From: Rob_Stokes.Operations@QMail.SSC.Gov (Rob Stokes)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: Traveling to Europe and need some pointers
Date: 7 Oct 92 23:18:15 GMT
Followup-To: rec.travel
Organization: SSC Information Center

Hey Everyone,
I am headed to Europe in mid January through February.  After the first
week of snow skiing in the Italian Alps, I will be bumming around Europe
for about two or three weeks.  Here are some questions I have:
1) How should I travel?
After I get to Europe, should I rent a car the entire time I'm there? 
Should I plan to take a train to each destination and then rent a car or
make it on foot?  Should I hitch-hike and rent a car on a as needed basis?
2) Is $2200 enough?
I have planned on spending around $2200, but I'll have access to as much as
$5000 to get around on; how much should I plan on spending?  I am a very
cheap person by nature so some hardships are no big deal.  I rarely have to
go 1st class.
3) Will it be too cold?
Along the Mediterranean I figure it will be the warmest, however, the coast
is at the same latitude as New York; it's always freezing in New York
during January & February.  I am from Texas where 80 degrees is cold to me.
 Will I be miserable?
4) What countries should I visit?
I would like to visit Italy, France and Greece at least.  Are there any
better suggestions based on my nature (listed in the other questions here)?
5) What language barriers will I encounter?
I am deathly scared of not being able to communicate with other people. 
The only language I had in college was German and I "D"ed that with a lot
of work.  What books should I purchase and what should I study before the
trip?
6) What travel path do I plan? (Where to go in what order)
At this moment, I plan to wake up in the morning, plot my course for the
day, and hope I make it.  Is this a horrible way to travel in Europe?  If I
were in the states, it wouldn't be a big deal to me.  Should I make plans a
day, week, month in advance and hope I stick to those plans?
7) Do I encourage travel companions or try to find someone there?
I HATE to go anywhere by myself so just thinking about going on this trip
alone is a big step for me.  Do I put out on the Internet or paper that I
am looking for traveling companions and hope that I don't get any psycho
takers?  Do I wait and look for someone when I get there (this is the off
season for travelers in Europe ya know)?  I've exhausted all my leads here
at home and none of my friends are able to go.
8) I'm not a history or artsy person so relics and museums don't thrill me.
Based on that statement, where/what do I go/do?  I like to be around
people, but I am very bad at meeting or getting to know others in a very
short time interval.
9) How do I make phone calls or get in-touch with people at home?
Do I get one of these ATC world-wide calling cards? an AT&T calling card?
do I call collect? what?
10) Anything I've forgotten?
Any other suggestions or important ideas that I have left out?
PLEASE mail me any ideas that you may have.  I can never receive enough
pointers about subjects like this.  If your interested, I will summarize
the mail I get and send you the travel plan I decide on.  If a reasonable
number of people show an interest, I will post an English Paper about my
trip to this group.
Rob Stokes
Newsgroups: rec.travel