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Europe Travel Alert

The Europe travel alert refers to the alert put on travelling to the Europe by the US State Department during the last month. This current Europe travel alert was a reaction to threats on a range of European cities and targets by Al Qaeda which told Americans to be careful when travelling across to those countries. The purpose of this European travel alert was of course to minimise casualties, but it of course also threatens to damage the European tourism industry. However despite this, many independent polls have suggested that the majority of travels are still happy to travel to Europe.

The threat of attack on European sites by Al Qaeda has come from a number of sources and as such many governments have taken steps to protect their countries from attack, while the US State Department has recommended that travellers register their holiday plans with the Consular Section of the US Embassy using the State Department’s travel registration website. This can be found at ‘travelregistration.state.gov/’. Travellers can also receive up to date information by calling 1-888-407-4747.

There are other steps that those visiting Europe can take to minimise the impacts of the European travel alert. For one, you should sign your passport and fill in emergency information at the back page to help others identify you and contact your relatives. You should familiarise yourself with the local laws and customs and these will vary between countries in Europe. You should also avoid being the target of crimes by shying away from conspicuous clothes or valuable belongings, and you should ensure that you have insurance to cover yourself during your travels.

Posted under Europe, Travel

European Journal

If you are travelling through Europe then you should consider taking with you a European Journal. By carrying with you a journal this will give you the ability to keep notes during your travels, place tickets and stamps and postcards and take photographs and drawings. Keeping a European journal means that when you get back to your home country you can flick through a record of your travels and your myriad experiences, and can enjoy the feeling of having done so much in likely a limited period of time.

A good European journal should be capable of withstanding at least a basic amount of punishment as you carry it and around with you. As such it is a good idea to get yourself a journal that has a hardened cover and that won’t fold or tear as a result. Leather bound journals are great for this a they are tough while remaining flexible so that they can fit into smaller bags and fit around other stuff etc.

Another great thing about a leather European journal is that it looks almost ‘weathered’ and is appropriate for travelling. If you don’t go for an authentic leather journal, then one that looks leather or otherwise like it’s been around the world a few times will be appropriate for your intended use of the journal.

Once you have chosen your European journal you can use it for many things. Keeping a running commentary of your days events and using it like a diary is one great use and will be very fun to look back on. Likewise though you can stop and use a European journal to draw scenery or architecture that catches your eye during your travels and this adds a whole new artistic element to your explorations. You should also include space to staple or tape in souvenirs such a tickets, receipts or postcards as this can be a great way to keep a physical record of your travels.

Interestingly ‘European Journal’ is also the name of a television news programme that is broadcast in English. Stations in Brussels and Belgium it covers the political and economic developments throughout the EU and elsewhere in Europe. In particular it covers issues that are of concern to Germany being a Deutsch Welle programme. Aired on a weekly basis, in the past it was available in North America through the Newsworld International network though this now no longer exists. It can still be seen in New York on CUNY TV and several PBS stations. It is presented by English journalists Cathy Smith and Jim Gibbons. By keeping your own scrapbook of events and travelling out there yourself, you can now create your own European Journal.

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European Road Trip

If you’re looking for a great way to experience more of Europe and to have a continental adventure, then there are few better ways than with a European road trip. If you can get a car into to Europe, or rent one out there, then this will give you the opportunity to quickly and easily see many of the highlights of these varied countries. Here we’ll look at how and why you should go on a European road trip.

If you live in or near Europe then getting your car over there might not be too difficult. However, if you are travelling from America or another country that’s a bit further away then this will be difficult. In this case you need to try and rent a car that you can take across various countries for your European road trip. Not all car rentals will include permission to take the car between different  countries, so make sure that you have one that does. If you struggle to find such a rental then you can alternatively buy a new vehicle from a country while you’re out three and once you have insurance you should be able to drive this wherever you want to. This will cost you a little more up front, but at the same time it will save you money that you would otherwise have to spend on planes and trains and make the whole journey far more convenient.

There are other considerations to bear in mind when taking a car on a European road trip however, and there are different laws on the  road depending on which European country you’re in. For example if you’re England you will be forced to drive on the opposite side of the road. If your car is from mainland Europe or from the US then you will need to get stickers to change the angle of your headlights when driving in England and vice versa. This is very important as countries where the drivers stay on the left side have cars that angle their headlights slightly left, and this can dazzle on coming traffic if driven on the wrong side.

There are also particular legal requirements for each country to take into consideration. For example if you are driving in Paris then you will need to ensure that you have in your car – and visible – a visibility jacket, a fire extinguisher and other similar items. You should ensure that you research the laws in each country before beginning your European road trip. Additionally you should ensure that you take with you other items that can be useful on a European road trip. You should stock up on supplies of food and first aid for instance and at the same time should make sure that you have things like a road map of Europe. These can be quite difficult to read while driving, and even a navigator is unlikely to be able to read it fast enough to advise you while you’re passing turnings on the motorway. As such a GPS device with the relevant European maps downloaded on it is also a very useful item.

If you want to include England in your European road trip then you will also need to find a way to cross the channel. There are many ways to do this whether you want to go by Euro tunnel on the Eurostar, or you want to take a ferry.

If you organise all of this in advance and plan a good route through all the main countries then you can expect a European road trip to be a highly fulfilling and exciting adventure that helps you see a greater variety of cultures and sites in a more condensed period of time than you would otherwise be able to. Thanks to the fact that these countries are relatively near, and often fairly small it’s easy to see lots of different cultures without travelling too far. At the same time, thanks to the fact that these countries are part of the EU, you can also travel through Europe without too much difficulty getting across the borders and with only the need for one currency across most of the countries.

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European Destinations

It is for a reason that Europe fetches the maximum number of tourists in a year- its warm people and great natural beauty, coupled with aesthetic modernity. It is a well known fact that almost each and every country that comes under the European region has major tourist hubs, which attract customers from all over the world. Not only people from other continents, but people from within Europe also travel to the various tourist destinations in Europe.

The tourism industry also plays a major role in the economic stability of the European nations, and this is the sole reason as to why the governments have spent a massive amount of time and money in keeping various tourist places in Europe clean and updated. The climatic conditions and the exceptionally well connected airline services make traveling in Europe, a piece of cake. The ancient medieval history, coupled with some great historic monuments, palaces, churches and alleys have made tourist places in Europe a hot favorite among tourists of all age groups, backgrounds and nationalities.

France attracts most of the tourist influx in Europe. From the Louvre’ and the Eiffel tower to the Notre dam Cathedral and the Champs ET Lysée, almost every tourist spot in France, especially in Paris, has become a symbolic of the most visited places of the world. The Arc of Triumph, the Garnier Opera and the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre are some of the other places that can be termed as some of the best tourist places in Europe.

Germany and Rome follow France closely when it comes to some of the most visited tourist places in Europe. Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Düsseldorf attract tourists from all over the world. Business travelers and educational tourists also frequent these places. The Colloseum and the Palazzo Barberini are two of the most famous tourist places in Europe, belonging to Rome.

Apart from historic tourist places in Europe, great natural places are also hot favorites among tourists. Regions around the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific top the list of such places. Be it the open landscapes of Hungary, the great mountains in Switzerland or the beautiful beaches of Spain- Europe has everything to sooth a lover of nature.

Apart from some great tourist places, the people, food, culture and the festival of Europe beckon one and all to this land, offering a perfect mix of traditions and rebellion.

Posted under Europe, Travel