Other Travelers

There is nothing like up-to-date first-hand information. If you know somebody who has been to Europe recently, give them the third degree. Don’t take everything they say as gospel truth (or for that matter, everything / say); after all, you are a different person going at a different time. But if they rave about a quiet little village you’ve never heard of, consider a visit. If they mention a specific hotel that was the site of a mouse convention, or the home of herds of corn-fed cockroaches, write that name down and avoid it.

In addition, the Internet is a great place for sharing travel tips and information. You’ll find a number of travel-related message boards all over the Web where you can post your specific questions and get good first-hand advice back. It’s best to be as specific as possible on these boards; avoid “Anyone been to Paris lately?” types of questions and remember to take the advice with a grain for boulder) of salt. A list of travel-talk websites is in Basics #9.