Would you retrace the steps of the Titanic on a memorial cruise?

French railway workers are gearing up for a major, open-ended strike, one that will have significant implications for anyone traveling to France in mid-October. The reason: President Nicolas Sarkozy wants to raise the retirement age from age 60 to 62. The country's largest transport union CGT has pledged to defend this retirement age (the earliest among European nations) by stopping work at 11:30 p.m. on Monday, October 11 for an indefinite period of time. What will this mean for travelers? Let's begin with the situation at the airports: the suburban train that connects both Orly and Charles de Gaulle with the city of Paris will probably not be running on October 12. This RER-B line is typically the "most affected" (not working) train route during any strike. Those willing to shell out the €40-60 for a taxi will have to wait in line with hundreds of others travelers who share the same idea. Cheaper alternatives, in the form of buses and shuttles into the city, will be over-crowded and will also require significant waiting. What's more, these airport buses and shuttles only deliver travelers to certain spots within the city, and it's uncertain whether the subway (Métro) will be available to help them reach their final destination. Within the Paris subway system, line 14 is automatic and runs normally during a strike. The Métro's remaining fifteen lines are usually running, but with reduced frequency. The city's RATP website is updated throughout the day to report (in French) on the frequency of trains. A statement that says "lignes 5 &7: 1 train sur 3," can be interpreted as "lines 5 & 7 are running at 30% capacity." If a train normally comes every four minutes, riders can expect one to arrive every 12 minutes with sardine-like conditions inside. For a snapshot of travel conditions in September, when unions tested the waters with a shorter-term strike, visit this helpful travel blog . Traveling to France during this time? You'll want to read this article on how to lessen the grief of a Paris grève. Alternative transportation: it's easy to rent a bike in Paris…with the right credit card. We show you how. Keep reading to find out how long the strike could go on for. How long will this go on? The strike is set to begin October 12 but all signs point to a long and drawn out battle. President Sarkozy, with the support of the European Commission, has made pension reform the centerpiece of his policy agenda and is unlikely to back down from the increased retirement age. The opposing unions have described that retirement age as "non-negotiable" and are likely to continue striking until significant concessions are made. We'll keep you posted as things heat (and jam) up, and I'll report back about my own airport odyssey since I'm flying into Paris on October 13.

We bet it's not as weird as a journal made of cow manure… I'll admit: I was pretty pleased with myself last year when I brought back a bottle of borovnica (blueberry brandy) from my trip to Slovenia. The alcohol is a trademark of the country and sold in souvenir shops and corner stores alike, all over Slovenia. But what made this purchase unique is that the bottle had been artfully crafted to match the geography of the country itself. Genius! What better way to remember a country than to sample some of its signature liqueur—out of a bottle in the shape of said country? Surely, I thought, hardly anyone else in the world had such a unique souvenir! I patted myself on the back and proudly presented it to my parents as a gift last Christmas. But when I came across this online article—about a Vermont novelty shop selling journals made out of cow manure—I knew I had been beat. Cow poop journals, hands down, wins as the most unusual souvenir I've ever heard of. And never fear: They're still for sale! Yes, folks—for the bargain price of just $6—one of these cow bile mementos can be yours! It's almost enough to entice me to make a special trip to Vermont, just to purchase one! Or not… This got me thinking about what other crazy souvenirs folks have brought back from the far reaches of the world. A quick Google search gave me a glimpse into some of the possibilities. One British travel site offered suggestions for how to track down five of the strangest souvenirs from around the world, including wallets made out of the entire bodies of giant frogs, from the Philippines; a bottle of rice wine, with a dead poisonous snake coiled up in the bottom, from Vietnam; and panda poo from Sichuan, China. But if I know our Budget Travel readers as well as I think I do, I suspect you can one-up all these silly purchases, so here's your chance. Tell us about the craziest souvenir you've ever purchased. We'd love to hear about it!