Web hunting and budget hotel chains
When to get off the rails and on the road
Meeting the locals during Euro 2008
A few weeks ago, I said that English is Europe's auxiliary language. Well, I was wrong. Football is Europe's auxiliary language.
This week I have been in Gibraltar, one of those silly little micro-countries and territories that make Europe absolutely brilliant. Nowhere else in the world can match Europe for barmy little fragments of empires, tiny principalities and independent mini-states that blatantly should have bitten the bullet and merged with a bigger neighbour centuries ago.
They're not infallible, but a guidebook can be invaluable both in terms of learning about the destination and getting on your feet, once there. For certain things there are always better sources — tourist boards for specific info and locals or fellow travellers for restaurants, bars and hotels. But for the basics and a few ideas, a travel guidebook is extremely handy.
But which one to get?
My head is sore, my liver is in a state of violent protest and I have spent an evening listening to some of the worst music in history, but it’s all worth it. Eurovision is quite unlike anything else in the world.
The opposite of fine dining
On the whole, dining in Europe is an absolute pleasure. French and Italian cuisine are justifiably world renowned, while Spanish food is arguably the most underrated on the planet (try a good paella in Valencia or pintxos in San Sebastian, and you'll see my point).
How to get cheap European hotel rooms
Travelling round Europe, one of the major costs is accommodation. It doesn't matter if you're doing the obligatory OE or going on a shorter jaunt from Oz, a hefty proportion of your budget will be spent on somewhere to rest your head for the night.
Where to leave off the itinerary
It may just be me having defective taste, but I often find myself liking European cities that everyone else slags off, while the places that you're supposed to fall in love with leave me somewhat cold. I'm not a huge fan of Florence, for example, but found myself loving Turin — a city that most people don't bother visiting because they've heard it's an industrial dump.
Alternative European destinations
The euro is riding as high as it has ever been right now, which is bad for anyone wanting to visit Europe. Last week British newspapers were wailing and gnashing their teeth about how a holiday in Europe is now 20 percent more expensive than it was last year, purely due to the exchange rate.
