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Big White Ski Resort Chalet & Condo Rental Directory : Big White Chalets & Condos by Owner Rentals Big White Ski Resort Chalet & Condo Rental Directory Big White- Budget to Luxury Ski-In/Out Chalets & Condos - Find Big White ski chalet & condo accommodation rentals, tips, maps & ski resort info on our owner direct vacation rental & vacation planning directory. Quickly search, view & book one of 70+, top-located Big White vacation rentals by owner to get local advice & to save tons of money on your ski vacation. More Big White Value & Ski Resort Hospitality for Less Money! -Avoid costly & unecessary Big White Ski Resort middle agent fees & book your Big White chalet or condo direct with owners! Big White Ski Chalet & Condo Vacation Rental Service & Value - Benefits to Booking your Big White Condo, Chalet or Townhouse on this Rental Directory Book your Big White owner-direct accommodations on AlluraDirect.com and savour the following benefits: More Big White Accommodation Value for Your Money/Affordability -You will pay less money as result of the elimination of middle agent fees, taxes and the nickel and dime factor. In most cases, owners do not charge hotel taxes, except if they own and manage more than 3 properties. You save 10% right away,and usually more... Search & View Big White Chalet & Condo Rentals See Your Big White Rental before you Book It! -See the exact vacation home you will stay in before you book it! Search & View Big White Accommodation Easy, Fast & Secure Reservations -Instantly confirmed, guaranteed reservations with online credit card payments. The owner never sees your credit card info when you pay via their AlluraDirect.com property web site. Search & View Big White Rental Chalets & Condos More Space for Less Money -You will get more space for your dollar-thus giving you and your family and friends more comfort! Search & View Big White Accomodation More Reservations Flexibility -Owners have more flexible policies like minimum night stays, check-in/out times, arrival and departure days, etc. Search & View Big White Chalets & Condos More Amenities -Book a personal ski or golf vacation home with a full kitchen and all the personal extras and convenience items that will make your vacation sensational! Personal private vacation homes have the personal conveniences and extras not typically found in a standard sterile vacation rental offered through booking agents. Search & View Big White Vacation Rentals More Local Big White Resort Knowledge -Get great local tips and advice from an owner who knows the resort! Search & View Big White Chalets & Condos More Personal Service -Your vacation home will have a dedicated customer service representative (the owner) with no other guests during that time periond, except YOU! Search & View Big White Ski Vacation Rentals Customer Support 7 Days/Week until 11 pm PST -We are here to assist you when need us the most! Search & View Big White Accommodation AlluraDirect.com Standards, Convenience & Confidence -Book on AlluraDirect.com and get standards you can trust! Book online with your credit card for a fast, easy & guaranteed reservation. Search & View Big White Accommodation Thanks for using our Big White Resort Chalet & Condo Rental Directory! Big White Chalet & Condo Rental Directory - Over 70 Chalets & Condos Vacation, Reservation & Check-In Support 9 am-11pm PST 7 Days per Week Local : 604-707-6700 Toll Free North America : 1 - 866 - 4 - Allura Toll Free UK : 0-800-028-9346 Toll Free Australia : 877-226-6358 Toll Free Hong Kong : 800-903-329 Email Us Big White Homepage Organize Vacation Find Accommodations 4 Fast & EASY Searching Methods FastFind My Owner/Property Find a specific person or listing Book with Confidence Find out why people like you & Frommers Travel love this Big White site! Checklist & Planning Resources Get Info, Tips & Savings Alerts Get Big White Tips & Free Vacation Planning Checklist! Keep In Touch All raves, rants & suggestions will be repsonded to! Send Positive Feedback Make Site/Service Suggestion Make a Complaint Update Your Guest Profile Owners Get Free Rental Business Tips! Get Property Listing Information List Property Now Owner Login Free Business Listings List Owner Service Business List Guest Services Business About Us Learn about AlluraDirect.com! Whistler | Sun Peaks | Big White | BC Ski Resort Canada Vacation Rentals by Owner Whistler Blackcomb Accommodations Rentals Home Big White Ski Resort Lodging Home Sun Peaks Lodging Home Big White Owner Direct Ski Accomodations Search Tools Big White BC British Columbia Lodging Vacation Checklist Big White Resort Quick Vacation Planning Reference Guide Chalet Rentals at Big White - Big White Ski Chalets Big White Real Estate For Sale

Vacation Rentals Villas, Condos,

Vacation Rental of Villas and Apartments. Holiday in France,Spain,Florida,Italy Etc. Late Deals, Special Offers. Reference Password Members 1 st Class Vacation Rentals Villas, Condos, Cabins and Apartments for Rental 37,850,370 visitors since opening on 24 May 1999 WANTED - Click here to ADD your own request. OWNERS - Add Your Property. Click here to add us to your favorites. Find your property from one of the regional lists below, or using the map, or one of the special lists such as golf, or browse the image gallery, or use the search list above to narrow your search by property type beds etc. or use our keyword search for special needs such as surfing, water skiing etc. Classified Adverts If you can't find what you want then add your details to our wanted list. This will get mailed to interested property owners on other sites as well as this one. Rental Properties Search for a Property Image Gallery of properties by Country Special late deals. Selected Rental Listings Example Listing using all the site features Latest Rentals Added Information Privacy Statement Terms and Conditions Miscellaneous "Flights from the UK." Tell a friend who might be interested. Click here for Home Exchanges . Select from the map for properties in that area If you know the number of the property you want to look at enter it and click on the button. Enter the property number here. Listings of properties by area. Europe(1215) Austria(2) Belgium(1) Bulgaria(21) Croatia(28) Cyprus(23) Denmark(2) Estonia(1) Finland(2) France(130) Aquitaine(16) Auvergne Limousin(1) Brittany(8) Corsica(1) Languedoc Roussillon(14) Loire Valley(4) Midi Pyrenees(8) Normandy(9) Paris-Ile de France(12) Poitou-Charentes(3) Provence-Cote d`Azur(53) Western Loire(1) Greece(86) Iceland(1) Ireland(6) Israel(7) Italy(286) Abruzzo(1) Calabria(2) Campania(17) Emilia Romagna(5) Friuli Venezia Giulia(1) Lazio(37) Liguria(14) Lombardy(15) Marche(2) Puglia(7) Sardinia(34) Sicily(56) Tuscany(57) Umbria(26) Val d`Aosta(1) Veneto (Venetia)(10) Malta(6) Netherlands(13) Norway(3) Poland(18) Portugal(49) Romania(2) Russian Federation(3) Spain(373) Andalucia(117) Asturias(1) Balearics(25) Basque Country(1) Canaries(32) Catalunya(39) Galicia(3) Madrid and Central Spain(3) Murcia(36) Valencia(116) Sweden(5) Switzerland(5) Turkey(104) United Kingdom(38) London(9) Midlands(2) North(4) Northern Ireland(3) Scotland(5) South West(7) SouthEast(8) Canada(41) Alberta(4) British Columbia(10) Northwest Territories(1) Nova Scotia(2) Ontario(5) Quebec(19) United States(334) Alabama(2) Arizona(3) California(39) Colorado(5) Connecticut(1) Florida(202) Central Florida(119) East Coast(29) Florida Keys(6) Gulf Coast(41) Panhandle(7) Georgia(2) Hawaii(15) Idaho(1) Indiana(1) Louisiana(1) Maryland(2) Massachusetts(5) Michigan(2) Minnesota(1) Montana(2) Nevada(1) New Jersey(2) New York(9) North Carolina(2) Oregon(2) Pennsylvania(3) South Carolina(12) Tennessee(3) Texas(2) Utah(2) Vermont(6) Washington(6) Africa(43) Egypt(9) Kenya(3) Mauritius(9) Morocco(3) South Africa(16) Tanzania and Zanzibar(1) Tunisia(2) Asia(50) China(4) India(10) Indonesia(4) Philippines(1) Saudi Arabia(1) Sri Lanka(5) Thailand(20) United Arab Emirates(5) Australasia(34) Fiji(3) New South Wales,ACT(8) New Zealand(8) Queensland(7) Victoria(2) Western Australia(6) Caribbean and Atlantic Islands(68) Anguilla(1) Antigua and Barbuda(7) Aruba(2) Bahamas(7) Barbados(9) Cayman Islands(2) Cuba(3) Dominican Republic(12) Jamaica(6) Puerto Rico (US)(2) Saint Lucia(1) St Maarten and St Martin(1) St.Kitts Nevis Anguilla(3) St.Vincent and Grenadines(1) Trinidad and Tobago(4) Virgin Islands(7) Central America(30) Belize(1) Costa Rica(5) Honduras(2) Mexico(22) South America(26) Argentina(4) Brazil(14) Peru(4) Venezuela(4) General Very competitive on price. From 42 dollars/ 32 Euros/ 24 pounds for rentals with extended terms for new adverts. Up to eight photographs of each property for exchange or rental. Your own page customised with keywords to your property location. Map links to help show features and facilities in your area. (Best for US/Europe/Canada properties). You can add links to your own home page (if you have one) and other sites which might be useful. Option of adding wide panoramic images for greater detail and views. A full availability calendar which you can link to from other sites. A special offers and last minute deals page. Worth the subscription for that alone. And if you decide to do holiday exchanges with your property. Multiple adverts get from 20% to 50% discounts. Email notification of new rental requests which meet your requirements. Registered Address: 45 Montpelier Road, Brighton, UK, BN1 3BA. Home Page , Add Property , Search , Admin Links Vacation rentals. TipTopVillas offers villa rentals throughout the world, direct from theowner.

air travel and how

"Air rage is caused by oxygen deprivation."--Diana Fairechild HOME | FREE | FAST | ABOUT | CONTACT | NEWSLETTER | RADIO | NONPROFIT | SEARCH EXPERT WITNESS | SPEAKING | CONSULTING | BOOKS | PRESS ROOM . AIR RAGE CAUSED BY OXYGEN DEPRIVATION By Diana Fairechild First Published by Reuters News Service in 7-98, then in the Jet Smart Newsletter on 12-28-98 "Diana Fairechild, who, having circled the planet more than a hundred times, is able to offer tips on everything from how to avoid blocked ears to how to get a freshly brewed cup of coffee." -GQ Magazine "Diana Fairechild is a natural born healer. She was put on Earth to help millions of people. I really truly feel that Diana's motivation is to educate us, the people who fly--who could die on airplanes." -Uri Geller, Psychic "Fairechild discusses all the hazards of air travel and how to protect yourself." -Andrew Weil, MD "Nobody should get on a plane without Jet Smarter. There is no other information out there on how to travel and protect your health at the same time. It's not available, I've checked. You must protect yourself... it's very serious. This book is indispensable. Don't travel without it." -Layna Berman ( radio ) "Fairechild's great sense of humor reduces anxiety. You become stronger by reading this book and able to protect yourself from the rigors of air travel." -George Hoffer, Frequent flyer "Jet Smarter is the Encyclopedia Britannica of air travel! Read it before you board an airplane -- then pack it in your carry-on. This book can save your health, maybe even your life! There are more dangers in flying than you ever dreamed of. It's all in Jet Smarter. The book is hard-hitting, in depth, comprehensive, full of solutions, entertaining, and often witty." -Arlene Ashe, reader "Diana Fairechild has been warning and advising frequent flyers about poor air quality in airplanes since her 1992 publication Jet Smart." -Frequent Flyer "The thing I enjoy only slightly less than a tooth extraction is flying... Fairechild, still perky after what amounts to 300 circumnavigations of the globe, said that the mostly non-lethal dangers of air travel amount to one of the great unexplored environmental health issues of the day...Considering how many of us this affects, this lone voice is well worth hearing." -John Bogert, Copley Newspapers "Diana Fairechild, a highly respected consumer advocate for the flying public, says there is 'no quick fix for all the symptoms of jetlag because of all the different causes -- shifts in time, alterations in magnetic fields, modifications in climate, and diversitites in cultures. Flying in commercial jets, we're deprived of air and humidity while exposed to recycled germs and chemicals, radiation, pesticides, and noise.'" -Ambassadair Travel Club "Fairechild has a bag of carry-on health tricks larger than fits in the overhead compartment, all included in her book, Jet Smarter." -American Bar Association Journal "Diana Fairechild, a former flight attendant who writes about and does consulting on the health risks of flying, says some frequent travelers often fail to connect the dots between their travels and chronic ailments." -Alina Tugend, The New York Times "Take the advice of Diana Fairechild." -Smart Money "Diana Fairechild is an aviation health and safety analyst." -Andrea Arceneau, CNN-TV "Diana Fairechild's book Jet Smart dropped a bomb in Washington and the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation changed policy." -Ed Randegger, Environ "Thank you so much Diana Fairechild for coming forward and saying what needs to be said about the airline industry. You are a real hero." -thepowerhour.com ALL AROUND THE WORLD, frequent flyers, territorial about armrests and fretful about footing, now secretly wonder if the person next to them is a business flyer or a berserk flyer! And they may have good reason to be apprehensive. Unruly behavior in the skies has been increasing at an astonishing rate in both numbers and levels of hostility. In well-publicized incidents, airline passengers have defecated on food carts, beaten up crew members, and even sexually assaulted their own seats! Here are some examples of "air rage." Passenger Mr. Finneran, a banker, was fined $50,000 by United Airlines after he assaulted an attendant and then defecated on a first-class food cart during a Buenos Aires-to-New York flight. Passenger Mr. Guzman-Hernandez removed his pants and then "simulated having sex with the back of his own seat." Passenger Mr. Misiak put his hands around the throat of a flight attendant and threatened her because she spilled a drink on him. A passenger named Ms. Pennix grabbed a flight attendant's finger and bent it backward. Pennix explained to authorities that she didn't like the way the flight attendant told her to put her tray and seat in an upright position before landing. Passenger Mrs. Levy grabbed a flight attendant by the arms and twisted her wrists. Levy was traveling with three children and explains that she lost her temper because her 20-month-old was crying, had wet pants, and there was no way to get to the bathroom. Passenger Mr. Okada from Japan "allegedly urinated on the seats" then punched another passenger who told him to stop. A group of drunken Irish tourists were apparently so unruly over the Atlantic that the crew enlisted the help of a wrestling team to restrain them. Airline crews have begun to take drastic measures which sometimes have disastrous consequences. In December 1998, an unruly passenger was aboard a Malov flight between Bangkok and Budapest. The crew and passengers tied the unruly man to his seat, then a doctor on board injected him with a tranquilizer. The passenger died--tied to his seat with airplane headset cords! Once the crew noticed that the unruly passenger had died, the plane made an unscheduled stop in Istanbul. Five witnesses (passengers) were detained by the Turkish police along with the doctor. After a 13-hour delay, the remaining 183 passengers winged away (and behaved themselves, in spite of their late arrivals and missed connections). An autopsy in Istanbul showed that the unruly passenger had died due to the mixture in his blood of the tranquilizer and some other drug or alcohol. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? The airlines must accept the major portion of the blame. Here's why, numbered 1 through 5: 1) Airline management is not responding to the need for in-flight security. Crews should not be in the position to be bouncers and bodyguards. Every flight attendant I know has been the brunt of temperamental travelers. When I was exhausted myself at times, my lack of training in this area did not give me the skills to handle these passengers as well as I could have. 2) One more cause of air rage is certainly the in-flight cabin environment--a place that is high in toxic chemicals and allergens, and low in air pressure and oxygen. Vincent Mark, M.D., an environmental physician in Santa Cruz, supports my theory. "Curtailment of fresh air in airplanes can be causing deficient oxygen in the brains of passengers, and this often makes people act belligerent, even crazy," said Dr. Mark in a telephone interview, adding "I'm positive about this, and it can be proven with a simple blood test." Rage bubbles up at high altitude just like soft drinks fizz over at high altitudes. The link between air rage and poor air quality deserves a closer look. To start with, passenger unruliness began to rise some 20 years ago, coinciding with the cost-cutting practice of using recycled air instead of fresh air in commercial jets. 3) Still another culprit, high on the list of irritants for airline passengers, is cramped "sardine seating." Airline seats are now as small as seats on subway trains, and with many flights lasting longer, passengers feel they are packed like sardines in a can, or chickens in crowded cages. Is it any wonder they peck peevishly at those around them? The last time I flew, I was in an aisle seat in economy. The passenger next to me was too large to fit in his seat, and his touching me all through the flight made me very uncomfortable. On the other side, everyone who passed, even the carts, bumped into me. Airline executives (who travel in first class) have, to date, only pointed to excess luggage as the cause for surly passenger behavior. In testimony before Congress, airline management blamed air rage on the number and size of bags passengers bring on the plane. Upon closer examination, it appears the airlines themselves have contributed to the luggage problem by removing coat closets, leaving little room for garment bags or heavy outer clothing. And with eight percent of all airline baggage lost or stolen , travelers are increasingly reluctant to check their luggage. 4) The difference between passenger expectations for comfort and service and the reality of what awaits them on board, especially in coach class, is no doubt another contributor to the increase of air rage. Airline ads still show flight attendants answering passengers' every wish. This is not possible because all the airlines have downsized to save money. 5) Alcohol and altitude don't mix. The inside of the airplane cabin is 8,000 feet. Passengers are afffected by alcohol more quickly than they realize at high altitudes. Drinking dehydrates people, and this can lead to irritability, fatigue and tunnel vision. Since alcohol also lowers inhibitions, why should we be surprised that it also magnifies the emotional reaction to the difficult flying environment? Most air rage incidents have been alcohol related. While "unruly" passengers have been a problem within the airline industry for many years, they are just now coming to the attention of the public, the press and Congress. Even flight attendants are speaking up--in spite of the gag orders most have signed with their respective airlines. Since passengers, not just crew, are being fondled and assaulted, Congress is investigating. But the chances of an effective response are slim considering the fact that minimal airplane air quality standards--debated in Congress since June 12, 1996--have yet to pass into law. HERE'S WHAT TO DO In case you find yourself on a flight with an air raged "unruly" passenger: --Rather than confront the offender directly, leave your seat and seek out the purser or senior flight attendant. The purser is usually found in first class, so bypass the flight attendants in coach. Give the purser the row and seat number of the unruly passenger. Remain calm and communicate clearly. --And if you have a tendency to be an unruly passenger, here's what you might consider. The airplane is a microcosm of humanity. There are high-techies next to hikers, politicians next to pilgrims, and business flyers next to bawdy kids. Keep in mind that the trip is a challenge for everyone on board. Tolerance and gestures of gentility could make your flights more pleasant--for you, and for everyone around you as well. --Please! Think what you can do to make it easier for others. Say "please." Be kind. Act on your compassion. FROM READERS "I am very much impressed with your work concerning health in flight. My findings concerning environmental anemia actually re-enforce your original insight that the lower air-pressure of the in -flight cabin can cause air rage. My own work on this subject delves into the physiology of the oxygen deprivation and my results back up your original thesis." --Dr. Ross Lee Graham, University of Linkoeping, Sweden .... "I think they should do away with drinking alcohol on flights just like they did cigarettes. It's a toxin, a drug, and a leading cause of violence."--Dee Pollock "To what extent, do you think, the no-smoking rule, on international flights, is contributing to the "air rage"? While I absolutely support the rule, my son-in-law, who smokes, became extremely irritable and aggressive on a flight to London last year. My daughter was ready to kill him. I can see how nicotine deprivation combined with alcohol could be a dangerous combination."--Evelyn Staus "I would suggest that the enraged passenger develops his/her rage at the plane or in the terminal in specific, direct, and immediate response to airline employee arrogance, incompetence, superciliousness, discourtesy, rudeness, ignorance, and disregard for normal courtesy, much less some things called professional standards and professional conduct and professional performance."--Thomas Ryan Nelson RELATED PAGES Radio Interviews on Air Rage Pilots Control the Cabin Air Fairechild's Passenger Bill of Rights FOR MORE DEPTH & INFORMATION, SEE DIANA'S BOOKS AND/OR WRITE TO DIANA . HOME | FREE | FAST | ABOUT | CONTACT | NEWSLETTER | RADIO | NONPROFIT | SEARCH EXPERT WITNESS | SPEAKING | CONSULTING | BOOKS | PRESS ROOM FLYANA.COM

South America Travel

South America Vacations & Tourism, South America Hotels, South America Attractions - Yahoo! Travel Primary Navigation Overview | Hotels | Things to do | Restaurants | Map | Flights | Cars | Deals | FareChase South America: Search Travel Travel > Guides > South America Email this page Print South America Vacations, Tourism, Hotels View larger map of South America Top Cities in South America Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro Santiago Sao Paulo Bogota Lima Caracas Cartagena Quito Salvador Belo Horizonte Barranquilla San Andres Island Buzios San Carlos de Bariloche Countries in South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador French Guiana Guyana Paraguay Peru Suriname Uruguay Venezuela Popular South America Cities Brazil Rio de Janeiro Sao Paulo Salvador Belo Horizonte Buzios Venezuela Caracas Puerto La Cruz Porlamar Merida Maracaibo Peru Lima Cuzco Machu Picchu Arequipa Miraflores Bolivia La Paz Santa Cruz Cochabamba Huatajata Island Sucre Argentina Buenos Aires San Carlos de Bariloche Mar del Plata Mendoza Cordoba Ecuador Quito Guayaquil Cuenca Salinas Machala Chile Santiago Vina del Mar Easter Island Iquique Osorno Colombia Bogota Cartagena Barranquilla San Andres Island Medellin Related Information Popular Attractions in South America Cerro de Monserrate Corcovado Museo del Oro Machu Picchu Puerto Madero Ipanema Parque de la 93 Teleferico (El) Barrio La Candelaria Teatro Coln Popular Hotels in South America Copacabana Palace Hotel J W Marriott Hotel Quito Gran Melia Caracas Decameron San Luis Sofitel Hotel Santa Clara JW Marriott Hotel & Stellaris Casino Dann Carlton Hotel Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi Marriott Santiago Hotel Four Points Hotel by Sheraton Popular Cities in South America Buenos Aires Rio de Janeiro Santiago Sao Paulo Bogota Lima Caracas Cartagena Quito Salvador Yahoo! Travel: Your best choice for cheap airline tickets and other great deals! Help get your favorite places listed on Yahoo! Travel: suggest a hotel or suggest an attraction .

European Vacation MyAccount |

Travel Stories - My European Vacation Home Hostels Tours InfoZone Community Home » Community » Travel Stories » My European Vacation MyAccount | Support Centre | Site Map In the Community... Community Home Travel Diaries Start a new Diary Travel Stories Travel Gurus Message Boards Log In Log in to your account to review past bookings, change your profile, become a travel guru and much more. Email: Password: Forgot your password? Not a member? Sign up here The ULTIMATE backpacker information exchange Travel Stories • Backpackers! Adventure Calling.. • The Shrimp Tax • Sleeping in Pamplona • Chile, the country and Santiag.. • Road to No Man's Land • Run Through the Jungle: • Andorra's Box • Mexico - 48 hours in Puerto Es.. • More Travel Stories Our Price Promise We offer you the best internet rate made available by the hostel. We do not mark up this rate so you can be confident that booking here is as cheap as it gets! close window lowest prices guaranteed Read Our Price Promise We accept the following cards Travel Stories My European Vacation By Denise Cassino I finally finished reading the last page of Micheners novel The Drifters, a story about six young people traveling through Europe in the late sixties. I closed the book and bit my bottom lip. I simply had to find a way to go to Europe. My heart ached with a yearning to see the world. I had been an English major/history minor in college and had studied the continent for years. Now I was determined to see them first hand. I contacted my old college roommate, Ellen, and set a plan I quit my job, borrowed $500 to supplement my savings and flew off to Europe for a six-week sojourn. We were nearing the end of a near perfect trip with only a week or so remaining before I would head for home. We had driven The Romantic Road through Germany, partaken in the revelry of Oktoberfest in Munich, woven our way through the high peaks of the Alps in a VW bus, ridden a Gondola across the Grand Canal in Venice, stared at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and even had a brief romance with two American brothers. Ellen had been forced by the powers that ruled her pocketbook to return home two weeks earlier than me, and now I was traveling with an affable Australian girl named Robyn who we had met in Venice and had previously been a solo traveler. Now, the two of us stood on the port side of the huge ship and gazed out from the top deck at the starlit sky above the Port of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. A statue of Cristobal Columbo (Christopher Columbus) peered down at us as we swore to sate our wanderlust ever after and reveled in our high adventure. We were on our way to the Balearic Islands, the island of Ibiza, to be exact, (pronounced Ibitha to the well-traveled tourist) and had secured a cabin on the ship for the nights trip. The ship and cabin were Spartan, and at first light, we disembarked and set foot on terra firma. The island, which had been touted as the happening spot for young people, was tiny and, aside from the ancient fortress and village around a small seaport, was mainly dry, brushy and agricultural. We wandered down the narrow, cobblestone streets amidst the tourists and the locals who were going about the business of daily living, baskets on their shoulders and bicycles laden with goods. The smiling proprietors of small cafes beckoned weary wayfarers like us to partake of their fine wine and vittles Hola, Senoritas! As the day wore on, our backpacks grew heavy and we stopped at a hand-painted sign offering a room. A dark Spanish woman, swarthy and a bit thick through the middle, took us through a door that opened directly off the street and then up a steep staircase. At the top was a small, Spartan foyer with four or five doors presumably leading to guest rooms. She opened a set of flimsy double doors, which didnt quite meet in the middle due to some sort of chopping at the space between them. The gap was now about three quarters of an inch wide and would have revealed to anyone who chose to look, the entire contents and characters within (along with the content of their characters, perhaps). To prevent just such chicanery a faded piece of cloth was hung on the inside of the door - a curtain, as it were. We surveyed the room with a jaded eye having already experienced the drill of expecting more from a room than we ever got during our extended tour of Europe. This one was a bargain at a buck and a half per night and was worth every peseta. The plaster was chipping and the chenille bedspreads were mismatched and worn. The curtains on the door that led to a small balcony overlooking the main street had seen better days, but we paid the small sum and dropped our packs to rest our travel-weary bodies while we sipped some local red wine. As evening approached our tummies rumbled so we changed into our other set of clothing and headed for the nearest restaurant for some more vino and una comida. Robin had discovered an interesting spot in Europe on $5 a day, so we located it and ventured in for dinner. A loaf of hot, homemade bread and a steaming bowl of succulent Paella filled with sumptuous shrimp, clams and rice were placed before us by a smiling Spanish waiter, and we ate with gusto, juice dripping down our chins. Soon after dinner, our explorations led us to an American style discotheque complete with black lights and flashing neon. We worked our way through the crowd looking for a seat and managed to squeeze into a spot near the bar to watch the tourists mingle with the locals. Scantily clad bodies gyrated to the beat of the outdated American tunes that blasted from the rickety jukebox. We Americans tourists stood out in a crowd with our sturdy walking shoes and nondescript clothing. I had packed two pairs of trousers, two sweaters, two tee-shirts, five pair of underpants, three pairs of socks and a down coat. My hair was cut as short as it had ever been for the ease of sink shampoos in cold water. Robyn looked like a Spaniard with thick, dark hair and tawny skin and a Rubenesque figure. Our apparel only seemed to draw attention to us, and we moved uneasily away from the gaze of more than one dark stranger who seemed to be assessing his prey. We mingled as only young twenty-something girls can do meeting an array of people ranging from strange to fascinating and by 2am or so my body begged for sleep. I said goodnight and left Robyn in the company of several young men and wandered back the short distance to the room (okay, maybe I staggered a little) and flopped into the lumpy bed for a deep doze enhanced by the abundance of red wine I had imbibed. Not long after, I was awakened suddenly by Robyns harsh Aussie whisper in my ear. Wake up! Wake up! Someones trying to break into our room! I jumped up rather unsteadily and approached the door with my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I beat against the door with my fist and hollered, Go away, get out of here! Who knows, in the heat of the moment, I may even have shouted Vamoose! Silence. We looked at one another and reluctantly crawled back into bed leaving the light on, hoping the would-be intruder had vanished into the night. But soon, I awoke to bloodcurdling screams coming from Robyn who sat bolt upright in her bed. I sat up and began screaming too, and saw a dark man turn and flee from the room leaving the two doors wide open and the curtain inside flapping between them. We continued to scream for a few more rounds until an Englishman arrived at our door dressed only in thin, cotton pants. What is the problem? he asked in his clipped British accent while rubbing his eyes. We saw . . . there was . . . someone tried . . . we panted breathlessly as we managed to reveal our plight and cause for such abject terror. He listened patiently and then said, It was probably just some Spaniard trying to rape you. Is that so terrible? We were stunned by his stiff upper lip approach to this whole scenario, but were deeply grateful when he offered to leave his two huge dogs with us for the remainder of the night. Stay, he said and they curled up between the two beds and went to sleep. However, we lay awake, eyes wide, contemplating who, why, when and where, terrified that the stranger would return to rape and pillage. We couldnt wait for morning when we quickly packed our belongings and departed. We ventured warily into the street, scanning each face wondering about the stranger who might recognize and be following us, but whom we would not recognize if we fell over him. We found some good American fellows we had met the night before and told them of our intruder. They quickly offered to share their room until the ship returned two days later, and we slept on the floor of their room, honest! Thoughts ran wildly through our minds as we relived the horrifying experience, but the only viable answer we found was that perhaps the man had followed Robyn from the disco thinking she was alone. When he burst into the room, hit the curtain and was assailed by two screaming banshees, he likely panicked and fled, forgetting his original intent. By the time the ship was ready to depart, we were exhausted and more than ready to say goodbye to the little island that had become little more than a frightening place. As I lay in my berth aboard ship that night chasing sleep, a tiny gnawing pain had begun to grow in the pit of my stomach. When we arrived in Barcelona, chills and fever had replaced the pain, but I persevered. We were anxious to board the overnight train to Paris but soon found ourselves sharing a small sleeping compartment with four other people of mixed race and gender. I was in the middle berth with my head near the door. As passengers entered the compartment, their faces were at my eyelevel, and I could smell their body odor and garlic breath, which only worsened my condition. I rotated from one end of the bed to the other where I could open the window and breathe a bit of fresh air. As the chills shook me, I donned all my clothing from my backpack only to quickly remove them as the fever and sweats returned. By the time we reached Paris, I had a full- blown case of the touristas, otherwise known as amoebic dysentery. Well, I wont go into the sordid details of the last few days of my trip. Lets just say, given the quality and texture of Parisian toilet paper, I was very glad when the morning came for me to board a train to Luxembourg for my flight home. I said goodbye to Robyn, descended the five flights of stairs at the Hotel Cluny on the left bank of the Seine and ventured out to hail a cab. I hailed and waved and shouted, but none stopped. Finally, I returned to the room where Robyn informed me that I must go to a cabstand, but now I had missed my train and, possibly, my flight home. My only choice was a plane. Low on funds, I borrowed the necessary amount for airfare from Robyn. Once aboard the transatlantic flight, I watched with empathy and pity a poor girl lying across three seats, literally green from her trip across the English Channel in a boat. With problems of my own, I dozed and dreamed of all the foods I couldnt wait to indulge in when I got back to the States, dysentery be damned. We played the food game with many of the Americans we met on our trip. Some wanted a grilled beefsteak with French fries; others craved bacon and eggs. I longed for my mothers juicy meatloaf and a crispy baked potato with butter. When my 8-hour flight finally landed, I was met by my mother and step-dad to whom I must have written at least two postcards during my six-week adventure. As we climbed in the car, my mom turned to me and said, I hope youre hungry. Ive got meatloaf and baked potatoes for dinner. I sighed with pleasure and snuggled happily into the back seat, wondering if it was just a fluke or a classic case of mothers intuition. 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