South America Travel Go

Travel Planners for South America  You are here: About > Travel > South America for Visitors > Plan Your Trip > Travel Planners for South America Travel Go South America Essentials Plan Your First Trip to South America Photo Gallery Travel Features - Countries and Culture News and Current Events Reader Participation Requested Articles & Resources Most Popular Destinations Countries and Territories Plan Your Trip Getting There Culture Events, Fiestas, Holidays Languages Geography News & Current Events History Archaeology Sports and Recreation Wildlife / Conservation Guides and Gear Cuisine Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Guide and Travel Books History and Culture Books Cookbooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the South America for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search South America for Visitors click for more images Angel Falls, Venezuela Courtney Milne Stay up to date! click for more images Angel Falls, Venezuela Courtney Milne Email to a friend Print this page Traveler's Resources Travel Articles about South America Photo Gallery FAQ More for the Traveler A - Z Site Map Index South America 101 South America: Never Out of Season Recent Discussions Great Vegas Site, Great Discounts Great Vegas Site, Great Discounts Help..traveling to South America..... Most Popular All Stars 9 Empanada Iguazu Falls Pictures of Chile South America Photo Gallery What's Hot Cola de Mono - Monkey's Tail Cuzco Pisco Sour Chilean Style Falkland Islands Photos Virtual Tour Related Topics Caribbean for Visitors Mexico / Central America for Visitors Spanish Language Adventure Travel Budget Travel Travel Planners for South America From Bonnie Hamre , Your Guide to South America for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! First time or experienced traveler, here's the information you need! South America is a huge, spectacular continent, with great rivers, lush rain forests, snow covered mountains and tremendous glaciers, barren deserts and fertile agricultural areas. The countries are unique unto themselves, but can be grouped somewhat geographically. The northern countries face the Caribbean Sea, have mixed populations, a tropical lifestyle and rugged mountains. Here you will find favorite destinations like Angel Falls, the coastal resort of Los Roques and Margarita Island. The Andean heartland contains the area that once was the core of the Inca Empire. Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador are still the most Indian of the South American countries. Here you will find the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, the highest navigable lake in the world in Lake Titicaca, snow-covered peaks and live volcanos, like famous Cotopaxi in Ecuador, plus the dense rain forests of western Amazonia. Brazil is like no other: language, culture, sheer size, superlatives, energy and style, but it does share the Pantanal with its neighbor, landlocked Paraguay where the Chaco is the last grand frontier on the continent. They share also the Parana river, where Friendship Bridge links the two nations near Iguazu Falls. The countries of the "Southern Cone" are the most European in flavor. Argentina and Chile host some of the wildest extremes of climate and geography - pampas and desert, the Andes, Patagonian glaciers and the Straits of Magellan and Beagle Passage. The islands, either territories or possessions, share very few characteristics with the mainland. They are unique and out of the way, yet they reward the traveler with sights and experiences far beyond the norm. But, before you can get to any of these destinations, you have to have a travel plan! Within these pages you'll particularly useful information for the first time visitor to South Anerica, but experienced travelers will also find this information a handy way to refresh their memories or find something new. These pages will take you directly to hundreds more of resources for travel to and around South America. You'll find country facts, plus ways to get there, the documents you'll need for travel, accommodations, sightseeing suggestions, history, geography, culture, the arts, language aids, transportation and practical help, plus wonderful photos and maps Please read these pages: Introduction Major Attractions and Countries Transportation and Tours Practical Information Choose your Destination! 1 2 3 4 5 Next        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 Cola de Mono - Monkey's Tail Cuzco Pisco Sour Chilean Style Falkland Islands Photos Virtual Tour

Orlando Vacations, Tourism, Hotels

Orlando Vacations & Tourism, Orlando Hotels, Orlando Attractions - Yahoo! Travel Primary Navigation Overview | Hotels | Things to do | Restaurants | Map | Flights | Cars | Deals | FareChase Orlando, FL: Search Travel Travel > Guides > North America > United States > Florida > Orlando Email this page Print Orlando Vacations, Tourism, Hotels Hotels Things to do Restaurants Map Deals Trip Planner Photo Album - Slideshow 15 User Photos Use Flickr to Add Your Photos Introduction to Orlando Map - Neighborhoods Top Hotels 181 Reviews Yahoo! Answers for Orlando Orlando Alerts Deals, news, reviews and more Orlando Weather 57° / 71° F Seasonal Forecast Search Yahoo! FareChase Find the best prices on flights. From To Depart Return 1 2 3 4 Adult Round-Trip One-Way More Options « December, 2005 January, 2006 February, 2006 March, 2006 April, 2006 May, 2006 June, 2006 July, 2006 August, 2006 September, 2006 October, 2006 » S M T W T F S S M T W T F S Where to Stay Travelers Recommend Yahoo! User Rating From* 1. Marriott Orlando World Center $209 2. Universal's Hard Rock Hotel $230 3. Crowne Plaza Universal $100 4. JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes $229 5. Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress $189 6. The Peabody Orlando $151 7. Embassy Vacation Resort Grand Beach $181 8. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott $79 9. Universal's Royal Pacific Resort $199 10. Omni Orlando Resort at Champions... $219 By price: $0-$49.99 , $50-$99.99 , $100-$149.99 , $150-$199.99 , $200-$349.99 View all Orlando, FL Hotels *Some taxes, fees additional. Learn more . What to Do Travelers Recommend Yahoo! User Rating Category 1. Universal Studios Florida Attractions 2. SeaWorld Orlando Attractions 3. Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theatre Attractions 4. Wet 'n Wild Attractions 5. Halloween Horror Nights Other 6. Gatorland Attractions 7. Titanic, Ship of Dreams Exhibit General History 8. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf Golf 9. WonderWorks Attractions 10. Fall Fiesta in the Park Other By category: Outdoor Activities , Tourist Attractions & Sightseeing , Local Events , more More things to do in Orlando, FL Where to Eat Travelers Recommend Yahoo! User Rating Category 1. Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Caribbean 2. Sushi House of Orlando Japanese 3. Boston Lobster Feast Fish 4. Emeril's Restaurant American 5. Darryl's Restaurant & Bar American 6. Joe's Crab Shack 7. Bill Wong's Famous Buffet Buffet 8. Bahama Breeze Caribbean 9. Ponderosa Steakhouse Buffet 10. Pebbles Restaurant American By cuisine: American , Italian , Steak & Barbecue , more More restaurants in Orlando, FL Learn more about Orlando User Submitted Photos of Orlando By: orlando4lease By: orlando4lease By: orlando4lease View all 15 user photos Use Flickr to Add Your Photos Yahoo! User Trip Plans Planning a trip to Orlando? See what other users did. "Orlando" by anthony_ragland 6 days - Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, Kissimmee Hotel: Disney's Pop Century Resort, Disney's Animal... Things to do: Walt Disney World, DisneyQuest, Walt Disney... Copy this trip - Plan a new trip - View more public trips - What is Trip Planner? Yahoo! Message Board for Orlando Best time to travel to Disney World? by mepedregon 12/12/05 4:08pm (ET) 2006 Summer Vacation by jcsairwaterenergy 12/5/05 7:14pm (ET) Florida Condo For Rent - Gulf Coast by starfish_retreat 12/5/05 11:26am (ET) Go Orlando Card and questions about Kennedy Space Center by thegreengeisha 11/15/05 11:33am (ET) Escape from Disney! by spark_antenna 10/4/05 2:36pm (ET) See all topics - Start a new topic Yahoo! User Reviews of Orlando Something for Everyone My first visit to Orlando was in 1981 when I was 18. I visited many times between 1981 - 2001 before I decided to move there myself. Orlando has most everything you could possibly want and a few ... more by A Yahoo! User from Originally Midwest now Orlando 05/09/05 Orlando advice Stay as close to parks as possible, and get a townhouse as opposed to a hotel with a kitchen so you can eat a large breakfast. Eating is a nightmare at night with long lines. Golf is well priced ... more by TC from Columbus, OH 04/09/05 WDW Walt Disney World is awsome!!People are friendly, not as busy as everyone says. by A Yahoo! User 01/08/05 Read all reviews (181) User Reviews from the Web Orlando Hotels - 264 reviews 162 pictures Marriotts Sabal Palms Villa, Sheraton Studio City Hotel, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Embassy Rsrt Grand Beach, Disneys All Star Music Resort, Caribe ... more VirtualTourist.com A road trip in Florida, part 2 Our vacation started on October 14th and ended on October 29th 2001. The travellers this time was as usual my love Nikki Mooki and Gard Karlsen. We flew from Stavanger (Norway) via Amsterdam to ... more GLOBOsapiens.net Orlando Restaurants - 368 reviews 199 pictures American, Italian, Diners, Seafood, Planet Hollywood, Outback, Hard Rock Cafe, ponderosa, Vietnamese, British VirtualTourist.com Read all User Reviews (9) Expert Advice on Orlando Guides Overview Sneakers? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Hat, backpack, theme-park multiday ticket? Check. Once you choose to vacation in Neverland, it's never too soon to begin strategizing. Because no one truly "escapes ... more Fodor's Orlando YES***Orlando may be called the super tourism capital of the world: A great climate, more attractions than any other place, fantastic possibilities to go out at night, wonderful activities during ... more World66 CITY INFORMATION Almost anywhere you go, mention Orlando and the word association will be theme parks. The Orlando area is without a doubt the theme park capital of the world, but the irony is that while theme parks ... more Mobil Travel Guide Read all Guides (6) Travel Articles Fitness & Health Healthy fun in the sun USA Today Day Trips Explore sand, speed and space USA Today City Guide USA Today Read all Travel Articles (10) Search the Web Search the Web for more info on Orlando, FL . Find a cheap airfare to Orlando, FL on Yahoo! FareChase. Getting Around Orlando, FL View larger map of Orlando, FL Map nearby: Attractions Shopping Hotels Restaurants Entertainment Nearby Cities Pine Hills, FL (4.7 miles) Winter Park, FL (4.7 miles) Maitland, FL (6.2 miles) Lockhart, FL (6.8 miles) Goldenrod, FL (7.3 miles) Getting There Flights to Orlando, FL Car Rentals in Orlando, FL Hotels in Orlando, FL Vacation Packages for Orlando, FL Cheap Airfares on Yahoo! FareChase Best Fares to Orlando Departing from From* Seattle/Tacoma, WA $189.00* San Francisco, CA $243.00* New York, NY - all $143.00* See all Orlando Flights Set Alert *Some taxes, fees additional. Learn more . Disclaimer More Recommendations Neighborhood Guide Eat & Drink Guide Recommended Tours Sign up for Travel Emails Yahoo! Travel Newsletter travel tips, news, deals Destination Alerts city-specific deals and info Help get your favorite places listed on Yahoo! Travel: suggest a hotel or suggest an attraction . Explore the Travel Guide for Orlando, FL Related Information Popular Attractions in Orlando Universal Studios Florida SeaWorld Orlando Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theatre Wet 'n Wild Gatorland Halloween Horror Nights Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf Titanic, Ship of Dreams Exhibit WonderWorks Fall Fiesta in the Park Popular Hotels in Orlando Marriott Orlando World Center Universal's Hard Rock Hotel JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort The Westin Grand Bohemian The Peabody Orlando AmeriSuites Orlando Airport NW Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Universal's Royal Pacific Resort Marriott's Grande Vista Popular Cities near Orlando Orlando Tampa Miami Key West Daytona Beach Fort Lauderdale Miami Beach Naples Sarasota Jacksonville Search Travel Yahoo! FareChase: Search dozens of websites, find a cheap airfare

Germany Travel

Germany Vacations, Germany Travel, Germany Luxury Resorts, Germany Hotels Germany Luxury Vacations, Germany Cruises, and Germany Hotels Guide Germany Vacation Guide: Romantic Germany Weddings and Honeymoons Germany Vacations and Cruise Consultants Germany Luxury Vacation :Call 1 800 330 8820 to book your tour or cruise Other places in Germany Berlin Bernau Hamburg Konigs Wusterhausen Potsdam Strausberg River Cruises Other Places in Europe Albania Andorra Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Vacation Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Wales Mediterranean Guide Germany Vacation, Tours and Travel Guide In this section you will find great Germany luxury vacation hotels . Great romantic tours in Germany. Germany Cruises . The best historic tours of Germany. Wonderful European river cruises on the beautiful Danube River. Don't miss our Berlin vacation guide and Hamburg vacation guide ---Plus tons of enjoyable virtual tours and streaming videos---You will find everything here, all the insider's secrets. Germany is becoming ever more attractive to visitors from around the globe, above all because of a plethora of cultural events, which take place throughout the year Music-land Germany is the homeland of many of the world's greatest composers: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Mendelssohn, Wagner, to name just a few, were born in Germany. Among Germany's traditional events and happenings, the Christmas Markets are a great attractions for attract visitors from near and far. Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Dresden, Leipzig, Cologne, Bremen, M?, Frankfurt are but a few of these magical markets, some of which date back to the Middle Ages. All major cities and most towns have Christmas markets during the Advent season. The new and modern Germany, its cities and their beautiful natural surroundings have become a favorite destination for people of all ages and diverse backgrounds. Berlin, the fascinating capital, with its great museums, theaters and restaurants, is one of the most sought-after metropolises in Europe. Great cities such as Munich, Hamburg and Dresden also offer extraordinary cultural and culinary fare. Last but not least, Germany's great tourist routes, among them the Romantic Road, the Castle Road and the Fairy Tale Road, make traveling in Germany an unforgettable, rewarding experience. Germany is historical, modern, busy, lazy, laid-back, quiet, musical, tasteful, dynamic, exhausting, hilly, flat, green, picturesque, sporty, poetic, beer-loving, wunderbar. Germany is a many-sided country. And the opportunities for vacationing in Germany are just as varied. Whether you are underway with family and friends, or on business, are seeking romanticism or planning a city trip, want to actively work out or just be healthily cosseted, take part in courses or seek out culture - all these different wishes can be ideally fulfilled in Germany. Germany's many modern cities stem from the time when it consisted of countless small states. The numerous kings, princes and bishops tried to outshine each other in fields like science, culture and architecture. These power politics were not restricted to the cornerstones for the diverse cityscapes. They were also responsible for the pulsating life in today's Germany. No other European country has as many shopping malls, cultural highlights, opera houses and theaters of world standard, universities, scientific and industrial centers, international airports, congress and trade fair centers distributed so evenly throughout the entire country. There is the old and new capital Berlin, speeding on its way to become a mega-metropolis. The 15 state capitals, the innumerable cultural gems, the business and commercial centers. German cities offer that which makes the whole country so appealing: endless variety. The first associations of Berlin in a nutshell: capital of Prussia, cultural metropolis of the twenties, Reichstag, Berlin wall, reunification, old and new capital. But Berlin is more than that, Today, it is also the gateway to eastern Europe. Berlin is culture. Only Berlin has three opera houses and two concert halls, 35 large and hundreds of independent theaters, numerous variety and musical theaters. Berlin is relaxation. Hardly any other capital has so many parks, forests and recreational lakes and such lovely surroundings for walking, cycling and resting. Berlin is nightlife. In 300 "in" places, 1500 bars and countless clubs and discos one can turn night into day without any threat of closing time. One can dance to techno and to pop and pub crawl from designer bars via beer gardens to quaint backyard pubs. Berlin is a museum. The many big and small galleries display from modern to ancient art. Different epochs of history and fields of interest can be viewed in 130 museums. The streets of Charlottenburg, Kreuzberg, Mitte and Prenzlauerberg invite you to take part in their cultural scene. Berlin is a market. No other city offers so many art, antique and flea markets, and weekly fruit & vegetable markets for culinary shopping pleasure. But despite its many superlatives, Berlin is still a regular city. The subway is sometimes late, the weather occasionally fickle and the people now and then irritable. But that's what makes Berlin sympathetic. Finding your way around Germany is pretty easy. Many Germans speak English and are pleased to help visitors. Still, there are a few things it is helpful to know before arriving here. Select exactly the components you want in your vacation. You choose your hotel, room category -from sea views to suites-, rental car, private transfers and customized sightseeing tours. We do it all! Our Virtuoso Travel and Cruise Consultants will create the Germany vacation you have always dreamed of. We always try to exceed your expectations! Book Your Gremany Vacation Submit planner to our Germany Specialists Client Testimonials about our services Search Your Vacation, Tour or Cruise Germany Overview Germany History Germany Culture Germany Geography Germany Practical Info Germany Luxury Accommodations Germany Luxury Hotels Germany Hotels and Resorts Europe Luxury Hotels European Hotels & Villas Germany & Europe Luxury Tour Vacations Germany Tours Central Eastern & Western England & Ireland Tours Scandinavia & Russia Tour Portugal & Spain Tours Escape to Europe Cruises Italy Luxury Tours Europe Train Vacations Europe River Cruises Eastern Europe Packages Europe Bike Vacations Europe Active Vacations Moderatly Priced Europe Tours England & Ireland Tours France Vacations Italy Tours Central & Eastern Europe Tours European River Cruises Europe Luxury Cruises Western Europe Cruises European River Cruises Luxury Cruises World Luxury Cruises Our Exclusive Specials Helpful Travel Links Other Helpful Travel Links Instant Passports in 24 hours Travelex Luxury Travel Insurance CSA Luxury Travel Insurance Travel Guard Insurance Travel Safety Expert Current Travel Warnings Travel Agent Career Opportunities Bookmark this page Full Service Luxury Europe Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury vacation with our full service Virtuoso Travel Consultants. We are recommended, authorized Virtuoso Vacation Specialists, and can arrange every little detail to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree cruise experience at no extra charge! You may call our Virtuoso Vacation Specialists, but first, we'd really appreciate it if you complete our "Luxury Vacation Planner" so we have all your requirements beforehand and are prepared to present you with all your options and up-to-the-minute specials. Thank you very much! Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe vacation . Full Service, Worldwide Luxury Europe Tour Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury tour vacation with our full service Virtuoso Luxury Tour Consultants. We can arrange every little detail of your tour vacation, including air, and pre-tour and post-tour arrangements to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our "Luxury Tour Vacation Planner" our Europe Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe tour vacation . Full Service, Luxury Europe Cruise Vacation Planner Click here to save money, time and stress planning, making reservations, or booking your luxury cruise vacation with our full service Virtuoso Luxury Cruise Consultants. We can arrange every little detail of your cruise vacation, including air, excursions, and pre-cruise and post-cruise arrangements, to make sure you have a wonderful, carefree vacation experience at no extra charge! When you complete our " Luxury Cruise Vacation Planner" our Virtuoso--Specialists will promptly call you, provide you with their direct toll free telephone number, all your options, and up-to-the-minute specials . Call 1- 800 -330 -8820 to book your Europe luxury cruise . 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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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