My Recent Comments

1. oh – just remembered something from Paris which is still haunting my dreams – :) lol!
   If going through Paris on your tour & you have the chance to go down the Champs Elysees (main high street in Paris) beware of the prices for the Haagen Daas Restaurant (right hand side of the road, if approaching from Arc De Triomphe direction) :) prices START AT 12.50 euro per sundae/waffle/milkshake – NO JOKES :) – so, if you are in the mood for an ice-cream and have a tight budget rather get something from the restaurants take-away in a tub or cone & wander down the high street or sit down outside & watch Paris wander by! :) Unless you are partial to decadent ice-cream sundaes, and you have the cash to splash, ofcourse…

   love2travel on How much spending money should I bring? - Europe 52 posted on Sep. 14, 2009 Flag as Inappropriate

2. Thanks Praha335Ci – This was very helpful & informative! I will definitely use your suggestions!

   love2travel on Suggested Packing List - Egypt 3 posted on Sep. 10, 2009 Flag as Inappropriate

3. I have just returned from a Tour of Europe with Contiki…

   TIP 1: anyone wanting to bring travellers cheques – this is not advised as they are not as widely accepted in Europe as they used to be and will cause a headache. This advise was also given to us by our Tour Manager, so I am not just assuming.

   TIP 2: Buy souvenirs that count and avoid the hawkers, especially in Paris, as it looks like you are getting a deal, but in fact, you aren’t & the things are not quality. Beware of the guys in Paris, they are very bad – they ask you to put your hand out, tie a bunch of strings together & make a pretty, but pricy bracelet which they expect 30 – 50 euro for – so, unless you want to ruin your holiday with a bad experience, avoid them whenever possible!

   TIP 3: Swiss Knives are very reasonable in Switzerland – I bought my brother a WHITE Victorinox, which is only made in Switzerland, with a leather pouch, and it cost a fraction of the price they do in South Africa, but, if you have one, or can get it cheaper elsewhere, rather get something else that you can’t get back home.

   TIP 4: I don’t drink, and neither does my partner, so we didnt have to budget for all of the discos organised by contiki, but if you are a big drinker and party person, budget more.

   TIP 5: If you are running short on cash you can always opt out of an optional that you are not very keen on (or are just doing for the sake of doing it), and the tour managers understand as long as you give them notice. I saw the WHOLE of Paris in one day & went out for a romantic meal with my partner on the River Sienne afterward instead of doing the dinner and show – but, again, this is a personal preference. ALOT of people did this on the tour.

   TIP 6: You need cash – credit cards are accepted, but you do need to draw money from an ATM where ever possible.

   TIP 7: Give yourself a budget & stick to it as best you can – dont get something just for the sake of it, unless you want it – but also, make a decision – you are only in the country once & you may not see it again, so make a quick, informed decision.

   TIP 8: At the end of your tour the manger & driver need to be tipped, although this is not compulsory. Our tour manager advised that the easiest way is to budget 2 euro per person, per day. I.E: 10 day tour x 2 euros = 20 euro x 2 people = 40 euros in tips. But that can get quite expensive depending on how long the trip is. If you are a couple – don’t be too generous & budget the two of you paying – this will work out VERY expensive. Trust me, I have been there recently. We gave each 20 euro instead of 40 and we are happier for it :)

   TIP 9: Don’t draw all your money on the first day – Europe has it’s pick-pockets and thieves aswel! Your tour manager should give you an indication of how much to budget per day, about 100 euro should be okay, but i budgeted 80 as i dont eat much & knew waht i wanted to get from each place. You T.M should tell you when you can & can’t draw money. I drew 200 euro every 2 days. which worked out perfectly. If you have to pay for extra excursions, the T.M will tell you when these need to be paid for & how much it will cost you so you have enough time to budget or change your mind about what you want to do.

   TIP 10: Relax :) you are on holiday! Enjoy the trip! :)

   TIP 11: Make Friends!

   Hope this helps! There are SO many things to say, but I have waffled on for a while now! :) just ask if there is anything in particular still on your mind.

   love2travel on How much spending money should I bring? - Europe 52 posted on Sep. 10, 2009 Flag as Inappropriate

4. I have just got back from doing the European Horizons tour with my partner, and we had an amazing experience! With regard to accommodation though, don’t ALWAYS expect to be together – we shared a room in most of the countries we stayed in, with the exception of France & Munich only – were we shared with another couple in a cabin for 2 nights (but had separate rooms within that cabin & shared a common bathroom) & we had to share with 2 or 3 other girls/guys in a hostel for 1 night – but you will make friends easily, and you aren’t in your room for very long at all, so you don’t even realize you spent the night without each other the next morning! :) I really do recommend Contiki as you get to experience A LOT - and you have free time to do your own couples things – if you really want to.

   love2travel on Couples 4 posted on Sep. 03, 2009 Flag as Inappropriate