South America Travel Guide

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Asia Africa Caribbean Central America Europe Middle East North America South America Oceania Various Dating Diets Digital camera Divx movies Education Fishing Fonts Health Jobs Kids Movies Real estate Shopping Skiing Sports Supplements Telecom Translators Webmaster Domain names Ecommerce Free resources Shoppingcarts Webdesign Webhosting New sites Fonteine.com Pastfood RealEstate linker zzz More topics..... -- Home Links Keywords Importers Buyleads Membership Contact us Web B izeurope.com travel south america guide Adventure South America - Travel quide to South America, specially designed to photographers, videographers, Tv and Cinema producers. AmeriSpan Study Abroad in Latin America - Offers Spanish immersion study programs, volunteer and internship placements and other educational and cultural travel programs in Latin America. Andean Adventure - Outside Online's Andean Adventure as two cyclists bike from Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of Chile through South America, Central America, and into Mexico. Andes Mountain Expediciones - Expeditions of high altitude mountain, Aconcagua. Trek to Torres del Paine National Park and mountaineering in Argentinean and Chilean Andes. Andex Tours - Online reservations and payments of travel packages to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile. Complete country information. Aventura - A travel publication focused on Latin America with a searchable database of adventure activities and destinations. BUPA International - Travel guides and country information. Columbus Travel Guides - Complete Guide to South American countries - includes useful addresses, airport information, up-to-date passport, visa and health information. Condor Journeys and Adventures - Specialist in tailor-made cultural and acitivity holidays into all Latin American countries. David W. Bennett - Custom Tour Guide - Personal tour guide, travel planner and consultant to remote and exotic third-world destinations. Discount Travel to South America - Book online airline tickets to South America. Epinions.com: South American Ski Resorts - Reviews and opinions written by consumers. Gofir South America - Originally developed to assist the professional flight crew obtain information for the purpose of planning a domestic or international flight. 24 Hour Travel Service to South America - Journeys to Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela. unique itineraries. Letsgo.ca - Canadian travel site with information on charter flights and cruises. MyTravelGuide: South America - Country guide, with travel essentials like what to do, how to get there, visa and passport requirements, health and safety precautions, local events and photos. Norte trekking expeditions - Program of 7 days over Argentina North West, Atacama Desert in Chile and Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia. Private tours in small groups with 4x4 supported by local guides. Nuevo Mundo - Provides a searchable hotel, tour and restaurant database for South and Central America. Seektravel - Travel to South America, covering airlines, hotels, and other resources. Solar Tours - Offers sightseeing tours and vacation packages to Latin America, Mexico, and Western Europe. South America for Visitors - From airlines to zoos, everything the visitor to South America needs to make the journey memorable. South American Explorers Club - Travel information for South and Central America. Three Wheels a Day - A chronicle of a bike adventure in South America from December 2001 to March 2002. Includes the Falkland Islands, Chile, and Argentina, and the regions of Patagonia and San Pedro de Atacama. Tropical Nature Travel - Offers trips to Per, Brazil, Bolivia, Amazon jungle, and also specializes in logistics for professional photographers and international film crews. Vacation Information Newsletter - Come look at our travel information newsletter magazine! Villa La Angostura - Touristic city guide featuring hotels listings, trips descriptions, maps and photo galleries. The Virtual Tourist - General information site for the traveler to South America. More resources Able2Know - A forum to discuss travel and culture in South America. AmazonHerp - Introduction to the reptiles and amphibians of the Peruvian Amazon, with many images. Also includes sections on people and places, travel, and articles from Reptiles magazine by Matt Russell. America Latina 2001 - Expedition in Latin America from 1st October 2000, travelogues, photos, forum, and information about each country. Americasol - An information provider, specially visual, about Ecological Tourism and Adventure Travel in South America. Preview of places and of routes of trips through virtual tours. Blue Lizard Adventures - Provides eco tours by boat in the Peruvian Amazon. Descriptions of tours with researchers and scientists for birding, walks in primary rainforest, fishing, and to visit native villages. Chili Ski - A guide to skiing in Chile and Argentina. CiudadNet - Information about destinations in the continent and its countries. Costa Rican Adventures - Miami tour operator, offers private, customized guided tours, hiking, white water rafting, and snorkeling. Destination Explorer - Contains destination and travel information on the South American Continent and its countries. FreeTripInfo - Offers travel information on South American countries and related services, including airlines, tour operators, hotels, resorts, lodges, cruise lines and boat operators, rentals and meals and entertainment. LatinoAve - Search by Country or City. Contains guides, maps, weather report and hotel reservations. South America Links - A travel guide, includes hotels, flights, airfare, car rental, news, maps, museums and restaurants. South America outdoors - A travel, tourism and recreation guide, including hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, nature and national parks. South America Travel Guide - Offers destination information researched and written by a professional editorial teame. Think Venezuela - Venezuela's history, culture and nature discussed. A Travel Guide to Latin America - Information about destinations, maps, tips, where to go, spots to visit, lodging, tours and activities. Includes Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Peru and the Falkland-Malvinas Islands. Travel Information for the Japanese - A personal site including pictures and diaries in Argentina and Chile. TravelSnob - Contains a database of categorized advice and tips relating to independent travel, organized in a hierarchical structure beginning with country, to regions and towns. TravelWizard Virtuoso - Travel consultants. Offers search by interest, by destination, by date or by product. Worldsurface - Information about tourism for independent travellers and backpackers in South America. Site navigation Add url to Bizeurope Upgrade to professional member Country database Return to Bizeurope keywords Bizeurope company directory Sitemap Airshowreport Asiaprofile Aviationlinker BizEurope Downloadplaza Export Database Export Linker Export Offers EU manufacturer F16 Falcon Forbidden Source Hardwarelinker Hotel2visit Image Supplier Import Database Import Europe Importer USA Import Leads Newsreleaser PC newsflash Scubalinker Search4finance Softwarelinker St Webmaster Telecomlinker Tradefairdatabase Travellinker Turbolinker USAlinker UGA media USA manufacturer Visit2Europe Webdesign Webhosting Worldjump Worldtradelead

Vacation Rental Homes Featuring

Vacation Rentals: Cape Cod and Florida Vacation Homes Rentals Home Vacationer center Homeowner center About us Welcome to the Premier Website for Vacation Rental Homes Featuring from modest cottages or condos to grand waterfront homes, use our state-of-the-art advanced search to find what you want: where and when you want it! Search Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket vacation rentals . Search Florida vacation rentals . Snowbirds, try Florida! Katrina rentals and temporary housing in Florida and on the Cape Cod & the Islands Hear what vacationers say about website in their own words . Prefer to browse all the rentals? You can elect this option, also. You will also find maps and regional information on all the destinations we service. See over 2700 Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket vacation rentals See over 600 Florida vacation rentals Homeowners - increase your occupancy and income. Make the homeowner rental process easier and less costly. Visit our Homeowners Center . You'll find how we can help you increase the occupancy and income for your Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket or Florida rental AND make the homeowner rental process easier and less time consuming! Sign up today to join clients who know WeNeedaVacation.com performs as no other rental-by-owner website can! Click here to see what our homeowner clients have to say about the results they receive from WeNeedaVacation.com. Cape Cod & Islands Vacation Rentals Advanced search Browse all Cape & Islands info Fall rentals -- Long-term rentals Find by Property ID FAQ Florida Vacation Rentals Advanced search Browse all Florida map & info Long-term rentals Find by Property ID FAQ Just for Homeowners List Your Property Why List Here Existing Client Login Service Providers (Cape and Islands) FAQ Help & Info About Us How to use this site Customer Comments Site Status -- Press/News Privacy/Terms of Use Help & Support Resources Site Map -- Home Vacationer's center Homeowner's center About us 1998 - 2005 All Seasons Vacation Rentals, LLC .

Europe Travel 101 -

Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the First Time  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Europe Travel 101 - Before you take that first trip to Europe Here's a suggested timeline for things an independent traveler needs to do before heading off to that European destination. Thinking about taking an independent trip to Europe? Below you'll find topics to consider before you take off. The recommended time before departure that you should be taking action is found in the colored bar on the left. In the gray box on the right you'll find links leading to more detailed information on any of the topics. Like most planning guides, this is a tool meant to simply remind you what you need to do when to make the standard vacation go as smoothly as possible. Although the list may seem daunting to you, you'll find that many of the tasks are optional. Unless otherwise noted, most of the planning tasks can be done earlier than recommended. A shorter, unannotated list with resources can be found here . A printable checklist can be found here . Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute What You Need to Do Resources 6 months before you go - Choose Your Destination! Now (or even sooner) is the time to choose your general destination. There are lots of resources on the right to help you. Remember that while Europe is quite compact compared to the US, the travel times between countries may be longer than you think. Once you've chosen your primary destination, you'll be able to go on to the next things on the list. Language Let's say you've chosen France as your destination and you'd really like to get to know the country and its people. Well, now is the time to start thinking of learning a bit of the language. A single beginner's course in spoken French at your local community college will teach you the basics cheaply enough. We also have extensive resources for learning European languages here on the About network. Please, at least think about learning the "politeness" words--natives will thank you for trying and will likely be more receptive to your questions. See Languages for the Tourist on the right to find out how easy it is. Renting a House or Apartment Now is the time to think about reserving that perfect apartment for the week (or month). You can wait until later to do this, but the best go fast. Living in the country you're visiting gets you into the swing of daily life: you'll be able to go to the open air markets and cook the food you buy, you won't have to think about maids (unless you want to) or checking in, and things can be as secure as you make them. Guidebooks Once you've figured out where you'd like to spend most of your time, it may be time to pick out a guidebook. You can purchase guidebooks that cover all of Western Europe, just a single country, or even a province or region like Tuscany. Choosing a Destination: Travel Planning Europe Planning Map Clickable Europe map with links to Country maps and Travel Essentials. How I Travel Europe Europe and Fading Traditions: Go Soon! Weather -Climate - When to Go Language: Languages for the Tourist Rentals Unusual Lodging Lodging Links Guidebooks Top European Guidebooks 3-4 months before you go - Start Checking Airfares You can start checking sooner--although we've found searching 3-4 months before your flight is a pretty good bet; the airlines are starting to discount in order to reward early bookers and yet there's still time to wait if prices aren't to your liking. The airline computers are constantly revising the pricing based on the latest demand, so the cheapest prices might turn up anytime--but you might not want to wait that long. Use the Finding Bargain Airfares link if you're unfamiliar with the bargain hunting process. Apply for a Passport if you don't already have one If you don't have a passport, this is the time to start thinking of applying. While the literature says it takes 6 weeks to procure a US passport, you don't want to leave it to the last possible moment--it's a vacation killer if something goes wrong. And despite what you may have heard or read in the past, a separate passport is required for each and every family member traveling with you. First-time applicants 13 years of age and over must appear in person at a U.S. passport office, a designated courthouse or the Post Office. You'll need a birth certificate or proof of citizenship, a photo identification, two recent 2" x 2" photos of your face, and a bundle of money. You'll find the latest requirements and downloadable application form by clicking Passport Links there on the right. (You don't need a health certificate in Western Europe and you won't need to worry about a visa as long as you're staying fewer than 90 days and aren't going to Turkey.) Shoes and Walking Now is a good time to pick up some walking shoes and start getting them broken in. You'll walk a lot in Europe, even if you have a car; much of the city centers in Europe are pedestrian only zones. Be prepared. Airfares Finding Bargain Airfares Passports Passport Links Where to go to apply, a downloadable application form, and how to make it as easy as possible. 6 weeks to 2 months before you go - Reserve Lodging - Hotel If you haven't already reserved the hotels you've seen on the web and fallen in love with, now is the time to do so. But do you need to reserve in every city you're planning to visit? Here's what I do: I reserve a hotel for my arrival and departure days as well as any long-term apartment rentals I've selected. The rest I leave to chance. You may feel uncomfortable with this arrangement, but, with a few exceptions, it's worked just fine for me. When traveling by train, I prefer to arrive at my destination early, take a hotel by the train station and just drop my bags there and explore the city on foot. You can read the whole strategy in my Footloose Travel article. Car or Train? If you haven't already chosen, now would be a good time to select your primary mode of transportation. Select Train or Car? from the links on the right if you just can't seem to decide which is best for what you want to see. Rail Pass Do you need one? Here are some tips: Trains in the south-Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece--are pretty cheap. If you're going to one or several of these places you might find that a pass isn't necessary. Just go to the station and buy a ticket. EurRail passes offer great savings if you plan right. For a saver pass you'll need to plan to take several long trips so that you can spend the travel days mostly on the train. Save money by going overnight; you'll save on hotel costs and make maximum use of your pass. Check the types of passes available carefully, to use them to an advantage, you may have to juggle some travel plans. Car Rental or Leasing and an International Driver's License Leasing a car is sometimes better than renting, especially if you're staying in Europe for more than 17 days. Leasing gets you a brand new car without rental company stickers on it and the pricing includes everything you need. When you turn it in at the end of your trip a lucky European will get to purchase that almost-new car for much less than a completely new one (This comes about because taxes on a new car are much higher than the taxes on even a slightly used one, so both parties benefit from this arrangement). If you've chosen driving as your primary mode of transport in Europe, you should get an International Driver's License . Available at Auto Clubs, they're just a translation of your License into European languages. Sometimes police won't demand them, accepting your original license instead. But still, it doesn't hurt to get one, and they're pretty cheap. A couple of passport-sized pictures are required. Even though you can usually just walk into your auto club and come out with an International Driver's License, I recommend not putting this off: the paperwork needed is often "out of stock." Lodging Accommodation Links You can also find lodging in specific countries or cities by going to a specific destination page. Footloose Travel Striking a balance between travel freedom and overplanning. Hotel Star Ratings Do you know what they mean? How I Travel in Europe Just in case you want to know. Transportation within Europe Rent or Lease? Train or Car? Driving in Europe Links Transportation Links European Train Travel Links 1 Month before you go - Travel Insurance Now is the time to think about insurance. If your health insurance doesn't cover you overseas, or your homeowners insurance doesn't cover loss of material goods, then there are some temporary plans that might set your mind at ease. Check our Insurance Links for more. Luggage How's your luggage? Is it easy to carry? Got more than a foot and a half of duct tape holding it together? If you want to be mobile, maybe you want to see if you can fit everything into a carry-on. It's not all that hard to do in the summer when you probably won't be needing heavy clothes. Rick Steves recommends walking around with all the stuff you think you'll need, then discarding half of it. I like the method I learned in Boy Scouts. Separate everything into three piles: stuff you absolutely need and use often, stuff you'll use occasionally, and stuff you probably won't use at all. Then eliminate the last two piles. Remember: Europe isn't lacking material goods. If you need a heavy sweater because it's unusually cold in August, chances are you won't be more then 50 feet from someone who'll sell you a great one. Don't forget, laundries are pretty easy to find (but usually expensive) and laundromats are are starting to show up in most popular tourist areas. Besides, if you rent a house or apartment it may include a clothes washer and possibly a dryer (but more probably a clothesline). Cameras If you've bought one for this trip, learn how to use it. If you need one, now is the time to purchase--don't put it off until the last minute and then end up standing in front of the Louvre all befuddled because you can't figure the danged thing out. Film If you're going to use film (how so very 90's!) you might consider purchasing one of those lead-lined bags to take it in. These reduce (but don't eliminate) the radiation from airport x-ray machines and thus the chance of film fogging. What I do to bypass this possibility is to buy and process my film in Europe. Sure, guidebooks say film and processing is more expensive overseas (but not much these days), but I look at it this way: are you gonna worry about fogging or are you willing to spend a buck and a half more per roll for peace of mind out of the thousands you're gonna spend on your vacation in total. Seems like false economy to me. Plus I get to show my pictures around to other travelers while I'm in Europe. Cell Phones If you need to be in constant touch with the office or someone special, you can rent cell phones that work throughout Europe. Often your car rental company can handle this, or you can check our Cell Phone Rental links for companies that'll rent phones for the short term. Email It's time to think about how you're going to handle your email in Europe, if that's important to you. If you have several accounts you want to check, you'll need to set up an online system for getting all your email. I use webbox , but other options are explained in the article Staying Connected . Money Yeah, it's time to get the long green together. I take some traveler's checks as a back-up, but mostly use the plentiful ATM machines in Europe to get cash. You need to have a 4-digit pin number to use many European ATMs. Watch one thing though: plan to have enough money to last through weekends--some people are reporting that certain banks in Europe don't update the customer's daily limit on Saturdays and Sundays and so if you've maxed out your daily allowance on Friday, you might find that you can't get more until Monday. You might also think about getting some Euros (or local currency for countries that don't use Euros) for the first day or two, if only to get used to them and assure yourself that you'll be able to afford a coffee in the airport. How much Money? Well, that varies, of course. A couple like Martha and I can get by on on $150 a day in most Mediterranean countries, although it's becoming a stretch these days. That'll get you a two or three star hotel with breakfast and two other meals taken in a restaurant with wine, plus entrance fees to museums and such. It's an average over the whole period of vacation--some days you'll get soaked, some days you'll find bargains. Students and the young-at-heart set willing to stay in hostels and eat street food or make their own grub in the Hostel kitchen will be able to do it for much less, of course. Keeping your money and documents secure You'll need a way to keep your passport and important items away from thieves. While Europe is still safer from violent crimes than the US, high tourist volumes in major cities tend to attract the slash and run crowd. Use a money belt or pouch that goes inside your clothing like seasoned travelers do. Keep your passport and important documents together in it. Don't wear a fanny pack with the pack turned around to actually ride on your fanny. It looks stupid and is a magnet for thieves. Women should avoid big purses with shoulder straps as those straps can be cut easily and the purse removed by a well-trained thief in seconds. Whatever can be said about European petty thieves and pickpockets one thing stands out when you talk to people who've been hit: they're good at what they do. Find recommended security stuff and other indispensable items under Travel Accessories . Voltage and Plugs European voltage is twice that of the wimpy American 110. The wall plugs are different as well. If you plan on using electrical appliances you may need to purchase adapters and power converters now. Check out my article European Electricity and the Connected Tourist for the skinny on what you'll need to make your stuff work in Europe. Me? I don't carry much more than the battery charger I bought in Italy to recharge my digital camera's batteries. Maps You should be far enough along in your travel planning to think about what maps you'll need.If you're in a car and like to get off the main highways, you'll need to purchase good maps. We use Michelin country and regional maps when we drive, purchasing the regional maps for areas we're staying in for a week or longer. You can get European driving maps from your auto club, but they're often not detailed enough to get you to the back roads. Keeping in Touch If you're the postcard-writing type, you'll need to have a means of keeping all those addresses where you can find them. Before the era of PDAs and email, I made sheets of labels for everyone who'd want a postcard so I could just slap one on and be done with it. Now I email friends and keep all their addresses on my Palm Pilot. Check for Travel Dangers The US government doesn't just meddle in overseas affairs, it also alerts travelers to dangers and uprisings in other countries. You might want to check conditions now and right before you leave. Travel Insurance Insurance Links Luggage Top Carry-On Luggage Packing Tips Cameras Before you buy a digital camera for travel Top Compact Digital Cameras for Travel Top Semi-pro Cameras for Travel Olympus D40 Review Oneof the best compact digitals I've come across. Cell Phone Rentals Cell Phone Rental Companies Purchase a Cell Phone Email Staying Connected Cybercafe Links Staying Connected Links Money/Currency Money Matters ATM Finder Travel Accessories Top Travel Accessories Clip-on Security Wallet (review) Voltage and Plugs European Electricity and the Connected Tourist Maps Michelin Maps (compare prices) It's easier to buy the maps over the web--distribution to many stores seems spotty at best, and many times they're unsorted, making finding what you want a miserable experience. Keeping in Touch The Travel Writer's Toolkit Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Last minute - Oops, Forgot the Passport. Help! Well, you can get one expedited, especially if you already have tickets. See our Passport Expediting Company links for more. Make Copies Now is the time to think about keeping back-ups of your travel documents. Make at least two photocopies of your itinerary, your passport information page (the one with your picture and passport number) and copies of your credit cards showing the cc numbers. Give one copy to your mother, or someone else you trust and can get a hold of any time of day or night. Keep a copy of your passport and credit card info with you but in a different place than the original items. Final Check The basic stuff you need to carry are these: Passport, tickets, car rental agreements, hotel reservation receipts, credit cards, medications (and prescriptions, if required), addresses/password information and an open mind with a sense of wonder. Check them twice. Then go have fun in Europe. Passport Problems Passport Expediting Companies Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Advertisement Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Headlines Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... Tapas from Cans? Ok, so you wander into one of Barcelona's most celebrated... North Holland: Noah's Ark Redux A pious north Holland businessman took out a 300 000...

European Vacation Planning Map

Your European Vacation and the Tumbling Dollar - Should you go this Year?  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Central Sardinia, where viewing ancient "Giant's Tombs" is free. James Martin Stay up to date! Central Sardinia, where viewing ancient "Giant's Tombs" is free. James Martin Email to a friend Print this page The Euro Guide to the Euro Using your Credit Card in Europe Using your ATM Card in Europe Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries Planning your European Vacation European Vacation Planner Map Europe Travel Basics Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Your European Vacation and the Tumbling Dollar - Should you go this Year? From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Feb 12 2004 Will my vacation be too exensive? Maybe not as expensive as you think! A reader asks: "Should we wait until the Euro gets weaker to plan our European vacation?" While I am certain to be viewed as a biased source of information on this topic, and considering the fact that no one I know has a crystal ball able to predict exchange rates, I will nevertheless plunge ahead and give my reasons and justifications for taking that vacation to Europe this year. Exchange Rate. No one can predict what the future will hold, but some "experts" have surmised that the dollar may fall to as low as 1.5 Euros before the bloodbath is over. At the time of writing, the rate seems to have stabilized in the short term at around 1.25 or so. It's hard to see the dollar strengthening anytime soon, given the huge deficit and slow economy. Waiting for the dollar to strengthen may leave you waiting a long time. But maybe things aren't as bad as you think. Historically, Things Average Out. I've been traveling to Europe since the mid 1970s, and it's always seemed to me that prices have slowly risen as hotels adapted higher standards and the economy reacted to general increases in living standards, especially in Southern Europe. These changes seemed slow and steady, and largely independent of major short-term fluctuations in the exchange rate. See the next argument for a free market reason why I may not have noticed currency fluctuations much during my travels. The Equal and Opposite Reaction. With the sharp decline in US visitors to Europe we've seen over these past couple of years, hotels are finally lowering their rates, recognizing that their excess supply of rooms may continue unless something is done to entice visitors. For example Arthur Frommer reports that London "hotels of five-star quality (are) charging less than $150 for a double room that would normally cost $400." This is how the Free Market is supposed to work; when things get too expensive for people to buy, prices must drop to "incent" them. It's happening for hotel rooms, airfares, and other tourist-only items right now. The effect may be that your vacation cost won't be as high as you might think compared to previous years. Just don't expect to buy standard European goods at a discount--shopping at home is recommended when the dollar is week. Last year I walked into a great looking hotel in Chaves, Portugal, only to notice the sign on the desk proclaiming that all rooms were 90 Euros. When the clerk asked to help me, I pointed out that the room was too expensive and turned to leave--but fortunately not before she offered the room at 60 Euros, a price she quoted as standard for these tough tourist times. While still expensive for Portugal, the room offered 4 star, air conditioned comfort with a great view of the castle from the balcony, and the most elegant bathroom we've ever bathed in. Things Change. An argument put forth by Carol Field and others is that European traditions are fading quickly in a multi cultural, easily traveled world. While independent of exchange rate, this argument, for me, is a compelling one, especially as Starbucks and McDonalds replace small, family run cafes and restaurants and Europe starts to look more and more like main street USA. I don't travel to experience the same things I can at home, and it's why I have to dig deeper and deeper to find places that celebrate those rapidly disappearing cultural differences. The price of gas and the doomsday scenario. Many experts suggest that the price of gasoline will have to rise sharply to cover the cost of recovering oil from the neglected wells in Iraq (yes, oil wells go bad, I've read) and this increase is likely to spike after the elections and continue on an upward trend. Europe, it seems to me, is in a much better position to weather these increases in the short term, as they offer alternative modes of public transportation. Even Worse: There is no doubt that oil is an increasingly rare commodity in an energy hungry world, and steadily rising prices will effect most of us around the globe equally. (Studies of Peak Oil and Gas ( pdf ) have predicted the production of Oil peaking at the end of this decade, and slowly declining thereafter.) This is my doomsday strategy, "go while you can, who knows what economic nastiness lurks around the next corner as we run out of energy sources." Have a different view? Why not submit a rebuttal through our submittal form ? How to offset the dollar's weakness without sacrificing your vacation Fun? 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South America Travel

worldsurface.com - sustainable tourism for backpackers and independent travellers -- members discussions -- live diaries what's new tours book a flight hostels hotels insurance travel guides shop volunteering worldsurface.com the whole web Footprint Travel Guide - Paraguay South America Mexico & Central America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Cuba Ecuador & Galapagos Mexico Rio de Janeiro Peru Venezuela South American Handbook 2001 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Galapagos, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, The Guianas The longest running travel guide in the English language is published in its 77th annual edition. Covering the whole of a continent in a travel-proof portable package the adventurous traveller to South America leaves home without it at their peril! 1695 pages crammed with the most up-to-date and accurate travel information for all budgets Introduction to travelling in South America illustrated with colour photography Special feature for the 2001 edition on the Pan American Highway Invaluable 'travellers tips' throughout the book Packed with facts for the adventure traveller eg cyclists, trekkers and climbers 12 pages of invaluable colour maps "It's superlatives all the way - the best book for South American travel around" South American Explorers Club Author: Ben Box Ben has been the editor of the South American Handbook since 1989 and associate editor for many more years. In this role he has travelled to almost every corner of Latin America. He has a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese Studies and has been writing about contemporary Iberian and Latin American affairs since 1980. ISBN 1 900949 61 X September 2000 1695 pages 77th annual edition 219 maps £21.99 Site Design and Content is © Footprint Handbooks and is reproduced by kind permission. Beach Holidays Biking Trips Conservation Opportunities Diving Vacations Kayaking Trips Volunteering Opportunities Overland Adventures Riding Tours Trekking Vacations Wildlife Holidays 21st Century Backpacking Access to the information on this site is free The information we hold on members is kept to a minimum and we do not pass any information on to third parties See our privacy policy for more information --