Some travel advice needed!

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Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:20 pm

^No worries, you can drink Belgian beer in the Netherlands too. Did I already mention that you really do not need to visit any other country? Everything that is good, is here.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:48 pm

@Persephone : sorry mate, but our Canadian friend (I assume he's Canadian since he mentioned CAD), might order a beer in Holland, get served with a lemonade glass filled with watered down cat's piss (Heineken) and think he's had a "real" beer, and bolt toward the UK where the lager is slightly less revolting (please note, my UK friends, that I said 'lager', and not Ale !).
Seriously though, I would recommend The Netherlands to him (after all, I'm Dutch), but no way can you find all Belgian beers over there.
Maybe your Hoegaarden or the odd Duvel, and throw in a few Kriek as well, but Orval, West Vleteren, Faro, Lambiek, Geuze, Delerium Tremens, Mort Subite, Grimbergen, to name but a very few? I doubt it. (and if so, from the tap?)
Go to Brussels, and visit the Mort Subite, or the Bierkelder...you won't regret it (but then you might have nothing to remember to regret.. Laughing

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 5:25 pm

If you do opt for travellers' cheques - and I would not do so - make sure you get them in Euros so you pay the fees up front at the point of sale, and when you change them in Europe you should be able to to change them at 1:1 without fees at the point of exchange. However some bureaux especially in France charge a fee. Banks usually will not.

Credit card is the best option. You can pay for everything by CC and the fee is typically a loading of about 2.5 on the interbank exchange rate.

I agree wth the advice about not taking a laptop. Just a liability and no need for it.

If you go to Holland - and I would recommend you do so - I agree with the previous advice about not drinking Heineken. That is possibly the worst thing about this otherwise wonderful country. People are great too, but very direct - which you must not take as rudeness.

Amsterdam is worth seeing for the museums and so on but if you want to see unspoilt and beautiful Dutch towns head for, and stay in, places like Leiden, Utrecht, Haarlem, Alkmaar.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:44 pm

Best beers are to be found in the south, I should have specified my post. Forget about the rest of the Netherlands. As the song goes:

'het is een kwestie van geduld, rustig wachten op de tijd, dat heel Holland Limburgs lult, dat heel Holland Limburgs lult' : lol:

And yes, Heineken is probably the worst beer you could drink. For some strange reason, Americans seem to like it, and China loves it because of the red star in the logo (very popular brand in China), but here I don't know anybody who drinks it when they have another choice. Try Grolsch.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:17 pm

lots of people wrote:

Go here, go there ...

I think a few people posting here missed something in the OP:

Standard Procedure wrote:

I'm going to be going through Europe ... with a tour group. ...

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

The solution is simple, KD- he just needs to find a cute tour guide and ditch them.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:22 pm

^^^^ There's a problem with that: if I understood correctly, they're starting in the UK. He'll have to wait until he's on the continent. Laughing

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:50 pm

I think it should also be emphasized that I'm a Muslim, and even though I suck at being Muslim, I follow the rule of not drinking, although I might take part in the wine tasting, but that's in the air, still. I tried Heinekin, and Stella Artois, as well as other types of beer, and I'm just not made for beer Crying or Very sad

. I could never get a grasp of the taste of it for some reason...

EDIT: Corona was the most tolerable for me, but I still couldn't get through a glass...

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:55 pm

Standard Procedure wrote:

... I follow the rule of not drinking ...

Standard Procedure wrote:

... I tried Heinekin, and Stella Artois, as well as other types of beer ... Corona was the most tolerable for me...

Is it just me, or did I miss something? ... Laughing

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:56 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

^^^^ There's a problem with that: if I understood correctly, they're starting in the UK. He'll have to wait until he's on the continent. Laughing

Dear me, I find some British women to be cute, like Keira Knightley (I'll be getting dreamy eyed now).

I was talking with my mother, and since she has a good balance (I think) or record with her bank, they offer currency exchange to her at the current exchange rate, no commissions or surcharges or anything like that. As for the idea of a prepaid charge card, I'm looking into it. They don't have the American Express traveler's card for Canadians, but I'm checking out Visa and Mastercard.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:57 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

Is it just me, or did I miss something? ... Laughing

I meant to say that the not drinking is something fairly recent. Has been going on for a year. I would try and drink until I was 19, then the taboo lifted, and I don't find any thrill in it anymore!

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:58 pm

Standard Procedure wrote:

... Keira Knightley ...

She's not married yet. Just wait. You'll see what happens when she does ... Shocked

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:00 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

She's not married yet. Just wait. You'll see what happens when she does ... Shocked

A classy version of Britney Spears?
puke

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

a one day london travel card costs 13.20 weekdays $26 cad, and only 6.70 weekends ( and after 9.30am) thats 14 cad, london is an expensive city, and GBP ARE USED roughly for a guide 1 GBP = 2 CAD ( this changes rapidly day to day, XECONVERTER is an ideal tool to get a good idea of costs )

i have given the information based on a zone 1 to 6 pass, covers all of london tubes train and buses.

I myself travel a lot around europe, which uses the euro - as KD said CASH is not an option, too many ways to lose cash.

1000 is slightly low, as i dont do much in europe but expenses are generally 75 euro a day, a meal for 2 costs from 7 euro ( pizza belgium airport) to 30 euro in a top hotel.

Insurance is a MUST, london delay flights like its part of the TOS lol, so if your basing connections on london get insurance!

Avoid CITY of LONDON, here is why, i live near the city, price of a pint of beer - �2.60
My friend lives in the city - price of beer �5.00+

( i dont need to know where your going, anywhere you can ask zone 1 will generally be more expensive - the bus will tell you! )

Enjoy your holiday (Vacation)

Places to avoid completely - none, europe is one big nice place i lived in london all my life, regardless as long as you dont walk alone at 4am you will be fine.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:21 pm

Standard Procedure wrote:

Well, I'll be in London for half a day, and I might be spending part of the day at the home of my parents' friends. Anything I might need for London apart from the one day pass (Which I calculated it to be ~$30CAD)?

Thanks for the advice everyone!

A one day bus and tube pass is about �9.50 All zones (1-6) less if you need less zones

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:52 pm

I agree about not taking travellers cheques - they are a pain to cash and a lot of retailers, restaurants etc are very reluctant to accept them as payment. You don't actually need a large amount of cash - just pay for as much as possible with your Visa/Mastercard and provided you pay the account in full later it's not an expensive option. It's a lot safer than carrying wads of cash, although obviously you will need some 'pocket money'.

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:00 pm

Ziggyzap wrote:

A one day bus and tube pass is about �9.50 All zones (1-6) less if you need less zones

Where do I find that price? I looked through the TfL website and it said that it was �13.20 for the weekday, the time that I'll be there. Confused

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:08 pm

Also, the only meal I'll be paying for in London will be my breakfast. I'll be going to where my parent's friends live for dinner at night (Who happen to live in Zone 6...). Also, most of the days, something like 18 or so of the 3 weeks, breakfast and/or dinner will be provided for, so that won't be a problem.

EDIT: I'll be entering Europe through London and leaving through Amsterdam, so that'll be no problem for me. I've had my share of interesting experiences with LHR and British Airways (Including all 4 engines of my flight not starting and we were stranded on the runway!)

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:31 pm

SP, I'm sure all of the advice you're getting is sincere and well-meaning, but be careful: some of the folks around here may just be trying to score a pith helmet in their sig line Wink

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:44 am

I'd have thought that someone with your baiting skills, SP, would know how to WU the money Laughing

Though, because of the lack of internet tracking, I do prefer Moneygram myself.

Though there's nothing worse than trying to cash your WU and finding that you've got the wrong MTCN, so stick to the CC.

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 2:14 am

Standard Procedure wrote:

I think it should also be emphasized that I'm a Muslim, and even though I suck at being Muslim, I follow the rule of not drinking...

I'm a Buddhist yet I don't drink alcohol either (but only because I lack the enzyme to process alcohol!)
Laughing

Anyhow, pm for you on facebook. Smile

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 18

Nelsonsbattle wrote:

I'd have thought that someone with your baiting skills, SP, would know how to WU the money Laughing

Though, because of the lack of internet tracking, I do prefer Moneygram myself.

Though there's nothing worse than trying to cash your WU and finding that you've got the wrong MTCN, so stick to the CC.

Hey ST PR....theres an idea.... WU the money...(and lookout for anyone looking Nigerian or holding any kind of sign saying 419 anything Smile

cheers

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:29 pm

I've been looking at the Visa travelmoney card. They even have an ATM locater at all places including the Vatican!

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:11 pm

One more question: do I get a pith helmet if I send myself on a safari Laughing

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:11 pm

^^^
you only get a plinth helmet if an other baiter traveld more tham 200miles or crossed a border to meet you Smile

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