Al

Thanks, Neal, for resurrecting this good old thread. I wonder where so many of those earlier contributors have gone, and I do hope they will return. We went to Europe in September/October and my mind wandered back to my first time there, many years ago. With the help of old files of photo slides, I refreshed and sharpened my memory. Hardly any cars on the streets. Blocks and blocks of ruins and/or "parking lots" standing empty and filled with craters. People shuffling by dressed in what looked like clothes from the Salvation Army Store. Some cars burning charcoal. The best meal in town for about a buck. Buildings coated with black grime and pitted with little holes from bullets and bomb fragments. Men and women standing in line everywhere, waiting for trams, huddling against the cold. People selling all sorts of stuff in the market places--old photos, silverware, pots and pans, brushes, sandwiches made from mysterious stuff, linens, old rags, bundles of newspapers. No cigaret butts on the streets; these would be picked up instantly by grown men and little boys and stripped, re-rolled, and smoked until only a tiny fragment remained. Times sure have changed.

Mark

On a lighter note... When in Italy, visit Venice FIRST! We packed light, but Venice was our last major stop. Ohmygawd! We almost died walking from the vaparetto stop to our hotel, lugging that extra bag with about 8 bottles of wonderful Tuscan wine and olive oil!

SharonM

Gosh. not much. <BR> <BR>My first trip to Europe was Munich/Garmish/INNSBRUCK/Venice/Munich...in hmmm... 1985? <BR> <BR>Wouldn't take anything back...I've surely learned alot since tho'! <BR>Live and learn! <BR> <BR>Sencond trip took too much heavy (hard) luggage and, boy, those quick train changes are hard w/ all that cr*p!!! <BR>(THAT was a first and last!) <BR> <BR>So, I guess my main thing is PACK LIGHT!!! <BR> <BR>Coming back's another matter... <BR>I always have to buy all these awesome European clothes because I've packed soooo lightly!!! <BR> <BR> <BR>

Susan

My first trip to Europe was to England 10 years ago. The first thing I would do differently is not to drive! <BR>Despite posts I've read that its a "piece of cake" to drive there, I found it a nightmare (especially the round abouts). I drive in Los Angeles & San Francisco & have driven across the U.S. (never had an accident in 25 years 0. When we got out of Heathrow, we went the wrong way. By York, I said I'd had it and we just stayed there rather than continue. <BR> I also wouldn't get a flat through British Airways again. Ours was in a yucky part north of Hyde Park & had seen better days (absentee landlord). Every night a shrill fire alarm would go off in the middle of the night (several times) - they kept promising to fix it. <BR>There was also a heat wave (!) - we got so little sleep we never got out til noon for sightseeing. <BR> When we returned from York, we stayed at a nice hotel south of Kensington Park. The first night there was a big storm & I noticed water pouring down the walls. At midnight, because the building had somehow flooded from the roof, we were all evacuated to another hotel, where we sat in the lobby a couple of hours waiting to be placed elsewhere. <BR> But the following year, Italy was wonderful!

Jerry Yares

Jen: Easy! Just take the Rick Steves Europe Through The Back Door tour. Does justice to the high spots in three weeks. Two guides each of whom could teach a Europe social studies course. 26 people on a 50-seat bus. Good hotels, great food, and everything except for a few dinners (a good idea) is included in the price. We took ours this past September. Now, fortified with knowledge and confidence, we'll spend April in Provence in an Untours self-catering apartment. Do yourself a favor and send for Rick's video. Everything in there is true. BTW, I have no connection whatever with the Steves organization, except perhaps as a completely satisfied customer.

Ann

Wes Fowler, I like you. <BR>My first trip to Europe was courtesy of the US Air Force in 1980... the first time I'd ever been west of the Mississippi was in 1977, also courtesy of the US Air Force, so you can imagine my state of excitement on actually leaving America for foreign soil! I stayed awake all night on the flight with my nose pressed against the window to catch my first glimpse of the Irish coast... not a good plan... but I literally had tears in my eyes by the time the plane landed at Frankfurt, after seeing the Rhine valley and the village after village of red tile roofs on approach (on my third airplane ride in my life). I wouldn't do anything different on that trip, it was all so awesome to me that the sense of wonder has stayed with me to this day. I still look forward with immense anticipation and excitement to each landing, no matter which country it may be, and I'm sure I still look like a kid in a candy store. In fact, my husband still tells me to stop LOOKING and pay attention to the road! Which may be why I also occasionally enjoy traveling in Europe solo! ;-)

elvira

The one thing I'd do over is not wait so long between the first trip and the second (19 years - I'm not swift on the uptake). Made up for it, though.

arjay

Not a thing! (would I change). Our first overseas jaunt happened in 1984 - to the UK. My anticipation was such that I'd actually get palpitations standing on a Chicago el platform and reading my guidebook in preparation. We did kind of 'fail' London - cityrats, we thought it was just another city and we could handle it...but between jetlag/heat and the size of the town, we really didn't see much. But once we hit the countryside (Wales, Lake Country, Scotland) the magic began - highlights included our own bagpiper mystically appearing in the hills of Glencoe; watching dusk descend over the mountain from a windowsill perch in Fort William (while listening to Rhapsody in Blue); watching the moonrise over the steeple across the street from another window perch in a sweet little inn in Marlborough, where the pub proprietor gave me a Soviet Olympic pin (it was the year the US sat out); a "Brigadoon"-like Welsh village, where we spent two nites in another friendly inn, with the pub-goers downstairs speaking Welsh. It was, indeed, the trip of a lifetime, that met every expectation. And how often in life can we say that! <BR> <BR>Now, getting ready for a fourth trip overseas (first two weeks of March), I'm hoping that I will AT LAST adhere to that most important piece of advice and PACK LIGHT! <BR> <BR>Journal keeping, as noted, is important. We've always done it and I'm so glad - you really do forget the name of that 'great little restaurant,' not to mention, just the re-reading brings the whole event back. We're thinking of journaling via a small tape recorder this time (can also record some favorite music on the mini-tapes - comforting for insomnia in a strange room/strange country). <BR> <BR>Postcards, also previously mentioned, are also great and I don't know why it never occurred to me before to send some to ourselves (can even substitute for the journal...) <BR> <BR>There may be dismay along the road here and there (when you're totally lost on an English roadside, or - worse - have broken down because you've put regular gasoline in a diesel car) - but there are NO bad trips.

Nancy

My favourite way to travel: <BR>1) Take your time - I was recently in Paris for the 5th time, this time for an entire week. There still wasn't enough time. Initially, I wanted to go exploring outside the area, but my fiance convinced me otherwise. I'm glad he did. After having seen the major sights, it was nice just to ramble the streets, get lost in the neighborhoods and so on. By focusing on one area at a time you really get a flavour for it. The way I see it, is there are so many great places to go, so pick the spot and immerse yourself in it. <BR>2) Don't be shy about your language abilities and keep a sense of humour. I can speak french so-so. Initially, I was quite shy and self-conscious about speaking because my accent is not so good, I mix up tenses, etc. However, the locals really appreciate it and it really warms them up to you. I've been in Spain and Italy and can basically count to five and order wine in those languages. I survived just fine - it's like a challenge - trying to communicate and learn a new language. <BR>3) Remember you are in Europe - enjoy the pace of life the way the locals do. Sometimes you don't have the same amenities we have back home, but they really know how to appreciate live. Take advantage of it!

Carin

TO THE TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!