered. "There’s a wild creature down there in the shadows. Big. Dangerous. Mad. It attacked us, tore our clothes!"

"Um." she nodded, and pulling her man’s arm, steered him away from us, whispering, “They must have just come from the pub.”

Inside the neon lit pub, half the town was watching reruns of Darryl Summers on
television.

A buxom waitress took our order of steak and chips. "There’s a wild animal out there!" we tried to tell her. She stopped writing and looked at us. "It lunged at us from the shadows, it was huge, at least this big, it had yellow fangs and it spat and …" She raised one eyebrow, said, “Um…” scratched off the wine from our order and scuttled to the kitchen.

Back home with our host, we were almost as wild eyed as our attacker. "You should have seen it, mate,” we jabbered to Colin. “It’s jaws were larger than that shark’s, it’s teeth like a tiger, it’s fur as orange as an orangutan – it followed us all over town, tore our legs to pieces, I think we’re going to get blood poisoning … have to lie on our stomachs for weeks …"

"Um!" he said, putting the kettle on, and leading us gently to our room.

We sailed with him for two days, chasing dugongs in a land before time, watching sharks feeding on sardines. We did not mention the thing.

At the airport, a kiosk with a grass roof, we recognised the conservation man, heading back to the big city, job done.

"You’ll never believe what happened to us!" we began, and he looked up from his Daily Blah. "You think your poison worked? Hah! You missed the biggest of the lot. He was this big, almost the size of a croc, he had rows of teeth, he growled, he ripped our clothes, he stank like a demon, he followed us into the pub, we had to call the fire department and when they sprayed water on him he multiplied so we had to call in Ghost Busters and …"

“Um,” he said, and moved to another seat.

On the plane, Tony sat next to a woman knitting. "What a place!" he volunteered. "It’s filled with wild animals. They line the roads, poisonous teeth bared, talons sharpened. They swell to ten times their size. They attack innocents and children, left right and centre. They spit, they …”

Her needles stopped clicking. "Was this on Tribulation Drive? Half way down, in the shadows just before the third streetlight?"

"Um.” Said Tony doubtfully. “So you’ve heard about our attack?"

“No,” laughed the woman. “Not yours, anyway.”

"Not ours?" Tony was incredulous. "You mean there’ve been others and that bastard is still alive?"

"That’s no bastard!” She huffed. "That’s Rambo, my sweet little pussy. Everyone knows about him. E’s armless, is Rambo!

Tokyo Time Travel

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:16:20 +0000

My mode of time travel was ANA flight 9 that was decorated with large Pokemon figures. I got an outrageously good deal on plane tickets, the kind that makes you want to ask your row companion what they paid, just so you can gloat. But I didn’t. I sat there quietly and watched a Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Calista Flockhart.
I arrived in Japan in “tomorrow,” while the rest of you suckers were stuck in “today.” I had a hard time grasping this concept as I made my “I arrived safely” phone call to my family back in Gaithersburg, MD. It was 4:30 am. 4:30 am calls in the Lovinger family household are generally not coherent. The next day when checking my email, I received a couple cheerful “thanks for making me think that you were dead” messages.

They speak a different language!
“Eigo” is English.
“Eiga” is movie.
Ok, my Japanese is terrible at best. And put in the stressful real life situation of using it makes it even worse. I tried to buy a train ticket to Nikko, a national park, and my opening line in Japanese was “Do you understand the movie?” A simple transaction became a scene as a series of people were brought before the gaijin (damn foreigner) wanting to know about the movie. I’d like to think that they were impressed by me bravely putting more and more word combinations together, but it’s more likely that they were terrified that I would mix with the rest of the population. I eventually got my ticket and arrived safely in Nikko. However, more mayhem soon ensued.

Goddamn, they’re polite.
In Japan, everyone has achieved saint-like demeanors.
I don’t believe in karma. I’ve never ever been nice to anyone, yet the people here were obscenely nice to me. I got nothing but good treatment there. Consider this story which will surely warm your heart:
I finally get to Nikko, and I think that my troubles are over. With luggage in hand, I climb onto the appropriate bus and head to my Ryokan (Japanese-style Inn). I even asked the bus driver in Japanese if I was on the right bus, and he understood me and said “yes,” so I felt quite pleased with myself. Then I made my first mistake. I sat next to the German tourist. Immediately, she set upon me, just babbling away, appealing to my huge ego. “Oh what a courageous girl you are, traveling by yourself.” (I just nodded bravely.) “However do you get around alone?” (Oh, I’m quite capable. It’s really not that hard if you pay attention to your surroundings.) And so on. So while she’s jabbering away, I completely miss my bus stop. I get off the bus and immediately know that I’m in trouble. I start walking. It’s cold, I’m in the mountains, and it’s starting to snow. This sucks. So I stop in this hotel along the road, and I use what is now my most often used phrase: “Nikko Ryokan wa doko desu ka?” Loosely translated, this means, “where the hell is the Nikko Ryokan?” Fortunately, the front desk guy had a five-foot by three-foot sized mounted map of Nikko located right next to him. He picked it up and started making all these complicated looking gestures that looked a lot to me like I would get even more lost. I pretended like I knew what he was talking about and then I asked him how long it would take me to get there on foot. “About 20 minutes.” I assumed that meant 20 minutes for someone who knew where she was going.
So I thanked him, and got on my way. I grabbed my bag outside, where I left it, and now this is where I have to guess what went on in the mind of my savior, the St. Front Desk Guy. I think that he saw my bag and thought that it would be dishonorable to allow a nice girl like myself to suffer, dragging a bag up the craggy roads of Nikko. I had walked only about three minutes and I was just about to make a wrong turn and get very lost when I heard a horn honking at me. “Oh great,” I thought to myself. “That’s all I need.” Well come on, I’m cute as a button and I’m used to horns honking at me so I just assumed that some driver was showing his appreciation. But no. It was St. Front Desk Guy coming to the rescue. He opened up the back door and into the car I hopped. St. Front Desk Guy drove me straight to Nikko Ryokan, with not a single word. Just a “sayonara,” when he dropped me off.

It’s crowded.
In Tokyo, everybody has a cell phone. And everybody shops. Totally unrelated? I don’t know. All I know is that these cell-phone-holding shoppers are out 24/7. Crowding the subways, eating in restaurants and in particular, flocking to the malls and shopping districts (there are many).
From the amount of people out and about ALL THE TIME, it doesn’t appear that anyone actually works. My New Yorker friend Rich actually put it best by saying, “I can’t wait to get back to New York, and away from these crowds.”

TV Sucks.
(Please also refer to the first paragraph on Japan, labeled “They speak a different language!”)
Ok, I don’t want to hear any of that “You’re in another land and should be experiencing the culture and the blahdey blah blah. And I can’t believe that you would watch TV when you could be doing blah de blah de blah.” You know that you watch TV when you go on vacation so don’t give me any shit for it.
So with that disclaimer, let me roll out the options that I had: Sumo wrestling (and it appears that there is 24 hour coverage on this), God-awful game shows that I can’t understand, God-awful children’s shows with high pitched voices that I can’t understand (this includes animated shows like that god-awful pokemon), News that I can’t understand, and Full House. Ok, so now you don’t think it’s so wrong for me to find out how Jesse and the gang are doing with those loveable twins. Right? Riiiight?

Those are some of my observations of the happenings 14 hours in the future. You’ll notice that I didn’t list any of the museums or any other sites that I saw, or hotels that I recommended or restaurants with spectacular food. Well I’m not a frickin’ tour guide. Get a Frommer’s. You’ve got to figure that stuff out for yourself.
Sayonara.

How To Sleep on the Train

admin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:21:04 +0000

The economy of night travel is tremendous. Sleeping while rolling down the tracks saves time and money, both of which, for most travelers, are limited resources. The first concern about night travel is usually, "Aren’t you missing a lot of beautiful scenery? You just slept though half of Sweden!" The real question should be, "Did the missed scenery matter, since you gained an extra day for hiking the Alps, biking through tulips, or island-hopping in the Greek seas?" The answer: No. Maximize night trips.

Couchettes

To assure a safer and uninterrupted night’s sleep, you can usually reserve a sleeping berth known as a couchette (koo-SHETT) at least a day in advance from a travel agency, at the station ticket counter, or, if there are any available, from the conductor on the train. For about the cost of a cheap hotel bed ($20), you’ll get sheets, a pillow, blankets, a fold-out bunk bed in a compartment with three to five other people, and, hopefully, a good night’s sleep.

As you board, you’ll give the attendant your couchette voucher, railpass or ticket, and passport. He deals with the conductors and customs officials and keeps the thieves out so you can sleep soundly and safely. While some trains (especially in France) have cushier first-class couchettes (double rather than triple bunks for the same cost if you have a first-class ticket), most couchettes are the same for both classes. While the top bunk gives you more privacy and luggage space, it can be hotter and stuffier than lower bunks and a couple of inches shorter (a concern if you’re 6’2" or taller). You can request smoking or nonsmoking, and top, middle, or bottom berths.

Sleeping Free in Compartments

Shoestring travelers avoid the $20 cost of a couchette and just sack out for free, draping their tired bodies over as many unoccupied seats as possible. But trying to sleep on an overnight train ride without a bed can be a waking nightmare.

One night of endless headbobbing, swollen toes, and a screaming tailbone, sitting up straight in a dark eternity of steel wheels crashing along rails, trying doggedly�yet hopelessly�to get comfortable, will teach you the importance of finding a spot to stretch out for the night. This is an art that vagabond night travelers cultivate. Those with the greatest skill at this game sleep. Those not so talented will spend the night gnashing their teeth and squirming for relief.

A traditional train car has about 10 compartments, each with six or eight seats (three or four facing three or four). Most have seats that pull out and armrests that lift, turning your compartment into a bed on wheels. But this is possible only if you have more seats than people in your compartment.

A compartment that seats six can sleep three. So if between 30 and 60 people choose your car, some will sleep and some will sit. Your fate depends on how good you are at encouraging people to sit elsewhere. There are many ways to play this game (which has few rules and encourages creativity). Here are my favorite techniques.

The Big Sleep: Arrive 30 minutes before your train leaves. Walk most of the length of the train but not to the last car. Choose a car that is going where you want to go, and find an empty compartment. Pull two seats out to make a bed, close the curtains, turn out the lights, and pretend you are sound asleep. It’s amazing. At 9:00 p.m. everyone on that train is snoring away! The first 30 people to get on that car have room to sleep. Number 31 will go into any car with the lights on and people sitting up. The most convincing "sleepers" will be the last to be "woken up." (The real champs put a hand down their pants and smile peacefully.)

The Hare Krishna Approach: A more interesting way that works equally well and is more fun is to sit cross-legged on the floor and chant religious-sounding, exotically discordant harmonies, with a faraway look on your face. People will open the door, stare in for a few seconds, and leave, determined to sit in the aisle rather than share a compartment with the likes of you. You’ll probably sleep alone, or end up chanting the night away with five other religious fanatics.

Using reservation cards to your advantage: Each compartment will have a reservation board outside the door. Never sit in a seat that is reserved because you’ll be "bumped out" just before the train leaves. Few people realize that you can determine how far the people on a train will travel by reading their reservation tags. Each tag explains which segment of the journey that seat is reserved for. Find a compartment with three or four people traveling for just an hour or two, and for the rest of the night you will probably have that compartment to yourself.

Remember that trains add and lose cars throughout the night. A train could be packed with tourists heading for Milan, and at 1:00 a.m. an empty Milan-bound car could be added. The difference between being packed like sardines and stretching out in your own fishbowl could be as little as one car away.

These tricks work not to take advantage of others but to equal out the train load. When all the compartments are lightly loaded and people continue to load in, let the air out of your inflatable travel partner and make room for your new roommates. To minimize the misery on a full train, sit opposite your partner, pull out the seats, and share a single bed (and the smell of your feet).

Europe By Rail – Night Trains

admin — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:04:36 +0000

Overnight trains are available on many of Europe’s national and international city-to-cityroutes. Night trains effectively let you add an extra vacation day to your trip, since you can spend the night getting there and have the daytime free for being there.

Most overnight trains also offer sleeping accommodations, which vary quite a bit in type and price. Sleeping accommodations always require an additional fee if you are using a railpass, and they always require reservations. You can avoid the extra cost & complication if you’re willing to sleep in your seat, but it’s important to note that not all overnight trains carry seating cars — in these cases you must reserve accommodations in order to use the train at all. (Some trains carry seating cars only in Second Class, though you can always use these with a First Class pass.)

Types of Accommodations

Although railway modernization is bringing an increasing amount of variety to the subject, with new specialty trainsbeing introduced on some routes, for the majority of traditional night trains there are two types of sleeping compartments: Couchettes and Sleepers.

Couchette compartments consist of four to six narrow bunks and are public — you will share the compartment with other travelers without regard to gender. Travelers are supplied with a pillow and blanket, but are expected to sleep in their street clothes. Although couchette compartments have traditionally come in both First and Second Class — with the First Class version hosting fewer travelers per compartment — the trend is towards offering couchettes in Second Class only. Holders of a ticket or railpass in either class are elegible for Couchette travel with payment of the required supplement.

Sleeper compartments contain one to three more comfortable beds and are usually private — typically travelers select a compartment size to match the number of their traveling companions. (On some trains, two Sleepers with an adjoining door can be requested to create a family-sized room.) Sleepers have locking doors and for the most part offer the same level of privacy as ahotel room. They usually feature a washbasin with hot and cold water, and some of the more deluxe versions include their own toilet and even a shower. (WCs are found at each end of the car in the more typical configuration.) Some Double Sleepers include a very small third bunk suitable for a small child. Only holders of a FirstClass ticket or railpass are elegible to reserve a First Class Sleeper. Second Class Sleepers, where available, are open to holders of either class.

A fairly recent development is the introduction of Sleeperette cars, which replace or augment the Second Class Sleepers and Couchettes. These are configured like regular seating cars but offer special seats which recline for a more comfortable overnight journey. They are presently found only on the new specialty trains, but as the Sleeperette car is much less expensive to operate, it is likely that we will see more of this type of thing in the future.

In general, the trend in on-board accommodationis towards a greater degree of luxury and personal service for the First Class traveler –with corollary price hikes — while leaning towards simpler and more economical provisions for Second Class. This reflects a broader trend of the railways, who increasingly appear to be taking a page from the airlines in positioning First Class as a premium product, aimed mainly at well-heeled business travelers.

Cost

The cost of sleeping accommodations varies by class (First or Second), by type of compartment, and by length of journey. A couchette reservation can cost as little as $12 or as much as $60; sleepers run from about $75 upwards to $250 or more. (In the case of luxury Hotel Trains, quite a lot more.) Supplements are always levied on a per-person basis, so two people sharing acompartment will each pay a Double supplement.

Although most trains do carry some 1-bedFirst Class compartments, "Single" and "Double" really refer to theamount of supplement you’re willing to pay. Ponying up the more expensive Single supplement guarantees you a compartment to yourself; whether it has one bed or two depends on what the railway has available. If you are on your own and choose to pay only a Double supplement, you’re offering to be paired with another (same gender) traveler. Solo passengers may be able to save a bit by requesting a Single "S" (Special) compartment — a somewhat smaller & less expensive version of the First Class Single. "S" compartments are not available on all trains, however.

Using Overnight Trains With a Pass

The supplement that you pay for a couchetteor sleeper is separate from the cost of transportion, so if you’re using a pass it must bev alid for the entire route (including any countries you will pass through). For Flexipasses — where you’re allowed a certain number of travel days over a given period — an overnight train counts the departure day against your allowance unless the train leaves later than 19:00 (7:00pm), in which case the following day is counted. Since passes expire at midnight, in such cases you must be sure that the arrival day is within the valid time frame of your pass.

Boarding & Riding An Overnight Train

Sleepers on Traditional Night Trains

If you have reserved a sleeper compartment,the procedure for boarding is a bit different from ordinary seating or public couchette cars. Instead of climbing aboard and finding your assigned place on your own, you are expected to locate the correct car from the station platform — the car number will beon your reservation document — and present yourself to the agent or steward stationed at the car’s entrance. (Because sleeper compartments are expensive, the railways guard zealously against unauthorized "squatters." Don’t try it — you will be caught.)

Once the steward has shown you to your compartment, he or she will make sure the beds are folded down and ready for sleeping, and will usually offer to take a snack order (expensive) and a breakfast order (also expensive). If the route crosses international borders, the steward may request your passport so that it may be shown to border authorities without waking you.

Smoking is not allowed in sleeper or couchette compartments when they are in the nighttime configuration. When they’re in daytime configuration — with the beds folded up into seats — smoking is permitted if the car is designated for it. (Although smoking is technically prohibited in the car landings as well, in practice you will often find an insomniac puffer or two lurking there in the middle of the night. So long as nobody complains, the steward is likely to turn a blind eye to it — particularly if he’s one of them.)

In the morning, the steward will knock atthe door to wake you — usually around 7:00am. Shortly afterwards he will return with your passport and any breakfast that you have ordered. If the train’s journey continues into the morning, the steward will also convert your beds back into seats for the remainder of the trip. For trains with very early arrivals, prior to 7:00am,passengers are generally not woken until arrival and are allowed to remain in their compartments until a reasonable hour.

It’s considered polite to tip the steward theequivilant of a dollar or two, particularly if he has helped with any special requests. Tips may be left in the compartment when you leave.

Couchettes on Traditional Night Trains

Couchette cars are considerably less formal. It’s still a good idea to locate your car before you board the train — hauling luggage down those narrow aisles is no treat — but you are usually on your own to find your assigned compartment, and will show your reservation document when the ticket agent comes along. There is generally no snack or breakfast delivery to couchette cars, though the train may have a separate snack car or trolley available during the evening and morning.

Depending on the ensemble of passengers –and also on the destination and time of year — the social ambience of a Couchette compartment can resemble anything from a dorm party to six silent faces in an elevator. The best compartment-mates are usually Europeans who travel overnight frequently; they understand both the official and unofficial rules of conduct for this mode of travel, and have mastered the art of maintaining a polite and friendly distance while sharing rather close quarters with strangers. Emulate their behavior and you will best understand the Couchette compartment etiquette. (Including the fact that Europeans who find themselves in a single-gender compartment will often disregard the street-clothing mandate, and discretely emerge from the washroom in robe and pajamas. For the visitor a good rule of thumb is not to do this unless someone elsedoes; but a workable compromise, if you really hate sleeping in your clothes, is to bring along a neat & clean set of sweats, which are commonly enough worn as "street clothes" that nobody is likely to object.)

If, however, you happen to find yourself in a packed Couchette compartment on a ski-train heading for St-Moritz during a school break — well, stay cheerful and try to have fun. You may not get much sleep!

Get There On Time!

Both Sleeper and Couchette reservations can be released by the railway if you haven’t arrived within fifteen minutes of departure — and as these services are commonly sold-out by the end of the day, the conductor is quite likely to peddle your spot to someone else if you haven’t shown up. In these cases you may be able to put in for a refund of your supplement, but if the train doesn’t have any seating cars (as many don’t), you won’t be allowed to travel with it.

The flip-side to this is that if you weren’t able to reserve a compartment, and dread the prospect of spending the night propped up in a seat — which by some mysterious alchemy will be made of solid lead by morning — don’t hesitate to track down the conductor and make your wishes known. No-shows arecommon, and like hotels the trains have no interest in leaving beds empty if a paying customer is at hand. Keep in mind that conductor has a good deal of discretion as to who gets the vacancy — find him early and treat him as you would a gate agent you’re trying to sweet-talk into an upgrade on your flight. Make a friend and you’ll increase your odds of getting a horizontal position for the trip.

SpecialtyTrains

As noted above, the traditional night train is increasingly sharing the tracks with more modern specialty trains. These offer First Class travel with larger and more elaborate accommodations, including hotel-like amenities such as fax and copy machines, room service, private bathroom facilities, and a concierge and reception desk. Some are double-deckers, with the fancier First Classrooms atop and smaller, but still quite comfortable, Second Class rooms below. Although private compartments on these trains are priced higher than on traditional night trains, many of the specialty trains also have the Sleeperette option available at a lower ost. Some specialty trains have arrangements with hotels in the destination city that will let you check in immdedately upon arrival, even if it’s very early in the morning. (And as these trains are largely geared to the schedules of business travelers, it usually is.)

Specialty trains include the EuroNightbrand (found on some of the most popular long-distance international routes), the InterCityNighttrains (Germany only), the CityNightLine (international routes between cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), and the Talgo Hotel Trains of Spain, the latter being by far the most luxurious and expensive.

Trip to Brisbane

admin — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:53:18 +0000

What is the name of the city, town or village where you live?
Brisbane

Why do you live there?
My parents and girlfriend are my major considerations. Other than that, it’s a faily peaceful town with few problems relating to crime or poverty.

What cultural opportunities do you have?
I have opportunities but don’t engage with the creative areas around town. There are a lot of ‘cool’ people who are all steam. I just like to do my own thing. We have museums & art galleries here for people who choose to go in that direction though.

What recreational opportunities do you have?
We have a lot of parks. There are also islands off the mainland that are great for chilling on. We also have surf beaches and rainforests an hour from town.

What do you like about it?
Its laid-back atmosphere. The weather is lovely. People are generally friendly.

What do you hate about it?
It’s a bit of an over-sized country town. If you want a career, get out of the place. It used to be a very conservative place, but has lightened up in the last ten years or so.

What qualities really stand out? (good or bad)
The slower paced lifestyle is great. I’ve travelled a bit and the bigger the city, the bigger the attitude. I don’t need attitude.

Would you recommend it, and why?
I don’t know if I’d recommend it as such. It’s a good place to live. You could do a lot worse.

If I were to move there, what would I really need to know?
The Great Barrier Reef is 2000 kilometres to the north We drive on the left-hand side of the road.

How is it different from other places you have been?
It’s cleaner and the weather is better.