The before you go to Europe Checklist! Important documents to remember to Bring: Your passport Some photocopies of your passport and other important travel documentation All transport tickets Your emergency information Insurance card & phone numbers Currency and or Traveler’s cheques Credit or ATM cards List of generic names for prescription drugs from your doctor Extra set of glasses or contact lenses or replacement prescription

Before You Leave it is a good idea to: Call your credit card companies to be sure of limits and to let them know they'll see charges in a foreign country Call credit card companies to be sure of PIN# compatibility in Europe Clean out your wallet or purse of the things you won’t need Notify neighbors of your absence Turn water heater down or off Put hold on newspaper and postal delivery Leave house key and trip itinerary with your friends or family Store valuables in a safe place Arrange for care of pets and houseplants Empty your refrigerator of perishables Lock all the doors and windows Arrange for care of garden Eliminate possible fire hazards also by unplugging small appliances Set up a timed lighting system to deter a break in Turn off or down thermostat Call airline to confirm flights

So exactly how Big is Europe? When you are planning your European holiday, it's good to know how big the countries of Europe are, and all the distances between the major cities. There are several ways to let you get the big picture of Europe: you can look at a map, or get driving distances from the internet or use a calculator and a road map. Transport in Europe European countries do have very good public transportation. You can travel in Europe by train, airplane, bus, tram, boat, taxi and car travel. Types of Travel and Travelers All sorts of things go into making a successful travel plan, including the compatibility of those who are traveling together. Remember if you are traveling with one friend you are all each other has. So if you have a fall out it’s best to make up as soon as possible and do the fighting when you get home!

Money Matters How you pay for things on your European vacation has changed drasticaly over the years. Travelers checks are not so common (although you can use them as backups in an emergency) and plastic is in. But there are good and bad points to using credit cards, debit cards, and ATM cards in Europe. Where do I Stay? Ok, so you're thinking "hotels," aren't you? But today's traveler does have many more options for where to sleep--from renting a cottage in the Alps to staying on a farm, in a youth hostel or even sleeping in a dungeon!

Hostels 101 For the first time backpacker, the word hostel may conjure up images of the film of the same name. If you’ve not seen it then don’t watch it as you probably wont go traveling afterwards! Hostels aren’t all large, industrial rooms with dozens of beds full of homeless people and managed by nuns. This can’t be further from the truth. In fact, hostels are the social epicenter and refuge for those traveling on a budget. Nowadays, most hostels don’t even have a curfew, are independent and realy full of character.

Paris: Paris is one of the leading cities of the world for its culture, its food, and its attractions, most of which are quite central to the city and very walkable. Sights scatter the city, most notably the Champs-Élysées, leading from the Arc De Triomphe, to the Louvre, and of course, the most romatic being the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the array of stalls, or bouquinistes, along the Seine. Almost every visitor who comes to Paris takes a day trip 20 miles to the west to the Versailles, a huge castle and park with very beautiful landscaped gardens.