Red Wine Helps You Sleep on Trains

Around the World Travel

2012-02-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

I got a question from someone who had the great fortune to take a year off and travel around the world for a year. I have never had the pleasure to do this but I'll try to offer some guidance on the matter. The main question was how much it would cost, which is very vague and I wish I could put an exact price on it. In a few books I’ve read about people selling all their belongings and traveling for a year, they claim they spend less traveling than they would at home with rent, utilities, insurance, car payments, etc. Krystin and I lived in Lincoln, England for a year to get our masters degrees and came back about even with our jobs we had gotten working 20 hours each week and making minimum wage. We also did some traveling and had fun money.

A great book to check out "One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children" by David Elliot Cohen. It's about a husband and wife and their three kids who sell all their belongings and see the world for a year. It's all about their experiences more than the airlines they used, how much they spent, etc, but it made me want to get out of my house and job to see more of the world.

A year is a hard length of time to put a price on but I'll do my best to map out a little budget that might get you on the right track.

The easiest way to figure out a budget is take your normal weekly spending on food and multiply it by 52. Your food cost should be equivalent, especially if your going for a year chances are your finding a place to sleep that has a kitchen and you can cook most of your own meals. And this will be even less in many areas like Asia, north Africa and the Pacific. Some places the dollar goes further. England, Switzerland, and Norway, Sweden and Finland, it doesn't go very far - so we'll average it at $40 a week.

If you were to spend every night in a hostel the average cost is about $25, or $750 a month. However, for the long period of time your likely to be finding a place that rents by the month which would be cheaper, and if your splitting it with friends, even cheaper - probably closer to $200 a month. My rent for a studio in Lincoln, England was about $250 including utilities and private bathroom. Paris, London, Zurich, Rome and Sydney will be more expensive than a small town, but it depends on how you want to live and what you want to experience.

The trickiest part of planning will be working out a rail pass since most are consecutive days or travel within a month or two, so this will take some planning. For instance, do you want to travel around for two weeks and then pick a location you want to live in for a couple months, or do you want to skip the rail pass and simply buy tickets from one destination to the next and live in 12 different cities for a month each?

There are around the world plane tickets that allows you to hop on and off just like a railpass but it of course has more cost and less freedom. I found a few sites that offers some advice and help:
www.staralliance.com, www.airtreks.com, and www.roundtheworldtickets.com, or if you're a member of AAA, asking their advice should be part of your membership.

I did a mock Itinerary starting in NYC, going to London, Cairo, Bangkok, Shanghai, Sydney, LA and back to NYC and the cost was $6,500 from staralliance and between $3,200-4,200 from airtreks. (of course there would be much travel around in-between, but this option would get you around the world.) I'm going to Italy in May and the ticket is $1,300 from ATL to Florence, so for 3-5 times the cost you get around the world. These tickets can be used within months or spread out over a longer period of time, check each site for their specific terms and conditions.

Think about the possibility of getting a small job when you’re there – wash dishes, wait tables, clean a hostel, be a tour guide, be a street performer or can you do your current job freelance? This will of course defer the cost and keep you out of the red if you don’t have a ton of savings or you want to come back with some cash – if you come back at all (I mean that you decide to live in Thailand, not that you get kidnapped and no one finds you).

So break it down your budget and do some research as to housing.

Food - $40 a week x 52 = $2,080
Rent - $300 x 12 = $3,600 (this is no hostels but finding cheap monthly places - very hard to put a price on)
Travel - $5,000ish
Fun - $2,400 ($200 a month)

Total - $13,080

Or if you want to over plan, maybe closer to $15,000.

Could you sell your car, big screen tv, XBOX, furniture and make the money for most of the trip?

Just an idea.

Smart Phones, Laptops and Tablets

2011-07-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

I have always been a huge advocator for not taking phones or laptops abroad. The first time I backpacked through Europe the only people who owned phones that could access the internet were tie wearing business types with Blackberries. Now it seems like everyone has their head stuck in the sand looking down at the bright colors on their phone.

The main reasons why I personally recommend not taking your phone with you to Europe:

1. Aren't the sights and sounds of Europe more important than facebook and twitter?
2. Lost or stolen. There is so much else going on in a strange place that it might be hard to keep track of your new device.
3. Recharging. Not all hostels have plugs in every room, so if you want it charged, you might have to leave it behind the front desk all night, or hang out inside with it while your burden free friends enjoy the bier garten, walks on the Mediterranean, etc.

Having used an iPhone recently in a strange city I have found the uses of maps, restaurant locators, internet capability that can look up opening times of museums, and instant contact with family extremely useful. There is no way I or anyone will be able to convince you that your phone should be left at home. So for those of you that are attached at the hip to your social media, a new service is available to take advantage of. It's called Tep wireless. www.tepwireless.com

There appear to be two choices, a prepaid smartphone that you rent and use while abroad, or a small device that emits a wi-fi signal for up to five devices (travel group friendly). The wi-fi device seems more appropriate for most applications in my opinion. It works with tablets, phones or laptops. Their web site does not give current prices but below is my "live chat" and I was surprised with the cost that I found. (I made up travel dates and locations so they may differ greatly. Contact tep wireless for accurate rates)

Ben: May I know your travel date please?
→Oct. 5 for about 10 days
Ben: Do you need a pocket wi-fi of smartphone?
→I think pocket wi-fi, it will power multiple devices at once correct?
Ben: You can connect it with up to five devices at the same time.
Ben: What country will you be traveling to?
→France, Germany, UK, and Netherlands. How do prices work, is it per day, per amount of usage, country?
Ben: Let me check it out.
→thanks
Ben: The rental price is £52.10 (£4.74/day) [Current conversion today is $7.78 per day]
→Is that for a max amount of usage per day?
Ben: pocket wifi (Europe) - 50 MB per day from 05/10/2011 to 15/10/2011
→Ok. If I go over the 50 MB what happens?
→Is there a feature that tells me to stop before an extra cost kicks in?
Ben: The charges would be 1.5 pounds for 1gb.

I can't seem to find out exactly how much 50mb will get you, but many smartphones get that allotment a month. Now if five members in your group will be using at once, the usage will get eaten up pretty quickly.

Getting from town to town can be boring and it would be a dream to get some of your research and hostel booking accomplished while on the train, bus or ferry. Internet cafe's vary greatly on usage costs, normally by the hour fee. $2-$5 per hour is about normal so if 2-4 members in your group are buying an hour, you've paid for the tep, but you don't need internet daily.

In my opinion smartphones and laptops should stay at home, but for some of you who have the extra money and need access to everyone from almost anywhere, this may be a good travel option for you.

SUN BURN

2011-07-14T09:10:00.001-07:00

It's not a bad idea to take some sunscreen if you plan on making it a point to sit by the beach. Common sense right? Well the after affects are much worse on a backpacking trip with lobster arms than on a spring break week.

I got too much sun over the Fourth of July weekend and days after took a hike and was forced to endure the severe shoulder pain with a tiny backpack on my back, let alone a heavy pack.

Keep you shoulders covered or reapply the sunscreen as often as possible to stay away from shoulder burns that will make carrying your pack a living hell.

Europe sells sunscreen so don't feel like you have to take it, but I always find it is one of those items that seems rather expensive. It can easily get overlooked when a bottle of it can be the same price as dinner.

Amsterdam Hostels

2011-01-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

One of Red Wine's followers in Canada asked a great questions about hostel accommodation in Amsterdam. All the hostels he was finding ranged from $50-60 a night.

I have been to Amsterdam twice and I really enjoyed it. Whether you're into the drug scene, or just to see Amsterdam as a really nice and laid back town.

The first time I went I staid in a town close by called Utrecht. I had an unlimited rail pass so the journey into Amsterdam was free and maybe only took 30-45 minutes. I just looked in my journal and it was 15 euro a night (this was a few years ago, but still can't be 50-60) and it had free internet and free food. All types of pasta, cookies, cakes, bread and eggs. I didn't write the name of it down, but after looking at hostelz.com it might be this one. It will also give you the chance to see a city other than Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

It says it has free internet, breakfast and lunch and only cost 16 euro for a dorm bed (but $30 for booking online, so it might be worth sending an email to double check price). I will preface that this place wasn't the cleanest, and was crowded, but if a bed is all you want, it might be worth it. Not sure if it had lockers, so you might have to ditch your bags at either the Amsterdam or Utrecht train station which might cost a few extra Euros, but if you get free meals, it's hard to beat.

The second time I went to Amsterdam I stayed in the city and it's nice because after a few beers and coffee bars, it gets hard to remember the train schedule to make it back to Utrecht. All I've heard from anyone who go to Amsterdam is the hostels they've stayed at aren’t the cleanest. I think they jack up the prices so they don't get the bums, drifters and drug addicts staying there, but try to keep it safe by accommodating young travelers hoping to see a sex show and buy weed.

If you look at a map of Amsterdam, find the train station. See all the canals that make a series of "U" shapes? The closer to the station in the center of the "U" is the main part of town with all the coffee shops and red light district. The further you get out of town the cheaper a hostel should be. This one for instance is $30 per night.

The only bummer is no smoking or alcohol is allowed, but if that doesn't bother you, it might be up your alley. The area around Vondelpark I thought was nice and it's not that far from the city center.

Cold Weather Traveling?

2010-12-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

A cold weather question from a fan.

"Hi guys-

I was directed to your blog by a friend who spent this past summer backpacking across Europe, and she swore by your site!

My boyfriend and I are getting set to do some of our own traveling in Europe toward the end of February and through March. My question is how to properly pack for the cooler weather at the beginning of our trip without weighing down our packs. Do you have any tips on how/what to pack for this time of the year?"

"The first step I would take is to visit www.weather.com or the local tourist web site for the countries you’ll be visiting and find out exactly what the temperatures will be (look at past year averages). I haven’t done much traveling in cold months, but I have traveled to cold countries. Scotland will be much different than Italy and Greece different than Switzerland.

The quick and easiest answer for you is layers. Even when I was exploring in fall and spring, evenings can get very cold and I always had the option to wear a t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve/collared button down shirt, hooded sweatshirt, windbreaker/rain jacket and my pajama pants under my jeans which always kept me pretty warm when I needed it to. Doing this meant I really only got the layer closest to my body dirty.

One bummer with the cold is your outer garment will be the same in every photo you take, and you won’t have room for two winter coats. Even when it was cold, my wife always took off her rain jacket for photos. Her being a style aficionado, she would also recommend to make sure everything matches to either black or brown, so if you take an extra sweater, make sure it goes with everything.

Companies like The North Face and Arc’Teryx (among many, many others) make all kinds of cold weather shirts, pants, coats and hoodies. They are specially designed from fabrics to keep the body warm when extremely cold and cool when it gets warm. The fabrics breath easily and help whisk moisture away from the body. These items are great but they get very expensive. These are made for weight conscious people when every ounce in your pack counts. You can easily drop $50-100 for one shirt. However, if you plan to do more traveling or you like hiking and camping, a couple of these might be worth the investment, but I’m always about saving money when traveling, not spending hundreds before you leave the country.

Like I said with my packing list of layers above, I would also take a sweater so when I was in a museum or at dinner, I didn’t have to wear my hoodie all the time. I would also take one pair of gloves and one hat and if you’re a scarf person take one of those too, but I wouldn’t do more than one of each. I might also change my normal pajama pants for thermal long-underwear. Granted this stuff is not heavy, but it is bulky.

I have received many emails and comments about cotton hoodies vs. fleece. Like every person in the US, we all own a hoodie with our high school, college or favorite sports team name on it. I own one of these so I took that and not fleece. Many avid campers and hikers have told me that fleece is much warmer than cotton, dries quicker if it gets wet and also much lighter. I have personally never done field research on this, but I believe what I've been told. I chose my hoodie because it had a hood instead of taking a hat, a nice front pocket instead of gloves and most importantly, I already owned it.

Do some research with the temperatures and try out my list of layers to see if it keeps you warm enough. (granted if you live in Florida it might be hard to recreate the English winter). I personally would not take a “winter coat”. What I mean by “winter coat” is one that is heavy and warm enough to only wear a t-shirt underneath and be warm. My packable wind/rain resistant jacket was great and it packed up very tiny. When you go inside a place for a meal or internet café, it packs up to fit in your day pack instead of having to lug around a big coat.

Safe (and warm) Travels!!!!

p.s. A little word or warning, it might not happen to you, but it did to me a few times, especially in eastern Europe, but the trains did not have heat. During the day I didn’t notice it, but when it was dark and I was trying to sleep, it was bitter cold.

Travel Clothing from SCOTTEVEST

2010-12-05T08:46:00.001-08:00

I stumbled across an advertisement for some pretty cool travel clothing. I'm not endorsing these items because I've personally never tried them out, but I thought I would point everyone in the direction to check it out for yourself, especially with Christmas around the corner it might not hurt to put it on your list since the items are a bit costly.

SCOTTEVEST sells all sorts of travel clothing from hats, winter coats, pants, hoodies and more. The main draw to the clothing is the many hidden pockets to fit all your important travel documents and expensive gadgets. The main goal behind starting the company was for the CEO to carry all his stuff without having to lug around a man-purse.

My initial thought on the clothing is that it seems very useful, especially the Revolution jacket that has 26 pockets and fits your MP3 player, phone, iPad, water bottle, has a hidden passport pocket and more. The price for this is high at $175, but it seems pretty cool for people who might be traveling in cold months and don't want to carry a day pack. The only bummer I can see about this is having anything in the pockets and then trying to wear your pack. The straps would inevitably overlap something important and make it uncomfortable or crush something. The other is trying to get through security with this thing seems like a nightmare. I'd never get all the metal out of the pockets.

I few of the items seem ridiulous like a hat with space in the bill for cash and boxers that have a pocket for your smart phone, but I guess if you have the money for it, why not have underwear with pockets?

Screwpop

2010-11-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

Recently I picked up a little tool to try out thinking it might have some travel uses. Since I’m in love with my Swiss Army Knife, I thought this would make a great companion. The item is called The Screwpop, named because it has a phillips and a flat head screwdriver and a bottle opener.

The price of only $4.95 and name first attracted me to the product. I’m not a keychain person because I hate things poking me and having a huge bulge in my pocket (hahahaha). This isn’t very large but very heavy duty in it’s construction which makes it able to open any bottle and even have use as a screwdriver. However, since I always have my Swiss knife, I never need a bottle opener or flathead screwdriver. That being said, in the two weeks it was on my keychain I did use the phillips attachment to change my license plate, but I only did so to prove whether or not the product works. I should have saved some time and frustration of using the tiny tool and simply ran up to my apartment and got a real screwdriver.

The tool also has a ¼” Hex. Nut driver and honestly I can say I’ve never used one of these during any home or car application, it simply works to hold the screwdriver in place – which it does very well. When you put it in your pocket however, make sure the Phillips attachment is facing out because the flat head will poke you in the leg all day.

This thing did make it through security at an airport so if you decide to not take a knife and check a bag this might be the way to go to have a couple features other than a simple pocket bottle opener. But for me, I can open a bottle with a lighter, spoon, railing, table, stapler, scissors, another bottle, a rock or even a frying pan so it wouldn’t be on my list of must haves for a trip to Europe, but it is definitely a great stocking stuffer for a friend who thinks he is MacGyver.

The Innocent Abroad

2010-08-04T05:09:00.001-07:00

Interested in going to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific? There's a great new web site/blog that has information and discussions about it. The Innocent Abroad was started by Melissa who is American but has lived in Australia before and will be going back for another year soon. She has some great advice and a site that is a perfect place to start planning your trip!

Red Wine Helps you Sleep on Trains was included in one of her posts about what it means to be a backpacker - check it out!

Creating a Travel Blog

2010-06-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

While traveling to a new place, it is often tempting to want to send out a mass e-mail to family and friends, update your Facebook status and Twitter feed, and load photos of your experience along the way. Unfortunately, this takes a lot of time and effort, which are two things you don't want to waste when the Eiffel Tower or Vatican Museum are calling your name.

We have found that the easiest way to keep up with everyone at home is to set up a blog before you leave. Whether you use Blogger, Wordpress, or another blog storage service, this tool serves as an online journal that allows all of your friends and family to become part of your trip. This is not something you need to update on a daily basis, but is good to utilize for a quick post before bed to let everyone know what you have been up to.

One of the best parts about a blog is that you can connect your blog to your social media. Blogging companies realize that we want to have seamless social media compatibility, so it's easy to find a blog that suits these needs. One of our friends is currently blogging on Tumblr, and all of her posts link directly to her Twitter feed and Facebook newsfeed, so we always know when she has put up something new.

There are also many blog hosting sites that cater directly to travelers. Two of our favorite Red Wine followers, Kyle and Krista, are currently traveling through Europe and using Off Exploring Travel Journal. (You can check out their adventures here.) This is a great tool to let other travelers know about your experiences and allow them to prepare for their own journey by reading about your adventures. There are many great features on this site, including maps, video and photo uploads, and the option to link your blog to Facebook.

While blogging on the road is a great idea and serves as an online record of your trip, there is still nothing like keeping a real journal. Scott and I now have a few notebooks full of our adventures, and there is something very personal about putting your thoughts and impressions into writing. Scott's journals are full of momentos from his trips, including clovers from Ireland, museum ticket stubs, and labels off beer bottles. We are not saying you should sit down in every city and write a novel, but you can always write an entry on the train (and trust us, you will spend a lot of time on trains). The best thing about a journal is that it's portable, so you can always have it with you and jot some stuff down whenever you have a few minutes. Computers crash and technology moves forward every day, but a journal lasts forever.

Hometown Series: Cleveland, Ohio

2010-06-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

Krystin shares her ideas about what makes Cleveland, Ohio, a city worth visiting. And yes, she is aware that Cleveland is famous for the Cuyahoga River catching fire, being called "the mistake on the lake," and for generally being one of the most made fun of cities in film and television. But she is out to prove that this city has something to offer, something that makes her proud to be a Clevelander.

"I was born in Cleveland in 1984 and raised in Streetsboro, a suburb 30 minutes outside the city. My family moved out to Streetsboro because my parents wanted my sister and I to grow up somewhere safe, which tells you a little bit about the state Cleveland was in during my youth. Fast forward 25 years and Cleveland seems like a completely different city than the one I was born in. Major improvements have been made to clean up the city and make it a location worth exploring.

One of the highlights of Cleveland is, of course, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum that opened its doors on the bank of Lake Erie in 1995. The admission is a bit steep (regular admission is $22, college students pay $17 with a student ID), but you get to spend all day perusing Jim Morrison's hand-written letters, Jimi Hendrix's clothing collection, Janis Joplin's Porsche, John Lennon's glasses, and many more relics that make the visit worthwhile. The building itself is an impressive architectural monument to rock created by revered architect I.M. Pei, who is most famous for designing the additions to the Louvre in Paris.

I grew up going on field trips to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and The Rainforest. I have been to zoos all over the U.S. and Europe, and Cleveland's is really one of the best. Founded in 1882, this is one of the oldest zoos in the country, but it is always making improvements and additions. There is a wide variety of every animal you expect to see - giraffes, gorillas, monkeys, sea lions, bears - but the wolf exhibit is a must-see along with the newly renovated elephant area that will open in 2011. The Rainforest is also really impressive, featuring over 6,000 plants and 600 animals in a two-story building that really makes you feel like you have been transported to the jungle. Depending on the time of year, admission is between $7 and $10, which is a steal considering most zoos and aquariums run around $20.

Another spot I often frequented on school trips in my youth is The Cleveland Museum of Art. I visited the museum with Scott recently, and I still think it is an impressive collection even after visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Tate Modern in London. Major works are featured by famous artists including Dalí, Matisse, Renoir, Gauguin, Degas, Monet, van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol, and Pollock. One of the best parts of the museum is that it's free, so you can spend the day exploring and still have cash in your pocket for the evening.

As for the nightlife in Cleveland, the main spot to go out is called The Flats. Major renovations took place in this area during the 80s and 90s, making it a great place to grab a drink, eat a meal, or catch a gig. One of my favorite spots to catch a show is The Odeon, a smaller venue with an industrial feel. Of course, Cleveland also has a House of Blues if you prefer to visit a more mainstream venue. If you like to try local beers, make sure to get some Great Lakes Brewing Company specialties. Scott's favorite is the Dortmunder.

A fun way to see Cleveland and to appreciate all the changes its been through it is take a trip on the Goodtime III, the city's largest excursion ship. It's $15 for a two-hour narrated cruise through Cleveland (save a buck by visiting the site and printing the coupon). The Goodtime has been around since 1924, and riding down the river really gives you a sense of the history of the city.

As for seasonal activities, if you happen to be in Cleveland during the Christmas holidays and are a fan of the classic film A Christmas Story, there are two musts for you. A little known fact is that this movie was filmed in Cleveland, and the home used for the filming has recently been renovated to look exactly like it did in the movie, complete with a museum and gift shop where you can purchase your very own leg lamp. Admission to the A Christmas Story House and Museum is $8. You can also visit Tower City Center and Public Square to see the lights and visit the spot where the Christmas parade scene was filmed."

For more information on the latest happenings in Cleveland throughout the year, check out Cleveland Magazine.

Beer Gardens in the UK

2010-06-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

As we were checking e-mail on Yahoo.com, we came across an article about the Top Ten Beer Gardens in Great Britain. These pubs have been chosen by the editors of The Good Pub Guide, UK’s #1 bestselling guidebook. When traveling around Great Britain, you’ll see signs in pub windows that show off the fact that the establishment was included in last year’s guide.

Unfortunately, we can't say we have been to any of the pubs on the top 10 list. However, we have been to many fantastic pubs in two England cities we've lived in and would definitely recommend visiting: Lincoln, Lincolnshire and Exeter, Devon. Our favorite beer garden in Exeter is The Imperial, which is located in front of Exeter University, making it a popular student hangout. One of the best parts about this pub is that there is a huge area to sit outside that overlooks the train station. The building itself is interesting because it used to be an old hotel and was home to a massive glass orangery (or conservatory) before that.

The only bummer about The Imperial is that it is part of a pub chain, so it lacks some of the character that privately owned pubs possess. The chain is Weatherspoons and can be found throughout Britain. What makes it a chain is the menu, drinks and employee uniform (once you visit one, you will be able to recognize other Weatherspoons-owned pubs). Because the Imperial is part of Weatherspoons, they have some of the cheapest drink prices you’ll find in England - one of the best parts of this chain!

The best beer garden in Lincoln is The Jolly Brewer. They have regular open mic nights and jam sessions, great real ales, local cider in barrels on the counter and plenty of outdoor picnic tables and heaters in the winter. Beer prices are decent and the atmosphere is extremely diverse and friendly with an eclectic mix of locals, students, professionals and artists. It is more than worth it to visit the Brewer just to people watch for a night to see the unique characters that frequent it.

For a great "real" pub experience in Lincoln, try The Strugglers Inn located just outside Lincoln Castle. The pub got its' name because this is the spot prisoners would visit for their last pint on the way from court inside the castle to the gallows located just down the road. This pub is great for a glimpse into life of the locals and what a real English pub looks like. There is almost always a fire burning a dog wandering around beneath the tables.

No matter what city you visit throughout the UK, the best idea is always to ask the reception staff at your hostel what pubs they would recommend. If you are looking for something specific (cheap drinks, local ales, live music), be sure to ask for pubs that cater to these criteria. The best part about the UK is that no matter how small the town is, they will always have a local pub. The second best part is, that pub is more than likely within walking distance of where you are staying. Remember, the walk home is half the fun. Make sure to stop at the all-night chip shop where locals will be lined up and grab some chips and gravy for the walk home.

17 Days in Italy

2010-05-30T08:21:00.001-07:00

Two of our friends recently spent a couple weeks in Italy and were nice enough to give some tips and advice about their experience.

"Ahhhh, Italia. Ryan and I spent 17 days playing in this beautiful country and it breaks my heart to be away. We decided to fly into Milan (as this seemed to be the cheapest option). We were told by many people that Milan is not worth the stop. However, Ry and I were glad to be able to spend the day exploring the city; walking on the top of the beautiful Duomo, exploring La Scala Opera house, window shopping, indulging in copious cups of gelato, etc.

From there, we took the train to the stunning Cinque Terre - now one of my favorite places on earth.

We booked a room at La Dolce Vita Rooms (which I highly recommend if you choose to stay in this town) in the southern most town of Riomaggiore, which is charming, but not my favorite of the five. Next time, we will be staying in Manarola. The fish was the freshest I have ever tasted (try La Lampara in Riomaggiore, but have a reservation or be prepared to wait quite a while) from mouthwatering anchovies to enormous mussels - you can't get anything close to that in the States.

We hiked the easiest two trails our first day, then dedicated one day to each of the remaining three. Couples, don't forget to bring a padlock for Villa del 'Amore! Simply breathtaking.

I shed a few tears as the train pulled away from Cinque Terre, but we were onto Venice for Easter Weekend. I had been to Venice before, so I knew what I was getting into. Arguably, the most touristy city in Italy. Overpriced and, quite frankly, disappointing food, extremely expensive lodging and C-R-O-W-D-E-D. It is definitely a "must see" once in your life, but I would not stay longer than two days. Buy LOTS of Murano glass. We ended our weekend there with Easter mass at St. Mark's and an Easter egg hunt in the square.
Tuscany. What's not to love? We spent three days in Florence, one of my favorite cities and stayed in a GREAT hostel - The Archi Rossi. I could have spent a few more days there (in fact, I could pack up and move there tomorrow). Go to the Antica Sosta Degli Aldobrandini. You can create your own paninis and salads and relax outside with a Moretti. Beware of gypsies and restaurants serving frozen pizzas!
We left for Siena, where we spent two days in the beautiful Medieval city. You can explore the sites in a half day, so be sure to plan some sort of tour, for it is the only way to see the Tuscan countryside. Ry and I chose to do the Brunello Wine Tour, which was AWESOME.

Finally, Rome (but not before making a pit stop in Florence to our favorite panini place... we missed it). We purchased the Roma Pass, which was great. Free entrance into your first two sites (and skipping the lines!), unlimited Metro pass and lots of discounts. Totally worth it. Stay away from the tour guides outside of the Colosseum - worst tour we have ever taken. Definitely do the "Night Walk" through the city from Campo de' Fiori to the Spanish Steps (step by step tour through Rick Steves' Italy Guide!) - it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

What else can I say? It was a truly magnificent trip and I am dying to go back. Thanks to Krystin, Scott and the Red Wine Web site for all the help!"

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

2010-05-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

We have never purchased travel insurance because we are cheap, but it doesn’t mean that it is not worth the money. We’ve simply been very lucky and never lost our backpacks or had medical emergencies during a trip.(Krystin did forget to grab her bag in New York from London and recheck it for the connecting flight and arrived in Florida with no clothes, but that is another story). Scott does, however, have insurance on his camera gear.

Travel insurance can cover many different options depending on the type of trip you're planning and the number of people being covered. Most plans cover trip cancellation and interruption, medical expense and transportation, lost or stolen baggage and 24/7 travel assistance. One time in Brussels, our flight was canceled and we were rerouted out of Paris the next day and were forced to get to the airport on our own dime. The flight was transferred with no extra fee, but the train and bus to the airport was probably about and extra $100-150, which travel insurance would have covered if we had it.

With all the flights being canceled in Great Britain and all over Europe due to the ash from that crazy volcano, travel insurance in theory should cover the hotel and new flight. Scott checked a travel insurance provider to view prices and to see what is included. The first one that popped up on Google was Travel Guard and a quote for a month-long journey costing $3,000 (including "Adventure Sports Coverage" since you never know when cliff diving into the Mediterranean will seem like a good idea) is $135 per person.

This includes 50 percent reimbursement of the cost of the trip if it's canceled within 48 hours of departure, $10,000 medical coverage, $1,000 baggage recovery (with $200 deductible so you really only get $800) and $500 in case of flight delay. To us, this seems like a lot of money for not enough coverage. Most airlines will reimburse you for lost or stolen baggage to a certain degree. Insurance only covers $500 for a delayed flight? If that volcano/terror threat/strike has been holding me up in London for a week, what is $500 (or £300) going to get me – two nights in an airport hotel?

Scott checked out www.insuremytrip.com, which is a comparison site, and many of the plans from 20 companies were very similar in price and coverage. In our opinion, travel insurance is for families spending many thousands of dollars for flight, rental car, resort and tours. We especially think this because Scott checked a quote for a family of four spending $15,000 and the quote was very similar to one backpacker spending $3,000.

Instead of purchasing travel insurance, you may want to consider the benefits of an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), which is an internationally recognized student ID. An ISIC offers discounts on travel, museums and even online purchases that go far beyond normal student discounts.

The card costs $22 and is available to students of any age. If you are not a student but are between the ages of 12 and 25, you can purchase an International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) for the same price. Both are valid for one year from the date of issue.

The biggest advantage of these cards for United States citizens, aside from discounts, is a series of insurance benefits including $300,000 medical emergency transportation and $25,000 accident medical expense. The card also covers travel document replacement and costs incurred from travel and baggage delays and offers a 24-hour free emergency helpline for legal, medical or travel advisors. For a full list of benefits and to purchase your card, visit www.isic.org.

We have a tendency to take too many cameras with us when we travel to document our trip and, of course, make the occasional YouTube video. We’ll have a point and shoot, SLR with extra lens, tripod, video camera, extra memory cards and batteries for each, not to mention chargers and adapters. Anything could happen to our gear (except getting lost on a plane since it is always in our carry-on bag). We have purchased a $10,000 personal property plan for only $125 a year from the same insurance company we have our car insurance from. This includes loss, theft, damage or anything else that happens to any camera, computer, iPod or other device I have included on the plan anywhere in the world. It cannot replace photos that are lost, but it can give some peace of mind if you decide to travel with a camera, computer and/or iPhone. (Like we always say, a camera is justified when traveling Europe. The other two are not.)

Before you leave the country, check with your insurance company to see if they offer personal property plans, ask if your medical provider covers you when in Europe and see what your renters or homeowner’s insurance covers. Some credit cards also offer insurance on items purchased with the card – accident coverage on rental cars, for instance.

Anything can happen on a trip abroad or even just a trip to the grocery store, and it always feels good to know you're safe and someone is watching over you. No one wants to find out halfway through a trip that flights are canceled, your friend broke a hip on a crazy night out at the club or someone grabbed your backpack at the airport carousel by mistake.

Be safe and enjoy the ride!

YouTube Video Comments

2010-05-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about Youtube is receiving comments from viewers. It is fantastic to know we helped someone with his or her future travels. However, sometimes the comments can be off-kilter and we have no problem taking comments down if we think they may lead other viewers to make bad decisions on their trips. All over YouTube, there are millions of viewers with way too much time on their hands who enjoy writing something that makes no sense or might confuse someone just for kicks.

For instance, someone said Krystin was wrong in her video about packing by saying that heavy items go in the bottom of the backpack. However, every hiking guide we have read say that heavy items should go in the bottom third of the pack, but most importantly as close to your back as possible. Maybe we should have elaborated on this fact, but we provided the general rule in the time allotted. We would hate for anyone to read that comment and think they should carry heavy items at the top of the pack, which could potentially cause physical injury to that person during their travels.

Everything in our videos and on our Web site is the advice we would give friends and family who asked us a question about our travels. We are not experts, we do not have a Master's degree in international travel, we do not get paid to do this and we do not (unfortunately) get to spend months each year traveling the world. However, we have lived in England for two years, taken a couple long backpacking trips throughout Europe and been on numerous smaller trips around the continent as well. We have read countless books and blogs on the subject. Our goal in every post and every video is to help people make the most of their once-in-a-lifetime European backpacking adventure safely and while spending the least amount of money possible.

One recent comment on Scott's video about packing led us to write this post, because not only was it full of bad advice, but it also completely questioned what we are about at Red Wine. We thought that the best way to handle this comment would be to leave it up and to direct visitors here to this post where we have the chance to address it in detail.

This person said: “Jeans?! How are you supposed to clean & dry those while staying in Hostels? This method of packing is serious overkill, and not practical at all. I understand this is aimed at young Americans who are in massive groups spending too much & traveling on trains, but seriously. You don't need half that stuff.”

We’ll tackle our responses to this post one step at a time.

1. Jeans? We are not sure what else people are supposed to wear on their legs in cooler weather... Perhaps we could have also said khakis? The only pants Scott owns are jeans and dress slacks, so he’ll go with jeans any day of the week. Perhaps this person thinks it's better to wear shorts all the time, which is fine if you are always in a warm climate, but the weather in Europe fluctuates from country to country. As for how to clean and dry clothes in hostels, the answer is simple. Most hostels and nearly every city in the world has a Laundromat to do laundry. The last thing on our mind would be to wash jeans in a sink, as they would take ages to dry which is completely impractical when traveling from city to city. Maybe this person thinks going to a camping store and buying those expensive quick dry/breathable/waterproof pants is a good idea, but we think there is no reason to ever buy anything you don’t already own for a trip – except a backpack and passport, of course.

2. Overkill and impractical? Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but we think this description is quite unjustified. We are both comfortable with the amount of clothes shown in our videos for a five to six-week trip. We only need to do laundry every two weeks, but people should feel free to take half the amount of clothes if they have the time to wash them twice as often. We would rather be out exploring a city than waiting for our clothes to dry. Scott has no problem wearing underwear twice, and even three times on some occasions (to Krystin's utter dismay), so if that grosses you out, take a pair for each day. Some people stink or sweat a lot, so they might need to bring along a couple extra shirts. Everyone is different.

3. Massive groups? What in Scott's backpack told this person that he was traveling in a group is beyond us. Scott has done a lot of traveling, but it has either been on his own or with one other person - namely, Krystin. In fact, if he was traveling with a group, he would get to pack LESS, as groups can share certain resources on trips.

4. Spending too much? The motto of "Red Wine" is to save every penny possible while traveling. If Scott was holding up flashy expensive travel gear instead of his t-shirts, ripped shorts and other modest travel gear, we could understand this comment. As it stands, the most expensive stuff in Scott's video are his backpack, his shoes and his camera... because those three things make or break a trip for him. We endorse sleeping on airport benches, picnicking in parks, and finding the free stuff in every city to pinch every penny on your trip. We have only gotten to travel as much as we have by being super-thrifty and making what some may consider sacrifices (warm beds, eating out) that ultimately make our trips unique and memorable.

The bottom line is that we are here to help and give advice from our personal experience. If we give a specific piece of advice, that little pearl of wisdom came from something that directly happened to us and is always backed up by research that we do so that you don't have to. If you disagree with something we have to say, please contact us directly. We are always hear to answer all questions and address any concerns you may have. Safe travels!

How to Tip Across Europe

2010-04-29T05:42:00.001-07:00

Tipping in Europe is difficult to figure out because most countries have different customs and even if you have the general rule figured out, it's usually still different depending on if you are ordering at a bar or sitting at a table. We generally try to stay away from any establishment that looks like a tip is needed. We've been servers and bar tenders before and appreciate tips and the hard work that goes into earning them, but it is hard for us to part with our money
when traveling and trying to save every penny possible.

Under-tipping and over-tipping can both be considered offensive depending on what country you are in. The main rule to stick with when in doubt is never tip for bar/counter service, and add about 10 percent for a sit-down restaurant. Servers in Europe make a paycheck and tips are considered a small "bonus" — to reward great service, or to simply round the total bill to a convenient number. In most countries, 5 to 10 percent is adequate and 15 or 20 percent is unheard of.

We'll focus on Great Britain as an example since we've lived and worked there and understand their tipping customs best (this will also roll over into Ireland as well). Most pubs have zero table service, meaning customers should pick any table they wish and order food and drinks from the bar. Drinks will come immediately and food will be brought to the table a few minutes later. The waiter who brings the food rarely asks if you want refills or need anything else and will probably not come back to check on you. You do not need to tip in pubs. Even if you've been sitting at the same bar stool for five hours and spent $50, you don't need to tip - although it is courteous to offer to buy the barman or barmaid a drink. Krystin can attest to this, as she was a barmaid for a few months in England. Initially, she was shocked to find that people waited to get 5 or 10 cents back when ordering a drink. That being said, some people did tip a pound or two which was always appreciated, and usually came when the person realized she was an American working in a British pub.

Sit-down restaurants are entirely different. Tipping is completely up to the patron. If a server greets you, brings drinks and food, comes back to check on you and takes money, you can give as little or as much as you wish. Scott worked at a posh hotel and tips varied from nil (zero) up to a fiver (slang in Britain for a five pound note). 10 percent is customary for very good service, but most people usually give a pound or two per diner. Since tips in the United Kingdom suck, just know that most service also will. Again, this entirely depends on the establishment.

In any country, especially France (since service is included by law), your bill may state "service compris" to indicate that service is indeed included in the total price. In any case, it is polite to round up the bill to the nearest Euro. Look on the menu or your bill to see if a tip/gratuity is included (it's usually easy to tell; "servizio incluso" in Italian, for example). If so, there is no need to tip on top of this. If you are traveling in a group of six or more, some restaurants will add this to ensure a tip for the hard work of the server.

In Greece, a service charge is automatically included in your bill when eating out, but this does not necessarily mean that it will go to the servers. If you're happy with your service, a tip of 8-10 percent is customary. Also, be aware that during the Christmas and Greek Easter holidays, a service bonus of 18 percent will be added to your restaurant bill as a holiday extra for the servers.

In Germany, a service charge is included (appearing on your bill as "Bedienung"), but it is normal to tip an extra 5-10 percent if service was very good. When paying and handing over the money, a very German thing to do is tell the waiter the amount they should keep. For instance, if the bill is 42 Euro, you give him 50, say to the waiter "45," and he'll bring back five in change. If you hand over 50 Euros and say "danke," the waiter might think you gave him the rest as a tip.

TAXI!
When riding in a taxi anywhere in Europe (which we don't recommend because it's expensive and public transport - or walking - is always cheaper), simply round the amount up to the next Euro. Of course, it's important to be very clear with the driver about where you want to go to ensure that you don't get ripped off even more Euros by taking the scenic route and being over-charged for your journey.

If you can afford to stay in hotels (we have done this all of once in Paris, because it was the same price as the hostels available), tipping bellboys and maid staff is up to you. In the U.S., our dollars are paper bills so handing a handful of cash to someone could still only really be $4. Scott always feels like he is being cheap in Europe handing over a few coins, which is also $4, but you just can't let it bother you. Tips are a bonus for staff even though many will expect them.

In busy touristy areas, it is best not to leave money on the table but instead to hand it to your waiter. When paying with a credit card, it is best to leave a cash tip so it ensures the money goes directly into the waiter's pocket.

Also, be aware that many "fast food"-looking places will offer indoor dining and carry-out, and there will be different prices for both. The prices should be next to each other on the menu board; the more expensive price is to sit down and the cheaper is to take the food with you and find a beautiful park to eat in. The difference will normally be .50 to 1 Euro per item, but every penny counts when you are backpacking on a budget.

How to Navigate Internet Cafe's and European Keyboards

2010-04-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Let us be blunt. We definitely do not recommend bringing a laptop along on your backpacking trip. They’re heavy, take up space, are easy to break while jumping on and off trains, need to be charged every two hours and are very easy for someone to walk off with, not to mention you have to find a “wi-fi hotspot” to use it.

That being said, this is 2010 and everyone pretty much owns a laptop and with Macbook Air™ which weighs three pounds and is less than an inch thick or the entire line of HP, Toshiba, Acer and Sony Mini books that cost less than $400, it can be very tempting to bring your Twitter, Facebook, video chatting and photo storage along for the ride.

More and more hostels are noticing these modern travelers and they’re beginning to pump out free wi-fi as a method to get people in the door. These hostels generally have way too many people sitting around staring at computer screens like zombies while a beautiful city sits waiting directly behind them.

Many hostels have computers and will offer internet free or for a small fee. If hostels offer it, chances are they'll only have one or two computers and if the internet is free, everyone will be lining up to use it. There will usually be a sign to limit use to 15 minutes, but this sign is very rarely adhered to. Hostel computers can be slow, so sometimes it’s best to find an internet café as they will usually be cheaper and have better equipment.

Internet cafés could be one of the best inventions for the present-day traveler. And by internet café, we don’t mean a trendy coffee shop that transmits wireless internet. We mean a place that has computers connected to the internet that can be rented out for a certain amount of time (usually price ranges from 1-3 euro per hour). Prices, speed, and quality vary wherever you go, but don’t visit any cafés located near or inside airports or train stations. These will cost 5-10 times as much and offer less services. Some cafés offer drinks (soda, coffee or beer) and sandwiches, phone booths for cheap calls to home (internet cafés have the best prices without worrying about phone cards) and printers for hostel or tourist information. Some cafes also have the option to dump your digital memory card and burn to a disk in order to free up card space. - or transfer to a storage device you bring with you like a portable hard drive.

European keyboards are slightly different than ones in the United States. Most have all the letters in the same location, but we’ve been to a couple in France that were all mixed up. Click here to view one such keyboard. It might be worth checking out a keyboard when you go to the café to see what you’re getting into before buying an hour. Typing on a keyboard where the letters are different took us both as least four times longer than it should have, not to mention the frustration and headache it caused.

One of the main differences on European keyboards is the location and method of use of the @ symbol. In the U.S., it is located above the 2 and only holding shift is needed. Click here to see a German keyboard. The @ is located on the Q key and holding shift only makes the Q bigger, not making an @ at all. The ‘Alt Gr’ key next to the space bar makes the @ symbol work. Krystin remembers staying at a host home in Germany and feeling like an idiot for 45 minutes while trying to type a message to her friends and family before finally having to break down and ask how the keyboard worked. This brings up a good point, which is if all else fails, ask the person in charge.

Skype, a popular worldwide video chatting system, is one of the best ways to call home. Many internet cafés offer this service if they have webcams and headsets attached to each computer station. Skype is a free program to download (although the café will likely have this already) from www.skype.com, which makes international calling cheap. Also, all Skype-to-Skype calls made on the computer are free (after paying the café to use the computer). You can also buy Skype credit which allows you to use the internet to call landlines and cell phones. The call prices vary but once the call is answered, the screen will show you the current rate being charged.

As an alternative, many internet cafés have calling booths to make international calls for a very affordable price. Be sure to check that you are getting a good rate before making a call; to phone the States from anywhere in Europe should usually cost around 5 to 15 cents a minute.

Now that you have the skinny about using the internet abroad, here are some last-minute tips to remember:
-Some internet cafés ask for money up front and the computer will have a countdown timer on the monitor. Others will have a timer on the computer and you pay when you are finished for how much time you have used.
-Be sure to log out of all sites that require a username and password.
-Clear the history when you are finished using the computer to ensure no passwords are recorded by the computer.

The Role Weather Plays

2010-04-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

When should I travel? I have summer free and plenty of time... but it's peak season so places will be crowded and hostels full, not to mention it will be hot and sweaty. Christmas break is nice because places won't be crowded... but will every place be open in the off-season? Spring break and Thanksgiving sound good... but might be too short for a visit overseas. So when do I travel? Not to mention - what will the temperature be like where I want to go at that time of year?

It’s not easy picking the time of year to travel and there is no right answer. We’ve taken trips in March, May, December and September. This decision completely depends on your climate preferences, what countries you plan to visit and what time of year you have free.

Weather is obviously a major determining factor in worldwide travel. We trust The Weather Channel or www.weather.com. You can find the forecast for anywhere, from anywhere. Weather.com also has great information for trip planning including temperature and precipitation charts to see yearly averages. Towns included in the yearly averages are:
Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Munich, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

You can also use Weather.com while you are traveling. Many hostels have free internet or you will be stopping at cafes from time to time, so check the weather a day or two out to plan when it’s best to spend the day on a train, in a museum or hiking.

Our favorite travel times of the year for Europe is any time between late March through May or September into early October. These times of year are not considered peak season, so some hostels and attractions have cheaper fares and more availability of rooms (especially for large groups). The seasons are also changing during this time of year, so days aren’t too hot and nights aren't too cold... depending on where you’re going, of course. For instance, Edinburgh currently has highs of only 50 degrees and rain is predicted over the next week while Sardinia has 70-degree days and 50-degree nights. During the springtime, it might be best to move north as you travel; during autumn, go in the opposite direction.

While in Europe, degrees will be in Celsius – C, and we never paid attention in high school to do the mathematical conversion properly to find the Fahrenheit equivalent so we’ll let you in on a little secret Scott's grandfather taught him: when converting C into F, take the C number, double it and add 30.

We’ll slow it down. If the newspaper in Zurich says the daily high is 20C, double it (40) and add 30, and you will get 70F. 20 x 2 + 30 = 70. Now this is not the exact number, which is more like 68, but close enough to know weather a t-shirt or sweater is appropriate.

This conversion works the other way as well when trying to tell a European the average temperature in your hometown. This time, work backward. Subtract 30 from the Fahrenheit number and then cut it in half. If the temperature you’re trying to convert is 90F, 90-30 = 60, then 60/2 equals 30C.

Easy, right? We’re sure everyone has that app in his or her cell phone already, but now you’re way ahead when the battery dies! Or when you have your phone turned off and hidden inside your backpack, which is the best way to experience Europe - no matter what the weather!

Hometown Series: Miami, Florida

2010-03-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

Forget about what you've seen on TV from Dexter and CSI; Red Wine follower Celia would like to give you some insight into her Miami in the second of our Hometown Series.

"Bienvenidos a Miami (Welcome to Miami)! Most people who visit our metropolis refuse to label Miami as part of the "south," rather, they accept it as just the capital of all of Central and South America (with an American twist)!

Although you are still in North America, an English to Spanish translator or book will become incredibly useful, especially when you embark on getting to know the "real Miami," rather than just the tourist section. The majority of restaurants and locales will initially greet you in English, but be warned: some businesses do not require for the box "speaker of English" to be checked off on their job applications. Plus, you will find that the best service is sometimes given to those who attempt to speak Spanish (as in, you will hear stories of the "old country," and laugh until morning over an authentic "cortadito" [shot of Cuban coffee]).

After visiting the "touristy" locations of South Beach (pictured above), North Miami Beach... and, well, the beach in general, rent a car (a necessity in Miami. DO NOT rely on public transportation) and drive to Coral Gables Miami's little "Spanish Colony." You will drive through rows and rows of gorgeous trees and houses that have an antique yet affluent feel to them. While there, visit "The Church of the Little Flower", Miami's number one wedding location. It does not compare to any of the beautiful churches in Europe, however, it's as close as you will get. If you time your visit right(on the weekends), you will be rewarded with the chance to witness one of a myriad of elegant weddings that takes place weekly.

A few blocks down is The Biltmore Hotel. A historical site, it is one of the most breathtaking hotels in Miami. Take a tour through the immense lobbies (where lovebirds chirp and sing in colossal cages), try to get the elevator to stop on the forbidden and "haunted" 13th floor (come on, I dare you!), or just sip a cup of tea and nibble on some sandwiches while a Spanish guitarist serenades you into a "siesta." Overall, the Biltmore boasts beautiful views, a large golf course, a gigantic pool (one of the largest in the U.S.) and THE BEST brunch in Miami (a tad pricey, but well worth it).

Also in Coral Gables, you will find Miracle Mile, which is made up of two things: wedding boutiques and exquisite restaurants/bars. Try John Martin's, an Irish pub, or Ortanique's, a new-age Latin restaurant with the freshest and most scrumptious mango salad you will ever taste.

For the true Hispanic experience, travel down to "Calle Ocho" (Southwest 8th street) and get a feel for the real Spanish influence in Miami. You will pass by dozens of Cuban bakeries and restaurants that serve Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian, Nicaraguan, Mexican, Argentinean, Dominican and countless other cuisine.(Please do not insult anyone by assuming that all Hispanic dishes are the same. Each restaurant brings individual textures, tastes and spices to the plate). Stop by any bakery and order "una tostada con cafe con leche" (coffee and toast) to get the most authentic and delicious Cuban breakfast, and you might even witness the typical old men smoking their cigars and playing dominoes on the street! For the true connoisseur, find any Cuban restaurant (like Islas Canarias, La Carreta, Havana Miami, El Rinconcito) and order such dishes as the "Ropa Vieja" (literal translation: "old clothes," but it's actually a delicious shredded beef with rice and beans), "Bistec Empanizado" (breaded beef), or my personal favorite: "Vaca Frita" (seared/toasted beef with a plethora of lime and grilled onions).

As for museums and parks, Miami boasts beautiful agriculture and landscapes at Fairchild Gardens (home to countless of lakes and orchids), Vizcaya, Parrot Jungle Island (a zoo that includes a quaint Japanese garden), Museum of Science, The Children's Museum and much more. Tropical Park is also a beautiful place to have a picnic (the weather here is marvelous year round) surrounded by a myriad of palm trees and, in the Christmas season, it is home to "Santa's Enchanted Forrest," the closest Miami will get to a winter wonderland.

If you favor shopping, you will literally shop-til-you-drop at the countless malls Miami offers, including The Falls (an outside mall with ponds and topiaries), Dadeland, Merrick Park, Sunset Place, International Mall, Dolphin Mall and Bal-Harbor (for those who have money or would just like to rub elbows with those who do).

When the sun sets in Miami, there are parties until dawn just about everywhere. If you enjoy the bar scene, return to Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, or even Coconut Grove, where you can drink and bar hop to the tune of local bands and the bay's breeze. Head on over to the Design District for unique and eccentric clubs, or drive down to South Beach for the TRUE Miami party experience... but be warned! Since this is a major tourist hub, you will definitely be overcharged.

At the end of the day, visiting Miami is truly like visiting a foreign country without the need to show your passport (if you're a U.S. citizen, of course). The people, nightlife, sights, smells and culture will make you wish you would never leave."

Red Wine would simply like to add that if you have a rental car already, it's worth it to take a drive out I90/41, or "Alligator Alley." This two-lane road is littered with gators on both sides as you drive through the Everglades. Scott even helped a 50-pound alligator snapping turtle cross the road last time he visited. There are many places to stop and see gator farms, take an air boat ride or stop and get too close to wild alligators.

Thanks to Celia for submitting her story about Miami and if anyone else would like to contribute advice about their town anywhere in the world in our Hometown Series, we would love to hear from you. Please email information to redwinehelpsyousleepontrains@yahoo.com.

Seat Reservations on European Trains

2010-03-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

We would like to address a question we received from a Red Wine follower that we thought might be helpful for many other followers planning their train journeys abroad.

The question: "The girl with who I will make the inter-rail trip and I have just found out that we need to make a reservation for a lot of national trains. Now, this is a huge bummer because we thought that you could just go anywhere national. It is also a lot harder to plan the journey, but we see it as a challenge. Now is my question for you: how did you book the national and international trains? Which Web site did you use?"

The answer: When we traveled we only needed reservations on night trains and express trains, and we never used the express ones because they were too expensive. Night trains are great because you can get from one town to another and not waste precious daylight. The easiest way to get a reservation takes very little planning.

Most travel groups make a semi-vague or very in-depth list of towns and length of stay in each.

Let's pretend that part of your journey is to Hannover for two days, Berlin for three days and then on a night train to Prague. Most day trains do not need reservations, so just hop on any train as long as it is not an express train and when the conductor comes around, show him your rail pass and all should be fine.

When you arrive in Berlin, go straight to the ticket window and hopefully you have an idea of train times to Prague that you procured either by using the hard copy train timetable Eurail offers or getting one online - OBB (which is sometimes hard to follow but very in-depth – it’s Austrian). You can use this site to download and print PDF timetables from pretty much any city.
www.raileurope.com is very easy and user-friendly, but it doesn’t give all train line advice so I would cross reference with OBB to make sure you’re getting on the correct, reservation-free train.

Ask the ticket agent if the train you want needs a reservation and how much it costs. Most reservations on local non-express trains will cost around $10-15, but can be up to $30 on some longer international or night trains. Now you’ll have a seat on the train and you don’t have to worry about coming back to the station until your train leaves in three days. Or if you find out bad news that all trains are full or reservations cost too much, you have three days in Berlin to decide the next step and perhaps decide to make it to Prague by stopping in smaller towns on the way.

It seems like more and more that express trains are being used, especially the TGV in France and the ICE in Germany. If you look at the PDF Eurail timetable there are eight boxes across: departure time, days the train runs, train line*, transfer stations, transfer times, transfer train line*, and arrival time. There is also a PDF that explains how to read the timetable.

*If in the train line box you see TGV, ICE, THA, ESI, AVI, AVE or anything similar, it means it is an express train and reservations and more money will be needed. The $10-15 will not cover these! These are not covered on the railpass and a separate full price ticket will need to be purchased. Depending on the line, a discount might be offered, but don’t always count on it.

The Eurail timetable only lists a few of the trains and it seems that most of the ones offered in the book are express trains. If you look up on the timetable from Reims – Paris, there are 12 trains that are all TGV. If you go to OBB and check the same for April 21, there are 13 and three (morning, afternoon, evening) are NOT express and will be covered on your railpass. The journey takes an hour longer, but it is well worth not paying the express train fee.

To avoid express trains and reservations, try not to think of your journey as one major city to another. Paris to Berlin, Berlin to Zurich, Zurich to Rome, Rome to Barcelona, etc... It is much easier to use the local regional trains when stopping in places on your way to the larger cities and this also means trains trips are only a few hours at a time instead of long 13-hour trips that can be a little difficult. Avoiding express trains is much easier if you have a month or more to travel. For those with only a week or two, you might need to take some express trains to save time.

I called www.raileurope.com and asked a couple reservation questions and I was told all trains in Spain need a reservation. Italian trains between major cities like Rome, Naples, Venice, Florence and Milan also need reservations. Look at the train number on the OBB Web site. If it is a 9000 number, it will need a reservation. So instead of going straight from Rome to Florence, go from Rome to Perugia and Perugia to Florence with no reservation required. The agent I spoke to basically said it is easiest to ask at the local ticket counter about reservations. You can call Rail Europe and speak with someone to get a better idea, but it seems that every country is different and some countries base reservations on the time of day the train runs. For instance, not all ICE trains in Germany need reservations, but long distance or rush hour ones do.

We know planning train trips can be stressful and it is difficult to get it together. And with the U.S. being a fairly train-free culture (except the very poor Amtrak system), the idea of using only trains as transport in countries that don’t speak English is daunting and scary. You need to come to terms with the fact that you might miss at least one train and a connection or two. It might not hurt to hang out a little longer than required at a train station and people-watch early in your journey; read the departure boards to see if you get the hang of connections, platform locations, arrival and departure times.

Please let us know if you have any more questions. Below is word-for-word page from the Eurail web site and they mention that most regional trains do NOT need reservations.

Do I need reservations?

There are basically three types of trains:
• Trains without reservations: local and regional trains generally require no reservations.
• Trains with optional reservations: you can make a reservation if you want to be assured of a seat, but it is not necessary
• Trains with obligatory reservations: Reservations are required for many high-speed trains such as the Thalys and for overnight trains.
To check if a train requires a reservation, check an online timetable, it will indicate reservation requirements with a 'R' symbol or a sentence like 'Subject to compulsory reservation'. If in doubt, ask at a ticket window at the station before boarding to avoid paying a higher price on the train or even getting a fine.
In the section on Train Reservations you can find an overview of reservation fees and advice on how to make reservations.
Often you can avoid compulsory reservations by taking an alternative (slower) route. See the FAQ How to avoid train reservations.

Three Sheets with Zane Lamprey

2010-03-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

We all love Anthony Bordain and Samantha Brown, but for those of you bored with many of the travel programs out there where the hosts stay in the priciest of accommodations and then tend to complain about how difficult life is, we have the perfect show for you. Three Sheets is hosted by comedian Zane Lamprey and follows him as he travels around the world learning the local drinking cultures. Yes, he is paid to travel and drink in the coolest places on Earth.

Three Sheets is currently in its fourth season. We know we should have let you in on this treasure of a show sooner but all previous episodes can still be watched here. The current season airs on the Fine Living Network, which can almost only be found on satellite or one of those extreme cable packages so watching it online or buying the DVDs seems to be the best option.

The best part about the show is that it is interactive. Unlike most travel shows where you simply sit on the sofa and watch someone talk about the culture and drinking, Zane has made the show into a drinking game. In the first episode he assures the audience it is “not a drinking game, so keep that in mind. That being said, if it were a drinking game, the rules would go something like this: When I drink, you drink. The first person to see a monkey like this one gets to make someone else drink. And when I talk about a friend of mine, it’s a social.” Then Zane immediately takes a huge swig of beer for the audience’s first participation in the game. A few more rules are added in later seasons and it’s always fun to make your own as you go along.

Zane doesn’t only drink; if he did, the show may get a little too sloppy. Instead, he gives you some history, fun facts about the local culture and details about how the local brews are made, many times helping out in the process. He also visits local bars (of course) and restaurants, and on each trip he tries out the local hangover remedy like bathing in beer in Prague, eating sausage and pretzels in Munich or just some traditional "hair of the dog" remedies in many cities.

A few of the countries Zane visits are Mexico, Wales, Ireland, France, Belgium, Belize, Jamaica, Philippines, South Korea, Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Venice, Taipei, Costa Rica, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Japan... and even Scott's home state of Kentucky for some bourbon... and streaking!

Zane is also hitting the road for his "DRINKING MADE EASY" comedy tour stopping in about 40 cities across the country (including Hawaii). And if that isn’t enough Zane for you, he’s got a new book out; "THREE SHEETS: 6 CONTINENTS, 15 COUNTRIES, 190 DRINKS AND 1 MEAN HANGOVER" (published by Random House)! And, as you can imagine, it's a drink-along book.

Hometown Series: Louisville, Kentucky

2010-03-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

We would like to start a new Hometown Series to give our Red Wine followers the opportunity to give some advice about the town you grew up in or where you currently live. The travelers you meet along the way and have experienced a destination or lived there for years always give the best travel advice. You’ll find restaurants, galleries, shops, clubs, bars and parks that are not even given the time of day in mainstream travel books.

Scott is going to start off the Hometown Series by telling you the best places in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

For anyone not familiar with Kentucky, Louisville is on the Ohio River and borders Indiana. It’s known as the Bluegrass State and Kentucky Fried Chicken really is from this great state, along with Papa John’s Pizza, the Kentucky Derby, Abraham Lincoln, bourbon and nine NCAA basketball championships.

The most unique part of Louisville is an area of Bardstown Road in the Highlands which is filled with great independent restaurants, music shops, art stores, bars and eclectic vintage clothing boutiques. The stretch is about three miles long and very walkable, but there is a great bus system called TARC (Transit Authority of River City) that runs throughout the city and provides an easy method to get from Bardstown Road to the downtown area.

For restaurants to check out in this area, I’d recommend Wick’s or Bearno’s for pizza. Both are great and very different. Bearno’s cuts their pizza into squares on a thin crust and has amazing sausage, while Wick’s huge pizza has a ridiculously thick crust and a locale with more of a bar atmosphere.

For a really strange and delicious sit-down meal, Lynn’s Paradise Café is the place to spend some time. Mannequin legs protrude from the walls, table lamps hang upside down above booths, 1950's style tables are littered with mismatched chairs... and that’s after you’ve been outside in the massive teepee-shaped waiting room/shop that sits next to a giant coffee cup and brightly painted cows. The food is delicious, but slightly overpriced due to the distinct atmosphere. If nothing else, look around the equally zany gift shop that has items you could pour over for days and find numerous photo opportunities outside with painted cutouts to pop you face through.

If you’re in the mood for a pint, Molly Malone’s Irish pub has a great outdoor beer garden, plenty of good beer and Irish music.

Downtown Louisville is small enough to walk around easily and very safe, even at night. 4th Street is the best place to find a club with a mixture of music venues from country, rock and contemporary dance music. There’s even an upscale, modernized bowling alley that is unlike any other I have ever seen. Just be aware that all these clubs and fun spots aren’t cheap.

During the day, check out The Louisville Slugger factory, the Muhammad Ali Museum, the Museum Hotel which is an art gallery and a place to stay for a few nights. My favorite part is the two-way mirror in the men’s bathroom that is above the urinals and allows those doing their business to look out into the lobby. The Belle of Louisville, a 100-year old paddle wheel steam boat is docked on the river next to a very nice riverfront park which is a good place for a picnic. A short walk down the river is the Louisville Skate Park which is one of the nicest in the country and a great place to watch some extreme action if you’re not into falling off a skateboard yourself. It has 40,000 square feet of outdoor concrete skating surface including a full pipe, wooden vert ramp and restrooms.

If you’re into theatre, check out Actor’s Theatre which has a mix of contemporary and classic plays and a new play festival in early spring.

The best time of year for Louisville is during the Kentucky Derby Festival, which runs for two weeks up to The Kentucky Derby, the first Saturday in May. The festival is kick-started by Thunder Over Louisville, America’s largest annual fireworks display utilizing multiple barges, a bridge that crosses the river creating a waterfall of fire and sparks and many howitzers of the Kentucky National Guard. Every day during these two weeks is a celebration with events including a mini-marathon, art fairs, car shows, food cook-offs, balloon, steamboat and bed races and an event called The Run for the Rosé – a race where local waiters and waitresses run an obstacle course carrying a tray of full wine glasses - all leading up to the Kentucky Derby. If you can’t go to the Derby, Churchill Downs is open for horse racing most of the year, and a newly renovated museum opens in April.

This city of roughly 700,000 is packed with history, tradition, culture, music, entertainment and shouldn’t be missed on any road trip.

Now it’s your turn to be a travel writer; type a short article about your hometown and what shouldn’t be missed during a few days in your city, town or village and send it to redwinehelpsyousleepontrains@yahoo.com.

Traveling by Train in Italy with Trenitalia

2010-03-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

One of our followers is about to embark on a trip to Italy and came up with a very interesting question we thought some of you may also come across.

The question: "Ry and I are leaving for Italy in five weeks and are so pumped. I think we have everything figured out, but I am a little confused about the train. Have you guys used Trenitalia? If so, did you use the Trenitalia pass? It obviously seems like the best option for the amount of traveling we are doing, but I don't know much about it. I think the thing I'm most concerned about is getting from Rome to Milan to make a flight early in the morning. Do you think it's safe to buy a train ticket there, or purchase it ahead of time?

The answer: For the Trenitalia pass, are you using Eurail or RailEurope? These two are pretty much equally priced and seem like the best deal. We have used Eurail twice and loved it. We had an unlimited pass, but the one where you purchase a certain amount of days would also be good.

A little tip on the pass where you have a certain number of travel days: Use your days for long distances and maybe just buy a separate ticket for a day trip. For instance, if you’re spending five days in Florence but on one of them you want to go to a small town about 30 minutes away that has a ton of wineries, buy that ticket because it should only be about $10-20 per person and then use the travel days for the two-hour trip from Rome to Florence that would cost a lot more on its own. Or if you go to Cinque Terre (one of our favorite places on the coast), there are five towns connected by train and it's only a few Euro to buy a day pass between the five instead of using up a day of your Eurail pass. I wouldn’t get carried away with this, but it might save some money by buying a pass with a few less days if you need to.

As for the train from Rome to Milan and an early morning flight that you mentioned: How early is early? I saw on the Rail Europe Web site that the train takes three and a half hours.

The Malpensa Express departs from Terminal 1 for Milan's Cadorna Rail Station every 30 minutes. It also stops at Milan Bovisa and Saronno stations. First train departs Malpensa at 06.45, the last train departs 21.45. Journey time is around 40 minutes.
• Fare: EUR 9.00 one-way. Same day return is EUR 12.00, open return EUR 14.50.
The Malpensa Express information line is 02 20222.
There are also rail links from Malpensa airport to Milan Central and Milan Garibaldi Stations via Gallarate. A local shuttle bus connects the airport with Gallarate Rail Station every hour.
• Shuttle bus fare: From Terminal 1 EUR 1.30, Terminal 2 EUR 1.05.
To Milan Central trains depart Gallarate from 05.54 until 23.24.
To Milan Garibaldi trains depart Gallarate from 05.30 until 23.00.
The State Rail Information number is 848 880.

So add another 40 minutes to your travel time, plus the normal two hours you "should" arrive before takeoff. That means you should be leaving Rome six hours and 10 minutes before your flight leaves; even a noon flight means you’re leaving Rome before 6 a.m.

Our advice (and we’ve done it many times before) is to get to Milan the night before and sleep in the airport. (Make sure it is open 24 hours before doing so.) Every airport has canceled flights or people waiting for family to arrive so it isn’t odd for people to be there at all hours. Take ear plugs and an eye mask and be prepared for a bad night’s rest, but you won’t miss your flight. www.sleepinginairports.net

If you’re going the night before, I would probably use my rail pass because you’ve given yourself extra hours to spare if something were to happen. If you’re going in the morning, I’d buy that ticket ahead of time so it doesn’t sell out, especially if it is during rush hour times or near the weekend.

For a video that shows the inside of one Trenitalia train check out this video, but remember that all trains are different.

A Trenitalia train. Graffiti in, on, or around trains in most countries is very common.

How To Plan for a Long Backpacking Journey

2010-03-03T13:03:00.000-08:00

We recently received another great question from a reader that we want to address for our general readership.

The question: "Hi, my buddy and I are about to embark on a 3-4 month backpack of Europe. We would like to travel by train but don't know which pass to buy. Any suggestions??"

The answer: Eurail has a three-month pass you could look into. Make sure to look at the “saver” prices if you are older than 25 and you and your buddy always plan to be together. With the saver, if two or more people purchase the pass together, you can save about 15 percent of the cost.

The best thing to do in your situation is to go to countries that don’t use the rail pass during the beginning and end of your journey. For instance, lets say you decide to do a four-month trip. Buy the three-month pass (it is only $254 more than the two-month) and fly to England first since the Eurail pass does not cover the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Travel around for two or three weeks and see London, Bath, Stonehenge, Glastonbury festival, Edinburgh, The Loch Ness Monster, Newcastle and catch a rugby match or two. Then fly (check out the great deals at www.ryanair.com) to Barcelona or any other city you might like to spend a few days in. (Sidenote: Flight on Ryanair from London to Barcelona on April 22 is $46 per person one way, which includes one checked bag.)

After you are finished with that town and you’re ready to move on, take the train to the next destination and get the rail pass validated. You have now been traveling for nearly three weeks and the pass has just started the three-month run. Then at the end of your journey, end up near an area that is not on the pass or in a city you’d like to relax and spend a week in. Now you have been traveling for four months and only needed to buy the three-month pass.

We did the math on purchasing a one-month global pass and then buying a 10-day, three-country pass, but it works out better to just buy the three-month pass if you’re going to be there for that long.

For travel in Great Britain, look into buying a young person's railcard, which saves about one third off each train ticket and also look into www.megabus.com. Riding a bus sucks, but it can be about $3-5 from one city to the next.

For more information on rail cards, visit http://www.redwinehelpsyousleepontrains.com/2009/11/travel-in-uk-young-persons-railcard.html

Anyone for Bruges? Belgium, That Is.

2010-02-25T04:54:00.000-08:00

If you love beer, the best place in the world to try some new brews is Belgium. There are more than 125 breweries in a country smaller than the state of South Carolina with roughly 800 standard beers. If you include seasonal and one-offs, that number jumps to 8,700.

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is similar to any other large European metropolitan city. While it definitely possesses some charm, a smaller town like Bruges is more our speed. Bruges is a perfect place to rent bikes and see a lot in a short amount of time. Bikes range from $10-20 per day and can be picked up all over town.

There is a bike and walking loop around the old part of town that takes you through parks, old moats and drawbridges that protected the city, windmills and plenty of pubs. The coast is also only about ten miles away along a canal which connects Bruges to Zeebrugge, a village on Belgium’s coast.

Our favorite pub in town is Brugs Beertje (www.brugsbeertje.be) which has more than 300 Belgian beers to choose from in a menu that resembles a karaoke book. One of Scott’s favorites is Delirium Nocturnum, which is characterized by a pink elephant on the label. (We assume this mascot was chosen due to the fact that this extremely strong drink nearly made Scott see elephants on our walk back to the hostel after a few of these.)

Drinking in a small place like Brugs Beertje provides a great experience because nearly all the beers have different glasses—many resembling wine or cognac glasses—and are poured by the bartender since each has a particular way to flow into the glass and settle. We never knew beer could be this in depth and delicious at the same time. But be aware of the alcohol content, as many range from 7-13%. (This will be listed in the karaoke book.)

Fruit beer is great for people like Krystin who don’t like the taste of beer but want to try something new. Fruit beers abroad are not like many “fruity beers” in the States, especially the holiday brews or citrus-flavored summer lagers that are actually normal beer made from hops and barley with fruit flavors added for a sometimes not very pleasant taste. The best Belgian fruit beers are made from fruit instead of hops to give the beer an entirely different, sweeter taste. Krystin hates beer, but drank the fruit kind all night in varieties from cherry, raspberry, banana, peach and blackcurrant.

Aside from the delicious beverages to be had in this quaint town, Bruges is simply an excellent place to slow down from a whirlwind trip and relax for a few days. Just sit in the main square watching the horse drawn carriages and listen to the church bells, or meander along the canals as you browse the wares of the local shops.

During your stay in Bruges, you may want to try a Belgian specialty: the waffle! Just make sure it is made fresh… and preferably has generous amounts of ice cream, whipped cream and fruit. Don’t settle for one from a vendor that is premade. Belgium is also known for its French fries; they did invent them, after all. Vendors will sell them to take away in white paper cones with small forks. Mayonnaise is the topping of choice, but ketchup should also be on hand. Just ask for “frites” (pronounced “freets”), and you will be one satisfied—and well-nourished—traveler.

Happy Birthday, Red Wine!

2010-02-25T04:46:00.000-08:00

Red Wine Helps You Sleep on Trains has celebrated its first birthday. Our first videos were uploaded in February 2009 and since that time we have received more than 20,000 views. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Red Wine and we hope we have helped you with your future travels.

Please keep asking questions, sending comments and posting photos to Flickr. We hope that this year will be even more successful than the last.

Cheers!

Scott and Krystin Dean

Take in the Alps (and Much More) in Interlaken, Switzerland

2010-02-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

When it comes to picturesque European villages, Interlaken, Switzerland, is one of our all-time favorites, which may be due to the fact that it provides breathtaking 360-degree views of the Alps.

There are many free hikes to take in order to view this stunning panorama of the Jungfrau region of mountains. We took a hike suggested by our hostel that took us to the top of Harder Kulm, which looks down upon Interlaken and out toward the mountains. (You can also ride a funicular to the top if you’re short on time or short of breathe for $14 to the top or $22 round trip.) The walk, which takes around three hours, is fairly steep the entire way so make sure to bring along a snack or meal and plenty of water for each person. Also, take plenty of breaks and enjoy the views on the way up; it is very easy to get caught up in the goal of getting to the top but it’s important to look around you on the way. Nestled at the top of Harder Kulm is a restaurant and gift shop to enjoy a coffee or beer before the hike back down. We took our lunch along to avoid paying for food and enjoyed a lovely picnic before taking loads of photos and making our way back down. (We think it worth mentioning that walking down a steep mountain can be hell on your shins and calves, so it is best to take your time.)

Hostels in Interlaken mix young energy with rustic outdoorsy spirit to create a social environment focused on reveling in the beauty of the outdoors. The two most well-known hostels in Interlaken are Funny Farm (www.funny-farm.ch/) and Balmer’s Herberge (www.balmers.com). We’ve stayed in the latter twice and had great experiences both times. There is a decent-sized kitchen, games room, night club, nourishing free breakfast, extensive outdoor seating, and a desk to book adventure sports. The rooms are very affordable, running around $28 for a dorm-style room and in the $30 range for private rooms. While we haven’t stayed at Funny Farm, we have heard nothing but good reviews from fellow backpackers. The hostel has loads of perks, including a pool area, bar and nightclub, and nightly bonfire. Both of these hostels are located within walking distance from the train station with a great market just around the corner (although we will warn you that food is not the cheapest in this area due to its remote location).

When creating your budget, Interlaken may be a place where you will want to spend some cash if you love extreme sports. The sky above the village is always littered with skydivers, hang gliders, and paragliders. Other potential outdoor activities include ice climbing, rafting, canyoning (basically like rafting without a boat), skiing, sledding, mountain biking, and snowboarding, which can be arranged through www.outdoor-interlaken.ch among many other companies. These activities aren’t cheap, and we haven’t forked over the money to do any of them… yet. But a guy we met at Balmer’s said nothing beats falling into the Alps, and we believe him. If you aren’t as amped about falling from a plane but would still love the views, helicopter and airplane rides are also available.

An inexpensive excursion to get some adrenaline going while keeping your feet on the ground and staying (somewhat) dry is a hike to Trummelbach Falls, the only glacial waterfalls in Europe that can be viewed from inside a mountain. Steps carved from the mountain that hang out over raging water that is only inches away with barely a handrail to hold onto is an amazing way to view 10 glacial falls melting from Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Take your raincoat because the force of the water sprays mist through the caverns and the temperature drops dramatically. You can walk eight miles from Interlaken or take a train to Lauterbrunnen to get to the falls. A bus can take you from the station to the entrance of the falls, but a pleasant, scenic walk along the river among the mountains is free. The falls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site so there is a $12 fee, but it is well worth the money.

Many people take the train to “The Top of Europe” (www.jungfraubahn.ch), which is the continent’s highest railway station that offers amazing panoramic views. The location houses a restaurant, hikes onto the glaciers, and an ice palace. The day-long journey to the top is expensive--around $200 for a return ticket. We only suggest paying this large sum if you have dreamt of seeing the Alps more than any other place in the world.

Some other interesting Interlaken tidbits….

- There are 2 train stations, Interlaken West and Ost, so make sure you get off at the right one when heading to your hostel of choice.

- Switzerland’s currency is the Swiss Franc. Currently, one Franc is equivalent to $.96 according to www.xe.com.

- The Jungfrau railway trains, gondolas, and funiculars are not included on the Eurail pass, so be prepared to pay extra for those modes of transportation.

- There is a Hooters restaurant in Interlaken. There is no real point for mentioning this fact; we just thought it was funny.

iPod® Tours

2010-01-30T10:31:00.000-08:00

Let us begin by saying that we love technology. Scott loves using his MacBook whenever possible and Krystin tends to hyperventilate if she realizes her iPod isn’t charged when she wants to go to the gym. However, we are very, very anti-technology when it comes to taking iPods®, iPhones®, iTouches® or other expensive cellular or MP3 devices to Europe.

We have our reasons for this blatant prejudice:
1. They can get lost.
2. They can get broken.
3. They can get stolen.

If these three reasons weren’t enough to deter you, we have more:
4. You are constantly having to charge or change batteries in hostel rooms with few to no plugs available.
5. There are way better things to do in Europe than update your Facebook status or text someone. Also, both of these things require looking down at a screen when your eyes should be roaming around the city instead.
6. Listening to the sounds of the cities and their languages is much better than listening to Lady Gaga, no matter how awesome “Paparazzi” is.

We could go on and on. But we know that despite all of these valid reasons to leave the gadgets at home, many of you will simply refuse to be separated from your MP3 player. Since we cannot persuade you to leave them behind, we will at least tell you some ways to put them to good use while you are abroad.

The Web site, www.apple.com/ipod/tours, offers many free downloadable audio and video tours that go above and beyond the tiny sign on the wall next to the painting by providing in-depth history and fun facts about works of art, specific galleries, or entire rooms at the touch of a button. Information can be skipped, fast-forwarded, or rewound at your own pace.

If you don’t see the museum or attraction you’re visiting on the iPod Web site, it doesn’t mean they don’t offer one. Try checking the Web site of the attraction you’ll be visiting to see if they offer one for free or a small fee. Some attractions let you download the audio tour on site instead of doing it at home.

Another Web site to download free walks and tours is www.iaudioguide.com which has over 50 world cities and links to other sites that offer tours like the BBC. Two pay sites you may want to check out are www.tourcaster.com and www.walki-talki.com, which provide walking tours for spots all over the world. Some have previews so you know what you’re getting into before you buy. However, these sites can charge a pretty penny for short tours - $10 to $25 for an hour or two. We suggest reading up on the locales beforehand or asking locals about the places you visit to save some dough.

Another productive way to use your MP3 player while backpacking is to learn a language while traveling or before you leave. There are many programs on CDs that you can burn to your player and take with you to brush up on a language. Check your local or school library to see if they have some that you can take advantage of for free.

Finally, if you simply insist on using your iPod for musical purposes while roaming around Europe, we suggest researching some of the popular artists in major cities and downloading some of their songs beforehand. That way, even if you are shutting yourself off from the unique sounds of the city, you can still get a feel for the culture through the music.

Make Each Day Count

2010-01-19T19:37:00.000-08:00

The first time I backpacked Europe my travel buddy and I saw everything at the speed of light and took little time to hang out in towns longer than a single night. We wanted to see as much as possible because we both had the mindset we would be back one day and know where we would want to visit again. I think our grand total of cities visited was 34 in 32 days. When it was all over, I felt like I needed a vacation after my vacation. But I wouldn’t have changed anything about that trip.

This method of seeing Europe is not for everyone, but for those of you who have a limited amount of time to spend overseas or happen to enjoy speaking a new language every other day, I highly recommend it. Some smaller towns will require only a single day to see the main sights before heading back to the station for an overnight train to the next destination. Most cities will need more time to truly savor each landmark, although you will be shocked by how familiar you can get with a city in just a few days.

Many people wonder how long they should stay in each city, and the truth is that there is no right answer because it depends on what each backpacker wants to see. I lived in England for two years and I still didn’t experience everything the cities I lived in had to offer. Every day will bring a new adventure regardless how long you stay in a place. A stay of more than a day will bring a couple things – familiarity with the area, more chances to meet locals and other travelers, and the opportunity to learn more about the language, food, and culture.

When deciding how long to stay in each city, think about the sights you want to see. For instance, if you want to visit the Louvre in Paris you will need to budget half a day if you want to take in even a quarter of the beauty that building houses. And that is only one of the sights Paris has to offer. Another aspect to consider is how large a city is. London not only has loads of places to visit but is spread out and requires public transportation, which means it will take more time to get from place to place.

It is also important to budget a few days for relaxation to make sure you aren’t spending every day running from tourist attraction to tourist attraction. We chose some of the most beautiful cities in Europe like Interlaken, Switzerland, and Cinque Terre, Italy, to hike and sunbath and not worry about what time it was. Once you have been going nonstop for a week, or two you will be so happy to recharge your batteries and slow things down for a bit.

Before you make the trip across the pond, sit down with all the people in your group and make a list of all the cities and villages everyone wants to see, including the sights that you deem crucial to visit. Find out what pace everyone feels comfortable with and how much relax time you want. It’s best to cover these items before you leave so that arguments don’t arise when one person wants to spend five days at each stop while everyone else is bored by day two.

Hostelling International (HI) Hostels

2010-01-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

Hostelling International (HI) (http://www.hihostels.com) is the brand name of the non-profit International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) and more than 90 Youth Hostel Associations in 90 countries that operate 4,000 hostels around the globe. HI hostels can be easily recognized by a blue triangle sign.

Let’s get something straight first. Around 90 percent of all hostels in Europe do not require a membership card; however, HI hostels do. A membership card can be purchased from your nearest HI office in your home country, or from the first HI hostel you stay at for around $15.

We have only stayed in a couple HI hostels due to the membership card fee. If you do not purchase the card up front, it will cost around $3 or $4 extra per person for each night you stay. We make sure to only stay in HI hostels that have prices that are comparable to others in the city, even with this extra charge. For each night you pay the extra fee, you’ll be given a stamp on a card that holds six stamps. When the card is full, it is just like having purchased a card for $15, although purchasing the card for the initial fee up front saves around $3 to $5.

According to HI’s Web site, the main reason to become a member is to have access to safe, clean hostels. You may also receive discounted member prices in other hostels, discounts on activities, reduced admission to museums and cultural centers, savings in retail outlets, and reductions on some travel services. When we stayed in HI hostels, no one made us aware of these discounts so it behooves you to ask the reception staff what discounts you can get with the card.

HI hostels generally have the capacity to cater to large groups so they might be packed with people from school trips or tour groups when you’re there. Every HI is different so it is hard to categorize them – some have kitchens, some have lockouts, some have curfews, some offer free breakfast, some charge for bed linens.

It is important to be aware of HI hostels when you are booking rooms. The easiest thing to do may be to steer away from them in order to avoid paying extra for a membership card or an additional fee for each night’s stay. However, you may find that some smaller cities only have HI hostels, which means you will be paying the fee whether you want to or not.

No matter what kind of hostel you are staying at, here are some things to look for:
-Kitchen
-Free backpack storage
-No lockout (Some hostels lock their doors for a few hours during the day to clean and no entry is granted for a nap, meal, shower, or to grab something from your backpack during that time.)
-No curfew
-Free bed linen
-Co-ed or female-only rooms (depending on your group)
-Distance from train station

Hostel Tour in France

2009-12-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this short video tour of a hostel in Tours, France. This is one of very few affordable places to stay in the city center of Tours, a pleasant city located in the heart of the Loire Valley. This town is a great home base for day trips to the surrounding vineyards and chateaus or to take nice walks and bike rides along the Loire River.

Read about the hostel and view more photos at http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/9959-HI---Tours-Hostel

Be aware that this hostel, like some others in Europe, do not offer online reservations, but must instead be contacted by phone or e-mail to make a booking.

Red Wine's Christmas Gift

2009-12-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

We often get questions about when our book is going to be published, and we are happy to say that we are one step closer to that goal. The magic of the holiday season must have given us a little luck, because Santa brought Red Wine a book agent! We are currently signing a contract with Writers House Literary Agency in New York City. The search for an interested publisher will begin after the New Year. We will keep you posted on our progress and thank you so much for your support!

You can view information about our agency at http://writershouse.com/.

Book Update

2009-12-16T08:33:00.001-08:00

We have completed the book proposal this week after working on it for two months, and we are looking forward to moving forward with the process of getting the book published. In the meantime, please enjoy the first 20 pages of our recently revised first chapter that we have posted below. We look forward to all comments and questions. Happy reading!

Red Wine-Proposal for Blog

Red Wine Is On Facebook!

2009-12-11T17:59:00.000-08:00

Red Wine Helps You Sleep on Trains is now on Facebook! Become a fan of the page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Red-Wine-Helps-You-Sleep-on-Trains/188597554874 and become a member of a global community interested in backpacking and travel. Also, remember to subscribe to our blog at http://www.youtube.com/user/redwinehelpsyousleep to receive notifications of our latest videos.

Taking Cell Phones Abroad

2009-12-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

When it comes to taking electronic devices like your cell phone, MP3 player, or laptop abroad, we suggest leaving the gadgets at home in order to truly experience Europe. By using call centers and internet cafés located in all major cities, you can contact home cheaply and as often as you feel is necessary. We only suggest taking a cell phone if you are traveling for a long period of time and want to have it with you in case of an emergency, or if you are traveling in a group that plans on splitting up sometimes and want a way to contact each other. However, you will often find that cell phones add unnecessary costs to your trip and eat up money that could be used to pay for hostels or food.

Lisa from Denver, CO, shares her experience about taking a cell phone to Europe:

I really wanted to have a cell phone since I was just going with my one friend and it was both of our first times in Europe. I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect over there, so I wanted to be able to contact my friend. In case we got separated and only had one key to our room (which did happen once), I didn’t want to be stranded (which also happened once). I also wanted a phone in case I ran out of money (which I did) and needed to call my mom to send more (which she did, thankfully).

I ended up meeting a guy in Kilkenny, Ireland, and my friend went home early from the pub. She ended up not answering her phone to let me in. She shut it off - so it ended up not even helping when I actually needed it. I also wasted a ton of money by calling her 10 times trying to wake up her since it charged you a buck every single time you connect to voicemail.

My cell phone company gave me a big rundown on what things will cost, especially with my data plan (internet). I had to turn the data services off manually, and I had to keep my phone off as well because roaming charges were unreal. My phone company also told me I could get a new chip/phone in a European phone store when I got there that could work as a pay-as-you-go phone and plan. I opted not to do that though, mostly because I didn’t want to do all that extra work. I ended up just paying about $100 in extra charges which my mom paid most of as a gift to me because she wanted me to call her a few times to tell her about stuff.

Hunt for Holiday Sales On Backpacking Gear

2009-12-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

If you are planning on backpacking in 2010, Christmas is the perfect time to ask for travel gear like your backpack, travel towel, and toiletry case. If you don’t want to crowd your list to Santa with backpacking gear, you should still try to take advantage of the holiday sales both online and in stores. When it comes to outerwear, we decided to do the work for you. Listed below are some of the best online prices available when it comes to packable jackets and fleece that are ready for you to take advantage of.

Packable, wind, and rain resistant jackets have a pocket sewn inside that allows it to be easily packed and zipped into a lightweight, small pouch. When buying a jacket, look for one that is breathable so that if it is raining on a warm day, you can stay dry without feeling like you are standing in a sauna. You may prefer fleece outerwear, which is another good choice because it has the dual bonus of keeping you warm when wet and drying faster than cotton.

Men’s Patagonia Nine Trails Jacket
$50 (originally $100)
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Patagonia-Nine-Trails-Jacket-Mens/PAT0792M.html?CMP_ID=SH_FRO001&CMP_SKU=PAT0792&mv_pc=r126

Men’s Sierra Microlight Jacket
$33.56 (originally $41.95)
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sierra-Designs-Microlight-Jacket-Mens/SDS0335M.html

Men’s Cloudveil Zorro LT Jacket
$49.98-$64.98 (originally $124.95-$129.95)
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Cloudveil-Zorro-LT-Jacket-Mens/CLV0362M.html

Men’s Columbia Sportswear Cougar Peaks II Jacket
$29.99 (orginally $45)
http://www.beallsflorida.com/r/Columbia_Sportswear_Long_Sleeve_100_Nylon_Jackets_Casual_Zip/product?styleid=150689&

Men’s Columbia Steens Mountain Full-Zip Fleece Jacket
$29.95 (originally $45)
http://www.bergsskishop.com/columbia/fleece-jackets-p2006c2128.html

Women’s Helly Hansen Packable Jacket
$35.98 (originally $89.95)
http://www.moabsports.com/item.asp?pid=52184&Product=Helly%20Hansen%20Womens%20Packable%20Jacket&gdftrk=gdfV267_a_7c110_a_7c170_a_7c52184

Women’s Columbia Sportswear Cougar Flats Jacket
$22.36 (originally $45)
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseno=1656P&plp=Columbia_Sportswear_Couger_Flats_Jacket_-_Wind_Resistant_For_Women&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=Columbia_Sportswear_Couger_Flats_Jacket_-_Wind_Resistant_For_Women&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLEBASE9&codesProcessed=true

Women’s Columbia Sportswear Yamhill Wind Jacket
$31.56 (originally $70)
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/Product.aspx?baseno=1895U&plp=Columbia_Sportswear_Yamhill_Wind_Jacket_-_UPF_50_Recycled_Material_For_Women&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=Columbia_Sportswear_Yamhill_Wind_Jacket_-_UPF_50_Recycled_Material_For_Women&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLEBASE9&codesProcessed=true

Women’s Sierra Designs Vesper ¼ Zip Top Fleece Jacket
$22.48 (originally 44.95)
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Sierra-Designs-Vesper-1-4-Zip-Top-Long-Sleeve-Womens/SDS0348M.html

Women’s Marmot Flashpoint Hooded Fleece Jacket
$23.99 (originally $79.95)
http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/MAR0928/Marmot-Flashpoint-Hooded-Fleece-Jacket-Womens.html

How To Protect Your Backpack On Trains

2009-11-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

A great way to save some money is by sleeping on trains overnight, but it's hard to sleep when you're constantly thinking someone might walk off with your bag. Keeping your bag in the seat next to you so you can monitor it may seem like the best way to keep your backpack safe, but trains are often crowded to the point where every seat is taken.

Securing your bag to the overhead rack is the next best option, but some are too small so the racks near the doors must be used. This makes it convenient for someone to grab your backpack and run just before the train leaves a station unless your backpack is hard to move from the rack. Therefore, the best method to ward off thieves is to lock your backpack to the luggage rack with a simple bike chain.

The best place to sleep is in the six-person cabs that some trains offer which provides slightly more privacy and safety. However, these are not always available or can seem cramped if you are sitting inside one next to a family of four with a screaming baby. See our video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ3mLwQ-1DU.

These cabs have a sliding door and luggage racks above booth-style seats where backpacks can be secured. Just be aware of your surroundings and never leave valuables in your backpack! You will always be able to finish your trip as long as your money, passport, and camera are in your pockets... you may be slightly smelly, but you will finish nonetheless.

Find A Place To Crash.... For FREE!

2009-11-06T16:25:00.001-08:00

Become a Couch Surfer!!! And we don’t mean by taking your mother’s sofa into the ocean and seeing if it floats; we mean by visiting www.couchsurfing.org to become a member of one of the coolest ways to sleep around the world.

We’ve heard about couch surfing numerous times from travelers across the world, but never been in one place for long enough to try it myself yet. The idea is to become a member of the site and open your home to strangers who want to crash on your couch while taking advantage of this same arrangement all around the world. There are members in over 230 countries so a couch is never far away. For instance, there are 21,574 couches to choose from in Italy and 96 to crash on in Fiji.

We know the concept of inviting strangers into your home or crashing on the couch of someone you have never met might sound a bit weird and even a little creepy, but the Coach Surfer organization works diligently to check every single member out and monitor all surfers to ensure it is all safe and legit. Becoming a member is free, but you can upgrade to a “verified” member for a small donation to the organization ($25), which means couchsurfing.org keeps closer tabs on members since credit card info must be given. You’ll be able to see which members are verified for perhaps a “safer” meeting although it might be hard to find since only 6% of members are verified.

Members are just like every other poor traveler across the globe looking for a free place to stay for the night while getting from one place to the next. The couch surfing philosophy is more about people making friendships and learning local customs than simply sleeping somewhere for free. If you’re still skeptical, check out the web site and read more than 1,600 comments about this worldwide group that introduces about 150 members every hour.

How To Ride The UK Rails

2009-11-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

If you plan on spending some time in Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) during your travels, you may want to consider purchasing a young person’s rail card for £26 (currently around $40). This card is valid for anyone who is under 25 or can prove that they are a full-time student. The card is valid for one year and allows you to receive major discounts on all train tickets.

To show how you can save in the UK with a young person’s rail card, I randomly priced two journeys for a week in advance:

London to Liverpool:
Without young person’s rail card – £55.50
With young person’s rail card – £36.65
Total savings: £18.85

London to Edinburgh:
Without young person’s rail card - £42.70
With young person’s rail card - £28.20
Total savings: £14.50

As you can see, if you are taking frequent train trips around the UK, you can save some pounds by purchasing the young person’s rail card after the cost of the card is factored in.

When you purchase train tickets online, you do not have to have purchased your young person’s rail card yet. You just need to show the rail card to the conductor who checks your ticket. When you purchase train tickets online, simply make sure you are buying reduced tickets with the ‘RAIL CARD’ option selected.

While you can purchase your young person’s rail card online or at the train station during your first travel, remember that train tickets are cheaper when purchased in advance. When purchasing your card from the station, make sure you have your passport and a passport-style photo.

To check out all young person’s rail card information, visit:
http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/

To view train times and prices and to buy tickets, visit: www.nationalexpress.com

How To Rent Bikes In Europe

2009-11-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

Bikes are a fun, fast, and affordable way to get around towns. After making this video, we looked up prices from other bike rental companies from many cities and the average price per day is close to about $8-$12. A great add-on to the bike is a saddle bag (if the shop offers it) which will likely be about and extra dollar or two. These bags are great for storing plenty of water which you will need when traveling long distances.

Paris Hostels

2009-10-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Since Paris is one of the most expensive places to visit, you can save some Euros by staying outside the main part of the city. We recently stayed at St. Christopher’s Hostel, which was located near a Metro (subway) station and took around 45 minutes to one hour to walk to the city center. To save money and time when staying at hostels located on the outskirts in cities like Paris and London that have subway systems, we recommend doing one of two things. You can either take the subway to the furthest point in the city you want to see that day and sightsee your way back to the hostel, or walk into the city and take the subway back to your hostel once you have reached the furthest point you want to see.

There is a hostel in Paris that we’d like to recommend to anyone going to the City of Love. St. Christopher’s is a new and fun hostel in the northeastern side of Paris within easy walking distance of two main train stations and two metro (subway) stops. This is one of the safest and cleanest hostels with the largest rooms we’ve ever seen.

In most other dorm-style rooms, you’re bumping elbows with a dozen others and pushing their drying towels off your bunk just to get in bed. The rooms at St. Christopher’s have beds with curtains that close across the front for a darkened afternoon nap or a night of uninterrupted slumber. Each bed also comes equipped with two plugs for battery charging (this is unheard of as most hostels usually have one per room while others require you to use plugs behind the reception desk) and a light for late-night reading or journaling when you don’t want to annoy others.

The bunks also have massive lockers that slide out underneath the beds; while each person gets one, they are large enough to fit three backpacks. Just remember to bring a lock and try not to disturb others when you open and close your locker in extremely early or late hours, as the loud creaking noise they make isn’t going to win you any fans from sleeping roommates.

The hostel also boasts plenty of features outside the room, including an all-you-can-eat (or carry away with you) breakfast consisting of bread, cereal, coffee, tea, and juice. You can also take advantage of a bar with drink specials, internet café, “chill out room”, sauna, and plenty of flat-screens featuring ESPN playing the latest NFL and MLB games.

There are, of course, some downsides to these new, hotel-like hostels. The main downfall is a huge lack of character. We enjoy staying at “mom and pop”-style hostels where you’re basically renting a spare room and you get to see how locals live and become surrounded by the culture, language, smells, and food of the region. We didn’t come in contact with one French person during our three-night stay at St. Christopher’s, which made it hard for the non-native employees to recommend places off the beaten tourist path.

This hostel is a chain with a few others in London, Paris, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bruges, Brighton, Bath and Newquay. If you stay at one of these hostels, you will receive a 10% discount if you book your next hostel through the reception desk. We’ve never visited any of the St. Christopher’s other than the one in Paris so we can’t really recommend them although we assume the setup would be similar.

St. Christopher’s in Paris is an hour walk to the central area of town near Notre Dame and the Louvre, which isn’t a bad free walk if you want to save 1.60 Euro on the metro that gives you a glimpse of Parisian life outside the tourist areas. We recommend walking around all day and taking the metro home in the evening once your legs have packed it in. Enjoy Paris and remember… red wine helps you sleep on trains… and in hostels.

Our Latest Backpacking Adventure

2009-10-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

Our visit to the Lake District and Nottinghamshire in England followed by Tours and Paris in France was a great adventure with 16 straight days of sun. The journey included getting a Robin Hood-style bullseye in the Sherwood Forest, driving along crazy, windy roads, accidentally buying sausage made of stomach but making up for it by making delicious crepes, walking for miles to save money on subway fares, running into pushy Japanese tourists at Versailles, and drinking plenty of cheap red wine. While away, we recorded a video about renting bikes and camping and hiking in the Lake District as well as more shots of hostels and miscellaneous tips along the way. We'll do my best to get these together as soon as possible for everyone.

The photos below are of the Louvre and Eiffel Tower in Paris followed a view of a valley and our campsite in the Lake District.

Red Wine Is Headed To England And France

2009-09-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Red Wine Helps You Sleep on Trains is traveling to the Lake District in northern England this week (http://www.lake-district.gov.uk/) and then down to France to visit Tours (pronounced 'Tour') in the Loire Valley and on to Paris to end the trip. When we return, we'll have a couple more videos to share with you with tips from our adventures.

These will be the last videos to take place in Europe as we are moving back to the United States shortly. However, we will still be focusing on everything we can do to help backpackers and adding our tips and suggestions. We will be focusing first on comparing backpacks and may also compile some interviews with fellow backpackers. If there is anything you would like to see on the site or any questions you need answered, let us know. We are always here to help you have the best journey abroad possible!

Currency Tips

2009-08-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

While most of Europe is on the Euro, not all countries use this currency. The United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, and Sweden are major countries that don't. However, it is simple to get the local currency.

Try to avoid currency exchange booths if you can, especially if they are in the train station or airport because these will charge a higher rate. The best way to get local currencies is by withdrawing money from an ATM using your bank card. All major banks will be up-to-date on currency exchange rates and these normally offer the best deals. The machine should tell you on the screen if will charge you to withdraw money (usually around 2-3 Euros), so look for machines near banks which will be the least likely to charge.

Before you leave the country, tell your bank and credit card company that you will be out of the country or your card won't work! This is a safety precaution your bank takes in case your details get stolen and taken outside North American borders. Also, be sure to ask your bank if there are any fees for using or withdrawing money when in Europe. Our credit card company charges 1 percent every time we use it and our bank card is charged two bucks for each withdrawal. However, it is worth the money to us to have a small amount of money on us at all times instead of carrying large sums of money around.

Here are some useful tips to consider:
- Use cash for smaller purchases like food at the market or tickets to a museum and use a debit or credit card for larger costs like hostels and travel.
- Take around $50-100 worth of local currency when you leave for the country to cover the first meal, bus to the hostel, and any emergencies. (Most banks can get you foreign currencies, but be sure to give them at least two weeks notice.)
- Use http://www.xe.com/ucc/ to get an idea of currency rates.
- 'We buy' currency exchange booths will use terms like 'WE BUY' or 'WE SELL'. If they say, 'We buy United States Dollars (USD) for 1.5' it means they will give you one of the local currency for $1.50. 'We sell USD for .86' means they will give you 86 cents for every one of the local currency.

The First Few Pages of the Book

2009-08-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

Scott Dean Final for Blog Scott Dean Final for Blog redwinehelpsyousleep Travel Guide for Young Backpackers

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Short Stories trains backpacking

Passport Security Tips

2009-08-05T04:46:00.000-07:00

If you aren't traveling alone, it's a good idea to make a copy of your passport (only the page with photo and information) for each travel buddy. Everyone should get all copies, fold them together, place them in a zip-top bag, and tape the bag shut. Place the copies deep inside your backpack or toiletry case where no one would think to look.

The main reason to take this precaution is because it is much easier to obtain a new passport from an embassy versus having nothing at all if the original gets lost or stolen.

It also doesn't hurt to e-mail yourself a copy of the passport so if all backpacks go missing or something terrible happens, a quick trip to the internet cafe can get you a copy. While you are at it, e-mail credit card cancellation phone numbers and any emergency contact numbers of family or friends to yourself. Your e-mail inbox works as a 'digital safe' to keep some important pieces of information.

How To Stay Dry In Europe

2009-08-04T04:18:00.000-07:00

The Deal About Sleeping Bags And Sacks

2009-07-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

We’ve been doing some research on sleep sacks, which are basically sleeping bags made out of the thin material that sheets are made out of. We’ve never owned one but we have had heard many people recommend them when sleeping in hostels because the sheets aren’t always the cleanest and you might find a musty-smelling blanket or see a stray hair that doesn't belong to you on your pillow. (Although the truth is there is a danger of sleeping anywhere, as proven by Scott's previous travel buddy who got fleas while sleeping on a train in Spain and was forced to wash all her clothes and rinse her backpack out.)

Sleep sacks are mainly made of cotton or silk. Cotton is much cheaper (around $20) but is also larger and heavier than silk, which costs around $50. The sacks provide little warmth, but they can be handy to have in addition to the blankets provided by the hostels.

Many Web sites selling the sacks will warn that many hostels ‘require’ such an item, which is a big lie fabricated in order to get you to buy their product. Some hostels charge a couple of bucks to rent sheets, but they will alert you of this on their Web site before you book. Plenty of hostels don't charge, so there is no reason to pay for linens if you simply take the time to check on their list of amenities.

While there are exceptions to every rule, Europe has some of the cleanest hostels in the world. Therefore, you might be more inclined to invest in a sleeping sack if you are heading out to Asia or South America. Only you can decide what works with your budget and amount of space you have in your backpack. The cheapest method would be to grab an old sheet you already own and have your grandmother sew it into a proper sleeping sack. If you decide you don’t need it along the way you can drop it in the garbage or give it to a bum.

Many people take sleeping bags, which provide warmth in addition to a clean surface. We’ve slept on train station floors, airport sidewalks, benches, parks, and in every form or transport and never once wished we had a sleeping bag. (Well, we may have wished for one but then retracted that fantasy when thinking about how much a sleeping bag weighs.) Some experiences have been colder than others, even during summer months, but we always make it through the night by throwing on some extra layers and grabbing some cardboard to lay on. The bums know best and this method makes the ground seem much more appealing. A piece of advice – smell the cardboard first so you don’t have your face in an old potato or meat box all night.

With as often as your backpack is thrown around, locked up, and put under a plane or bus, it’s much easier not to have stuff attached to the outside. The bottom line: only take a sack or bag if you plan on sleeping on the ground or camping a lot, or if you know you will be traveling during the coldest months of the year.

Tips From Fellow Backpacker Katie

2009-07-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

Katie from Morristown, TN, shares some insight about traveling. Katie spent the majority of her time in Europe exploring Germany, but also traveled to various other cities on the continent. Katie states:

Here are some things I wish I had known before my trip…

Packing: This is hard for girls to grasp, but it’s okay if you wear the same clothes every week. This is especially true in Germany. In fact, it is the norm there, and you will fit right in. Also, don't plan to do any clothes shopping abroad. It is much more expensive than the U.S. You will be paying more for the exact items. Exceptions would perhaps be “fashion” capitals like Milan and other Italian cities. Save your money for cooler things.

Budgeting: I personally found it hard to budget ahead of time, especially since I had never been to Europe and had no concept of how much things cost over there, never mind the exchange rates. I will say this: do everything you can ahead of time to save money. There is nothing worse than being in a fabulous city and having to decide between two choices because you can't afford to do both. Also, figure out what you want to splurge on and what you are willing to save money on.

Traveling in general: Plan things out but be willing to be spontaneous. It is good to have a list of a few places you want to see in a particular place, but some of my favorite experiences have been those which were unplanned. Befriend a native speaker if you know you are going to be in a particular city for a while. My friends and I befriended some Germans who were able to tell us about concerts and last-minute discounts on trips that weren’t listed online.

Traveling in groups versus traveling alone: I prefer traveling in groups. I like being able to share experiences with other people, especially people I like. Two of my best friends became my best friends because of the time we spent together. They saw me at my best and worst and likewise. Just keep this in mind: your feelings for someone may change after you spend several weeks with them 24/7. Hopefully you will like them more and not less. Also, if there is something you are dying to see, make it a priority. I went to Amsterdam with a group of friends. I really wanted to visit the Van Gogh Museum, but they were not so interested. At first I felt bad ditching them to go to the museum. They went on a paddle-boat ride instead, so everyone was happy. Win-win situation.

Food and drink: Döners have a lot of fat in them. You should try it once—they are delicious. I also ate a lot of German chocolate and Haribo gummi bears (also very calorie-heavy). You have to know what to splurge on, both money-wise and food-wise. Would I eat all those doner kabobs and chocolates again? Yes!! Oh, and I can’t forget the beer. Another thing I love about Germany: You can go to the train station or any convenience store and pick up a beer or Jaeger and just walk around with it. No big deal.

Small towns versus big cities: I was fortunate to spend time in both. I think it is good to mix up a long trip with small and big cities. Small towns are more relaxing and give you a chance to wind down after a few crazy nights in a big city. Just be mindful that stores and restaurants tend to shut down early in the small towns, so plan accordingly. Another thing you should consider is visiting both “modern” cities and “historic” cities. For example, Berlin has very modern architecture (but with a history) that was totally different from other cities with older architecture.

Tips About Car Rental

2009-07-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

Rule Number 1: Never rent a car.
Rule Number 2: If you didn't listen to the first rule, buy the extra insurance!

During our recent backpacking adventure around England, we decided to rent a car to make it easier to see Stonehenge, Avebury, and a crop circle in the middle of nowhere. During our 120-mile drive, Scott managed to smack a curb, bend the front rim, and send the back hubcap flying. All of this occurred within a mile of the car rental return location. Luckily, we listened to the second rule and $15 saved us hundreds. Maybe hitchhiking in England is safer than driving.

http://www.cropcircleconnector.com/2009/silburyhill/silburyhill2009.html

Packing Tips For The Ladies

2009-06-05T01:41:00.000-07:00

Krystin takes you through some simple tips for females on how and what to pack while still looking your best when sleeping on trains, hostels, and carrying your backpack through every country in Europe.

Thank You For Your Support!

2009-05-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

HERE IT IS!!! Well, just a taste.

2009-05-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

Scott Dean Final for Blog Scott Dean Final for Blog redwinehelpsyousleep Travel Guide for Young Backpackers

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Short Stories trains backpacking

A Travel Quote

2009-05-03T04:51:00.000-07:00

"Those who write, travel.
The art of being there is to go there."

Joseph de Maistre

Tips About Sleeping In Airports

2009-04-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

We mention a couple times in the book (and others will vouch for us) that it is sometimes a great idea to save some money and sleep in the airport if you have an early flight. We've found this isn't the most comfortable option when all the benches are taken and you have to sleep on the ground or even the conveyor belt (yes, this actually happened to us at an airport in Belgium). We have also been through the worst-case scenario, which is when the airport closes and you are forced to sleep outside on the sidewalk in the chilly night air.

To us, saving money is worth the little bit of discomfort sleeping in airports causes. It also gives you some great stories to share. Last night, Scott spend the night at Heathrow Airport in London to save some bucks, which ended up being the highest on the discomfort scale we have ever encountered. Nothing could be worse than the construction at terminal 3 with jackhammers and trucks beeping and backing up until 5 am.

But when you're just plain poor, you make an adventure out of it.

New Videos About Trains and Hostels

2009-04-21T03:05:00.000-07:00

There are three new videos on www.youtube.com for you to watch.

1. The benefits of train cabs instead of normal seats.

2. How to find a hostel in a new town.

3. How to read train timetables at the station.

Search the youtube user name 'redwinehelpsyousleep' to view all the Red Wine videos.

Enjoy the videos and more will come shortly.

Tips About Getting Around from Backpacker Joe

2009-04-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Joe from Hiram, Ohio, states:

I was always lost, but luckily my travel buddy wasn’t. Actually, he probably was but never really admitted it. I think he figured if we walked around long enough we’d end up somewhere that was on the map. I think it is good advice to: 1) have a good map, and 2) travel with someone with a better sense of direction than yourself.

Scott's Mini Backpacking Excursion to Trieste, Italy

2009-04-16T01:51:00.000-07:00

Scott made it back from Trieste, Italy, without a scratch after jumping from a moving train, avoiding being eaten by wild boars, and escaping payment at an internet cafe!

I also realized during this trip how involuntary it is to add an 'o' or 'a' to the end of an English word and say it with the local accent in hopes that the locals will understand what you're saying. For example, 'One ticketo por favore.' This definitely doesn't work, by the way, so it's important to brush up on your common phrases before heading out!

Scott's return also means we'll soon have a few more videos to upload including ones about train cabs and reading a train schedule in the station. Scott has gathered all the photos to finish the book and we look forward to putting the final pieces together.

Budgeting Tips From Backpacker Mike

2009-04-04T05:16:00.000-07:00

Mike from Eerie, PA, states:

To save some Euros, take the night train. When you sleep and travel,
you don’t need a hostel. Also, airports are some of the best sleeping
I have found. There are all sorts of hidden nooks and crannies, and if
you tie a bandanna around your eyes, put in ear plugs and stuff your
valuables down your trousers, I have found you can sleep through just
about anything… Anything.

Why pay for a hostel when you can sleep with a local! A few gin and
tonics are a lot cheaper than an overcrowded, dank, bedbug-infested
dorm room. Play your cards right and you might even get a free
breakfast. Alright!

Also, if you are the type that likes to stay up all night, do it! Drop
your bag at the left luggage in the train station and live it up until all
those business types are on their way to work. Have you ever slept
in a park during the day? I have. Not only is it great feeling closer to
nature, it is free – so are the drinking fountains.

Book Update

2009-03-31T01:04:00.000-07:00

Red Wine Helps You Sleep on Trains is nearing completion with over 75 pages designed and about 40 left to finish. The travel chapter and section on free stuff to do in cities in next.

Red Wine co-author Scott Dean will be in Trieste, Italy, for Easter week getting some final images before sending the book to press on the 22nd. Keep your comments coming and please continue adding photos to the flickr page!

Backpacker Rob Shares His Favorite Travel Experiences

2009-03-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

Rob from Lincoln, England, states:

Having my passport confiscated by Slovakian ticket inspectors and having to bribe the police to let me out of the country was a pretty memorable moment. As was waking up on an empty Hungarian train to find that the engine had been uncoupled and was heading off down the track without me. But the beauty and drama of northern Norway and the friendliness of the people of Croatia were the two best parts of the trip.

Packing Tips

2009-03-09T05:40:00.000-07:00

Backpacker Victoria Shares Her Favorite Foods

2009-03-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

Victoria from Alexandria, VA, states:

I don’t know about favorite food, but you certainly have not lived until you have had cassoulet from a can. Or sausage and sauerkraut in a can. Or dried meats, fresh cheese, and a loaf of bread for dinner. Even as gross as some of these things sound, I would not go back in time and eat anything differently. Each experience was unique and I loved every minute of it.

Packing Tips From Backpacker Andre

2009-03-02T04:50:00.000-08:00

Andre from Myrtle Beach, SC, states:

I travel light... one small pack is all that I took on the journey. I wish I had brought someone to share the experience with. All I have are my memories and no one that can truly understand what it was that I did. Also, I didn’t take a journal along. I was too young at the time to care for such a thing. So maybe that is what I should have brought with me.

Tips For Ladies From Backpacker Katie

2009-02-28T03:26:00.000-08:00

Katie from Long Island, NY, states:

In 2005, I flew by myself and then had to navigate Heathrow Airport and the bus system in the UK to get to Exeter, which is four hours from London, by myself with less than 30 minutes to make my bus and I could not understand what anyone was saying. I relied on my smile, a helpless look, some laughter, and found that people were more than willing to help me.

The best advice that I can give to another woman traveling Europe on her own or with others is to just trust your instincts. You know when a situation doesn't feel right, when you don't get a good vibe from someone - you wouldn't trust a shady person in the States, so don't be swayed by the magical illusion that there are no shady people in Europe.

Most people in this world are good, decent people who are willing to help you, befriend you, even show you a good time, but on occasion you will find those that aren't like that - the tough part is filtering the bad ones out.

So how can you do that? By having some common sense, a trait that seems to be lacking while we are on vacation. Don't flash your money around, don't announce where you're staying or that you're alone and, most importantly, don't indulge in the local "treats" to a point where you are unable to take care of yourself.

But enough of all the bad forewarning - European men are fabulous. They dress sharp, look different, sound amazing, and most seem to love American women, so take it all in and enjoy it!

The Concept of Red Wine Helps You Sleep On Trains

2009-02-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

This is not a book to tell you where to stay or where to eat. This will not give you guidance on prices of admission to museums or a detailed list of each historic site to see while in Rome. We will not harp on the importance of culture and art or wine tastings in Tuscany. We won’t shed light on the possibility of renting a car and driving the autobahn and returning safely to Oktoberfest. We will try not to tell too many bland stories of my experiences on the rails of Europe.

We will, however, try our hardest to give advice on blisters, pocket knives, and internet cafes. We will illuminate the upside of knowing how to find north on a compass and tell you how not to get your stuff stolen. We will tell you how and where to pay to poop and show you how to cut stinky cheese and open a bottle of wine with a Swiss army knife. We will teach you how to survive hostel showers and kitchens and the art of catching a midnight train. This is the way of backpacking Europe on less than a budget when you're just plain poor.

Go ahead and buy that overpriced massive 'travel guide' with no photos that gives excessively detailed information about where to eat and admission fees, but remember that it will probably be outdated by the time it’s published. Or we have another suggestion for you. Save your money by doing all your research of cities and sights online and then pick up this book for the rest of the essential information the young American backpacker needs to survive backpacking Europe.

Hot to Use a Swiss Army Knife Can Opener

2009-02-26T04:31:00.000-08:00