The Washington herald., 1911-06-04
By JAMES L. BAHRET.
Copyright, lsll, by James L. Bahret.l


the traveller is confined to the itinerary
laid down by its author. The guide
book is, further, deficient in maps and
other helps to be found only in Baede-
kers or Murrays many-volumed guides.
These are, however. high priced. In the
best secondhand bookstores of large
cities, editions of Baedeker's guides of
ten years ago can be purchased for one
fifth the price of new ones. Even these
ancient editions are of great value. since
the maps and the main sights Of Euro
pean cities change but little in a decade
For a person who must travel in the
most economical manner possible, 1t 10
out of the question to carry along half
a score of guidebooks, which make the
baggage very heavy. If the prospective
traveller has access to a large public
library, he can, before leaving America,
prepare a notebook by consulting the
Baedekers guides to he found in such
a library, as did in preparation for my
first trip to Europe
In my notebook 1 outlined my entire
prospective tour. and drew d rough plan
OF each city to be visited, indicating the
locations Of all points of interest and the
best order in which to visit them. Ac-
companying this plan we're brief notes
giving the chief facts about each point
of interest. The making of such a note
book constitutes the proper preparation
for a European tour. Several thin blank
books should be chosen. instead Of one
large book. with pages about by 8
inches, and with flexible covers, so that
the books can be folded to half the
dimensions named and slipped in the
pocket Every third page should be left
blank for use as a diary of ones travels.
Go in a Suit Case.
1t will save time. money. and trouble
to take along on the trip only the bare
necessities such as can be put in a dress
suit case. For an inexpensive bicycle
tour, two small handbags must be car
ried instead of a suit case, as they can
be tied to the handle bars of the bicycle
in travelling from place to place. In
case a suit case We're taken on a bicycle
tour, 1t would have to be sent by parcels
post from place to place. thus occasion
ing additional expense and the risk of
its going astray. The travelling bags
should be durable, in order to last
through all the hard usage Of the trip,
since leather goods are high priced in
Europe.
The traveller should take his baggage
with him in the railway carriage. Ladies
can always find porters at stations, wait
ing for the arrival of trains, who for a
few cents will carry a suit case from
train to car or bus, or vice versa. The
chief saving in taking the baggage into
the railway carriage is in time and
trouble. In nearly every country, a diff
ferent system of checking baggage is
In operation-a perplexing circumstance,
particularly to the traveller who is almost
totally ignorant Of the language Of the
country. In addition, 1 have often had
TO wait my turn for twenty minutes IN
getting baggage checked, and in some
countries all baggage must be checked
fifteen minutes before the hour set for
the train to start. A small charge is
made for checking baggage in Holland,
Belgium. Switzerland. and parts of Ger
many, and a considerable harge is made
in Italy alone. In most other European
countries the trifiing fee OF cents Is
collected for the mere weighing and book
ing of the baggage.
One good durable suit is sufficient for a
person of either sex for tour of not
over ten weeks. Two changes OF light
woolen underclothing. four pairs Of
socks, and two linen shirts are ample for
a gentleman. Rubber collars and cuffs
should be worn, since they can be wash
ed off with wet cloth when solled
Other articles can be laundered while
stopping four or five days in some large
city. Hotels launder clothing in twenty
four hours, but at prices several tunes
the charges of laundry.
An extra pair of low canvas shoes are
INDISPENSABLE, to be worn especially when
the shoes ordinarily used have become
damp and are drying. The traveller
should start out with a pair of new shoes
lust broken in, so that they will last
throughout the trip, since European shoes
are ill-fitting and high priced. They
should be as nearly water-tight as pos
eible, so that overshoes can be dispensed
with. A rain coat and hat which sheds
rain well will save the trouble of bother
Ing withan umbrella The rain coat should
preferably be Of cloth, so that it can be
worn when travelling at night by train.
or on steamboats,, when the air will often
be found chilly.
For the Atlantic voyage, the heaviest
woolen underwear and a second-best
heavy overcoat should be worn. A
steamer rug is to be recommended, but
is not indispensable. These articles should
be stored with the steamship line by
which the traveller expects to make the
return journey, for which service trifiing
charge is made
A Passport May Save You.
A passport is desirable, and in some
countries, as Spain, Portugal. and Aus
tria, practically Indispensable. No one
can De even duIllllleu 10 huSsld "llHOul
a passport which has been vised by a
Russian consul in America. For those
making q tramp trip or q bicycle trip on
the Continent of Europe, a passport must
not be omitted. 1t may save the tourist
from serious embarrassment Money
should be carried in the form of travellers
checks, those of the American Express
Company having been found the most
satisfactory by myself. In case this COM
pany's checks are used, letters can be
received in care of its London or Paris
Office, the tourist notifying this office
from time to time where to forward
them. If other travellers checks are used,
letters can be received in care of the
London or Paris office of the respective
banker.
If travelling second cabin, the ticket for
the eastward voyage, costing from $40 to
sG5, according to the ship and the season,
should be purchased at least a month
in advance. 1t is preferable to purchase
the ticket for the westward voyage before
leaving America, or at least two months
the ships are crowded during the summer
months. In 1910 the second-class accom-
modations on the westward August sail
ings Of the Lusitania were practically
sold out FIVE months in advance. Steer
age tickets cost from $40 to s35, and It is
sufficient to secure them a week In ad-
vance from this side ami a month in ad-
vance from the other eide.
It is desirable to make the eastward
voyage before the middle of May when
the ships are not crowded. On my trip
made in March, 1870 the number Of Sec
ond.cabin passengers was only twelve