Omaha daily bee., 1914-06-14
GETTING READY FOR EUROPE
Things a Prospective Tourist Learns
Before Starting.
PRINTED TIPS FROM BOOSTERS
Reaus of Information TO Whet An.
ticfpatiOn and Dase First Trip
pers-PostinE Up on
Places.

Il ought not TO take more than three
months 70 prepare for your first trip
abroad. Probably you can do II in less
than that, II you are one Of those who
learn rapidly: say, two months and a
half ten weeks.
There used TO be a species OF traveller
who greeted you with, Yes. it's over the
big pond for me tomorrow" OF Good
by, old man. L sailing tomorrow; over
the same old mud hole you know" with
such an unpremeditated air that you felt
sure he had made up his mind to 20 only
a moment before he met you. You envied
him. You fancied him setting forth on his
long journey with about as much fuss
and preparation as the average man de-
voted to a ride in the subway. Certainly
no one who could talk so casually OF
crossing the big pond or the mud hole
wasted much time getting ready for II.
He was eternally prepared. II he packed
more than a nightshirt and a toothbrush
into his grip before catching the boat.
you would have been deeply disappointed
in him.
"Good-by," you said. How long will
you be gone7''
"oh. just a little run oven I'll be back
before you know IT," he told you, and off
he went.
The species is now extinct At least
that is the impression you get from the
output of Travellers Guides and Hints
20 Tourists and books on how to prepare
for the trip. There is no place on land
or sea, for this F1nnigan of travellers.
this member OF the In-ARain-Out-A
school OF tourists. He has gone, this
time never to come back. judging by tho
rules which now govern the going and
coming Of all who would visit Europe
The trip itself has become career and
the preparation for 1t is serious busi-
ness.
Well Go Know Your Ocean.
II no longer does TO talk flippantly OF
the big pond and the same old mud hole
Such a remark ia at once a confession
that you have not studied your travellers
guide. wherein are set forth the Big
gest Bodies OF Water" beginning with
Pacific ocean. area in square miles, go coo. =
900; average depth. feet, 2,7sO and ending
with Dead sea, area In square miles, sO3
average depth. feet, 200. The big pond
has been converted into the Atlantic
ocean. with dimensions OF 35,OOOOOO and
12O6o, respectively. Obviously these fig
ures are accurate, and without a thor
ough knowledge of them a man IL not
qualified so much as TO set foot on the
gang-plank.
But In preparing for your trip there
is great deal to learn before you get
down 70 these figures. First OF ali you
should, know something about the history
development and theory of the wireless
telegraph. the distances from New York
OF the principal points on the Atlantic
coast the addresses of the American
newspaper offices in Europe. the prohib-
tied imports in England. France, Ger
many and Italy -the-world rec
ords Of the more famous globe -trotters,
cuEsomS regulations abroad, Federal rail-
~ply HystSus of the continent, taxicab
charges IN London, the feeling system
tides. veloci y of sound. porpoises. how to
tell time BY the ships bells. how 70 trans.
late knots into miles. latitude and longi-
tude, points OF the compass. European
currencies, the Gulf Stream, how TO com
pute differences in time between New
York and where you are going. baggage
regulations. how to carry funds, steam
ship lanes. and many other things, in
Guiding a smattering OF French. German
and italian for purposes OF inquiring
your way to the nearest cathedral. the
postage rates. the hours for meals and
such things.
The mastering OF these facts Is now con-