What is a Forest? Hands up everybody who spontaneously said “Something with a lot of trees in it.” Strange, isn’t it, how much we take certain things for granted without ever thinking much about them. Forests are there – because they have always been there, haven’t they? This is an idea that probably still…
Hiking in Germany What is KONUS? Holidays are expensive things. For most families, they are easily the biggest item in their annual budget behind life’s essentials such as food, shelter and transport (such as the family car). Travel and accommodation make up the largest chunk of holiday expenses, but by the time the holiday starts,…
Disastrous Days Out I have been silent about this day for a good reason, as you soon shall see, but since today, the last day of the year 2011, is the day for overdue confessions, here we go. Our plan was to walk on the new-ish “X18” trail from Ibbenbüren to Tecklenburg. We found the…
The German Forest One more reason to go hiking in Germany’s forests: they may not be there for much longer. In 20 or 30 years, there will still be life in the German countryside, but perhaps not as we know it. In the 1980s, the German forest appeared to be on its last leaves. The…
Why I Do Not Like Hiking by Hugh Sluggard 1. Hiking is hard work I do not like hiking because I abhor physical and, indeed, challenges of any other kind. If it weren’t for the kids, I would gladly spend my holidays on the sofa, watching old episodes of Happy Days. Ah, the Fonz! They…
A Visit to Au Vieux Campeur in Paris Let’s get this out of the way now. This is NOT a sponsored post. I have not received a Euro cent (or a penny) from Au Vieux Campeur in Paris, and not a free book or a free map either. In fact, the Vieux Campeur is…
Day Trip from Paris Here’s What Hitler did in Compiegne One hour away from Paris lies the quiet provincial town of Compiegne where not one but two recent chapters of European history were completed. If the 30 Year European War from 1914 to 1945 was a drama in five acts, Compiegne was the stage of…
Youth hostels have, for the past few years, working hard to edge into the lower end of the tourism market. But are they a viable alternative to discount hotels? How Hostels Compare with Discount Hotels I already posted a few lines here about European non-profit Youth Hostels in general, but on the occasion of our…
Transport Tips for Germany Getting Cheapest Train Tickets in Germany Over the years, the Deutsche Bahn has been trying to improve their online services at www.db.de. Today, you can now conduct a transaction in at least 10 languages. Language aside, though, what may be self-evident to its regular online customers might be missed by those who…
Transport Tips for Germany Cheapest Train Ticket in Germany Last year, we gave Deutsche Bahn a bit more than €600 to ferry our family of 4, plus dog, from our holiday base in West Germany to the city of Erfurt in the East, and back. This year, we only spent €120 for our round-trip to…