The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-10-07
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.
How to SEQ 1T and What 1t Costs.

Special Correspondence anderson Intcttt9cnccf.
"Well, Van, what do you expect your
trip abroad will cost you?" was a ques-
ton frequently asked me before leaving
home. Approximately Informed them
how much I believed the expense Of the
trip would be. Some believed me, many
doubted, some laughed and called me
tramp, while others thought was poor
in figures and unacquainted with the ropes
of travel; but be that as it may, I have
made quite an extensive trip through
England, Scotland, France, Switzerland,
Germany and Belgium, have returned
to America and figured up the cost and it
don't surprise me to inform you that it is
less than the estimate. "Can everybody
travel as economically as you2" No.
Ladies, English Gentlemen, American
aristocrats and fools would not find it
pleasant to travel so cheaply. But q
thoroughbred Yankee that knows exactly
how many cents there are in dollar and
what every cent is worth, possessed with
patience, grit aud shrewdness 10 overcome
the many difficulties encountered in
travel, for instance to dispel greedy
European of the idea that you are moth
ing more than bag Of gold, to satisfy
them that twenty five cent meal is not
worth dollar, and if you are obliged to
indulge in that abominable practice of
feeling to be able to inform them that
just because, you are unfortunate enough
to be Yankee, that you don't propose
to pay days wages for a FIVE or ten
minutes services. Such person, de.
priving himself of a few Of the luxuries,
can make such trip, if he live within
800 miles of New York City, for $500 all
told. I have been absent from home
more than fourteen weeks, have purchas-
ed clothing, guide books, ETC., that would
make quite respectable bill, and it mas
cost me altogether several dollars less
than the above amount. But many have
been over the same ground and doubled
or perhaps trippled this amount and have
seen no more and perhaps not as much
as your humble servant. Now, then, l
will tell you how to do it, and if my style
of travel suits you, adopt it and give it a
trial. But let me say right here kind
reader, if you have been rocked in the
cradle Is years of your life and slept on
springs and curled hair mattresses the bal.
ance Of your tlpe, and have had kind
mother or a waiter to bring your meals to
your room, read this article if you like
but don't adopt my plant won't suit
you. First, decide whether you will travel
by wheel or not-my advice is to travel
in this manner by all means. fyou
wish to see Europe as it is this is your
only means, unless you travel on foot,
railroad travel is no comparison. You
can do the trip with any ordinary bicycle,
although am particularly partial to the
Star. have used it on sll kinds of roads
by the side of the best machines, and-I
am satisfied that there is no wheel that
answers the purpose of touring as we'll as
this. If you wish to purchase wheel
of another kind, purchase in Europe, as
they are much cheaper there. But if
you have & wheel, by taking it apart and
packing it in box you will be able to
ship on board the vessel as baggage,
and by being careful insbuilding your
box, it will cost you nothing, as it Will
come within the number of feet allowed
you. Pack with your wheel all extra
clothing that you can't carry in hand
satchel and leave the same, except what
you positively need, where you begin
your wheeling tour. Box tight and you
will gel single express rates to New York.
If you ship by express don't forget TO
ship in care of the steamer you wish to
sail with. Buy second-class or seal
per's ticket to New York and second
class steamship ticket. Ifyou can afford
to be extravagant its more convenient to
travel first. class, but I preferred to deprive
myself of this privilege and use the extra
expense for another purpose. After the
voyage is completed calculate to be your
own cabman. In the country you will
have no use for carriage and in the city
use your wheel if you don't care to walk.
Should it be rainy, travel on street car
or buss, aod wherever you stop engage
only your room. Lodgings can be engag-
ed in any of the cities Of England and
Scotland from Is cents and upward per
night, depending on the length of time
you engage your room and the location.
1t is cheaper and much pleasanter for two
to travel together. In London you can
get meals very cheap. At any of forty
different cocoa rooms located in all parts
of the city you can get lunches very
reasonable that you can make answer for
a breakfast or tea, and there are plenty
of restaurants where a warm meal can be
had from 25 cents up, depending on'the
quantity and quality, paying you under
stand for what you order and no more,
unless you choose to fee the waiter. One
dollar per day in London will lodge and
board you if you are economical, but you
will need considerable in addition to
this for guide books and sight seeing, and
what is true of this city is also true of
all the larger cities of England and Scot
land. When travelling through the
country it will average little more than
this, as you will generally stay but one
night in place. But by careful man
agement even here you can travel on this
amount. In selecting lodging place
don't be in hurry and register at the
first brown stone front. Such q place
usually swarms with white aproned fel-