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With so much to see on the Continent most personnel travel extensively. S ome,people, because of foresight and experience will enjoy their travels. Others, will recount their holidays with the frequent repetitions of "now next time, . . . . . . .". The following are some useful tips based on personal experiences of wing personnel.
Planning
Even the moat casual holiday requires a certain amount of pre-planning. Plan the following regardless of your intentions.Ultimate destination,
Route,
Maps, guide book and phrase book,
Clothing,
Method of packing,
Daily allowance for food and shelter,
Spare car parts,
Children's entertainment in the car,
Passports.Where to Go
Your destination is a matter of personal choice; however, here are a few suggestions to consider. The time of year - summer months are preferable for a northern trip while in the spring and the autumn it is nice in the south, Also, Spain and Italy can be very hot in summer and the French Riviera is fantastically crowded. The Riviera is cheaper in scring or autumn with costs being about one half of what they are in July or August. Costs - just to cross the English Channel may run between $65,00 and $95.00 return depending on the size of car and family. On a Scandinavian trip the ferry costs must also be considered. In Germany and France gasoline costs are small as you have quarter master tickets, while other countries you may pay from 65 cents a gallon up. In the out of the way places, hotel and restaurant costs are usually one third less.Expenses
You must budget for your holidays and it is best to plan in units of one day as you require meals and shelter each day. Non-campers will find these major expenses with meals being about $3.50 and hotels about $3.00 per person per day. On top of this, add your gasoline, costs, visiting tourist attractions etc. Some extra money should be carried to cover unexpected eventualities e.g. car trouble, medical expenses etc. Avoid carrying cash, travellers cheques are inexpensive and safeguard your funds. Divide your money between husband and wife in case a wallet or handbag is stolen.Hotels
Normally one has no requirement for first class accommodation for the night only. Choosing a clean but inexpensive hotel can be a risky business. The best method is to follow the advice of the experts. There are many guides covering hotels, room prices, meals etc. For France, Spain and Italy there are Michelin Guides, (Approximately $2.00) and any guide of this nature, will save you its cost on the first day of your trip. In England, cheap but comfortable accommodations is the Bed and Breakfast provided at private homes.Food and Restaurants
Eating can be a pleasure or a problem, as in Europe standards of food cleanliness are generally not so high as North America, Again stick to your guide book and you won't go wrong - they continually check those listed in their guide to be sure standards are maintained.
Watch the menu prices closely and stick to the listed selections If you deviate you Are on your own!
You must also stick to European meal hours - in Spain for example, don't expect to get dinner before 2030 or 2100 hours. In France, between 1200 - 1400 hours, the roads are less crowded so if one invests in a picnic table and chairs and small stove you become independent. Everyone picnics along the highways in Europe.
If you are unsure of the water, you can buy bottled or mineral water throughout Europe.Tipping
Most European countries add 10 - 15% for service charge - if it is added do not tip. The locals don't tip twice. Moreover, you are setting a precedent for other tourists.Car Parts.. (Spares)
If you have car trouble it may take considerable time to got the parts, especially for an American car. For a few dollars you can purchase some of the likely - to - cause - trouble parts beforehand to carry on your trip.
A suggested list is:
Fan belt, Points,
Spark plugs,
spare oil,
Coil,
Fuel pump repair kit,
Sealed beam unit,
Spare bulbs,
Condenser.Make sure you know your spark plug and point clearance if you drive an American Car.
Medical
For sickness of any member of the family obtain treatment immediately. Here is a list of sources of treatment:
RCAF Canadian Army or Navy,
Other Commonwealth Forces,
US Forces, Canadian,
UK or US diplomatic authority Forces of the country you are visiting,If none of these are close go to a civilian doctor. The best place to find a doctor is near the center of a town - look for the usual brass plate showing the doctor's name and business hours. Should you pick a dentist - don't worry - he will direct you to a doctor. Most doctors speak English, French or German.
Accidents
Whether you have a small accident or a big, accident remember the 4 S's:
Stop,
Shut-up (don't admit guilt etc)
Seek info (name, address, license no., etc.)
Send for police.Again, don't admit guilt or sign anything that may incriminate you. Also, provide assistance, give first aid and help direct traffic etc.
Traffic Offenses
Normally the police are tolerant toward tourists, but don't count on it. If you are. charged with a minor offence it is best to pay your fine, and leave. Should you become involved in a major offence e.g. possible manslaughter, get in touch with the Wing, the nearest Canadian or US Military Police or the nearest Canadian or British Embassy. Remember - drive carefully.Clothing
Consider the climate carefully when packing clothes before leave. Also, avoid taking an excess as it will be hard to drag along. While on leave, dress neatly, remember it is poor citizenship to give a bad impression of your fellow countrymen.Children
Travel can be tiring for children so attempt to plan accordingly.
Here are some suggestions:
(1) Organics games e.g. looking out the window and mentioning things beginning with A
(2) Have reading and colouring period. Carry a few games.
(3) Stop occassionally and let the kids tire themselves out. A Net, and ball will assist,
(4) Don't cover too many miles in a day. Get the kids to bed early,General
Pack all your overnight needs in one suitcase. Include a universal adapter for your razor and if it is not multi-volt, carry a small transformer. In some areas of Europe, mainly the south, cars may be broken into for attractive items e.g. cameras - keep them out of sight.Finally - keep your passport handy - you will need it everywhere
Camping in Europe is for all ages, sexes and walks of life. On one hand you find youth organizations, whose outfits consist of a pair of feet, a tent (pup style), a knife, a loaf of bread, a sausage, some cheese and a bottle of beer. On the other, you see well-to-do people with fine cars and elaborate outfits. All with a yen for travel. To the average Canadian it is a means of making his travel dollar go further.
The vast array of equipment may bewilder the novice, so merely visit the stores, browse and collect catalogues. Next visit a camp platz on a weekend and look at all the types of tents which are available. Then when you are deciding, consider these facts: Do you wish to camp on your knees or do you wish ample headroom. Which colors are hot and which colors are cool. What tent provides indoor cooking space for a rainy day. What size of tent can you get in your car with your hundreds of other items.
Next sleeping - You must decide on air matresses or cots. Then what type of sleeping bags, as there is a large selection of natural and synthetic fillings. Also remember, most rectangular bags can be zipped together to form a double.
Now comes the stove. There are a large number of types to choose from but the major types are, gasoline (automotive), naptha or propane. The gas type has the advantage of ease of obtaining fuel but is fairly dirty and requires considerable cleaning. Naptha is readily available but more expensive. Propane is the more common with fuel available generally throughout Europe, in disposable cartridges or refillable cylinders.
The woman should choose the cooking utensils and dishes. Sets of pots are available which set inside each other. Plastic dishes prove the most practical for camping. With those essentials you may go forth; however, there are other items which turn camping into an enjoyable experience. Table, chairs, lamp, ice box, camping pyjamas, itc.
Tables and chairs come in all shapes and forms to fit into your car. It is relatively easy to choose a table from the selection offered but it is recommended that you buy chairs not stools. The stools do not prove as comfortable, in any case try them for comfort before you buy them.
A lamp is very handy and may be electric (from your car battery), naptha or Propane. Propane generally is the most suitable with the mobile type generally preferred. Refill cylinders of International Camp Gas, are available accross Europe.
One item of comfort is camping pyjamas. Nothing more than "sweat suits" as we know them but particularly nice for the small fry, They are also accepted dress within a camp site, at any time.
An ice box is convenient for keeping milk, food and a beer. They come in various sizes and ice can generally be obtained through the management of a campsite.
Most camps have running, water, Drinking water is usually marked "Potable" or "Trinkwasser" if it is not marked ask the attendant before you drink it..
Useful items to have are: damp proof matches, clothes line, clothes pegs, some nylon line, plastic containers and toilet paper is a must. If you feel you are set - move out, when you set up camp mark down what you feel is missing. When you are getting ready to break camp check your list of missing items and list the items you did not need. In this manner you will adjust your gear.
When you go further afield the "Camping Europa" is a useful book with thousands of camping sites listed. But if you see one that looks nice, try it even if it is not in the book, many nice sites are not listed. Remember when you are registering at a camp site, have your passport handy. Most European laws make this mandatory.
In certain countries it may be necessary or better to have an International Camping Carnet, This may be obtained through the Deutsche Camping Club or ADAC (Deutsche Automobile Association). So now - enjoy the scenery and fresh air.
For the individual who wishes to stretch his holiday money but maintain a certain degree of home comfort - a trailer is the answer, With the costs of accommodation and meals the cost of a trailer can be recovered completely in few leave periods and then costs are relatively those of your own home.
Further it is convenient not to have to head into a city to search for suitable accommodation during tourist season. One may be independent or park at a camp site. In the, morning the trailer owner can be on the, road with a minimum of bother.
Trailers are comfortable. You have beds which you are used to, good lighting and decent toilet facilities. Some European hotels can not match that and the problem of unfamiliar beds and food is not present.
Questions associated with owning a trailer are: Towing, this may be a problem depending on a drivers individual skill, state of car, etc. Most say it is a case of getting used to it, Cost. the better the trailer the more it costs but one must consider these against a tent plus all the accessories in taking a comparison. They are not too far apart in cost. To the south of Europe some camp places stay open the year round to accommodate trailer vacationers.
In planning to buy consider; horsepower of your car, size of your family, individual space requirements and finances. Horsepower is the initial consideration. Volkswagens and Daulphines can tow trailers up to 950 lbs, with an Opel Record able to tow up to 1400 lbs, and so on as the size of car increase. However, even a small trailer can sleep four in comfort.
Costs vary with manufacturer, delivery costs etc. English and French made trailers can be imported tax free thus costs are lower than on German made trailers. On the English trailers most personnel take delivery at Dunkirk or Antwerp.
The type of accessories you put on your trailer depend on your requirements and finances. An awning is a nice extra to give shade or shelter from showers. Chemical toilets are a definite asset as the facilities in camp sites are not always the best and you are independent should you stop along the road for the night. A small refrigerator or ice box is desirable, fridges which operate on 6-12V or 110-220V being available, ice for an ice box may at times be difficult to obtain.
The "Camping, Europa" book is a must for trailering as over 1100 trailer sites are listed. Also by joining the Deutsche Camping Club you can obtain a Carnet for your trailer which allows you to use certain private, sites and sometimes a reduction in cents.
In towing a trailer it is advisable to load to have arproximately the following extra down-weight on your hitch; small trailers -75 lbs., medium - 120 lbs, larger - 125 to 140 lbs. Placing your groceries ahead of your wheels would be one way to do this. Always keep your major weight at floor level - the higher you place heavy equipment, the higher your centre of gravity and this can cause undesirable osillating.
When ordering a trailer check whether it has automatic brakes. Most European trailers have simple, but effective systems which automatically apply the brakes by the slight forward movement of the trailer on the hitch.
Some countries have speed limits for trailers. In England it is 30 m.p.h. and Germany it is 50 m.p.h. Fifty is a good speed even if there is a higher legal limit.
When backing up be CAREFUL! Check what is behind and move slowly - remember trailers tend to jackknife. REMEMBER - if you wish to back up and turn left, turn your wheel to the right and vice versa.
Back to Canada. When returning home remember a $900.00 trailer is worth about $1500.00 - $1600.00 in Canada. The cost of shipping, from Le Havre is according to cubic measurement - $12.50 per cubic meter. Thus a 1400 lb -trailer would cost approximately $160.00 - $190.00 to ship to Canada.
Many people would not be without a trailer - others wouldn't own one. If you are interested - rent one for a trial before you buy one.Happy travels!
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