Roaming thru Europe, off the beaten path… by car.

On your next vacation trip to Europe, why not get off the beaten path? Rent a car and explore!!

If you need help in planning your adventure, let me know.  Having lived in Europe for more than 22 years, I know a lot about Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and the BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg). I can give you advice on which routes to take, towns and villages to visit, nice places to stay, great places to eat, interesting things to see, as well as fun and cultural things to do. I can provide first-hand information on just about anything an American baby-boomer or woman traveler would want or need to know. (I am one, you know!!)

When I travel by car, I do so slowly. I take my time. I stop here. I explore there. If I see something - even a sign - that looks a bit interesting… I go there. I read the guide books. I stop at the tourist offices. But, most times, I just wander… I just roam… here and there. As a result, I have seen many ‘off the beaten path’ places that most Americans (and sometimes Europeans!!) have never seen.  (Ok, ok… truth be told… sometimes I had not really planned to see some of those places [read: lost, ever so lost]. But none-the-less, I have been there!!)

Getting off the beaten path is easy these days. All you need is a GPS-system in your car, a mobile and a WiFi-equipped tablet.  Years ago, without these devices, it was a bit more problematic. However, I quickly learned that back-country roads generally lead to post roads (postal service) and those roads lead to the national highway system. So all’s good, as they say!! Soft adventure, slow travel - at its best!!!

But now back to the point of this blog.

If you are planning a self-drive European vacation and have some questions or need some information… send me an email (Vicki@roaming-thru-europe.com). If it is something which I can answer off the top of my head (and it, usually, is) … I won’t charge you. But if I have to do some research, we can agree on a small nominal fee.  Sound fair???

Travelling alone on a day river cruise

The passenger line to the Danube River cruise boat appeared rather quickly, so I hustled to get near the front so that I could get ‘my’ seat.  Since I generally travel alone, I have specific places on various types of transport where I like to sit. On a plane - it is in a window seat just behind ´the wing’. But I must admit with the new jumbo planes, sitting upstairs is quite nice and a bit more intimate.  But now back to the boat.

If you have ever taken one of these cruises you will remember that most people want to sit on the upper deck as close to the front (bow) as possible. Of course, since much of the bow is not accessible to the public, you – and everyone else - often end up sitting mid-section with a totally unobstructed view of the boat’s radar system or  you might have a cornucopia of shots of the back of other tourists heads !!

I, however prefer to sit in the back of the boat. I select a chair which is closest to the stern (the back) … which of course is facing backwards.   Since no one else wants to sit there, I generally have the entire stern area to myself… as if I own it… waiters come and ask me - and only me - if I would like something to eat or drink. I can take interesting unobstructed photos of things as we pass by.   Since I can look both forward as well as backward, I can anticipate things which might look ‘photo-worthy’ and take a photo as we draw closer.

 

But, of course, that privacy also comes at a price. You become an object of curiosity. What is she looking at? What is she taking photos of? Why is she sitting alone in the back? Why is she receiving so much attention from the cruise staff? And being the object of curiosity, people – especially other people who are travelling alone (or people who want to be seen as if they are travelling alone) approach you. Regardless of sexual orientation, I have found that the back of the boat is the place to meet people… or get ‘picked up’. So if you are travelling alone and want someone (gay, straight, married, single ), to talk with, have a drink or dinner with even just to smoke a cigerette with  (you name it!!) ... head to the back of the boat, whip out your camera and just wait!

Passau

I drove my car from Regensburg to Passau, where I boarded the river cruise. The drive to Passau was enlightening. As I drove along, I could see that the cars and their occupants were different than what I had seen in Germany. The cars were, in most cases, old and beat-up and the people did not look German. Since the road to Passau will also take you to the Czech border, I guessed they were Czechs.

I usually do not have problems or feel the least bit insecure during my travels... BUT  I did find it  a bit disconcerting to see two groups of young men drinking beer in the rest stop at 10.30 in the morning. Since it was a parking place, not a restaurant, I cut my stay short and got back on the rod within minutes. I am sure that the guys were harmless and would not have bothered me... just vacationers having a bit of fun.... but why take the chance especially when alcohol is involved.

Passau – a university town - is perched on a hill. Everywhere, there are steps leading upward. I tried to resist them and remain on level ground, but the sites at river level were somewhat limited. So I climbed the stairs… and I am so glad that I did.

I wandered for a couple of hours first around the town square, then in the numerous alleys and small streets. When I tired, I stopped for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. The architecture was well worth the climb… beautiful buildings, wonderful wooden doors….

 

 

 

 

Experiences of a woman travelling alone... by car in Europe

Well today is the first day of the rest of my life…. as the saying goes.

Today, I officially set forth on my quest to get sponsorship for this blog and for my efforts to launch a travel service which is dedicated to serving the needs of baby boomer travelers to Europe... especially women who want to travel alone, in pairs or without a male escort.   

As my readers know… I love to travel alone in Europe … in my car. I am careful about where I go and what I do … but essentially it is safe.  Luckily, I have not had any bad experiences yet!!

Ok, ok… several years ago, while I was driving my hot little Alfa convertible (cabriolet) near Chablis* in France, I was followed by a car load of guys…  But that was a different time, a different ‘me’ and a different car… not my staid, Peugeot fortress… AND that was well before navigation systems, mobile phones and wifi were EVERYWHERE!!  *Believe it or not Chablis is not just a wine... but a real town!!

With a GPS-equipped car as well as Wifi - equipped IPAD or smart phone and utilizing Hotspots in restaurants (like McDonalds) and small hotels with Wifi in the rooms… we can go wherever we chose without fear. 

Of course, 4 or 5 years ago, there was my Christmas Eve incident at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.  The new car I ordered had not arrived, so the Peugeot dealer lent me a car.  I immediately drove to Paris for the Christmas holiday.  What a trip... early Christmas Eve driving down a street and having the Eiffel Tower suddenly peering down at me over some neighborhood buildings.  Early Christmas morning driving – like a crazy person – around and around the Arc de Triomphe… merely because I could!!  There wasn’t a single bit of traffic, nary a car on the street, not a car on the Champs-Elysee or even on the boulevard which encircles the Arc… I was TOTALLY alone and having the ball of my life. 

But there WAS the small incident the night before at the Cathedral.  I had driven to the midnight mass, parked my car.. and was ABSOLUTELY  sure it would not be difficult to retrace my steps to get back to my hotel which was one street over from the Champs Elysee (trust me… the hotel was not as grand as it sounds!). At any rate, somehow I got turned around and then a ‘bit’ lost. The loaner car did not have a navigation system.. so I drove and drove (not to worry, the car doors were locked, the heating system worked, I had food, drink and my tunes…  so all was good!!!) So after leaving the mass at 1.00 am, I ended up driving around Paris for a couple of hours.  Finally I saw a police station and stopped to ask for directions back to Paris.  The policewoman – said in the typical haughty French way - ‘You are in Paris!!’ And then she told me to just get back into my car and drive straight ahead!! I did as she instructed, but after a half hour or so, it occurred to me to just stop the first taxi cab that I saw and ask him to lead me back to the hotel.  I did just that and the driver was somewhat amused at my plight… but he led me all the way back to my hotel… without charging me!!   I arried at 3am!! The next day I did the Arc de Triomphe and then drove to Picardy… if you ever want the ultimate experience in an upscale beach location.. check out this place. Wonderful in winter, must be absolutely fantastic in summer!!

Ever thought about driving thru Europe?

Have you ever thought about driving through Europe… not in a group… just you and your significant other or friend? It has struck me that I might not be the only one who loves to travel, roaming, wandering and exploring 'off the beaten' path. Soft adventure… nothing too strenuous.. no jumping off cliffs or paragliding. Just doing what you want to do, when you want to do it… seeing  what you want to see,... when you want to see it.

If this idea intrigues you, contact me… I have some ideas on how it can be done!!

Chilling experience

As a woman travelling alone, I am always aware of potential problems. But in my 22 years of living abroad, I have not had any - until last night. While I was at McD’s, I selected a table facing the windows. I could not see who was behind me. But apparently, they could see what I was doing on my Laptop.  As I repeatedly tried to get on the McD’s network, a new network suddenly appeared titled: “use your own wifi, b (gender slur)”. 

Reading it sent a chill up my spine. I immediately got up and went to the counter; and that is when I asked the staff for help getting online. One of the staff was a woman. I asked her if she spoke English, then I recounted to her what had happened. I wanted to make sure that someone else was aware of what had happened. She started to turn around to look at the people in the room, but I told her not to. I just said, “I guess one of your customers does not like me”.  I then sat in McD’s for more than an hour first - to enjoy the internet and second - to ensure that there was no one in the parking lot who might want to harm me.

Lesson Learned: 1. Sit facing the people. 2. Buy a tablet or IPAD so no one can see what you are doing.