The first was completely planned with reservations for each night and was high intensity, high stress covering six countries and nearly 1800 miles. How else can you cover all the bases? Actually you can’t and do it any justice at all.

And my friends that is lesson number one. For any music travel tours to Europe lasting less than 3-4 months decide ahead of time and agree that you cannot see it all. There is so much not just the big cities but the countryside and small towns. That is where the heart of the country lies. You have to set priorities on what you want to see and stick to it. This requires quite a bit of advance planning on your part-or if you trust someone else a Travel Agent?

And that is lesson number two. Find a travel agent for European travel tours who you can trust-one who’s been there many times. Unless you have been to the country before you cannot possibly aware all the nuances of foreign travel. Depending on your personality consider doing a tour first. Self guided trips to a foreign country can be very stressful and will perhaps ruin the trip

Lesson number three -Make an attempt to speak the local language. Even in France (with one exception) the locals appreciate you trying to speak their language. Depending on where you go for your Europe bus tour, for instance, most Beneulux countries, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and even northern Italy you can get by with German-and truth be told English if all else fails. But the locals really appreciate the effort and you will be rewarded for your efforts.

Lesson number four-Contrary to an international myth there are speed limits in Europe so watch the signs.

Lesson number five-Room sizes like bathrooms and bedrooms are without exception considerably smaller than what you are used to. So if you tend to be claustrophobic-beware. Also mealtimes are generally different from ours especially in Italy and France. The normal safety precautions should be taken for your room with a alarm door stop or a keep it for added security. Thieves live in Europe too.

Lesson number six-For the really adventurous forget all of the above and just wing it. There is no better thrill in traveling, to my way of thinking, than being able to turn left off the autostrada to go to Venice just because you feel like it.

Traveling to Europe requires much planning and careful preparation. Having a good travel agent that has been to Europe many times is almost an absolute necessity for a self guided tour. If you are with a group you needn’t worry so much. But the most fun of all is doing it on your own without an itinerary.

1) Convenience. You don’t have to besiege embassy and wait in long queues. You don’t need to worry about buying tickets and booking hotels.

2) Price. Sometimes travel agencies of cosmos travel tour have special agreements with hotels and the price becomes cheaper. The same thing can be said about airplne and train tickets.

3) Comfort in the country of destination, you are mostly provided with transfer to hotel and the representative of the agency can solve any of your problems.

4) Your vacation of traveling tours is organized. You have a selection of excursions; you’ll be shown the best shops and the most interesting attractions.

Disadvantages

1) Unfortunately, not all the agencies can be relied on, some of them disappear with the client’s money.

2) Some people don’t like to be limited – by excursions, by return tickets or by the necessity of staying in the hotel they’re chosen.

3) It’s not always cheap frequent the excursions, offered by the agency representatives are more expensive than in other places in the city.

If you select the second variant, you should be prepared to some problems, but of course, this variant has its light sides too.

Advantages

1) You are free to choose there and when to go. You are free to change you hotel of your return ticket.

2) You are most likely to see the places, not shown to usual tourists.

3) It’s a kind of challenge. Can imagine your holyday without risk and adrenaline? So, this variant is for you!

4) You can seek and find a cheaper variant and not just accept what the agency offers.

Disadvantages

1) Once again- risk. You are not quite safe when traveling alone in the foreign country. Nowadays you are not quite safe anywhere, but still

2) It causes some problems in the stage of organization getting a visa can be a trouble. Interview, invitation and a lot of documents all this can be inevitable. So, prepare to waste some time and nerves.

Anyway, the selection is yours.

1. Hand luggage should be put in a baggage hold, which is over your sit, thoroughly, because it can fall down on your head and you will get a nasty bump on arrival. We also recommend to unshod your feet, because flights are usually long, and you will want to do this sooner or later.

2. Food is offered during a flight. Open lunchbox as a book, not as a laptop. In this case lunchbox will be perfectly located on a little table, and its cover will be a good container for leavings. It is also possible to put drinks in it, and if something (God forbid) will spill, it will not be on you.

3. In modern airliners there are TVs in backs of sits. Alternatively, it is possible to see a movie prepared in the laptop. It is better to use headphones, because it is noisy enough in the plain. Besides, you can read books and drink alcoholic drinks.

4. If you have big baggage, it makes sense to buy a palmtop and load an electronic book, not only because you can cut down your expenses, but also because you will not have to schlep additional load with you.

5. Don’t get drunk during distant flights. In the sitting position your feet become swollen. In addition, if you are an inveterate smoker, you will want to have a smoke. The only conditionally suitable place is a toilet. But usually a smoke detector goes off there. Those, who have this bad habit, and smoke in toilet without thinking of the results of what they do, pay a big fine or their ticket are canceled and passengers can be transferred in some refuelling point. It is not a joke; I witnessed such situation, when tourist was transferred from the flight at the Dubai’s airport in the halfway from Singapore to Moscow.

6. At last, you can take some soporific. After taking the medicine do not forget to fasten your seat belt and to fold up a little table. Flight passes quickly, and you don’t have to suffer from jet lag: feeling of fatigue and disorientation after crossing several time zones.

7. There is no sense in jumping and running to an exit at once after a landing. You will have 10-15 minutes to get dressed, put on your boots and pack things.

8. Luggage is put on a tape where it turns while passengers take it. It will be easier, if your suitcases are original by form or bright coloration.

Now real life is teaching us how to get frugal. But this does not mean that we need to get lower quality stuff. And last minute vacation deals is one of the examples. With the help of last minute vacation deals you can get really great vacation experience for a fraction of a cost.

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1. Set of documents necessary and sufficient for flight are: international passport for foreign travel, or internal passport, if you travel within the borders of your country; ticket (if you bought an electronic ticket, take its printout). And any other documents, except above-listed, won’t be needed by you at the airport and aboard. Offering a pile of papers to the employee of an airport or passport control you make them search for that document, which they need, dragging out a process.

2. Don’t forget to take a pen along! Take pens so that you can all have blue or black one.

3. Thoroughly pack up things into a suitcase and test, whether the locks are in good working order. If your suitcase or a bag has no locks, you can wind a plastic film round your luggage at the airport. Unfortunately stealings of luggage are not uncommon; do not provoke a thief by an open suitcase. If when receiving your luggage you see that packing is broken or luggage is opened, immediately address to the employee of the airport. If you want to avoid financial expenditures, learn norms of free baggage allowance.

4. It is better to leave home and go to the airport beforehand in order not to be late for checking-in. If you came early, you stand a better chance of choosing good sits in the plane. The best are the front seats and those ones, which are near an emergency exit. It is possible to spread your legs there, because there are no passengers sitting in front, who can tread on your knees by their folding seat. If these sits are occupied, it is better to ask for an aisle seat.

5. You will be screened at the airport more than once. It is necessary to be prepared for this beforehand: it is better not to wear a belt at all and be wearing shoes, which should go off and get on easily.

6. At passport control border, a guard is interested only in your passport and a boarding pass. Frontiers usually do not ask the ticket.

7. You can’t carry liquids and sharp cutting subjects as a hand luggage. Complete list of forbidden things is on the ticket or in the site of airline. Put it in baggage beforehand, because airline will screen your hand luggage on X-ray machines and you will have to throw it away. The liquids, bought in Duty Free, will be packed in a special package, do not open it before boarding the plane or it will be taken away.

Definitely last minute vacation deals can save tons of money. But you should understand that last minute vacation deals together with their advantages also have their weak points.

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The decline of interest in departure abroad by 25—30 % this year, could be explained by the world crisis. Bus trips is only one segment of the tourist market which has not practically been affected by a difficult economic situation, it is popular and has even involved new clients. Its secret is in its low price. Auto traveling is always cheaper, than flights and there are many interesting offers in this segment.

Tour operators increased a quantity of programs with night driving, and you can save your money on hotels. Besides, they refused services of expensive hotels, choose hostels, and hotels at a roadside. Don’t be afraid, such apartments are unstylish, of course, but have good quality of service. Two-star hotel in Europe is nothing like two-star hotel in Turkey. European motels, in contrast to Asian guest houses, guarantee accommodation of high quality.

Low price and detailed city sightseeing tours are the basic pluses of bus trips. For example, eight days in Paris with flights, hotel (three stars) and three meals a day will cost you 1500 euros per head, and it is without additional expenses on excursions, souvenirs and purchases. But two weeks’ travel “Vienna — Venice — Milan — Paris — Prague” by bus with staying over at roadside hotels, a couple of excursions, night driving in preference, breakfasts, stories of your own guide and visa will cost you 380 euros (without additional expenses on food).

Tours to Finland, Poland, and Czech Republic have the cheapest prices (five days, 280—330 euros), these directions are the most popular among clients now.

The trip takes from 7 to 15 days, but the road eats up 2—4 days of rest because there are always some traffic jams, queues at the border and driving also takes time. That’s why five-day tours are the cheapest, but unproductive. Buses, which are offered by majority of firms, are equipped by a toilet, tip-up seats, TV monitors with DVD-players, an air-conditioner, and sometimes even small kitchen with a microwave, a refrigerator and a coffee machine. Time of driving will fly by quickly if you take some disks with your favorite films. However be ready to share leisure and life with 30 – 60 persons. You will go on outings and live together like soldiers in a camp.

This type of rest is not for misanthropes, but it is the best choice for singles, who like rapping with people, who search for a dialogue or even relations with travellers.

Now real life is showing us how to get frugal. But this does not imply that we need to get lower quality stuff. And last minute vacation deals is one of the examples. With the help of last minute vacation deals you can receive really great vacation experience for a much lower price.

Read more about the tricks of last minute vacation deals on this web site.

Reserve a seat beforehand and make sure, that your sit number is noted on a voucher or on a ticket. If the usherette fixes you up in aft, you will be vexed by bumpy ride, places, which are near the toilet and kitchen will guarantee amazing smells, and sits, which are near an input fraught with draughts. The most comfortable places are located in the centre of salon.

You will see some European capitals, or big and small cities of one country, depending on the tour program. Stops for sight-seeing, shopping and having a snack in cafe must be managed in two hours. It relieves the monotony of driving and does not allow being bored. Almost every evening the bus arrives to a new town. Travellers spend night in a small hotel, and after breakfast go on excursion.

Day of the bus tourist begins very early at 6 o’clock in the morning. Organizers give free breakfast, and then drive a group sight-seeing. It can be museums and architectural ensembles, or local factories etc. If there is a bar or a confectioner’s shop giving a tasting on the way, tourists will be taken there. To refuse or change the itinerary is absolutely impossible. Additional excursion can be organized only if the most part of the clients wants it and will pay additional money.

But after “obligatory” program you will have 1.5-2 hours of a free time, when you can go where you want. Mark in the map the place of parking, guides do not give them. A free time is also a big minus. Short time does not allow going to a museum, and most of travellers are afraid to go out even for a short while, because they are afraid of being lost in the push. As a result tourists make circles in radius of 100 metres from parking. And if the weather is not so good for walking, most people sit out in salon.

Operators will give you only free breakfasts and sightseeing tours, other expenses are completely on their clients. So, take with you additional sum money (50 euros per day).

So the pluses of bus tours are:

Cheapness (280—330 euros depending on number of days)
You will see several countries during one trip
You can find new friends among fellow travellers
Visiting of bars and confectioner’s shops on free tasting of local wines and delicacies are always interesting.

Possibility to save money on food (economical tourists eat Bologna sausage and tinned food)
Possibility to see not only the capitals, but also a province
Bus tour is a good reconnaissance before more detailed travel in the future etc.

And minuses of bus tours are:

Limited time of staying in cities
Impossibility of changing a route, if you want
Lack of comfort
Fellow travellers can be an excessively noisy company etc.

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There is a number of rules that apply when a hotel is being chosen. First of all, focus on large international hotel chains. Their standards, as a rule, are higher. Its owners try to have their hotels in different countries to maintain its reputation. Service and comfort levels are the same, and risk to be mistaken is the smallest.

If the room in such hotel is more expensive, than you can pay, the best way to obtain information about hotels is to hear personal comments of people, who visited them. There are top-twenties of hotels on numerous tourist sites and you can also read impressions of travellers, which are in special section.

Besides, it is not out of place to harass managers of travel agency. Don’t trust colorful booklets and photos of hotels, which they show you. As a rule, in booklets there are photos of best rooms. De facto other rooms can be decorated worse. You can also get into situation, when going to the sea you will have to cross a motorway, which wasn’t on the photo.

You shouldn’t accept as gospel long speeches of your tourist manager about advantages of the chosen hotel. That is his job: drawing a picture of amenities, leaving shortcomings unsaid. But he cannot refuse to answer your concrete questions (of course, if you did not fall into hands of charlatans). The list of such questions is very simple.

How far is the hotel from the sea? Is there a bath or a shower in the room? Is there an air-conditioner? Is it individual (only in this case you can regulate air temperature in your room without help) or central? Is there a sauna? How many restaurants are there in the hotel? Are beach beds and umbrellas paid? Are they free only at the poolside? And are towels paid?

If you get answers to all these questions, it can guarantee not only comfortable rest, but it will also give you a possibility to save money. For example, if after arrival it became clear that free umbrellas and beach beds are only at the poolside and you have to pay for the possibility of using it on a beach, expenses can rise in the serious sum. Remember that if employees of tour agency are not ready to answer your questions it is better to stay out of such company. Respectable agencies have a stake in good result, and will answer to all your questions. They know that if somebody is looking for cheap hotel, it seems no use to conceal that he will get tiny room with a tiny shower cubicle.

Definitely last minute vacation deals can help you to save huge money. But you must be aware of the fact that last minute vacation deals together with their advantages also have their disadvantages.

So, if you are really looking for getting last minute vacation deals and squeeze the most from them – please visit this web site.

Every level of comfort in the hotel guarantees its minimum set of conveniences putted at tourist’s disposal. One-star hotel (hotels of economy class) in Europe and USA is usually a small house (there are no more than ten tiny rooms in it) with facilities on the floor, no meals (European plan) but you can get breakfast, if you pay additional money.

The following category of hotels is a tourist class (two stars). They are popular with those who like bus tourism. There is a bathroom and TV in rooms of such hotels, restaurant can be on the floor, visitors are supposed to receive light “continental” breakfast: a bun, juice and coffee in the morning.

Three-star hotels are the most popular. It is some kind of a golden medium between the limited budget and rather high level of comfort. A bathroom, a phone, a TV, cleaner’s services, in most cases there is an air-conditioner and a minibar. You can choose different systems of service: “bed and breakfast”, “demi-pension” (breakfast and supper) or “American plan” (three meals a day) in hotel’s restaurant. American three-star hotels are not worse than four-star hotels in Europe.

Four-star hotels are always well located (it can be the city centre or the seaside in a health-resort zone). You can also expect to receive an air-conditioner, a minibar, a minisafe, a phone, a TV, a bath, a shower, a toilet set, and a hairdryer in your room, pair of restaurants or cafes, free sports and fitness and a spa-complex, a business centre, a parking place under surveillance and a hall porter besides standard services.

But don’t think that four-star hotel guarantees you high level of rest. If you find in the Internet a four-star hotel in Paris, which is completely corresponding to declared level, pay heed to its location, it can be located, for example, in the Arab, Jewish or Chinese quarter. As a result, the client will be dissatisfied. In Arab quarter somebody can steal your bag without ceremony, and in Jewish quarter you will be surrounded by restaurants with specific kosher meal.

In the most expensive five-star swanky hotels, you can get everything as in four-star, but multiplied by two. Actually, it is an independent small town with highly developed infrastructure and perfectly adjusted service. Among offered rooms there is Executive Room, with a sleeping and working zone, where there is a fax and the Internet connection; Junior Suite, including a bedroom and a lounge, and Suite, which looks like perfectly furnished small apartment with a bathroom, a shower and two washbowls. Rooms Deluxe Suite and Excellence Suite, with huge room spaces, terraces and Jacuzzi, are second only to royal (King Suite) and presidential (Presidential Suite) rooms.

Today real life is teaching us how to get frugal. But this does not imply that we need to get lower quality stuff. And last minute vacation deals is one of the examples. Using the last minute vacation deals you can receive really great traveling experience for a much lower price.

Read more about the tricks of last minute vacation deals on this site.

At the Alpine resorts and near them you will find all kinds of entertainments for all tastes:

You can try yourself in snowtubing (this is a descent from a mountain in an inflatable tube), in sledging, in skiing on cross-country skis, skating or take a ride in a horsed sleigh.

The SPA-centers are in every four- and five-star hotel. Sometimes only guests can use these joys of life, but often everyone can come to swimming pool or to get a massage. If accommodation in expensive hotel is too rich for your blood, you can give yourself a treat once or twice.

Termal springs have a temperature above +20 degrees. In the Swiss Alps at the side of snow slopes thermal springs spout in Leukerbad, Flims, Scuol, Lavey-Les-Bains, Gstaad, Bad Ragaz. In Austria you can enjoy it in Bad Gastein, Bad Kleinkirchheim, Villach. There are also such springs in Italy and in Slovenia. Tickets in a pool with thermal water do not cost much; it is possible to buy one visiting or membership for a week.

Not the least of the factors of great vacation is shopping. In January in all Europe there will be seasonal sales.

Near to any winter resort you will find by all means beautiful cities, medieval castles, and imperial palaces. There are more than hundred castles only in the Italian Alps!

Don’t forget about pictures in front of Mont Blanc and, of course, try to become skilled in skiing or snowboarding.

Don’t risk your health: don’t climb to the top of the hill with skilled extremal skiers! It is more reasonable to work with instructor in ski school. There are such schools at every European resort. Individual lessons or lessons in group will be offered to you. The second variant is much cheaper. You will start from scratch: you will get lessons about how to put ski boots on and how to fasten it, how to jump from the ski lift (beginners fall on their back usually) and, of course, about how to turn, to slow down, to control speed and to avoid traumas.

Don’t think, that you, sturdy fellow, will fall near schoolboys. There are separate lessons for kids and teenagers.

We’ll give you examples of prices in some ski schools. There is also a list of schools with its prices in a site of every resort.

France, Meribel, ski school “Snow Systems”: week of group lessons (5 days (2 hours per day), in group 4 – 8 persons) – 160 euros per head.

Switzerland, Verbier, school “Adrenaline”: 2 hours lesson in group of 6 persons costs 30 euros per head. 4 hours long lesson costs 45 euros per head. 2 hours of skiing together with an instructor cost 135 euros. Week of group lessons for children (5 days (3 hours per day)) costs 235 euros.

Bulgaria, Bansko, school “Ski School Pirin”: week of group lessons (6 days (4 hours per day)) costs 185 euros per head. 4 hours long lesson with the personal trainer costs 80 euros.

Beyond any doubt last minute vacation deals can help you to save huge money. But you should be aware of the fact that last minute vacation deals together with their advantages also have their disadvantages.

So, if you are really looking for getting last minute vacation deals and squeeze the most from them – please visit this site.

Maldives are considered to be one of the safest and quietest places on the earth: never in the history of this archipelago has an act of terrorism been committed there. The ocean, clouds, coconut tree groves, fanciful windings of coast… Those exotic amenities are all well and good, and you can admire them infinitely, making cruise between islands or soaring along the shoreline by a hang-glider.

It is possible to see everything at a depth of 60 metres in transparent and warm water of the Indian Ocean! Island Paradise has a special popularity. There is “merry-go-round” near it. This is two oceanic currents, which form a whirlpool, meeting in this place, but this eddying does not pull diver into the depths, but quite the contrary, pushes it upward.

If you prefer fishing, you can rent a boat at every hotel, and venturesome local fishermen will go with you to catch fish-sail and blue whiting.

This resort is also a paradise for vegetarians. Maldivian rice with vegetables is something to write home about. You’ll lick your fingers! It is really yummy! There are a lot of fruits in menu. They use fruits as garnish: it is marinated in a special way. An integral part of Maldivian cuisine is oceanic cookery. The best way to feel its taste is to catch something and give your catch to the cook’s hands.

3 places in Maldives which should be visited by you:

The Singapore fair in Male
It abounds in handicrafts. There are a lot of exotic fruits here. Every fruit is fresh and palatable, because it is grown up without chemicals.

Mosque of the Great Friday
The greatest mosque in Maldives, it contains 5 thousand people, amazes by grandiosity and finesse of external and internal decoration.

Laviany atoll
It is the best place for diving. Here you will see the most beautiful corals among which bright tropical fishes swim.

“Tourism is our all” became a catchword of local government. President of Maldivian Republic seriously strap to tourism development work in the country. He thinks that there should be more middling tourists in Maldives. He plans to build many three-stars hotels. In 1980, there was a real boom of inexpensive hotels in Maldives, but they were quickly supplanted by five-star hotels. Service in them is of the first rate, of course, but prices are prohibitive. Now the government is looking for private investors to build such hotels, and also to improve infrastructure of public transit system. Struggle for ecology becomes one more aim. Local hotels, which will work on solar and wind energy, are in plans. At last, it will be forbidden to catch sharks in coastal waters of Maldives.

Beyond any doubt last minute vacation deals can save tons of money. But you must be aware of the fact that last minute vacation deals together with their strong points also have their weak points.

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