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Mar 31 '00
So, your a student and planning a trip to broaden your horizions. Well, lets see if you can't find a few ways to trim that travel bill.
www.counciltravel.com
www.statravel.com
two great sites online for students and full time teachers. I found fantastic airfare to greece in August for $500 RT out of Dullus. I am sure they can get you a deal too.
Be SURE TO BUY an international Student ID card. You will save about a third to a half on all your museum vists (especially a bargin in big cities like Paris where the entry fees can be sky high).
Although I now prefer to drive when I travel in Europe (you get to see so much more and have lots more freedom) the rail passes are a great way to save and you get to meet fellow travelers. I will never forget being stranded in Prague overnight with this Aussie from Perth. (Meeting fellow travelers is almost as much fun as the sightseeing).
If you do decide to drive, I get great deals from Kemwell auto. They can be found on line and do not be afraid to haggle. Most car rental companies will wheel and deal. I saved about $65 last christmas on my rental in France by pitting three companies against each other. Each matched and lowered their competitors prices. It was fun too to see them lower the price yet again... You will need to be advised that gas in other parts of the world is not as cheap as it is here. $1.60 a gallon is a bargin folks. I rented a citroen Saxon (size os a small hatchback econo. car) and paid $45 to fill the tank!!! But it was worth it driving through the Loire countryside. A 15 day car rental set me back about $260US. Rent the car here rather than book over there. Ane use or get a credit card that will give you can insurance on rentals or expect to pay about $15/day more.
Need a place to sleep? Hostels are still the best bet. You might think about small cheap hotels. "Hotel Ibis" is a safe and clean chain that Americans will like since it is like a Holiday Inn albeit a smaller sized room. They can be found on the web thru Yahoo or your favorite search engine and can be found in several countries in Europe as well as Canada.
Many Hostels also offer private rooms. In Munich I sayed at a hostel (I tried to find the name but it escapes me- look it up in Let's Go) where I had a private room for about $30/day. Great deal considering I had a private bath and was a block from the train station.
Basically you need to put on your detective hat and search. Luckily the internet is available to help with lots of your research. Or you can do it like I used to and hit the bookstores. Let's Go is in my opinion one of the best series of budget concious travel books around. AAA also can give you limited information but they are worth a look as a starting point. With a AAA plus mumbership you get all kinds of free maps and travel books. Plus loads of places will give you discounts.
Well that is about it. Now pack your backs and hit the road!
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Mynameismir
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Member: Mireille
Location: Baltimore, MD
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