A Best-Selling Novelist Talks Travel

New Prize: Thailand Adventure The best response Budget Travel receives between May 1 and May 31, 2007, wins a nine-day Northern Thailand Discovery tour for two; the winner will marvel at the glorious nature, discover ancient ruins, and wander amid sacred temples. Courtesy of G.A.P Adventures, the prize includes guides, lodging, and food (but not international airfare, local payment, or any personal expenses). Tour begins and ends in Bangkok. Trip must be booked by December 31, 2007. For more on G.A.P Adventures: gapadventures.com. How to enterTrueStories@BudgetTravelOnline.com or True Stories, Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Ave., 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10018. For full contest guidelines, visit BudgetTravelOnline.com/TrueStories. The prize has an estimated retail value of $740 and is valid from June 19, 2007, to May 31, 2008. Taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Blackout dates may apply. The prize is subject to availability, nontransferable, and nonnegotiable. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Only one prize will be awarded, and your chances of winning depend on how many entries we receive and whether yours is the best. Open to residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona. Winner!This month's winner is Caroline Friesen of Seattle, Wash. Her prize: A four-night trip to Singapore and Malaysia, courtesy of Sayang Holidays. Last summer my friend and I traveled through South America for two months. Our Buenos Aires guidebook recommended Tierra Santa, a religious theme park that resembles Jerusalem. All we knew was that highlights were said to include a laser-light show of the creation story. Upon entering the park, we heard a voice over the loudspeaker: "We regret to inform you that Christ will not be resurrected due to high winds. We will resume the resurrection as soon as possible." Twenty minutes later the winds died down, and sure enough, an eight-foot-tall Jesus emerged from the mountain in the center of the park. "Ave Maria" played over the loudspeaker, and everyone stopped to watch the spectacle. Try Beating 'em With the Mat During a monthlong biking trip, my husband and I were pedaling through a Moroccan village when 30 or so kids began trailing me. Children had stolen from our saddlebags in the past, so I chanted a yoga mantra, hoping it'd scare them off. Instead, they copied the chant--and I had an entourage of disciples in my wake. Susan Selenow, Buena Vista, Colo. Foxy, Meet Frisky My wife and I were celebrating our first wedding anniversary at Foxy's Bar in Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. We had earlier purchased an infant-size T-shirt as a gift for our soon-to-be-born grandchild, and we thought it would be even more special with an autograph from Foxy, who is a charismatic singer and storyteller. As he started to sign, I spontaneously said, "It's for our baby." He gave my wife a somewhat quizzical look, no doubt because we belong to the social-security generation. "We're still trying," I explained. After a good laugh, he scrawled, "Keep trying, Foxy '06" on the shirt. Gene Funkhouser, Carpinteria, Calif. You Can't Get That at the Mall I was pumped to shop for counterfeit handbags in New York's Chinatown, and even though my husband hates to shop, I was glad to have him along. Just as I had heard would happen, a man discreetly said, "Louis Vuitton," so we followed him down a long alley to an unmarked building and up four dark flights of stairs. We passed through a metal door and my heart was racing--I was scared to death! We passed through a sweatshop with about 50 women sewing. Then we entered another room, where there were purses galore. I was in heaven. Suddenly there was a loud bang. We were told to sit on the floor and to stay quiet. It was the police! The lady showing us the purses locked us in a tiny room with no windows for 30 minutes. My husband was not amused, to say the least--I was getting looks from him that I'd never seen before. Finally, the police opened the door, and, after much questioning, we were let go. I'm pretty sure my husband will never shop with me again. Tammy VosWinkel, Abilene, Tex. All We Can Say Is, at Least It Wasn't "The Thong Song" I was studying in Brisbane, Australia, when I went to a bar called Tinbilly Travellers with a group of Aussies. One of the girls asked me to request a song, so I happily obliged. When the song started playing, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by men dropping their pants and dancing! Afterward, I found out that the song was universally understood by male university students as a cue to dance pantless. Emily R. Crouse, Athens, Ohio You can find more True Stories in the May 2007 issue of Budget Travel magazine.

Bermuda: Third Time's a Charm? The island has been loosening up, trying to appeal to modern travelers with cheaper flights and a more relaxed sensibility. Whether it has changed enough to please someone who vowed not to return remains to be seen. Secret Hotels of the Greek Isles If you're seeking peace, quiet, and a killer tan, look no further than the islands of Páros and Antiparos. They're like Mykonos and Santorini without the crowds. Search our hotel database! The Family Travel Handbook Our guide will make your summer vacations a breeze. What's included: the 15 places every kid should see, hilarious photo tricks, the coolest new attractions of 2007, America's best scenic train rides, rainy-day crafts, and much more. Slide show: 15 before 15 Eat Like a Local: Toronto Licorice-marinated olives, great paninis and the tenderest lamb shank are among the city's favorite dishes. Web Smart: Google Earth Google Earth is turning into one heck of a travel tool (and it's a blast to play with). Road Trip: Colorado Visitors to Southwestern Colorado fill their lungs with the refreshing mountain air--and their cameras' memory cards with tons of scenic photos. 40 Best Vacations The Real Deals right now.

Charleston, SC: I plan to travel around Western Europe by Eurailpass in March, April, and May of 2008. I am a 61-year-old man and will be venturing solo. Can you suggest categories of accommodations that are moderate to inexpensive, clean, and offer some modicum of privacy and quiet? Thanks. Mark Pearson: First off, March thru May is a great time of year to travel in Western Europe. You won't have to deal with the heat, crowds, etc. What is moderate to inexpensive and clean certainly varies from country to country. If you want privacy and quiet, well, that rules out hostels, which average about $25US per night. Expect to pay around $80US per night for a moderate hotel in a decent location. Like everything, you pretty much get what you pay for. There's a reason why some of the new budget hotel chains are only $40US per night. Do you really want to be 30 minutes outside of town at a truck stop? Your best bet is to spend time consulting several guidebooks. If you're ready for an adventure, you might try Couchsurfing.com or hospitalityclub.org, two sites where you can find people that will let you sleep at their pad. I guarantee a good story or two to tell. _______________________ New York, New York: How can my boyfriend and I travel to Turkey for $1000 per person (including airfare). We want to travel the last two weeks of May and we are both 25. We would love to do as much hiking as possible as well as see Istanbul. Thank you, Katrina Mark Pearson: Hi Katrina and Katrina's boyfriend, Two weeks in Turkey for $1K including airfare?? The flight alone will cost you nearly $900, which leaves you with about $7 per day! If you're crazy, you can do it. A friend of mine and contributor to our book series, Ben Bachelder, traveled for 14 months around the world on a $5 per day budget. How do you do it? It involves hitchhiking and staying with the locals. _______________________ Phoenix, AZ: Have you any insight in hiking the Pilgrim's Trail in Northern Spain? Mark Pearson: One of my dreams is to hike the Camino de Santiago (or Way of St. James). What I know about it comes from reading two moving stories in our anthology, Spain From a Backpack. I don't mean for this to be a shameless plug but it's best if I let the opening of Mara Ginnane's story, "To Be A Pilgrim," speak for itself... The wind whips around me, shoving me off course and flapping my jacket wildly against my arms. My heavy backpack, tightened around my hips and shoulders, pulls me toward the ground. On both sides of the road, groves of poplar trees bend and shake with every gust, hurling leaves and small branches in all directions. Above, dark clouds boil and swell, full to bursting with the threat of rain. This is my worst day yet. Three-hundred kilometers into an 800-kilometer trek across Spain, I am wishing I had never heard of the Camino de Santiago. My tired legs strain to propel my body forward on blistered feet, and my eyes squeeze nearly shut, tearing up against stinging sand blown by the roaring wind. I had been hiking with three companions, but they have fallen behind now. I can't even hear the crunching of their boots on the gravel road. _______________________ Milford, CT: What is your favorite country for naturally scenic backpacking in Europe? Please include time of year, city names, and trail names. Mark Pearson: A backpack is simply the best way to carry your worldly possessions while traveling on a shoestring budget. Backpackers experience marvels that elude people who carry suitcases. While I'm not a hiking expert at all, I do enjoy it. One of my favorite hiking destinations is in the mountains near Interlaken, Switzerland. The village of Gimmewald serves as an excellent base. The other scenic spot is Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. _______________________ Westfield, NJ: Mark: My wife and I are both (not so young) teachers looking to be able to afford Europe (preferably Italy or Spain and Portugal) for July and August. We are interested in seeing cities for 4-5 days and the countryside between cities on the other days. We would like to backpack (to be able to afford this experience) but not rough it too much. We want a clean hostel, apart-hotel, apartment or agritourismo that has a comfortable bed, hot water, and simple cooking hookup and private bathroom during the trip. We understand it is the busy season and we know the exchange rate of the Euro however this is something we would like to do as an alternative to our central and south American trips each summer. What details for lodging and food can you recommend in pulling this trip off in one or more of the following countries: Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Holland, France, or Northern Europe during this time period? How much can we expect to have to spend for the two of us for this type of trip? Thank you in advance. I look forward to your answer. Professor K Mark Pearson: Professor K, Do you have any long lost relatives that you can stay with? It's hard to say how much this type of trip will cost you. From what you described, I would expect to spend about $100 a day. To save money, you have to make some sacrifices. For example, you may want to steal a page from the Europeans and stay in one spot for 6 weeks. It's only the Americans who race around the Continent trying to see as much as possible. The more you move around, the more it will cost you. _______________________ Blaine, WA: I'm going to Italy alone in May, 2007 and I've been told to be careful in train stations. Aside from that, is there anything else a 50-something woman alone should watch out for? I'll be mostly in the area between Milano and Firenza. Mark Pearson: May is one of the best months to travel in Italy. I would be more concerned about the 50-something Italian males wooing you than the train stations! I strongly recommend buying a money belt to store your cash, credit cards, and passport. The money belt should be worn underneath your clothes. There are entire books full of safety tips. It comes down to using common sense. _______________________ Payson, AZ: We will be traveling in Spain later this summer. We like small, out-of-the-way places, but are finding it almost impossible to get train routes and schedules related to the small towns. Specifically, we can find nothing about connections from Santiago de Compostela across the Costa Verde, including the towns of Le Coruna, Ortegueira, Ribadeo, Gijon, SantanderBilboa and San Sebastian, then on to Bayonne France. The Renfe web site doesn't list those towns and refuses to offer connections possible more than a month in the future. HELP!!! James Mark Pearson: I feel your pain, James. I had the same problem with the Renfe Web site last year! First, the time schedules may not vary much from month to month. The times you see this month are likely what you'll see next month. Second, you're often better off traveling by bus instead of train. If you don't want to wing it, the RailEurope.com train schedule search works pretty slick. However, you don't need to buy train or bus tickets to these small towns in advance. Finally, one train strike will derail all the planning. _______________________ New York, NY: I (I'm 29) will be backpacking in Eastern Europe (Prague, Vienna and Budapest) with my Mom this summer. We leave from JFK on Aug. 1, for 15 days. Do you have a suggested essential itinerary -- where to spend more of our time, etc? Thank you, D.F. Mark Pearson: Hi D.F., That's great you're taking your mom to Eastern Europe. Here's a suggested itinerary: 2 or 3 nights Prague 1 or 2 nights Vienna 2 nights Budapest 2 nights Eger, Hungary Depending on where you fly in and out of, you could add Krakow, Salzburg, or Munich. _______________________ Dublin, OH: I back-packed through Europe for 3 1/2 months in 1970. I even met my husband that summer on a train and we have been married for almost 36 years. How do think back-packing has changed from then to now? Sincerely, Diana Mark Pearson: Hi Diana, The story of meeting your husband on a train would have been a great story for our book. My first backpacking trip around Europe was not until 2002 so I don't know firsthand how it has changed since 1970. I can tell you that backpacking around Europe is now more popular than ever, despite the euro gaining on the dollar ($1.33US gets you 1 euro today). Every year, nearly two million Americans ages 18 to 29, and hundreds of thousands of Brits, Canadians and Australians, head for Europe to travel, study and work. It's still a right of passage. _______________________ Phoenix, AZ: What are the 2 best cities to backpack/hike in Spain and Italy? Say 3 days per city. Thanks, Robin. Mark Pearson: Hi Robin, Here are a few regions where you'll find great hiking. Italy -- Cinque Terre Italy -- Amalfi Coast (Positano is a good base) Spain -- anywhere on the Camino de Santiago Spain -- island of Majorca _______________________ Novi, MI: My husband, 10-year-old son and I would love to backpack around Italy or France. My question is, is it advisable to backpack with a young child? If the answer is yes, what is the best way to approach the trip? Thank you. Any help is appreciated. Mark Pearson: Your 10-year-old son will have a great time in Europe. There are plenty of kid-friendly things to do. Rather than visit a dozen countries, you might consider, for example, renting an apartment in Rome or Paris for a week. They can be less expensive than hotels and it will feel like you're actually living in Europe! I highly recommend taking a break from the museums and spending a few days at the beach in the Italian Riviera. What kid would not want to play in the sand and eat pizza and gelato? _______________________ Mark Pearson: Thanks so much for joining me to talk about backpacking in Europe. If you're planning a trip or just want to relive the adventure, pick up a copy of one of the Europe From a Backpack series travel books. My site, europebackpack.com, has a blog and lots of resources for you. Cheers! Mark Pearson _______________________