I am not a Europhile, but a European. Sometimes I check in and give some information, but mostly I just laugh at the queer questions you are asking each other.

I check the European, USA and Australian Boards regularly - have travelled to Europe and USA several times and enjoy reading about other people's plans and experiences. I give advice when I can, but certainly do not have the vast knowledge of some of the regular contributors.

This is my first time here but I have spent much time and energy on the AOL London Travel board etc. With the increase in price by 50% on the I am considering dropping it. Maybe I have found a new home!

Welcome, Booda - - and see another recent thread with this same theme and over 100 reponses - - plus mention of other past attempts to figure out how many people come here.<BR><BR>

I was a Fodor junkie for several months after I found this board some two years ago. But then I found that in terms of practical advice my tastes and those of the rank and file visitor differed so markedly, and our budgets even more, that I seldom visit these days.<BR><BR>I like to think I have something useful to offer in the way of advice on travel in Germany, Thailand and SE Asia, but usually it is more relevant to the independent traveller who wants to really get to grips with the local culture at ground level. <BR><BR>For example, anyone who sees Germany as consisting of a clutch of half a dozen castles, a couple of old towns, Oberammergau and a Munich beer festival can learn nothing from me.<BR><BR><BR>Moreover, the correspondent who can't be bothered to check their spelling, and wouldn't know how to check their grammar, and who shows disdain for those who see real merit in foreign language study, will never hear from me.<BR><BR>As these two groups are in the majority, my interest has waned considerably, and I find it far more rewarding to contact agencies in the towns I want to visit directly on the Net, than to waste my time putting messages here.<BR><BR>But then, I have the advantage of having learnt several foreign languages.

I can only imagine that you are kidding. You can't really be upset about people's spelling and grammar, can you? Not with 1 or 2 grammatical errors of your own. And you must not find this forum such a waste of time as you seem to be posting. It is a put on... right ? I am going to assume that you do not really mean to be rude.

good: an email address willl be accepted as "valid" as long as it ends in .com, .net, .org, .gov

Or .top - - or virtually any combination of anything-dot-anything.<BR><BR>This is one of the problems with not having registration.<BR><BR>[email protected] would be allowed here as a "valid" e-mail address.<BR><BR>It IS hard to write an algorithm to verify whether a domain name is or is not legitimate.<BR><BR>.as actually is legit for American Samoa. See www.nic.as for details on getting a domain there.<BR>

<BR>Before going to Europe I spend a few<BR>months checking this site every day -<BR>it helps me get psyched for the trip.<BR><BR>Over the years the contributors have<BR>altered somewhat - among all the helpful<BR>and interesting comments there seems to<BR>be quite a few unhappy, disgruntled souls! Too bad!

Every day or every other day if I am not busy.

We were discussing Fodor Addiction on another message. Hate to admit that when planning a trip I check svery day and when NOT planning a trip ALMOST every day! I have gotten lots of good solid information but I also enjoy the personal stories and "tid bits" almost as much...maybe more.I guess since our travels are every other year I travel vicariously the rest of the time.

Well, I try to visit regularly, but travel does get in the way. We just went to Florida for a couple of weeks seeking warm weather; now how am I ever going to catch up on what I missed on the forum?

Carolyn,<BR><BR>You have to scroll back - - night and day - - to catch up. It's your Fodorite addict duty!<BR><BR>:)<BR>

Thanks, Rex--as if I need an excuse to be here more often.

how many of these people still come here?<BR>

I am like the bachelor (do they make them anymore?) that was sequentially monogamous- when I can be, I am faithful and check in every day and participate-but life intervenes...so many websites, so little time...

Dear Mr or MS [email protected] or whoever you are:<BR>I'm an addict; so daily I read, post when I have a legimate question, reply when I think I can contribute some useful info, last but not least, I always post my real name and email address.

Note that this question is well over a year old, from when it was first asked. There are no doubt plenty of new "donna"s who are recently converted addicts, and a good number of addicts who appear less often than they used to.<BR>

New addictions occur ... yet there are oldies & goodies continuing with the habit ... I think I'm coming up on about 5 years as a fodor's junkie ...<BR><BR>

I'm an addicted traveller and this site, which I found around March, helps feed my addiction. It's like having a bunch of friends who are just going or coming back from somewhere I love or somewhere I want to go. And I love to bore people w/ advice or questions which enables me to relive trips.