I was studying abroad in Rome on a six-month stretch, and I had just gotten back from a trip to Paris. If you’ve read some of my other articles, you’ll know that I was broke. I had hardly enough money to get me through the rest of my stay, but I still wanted to allow myself the opportunity to see the rest of Europe while I was there. After all, when was the next time I could have nothing better to do but travel around Europe for days at a time (I’m in the workforce now, and I’m still waiting for that to happen again…I’m not holding my breath).

But how to follow Paris? I wanted to go somewhere that wasn’t entirely typical, so that I could see a little bit of old Europe alongside the new. After an hour or so of searching, I yelled to my roommate.

“Kevin!” I yelled.

“Si?” Kevin yelled in an Italian accent so bad, he had to be doing it on purpose.

“How about Geneva?”

“Switzerland?” he asked.

“That’s the only one I know,” I replied.

“Sure. Book the flight…smartass. I’ll call Angela and Patrick.”

And we were set.

Geneva isn’t the first destination most people put on their list of places they want to see in Europe. But after one visit, you’ll wonder why anyone would ever want to miss it. An incredible juxtaposition of old Europe and the new international world, Geneva is one of the world’s most storied and intriguing cities. With Switzerland bordering Germany, Italy, Austria, and France, some of it is a bit of a mish-mash of those cultures. And while all languages are recognized in most shops and restaurants, Geneva sits firmly on the French side when it comes to culture. They love their rich cheeses, trending more toward the savory French cuisine than the carbohydrate-rich Italian. The architecture displays more of gothic influence prominent throughout France than the medieval and baroque styles of Italy.

But altogether, Switzerland isn’t just part Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. It’s a place of its own. With an incredible history and a beautiful landscape, Geneva will fill you with a sense of romance and adventure. And the best part: because Geneva isn’t as popular as places like Paris, Rome, or London, it tends to be a lot less expensive to get to and enjoy.

One thing you will need to know: Switzerland is one of the few central European states that does not use the Euro. They use the Swiss Franc, which you’ll often see abbreviated CHF. Typically, one Euro equals about 1.5 CHF.

If it’s winter, grab a coat (because it is colder than a shaved polar bear…something I learned the hard way). We’re going to Geneva!

Geneva has just one airport–Geneva Cointrin International Airport–which is serviced by all of the major airlines. But when looking for fares, I always tended to stick with members of the ELFAA, the European Low Fare Airlines Association. Generally, these carriers will put you on one of their planes for anywhere from €10-30. But not too many of them fly there. Of those listed below, EasyJet has, by far, the largest number of routes, and is probably the most reliable. So, I went with that.

Flybe

EasyJet

Jet2

Transavia

When we got off of the plane, we found free shuttles to take us to our hotel. Most of the major hotels offer this service.

Always remember: the further in advance you book your flight, the better your fare will be. Also, check back frequently for deals and specials, which the airlines offer at different times during the travel seasons.

Where to Stay:

With Kevin, Angela, Patrick, and I pooling our resources, the kind of hotel we could afford jumped substantially without hurting our pockets too badly. I always recommend traveling in groups. It’s a lot better than shelling out €40 to 50 (60 – 75 CHF) on your own or settling for a single bed in a hostel. Plus, the airport is surrounded by large hotel chains which tend to be clean and cheap. We paid about €15 apiece, which got us two beds (plus a rollout), continental breakfast, TV we couldn’t understand, and bunch of other nice perks. The down side is that it was a short tram ride to the city center.

There are tons of hotels throughout the rest of the city that start at about €25 per night and go up from there. Check TripAdvisor.com for ratings, and kayak.com for the lowest rates available online.

What to Eat:

Switzerland has the unusual perk of being geographically situated between some of the finest culinary cultures in the world: there’s Italy to the south, France to the West, Germany to the North, and Austria to the East. Geneva is situated in an area of the country that is more heavily influenced by the latter of the two. Nowhere is this more true than in the region’s rich, delectable cuisine. But it also has its own unique flavor that is simply not to be missed.

Breakfast

If you were living in Switzerland long term, you’d find that for breakfast, the Swiss do what most Americans do for breakfast- they have a bowl of cereal. Only they call it muesli, and it’s more of a combination of oats, berries, and fruit juices. Otherwise, they’ll have small pastries (croissants, especially) along with coffee or tea, and sometimes fresh fruit as well. If you spend more than €5 (7-8 CHF) or so, you’re probably paying too much.

If you opt for a lighter breakfast and get hungry in the early afternoon, the Swiss will often flock to the nearest grocery store (which tend to sell an incredible array of fresh meats, cheeses, breads, fish, produce and chocolate) for a fresh loaf of bread, some cheese, and a little bit of cured meat (salami, etc.).

Lunch and Dinner

It’s probably no surprise to you, but the Swiss are big on two foodstuffs in particular: chocolate and cheese. Consumption of either is acceptable at virtually any time of the day, in various forms and flavors. But what you know as “Swiss cheese” (the white one with holes in it) is far from the only variety. Cheeses from the region vary significantly, though almost all of them are made from cow’s milk.

There are a couple popular dishes one should try in Geneva. The first is fondue. Served in heated bowls, fondue is typically made with Gruyere cheese, and can be flavored with other vegetables and spices ranging from tomatoes to hot chilies. Diners are given lances, which they use to spear small cubed pieces of bread, potatoes, or fresh vegetable to dip into the melted cheese and then eat. It’s incredibly delicious, and its usually shared amongst two or three people. For a fondue pot of that size, prices will range from €15 to €30 (22 – 45 CHF). The other dish is Raclette, another potato dish smothered with savory cheese.

Meat lovers should be sure to try Swiss sausage, which is typically served with cabbage and potatoes.

Of course, there is a wide variety of restaurants in Geneva representing the different cultures of Switzerland: Italian, French, German, and Austrian (or Romansh). Prices can range from the very cheap to the very expensive. Both Michelin and Zagat have excellent restaurant guides focused on Geneva.

Now, on to the chocolate! If you walk into grocery stores, entire sections will be dedicated just to chocolates made in Switzerland. While picking out a tasty treat, take a look at who owns the company that produces the chocolate. You’ll find that many varieties have been purchased by American companies like Kraft Foods (Toblerone is an one of these). And while Nestle is a Swiss choclatier, connoisseurs recommend trying some of the local bars made by smaller companies, which tend to be finer and have a higher cocoa count. But if you’re the kind of chocolate lover to whom “chocolate is chocolate,” you may just think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Things to see in Geneva:

My travel group and I had a bit of a difference of opinion on what to see in Geneva, so we split up in twos. When we got back, we told each other what we’d seen, and were generally convinced that the other group had been on to something. The next day, we ended up seeing exactly what the others had seen the day before. However you decide to do it, there is a lot to see in Geneva.

United Nations Building – 10 CHF (€6.25), 8 CHF (€5.50 for students) – More than 100,000 visitors stop in at the Geneva office of the United Nations every year, where various hearings and events are held, including sessions of the Council on Human Rights. There are also exhibitions of art and gifts presented to the UN by its member states.

Notre Dame – FREE – The church is a perfect replica of the building of the same name in Paris. Not quite as old, it’s an excellent example of gothic architecture as well. Catholic masses are held regularly.

Flower Watch – FREE – Built in the 1950s as a tribute to Geneva’s important watch and clock industry, the flower watch is one of the most well-known symbols of the city, and is replanted every year in bright colors.

Jet d’Eau – FREE – Literally, “water jet,” the name pretty much says it all. In the middle of Lake Geneva, around which the town is built, a magnificent fountain shoots upwards of 500 feet into the sky. It runs all day throughout the year, and during the warmer months, runs into the evening, lit up by colored lights.

Reformation Wall – FREE – The Protestant Reformation had its roots in Geneva, and for that reason, much of the city is a tribute to people like John Calvin, who were at the forefront of the movement that made Geneva known as “the Protestant Rome” during the 16th Century. This beautiful wall sculpture is a tribute to Calvin and other reformers of his time.

St. Pierre’s Cathedral – FREE – Towering above the Geneva skyline on the Old Town side of the Rhone River is St. Pierre’s, which served as the home church of John Calvin. Its beautiful stained glass windows are a sight to behold, and as a functioning church, it still offers regular services.

Old Town – FREE – On the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) is the “Old Town” of Geneva, where many of the structures still stand just the way they did during the rapid expansion of Geneva during the 16th Century. The cobblestone roads and the architecture of the buildings will leave you with the feeling that you’re truly in a different time and place.

CERN - FREE – Take a tour of one of the most important scientific research facilities in the world, where the Large Hadron Collider is located, and where some of the most important experiments in physics are being performed on a daily basis Exhibits take complex theories and break them down so that even a political science major could figure it out.

Looking for a Little Dose of Home?

On the Right Bank of the Rhone, there is a small marketplace filled with nothing but American restaurants. There is a McDonalds, a Burger King, a Starbucks, and even a Swiss pub that sells American-style barbecued ribs.

This, however, has little bearing on the actual situation of what things cost in Latvia. Generally, the country is a cheap and lovely place to travel where you can find good deals on lots of different things, especially accommodations and food. So, without further adieu, here are four great ways to spend your hard-earned lats – or about $17 – in Latvia.

A hostel room. Oh man oh man, how cheap accommodations are in Latvia. A quick glance at all of the hostels available via Hostelworld.com reveals that most dorm rooms run about LVL 3-8 ($5-13) and you can even rent out a private double apartment for two at Funky Hostel for around LVL 15 ($25) each. Sweet!

A 1-day Riga Card. The Riga Card is a discount tourist card that gives you access to tons of the Latvian captial’s sights and transport options. The card costs LVL 10 and gets you entrance to basically all of the city’s museums for free, as well as discounts on sightseeing tours, hotels, restaurants and shops.

An entire day’s meals at Central Market. This market, set up in an old strip of airplane hangars, is a Riga must-see and a very cool site of its own accord. Here, local farmers and vendors set up with fresh and dried fish, produce, meats, fruits, cheeses and just about every other thing you can imagine. With your 10 lats, you can get:

a huge loaf of fresh bread – LVL .70 ($1.19)
1 kg of tasty locally made cheese – LVL 3 ($5.10)
.5 kg of meat to cook for dinner – LVL 2 ($3.40)
1 liter of milk – LVL .60 ($1)
1 kg of potatoes – LVL 1 ($1.70)
6 eggs – LVL 2 ($3.40)
tram ticket to get there – LVL .30 ($ .50)

Drinks for everyone! Unless you’re in an expensive nightclub, beer and wine is incredibly cheap in Latvia. For instance, a bottle of Latvian beer costs between LVL .30 – .60, while import beers run about LVL .60 in the shops ($1). A bottle of cheap Latvian wine costs LVL .70-1.50, while nicer imported wines top out at LVL 3.5 ($6). You’ll pay more than this in bars, but it is still not expensive to drink here.

Oia is a picturesque town on the island of Santorini

With all of the economic turmoil surrounding Greece in recent months, it may not the country on the top of your travel list right now.  But Greece has long been a top travel destination for Americans and Europeans alike for good reason, and just because recent political and economic events have made the news on a daily basis doesn’t mean you should count it out of your travel plans this summer.

With all its history and beauty, Greece is a place that you should probably try and visit in your lifetime.  Whether you decide to check out Athens for its Greek ruins, or prefer island life, there’s something for everybody in Greece.  Before you go, beware that Greece travel has never been considered the cheapest of destinations and if you don’t watch where your dollar goes you’ll quickly find yourself over your budget.  Late spring through the fall is the top tourist season in Greece, and you’ll pay more because of it.  But with a little research, smart planning and a little frugality, you’ll have a great trip without breaking the bank.

To Do: The main thing to consider before you travel to Greece is where you want to go.  Athens is where most of the history is at, but also where you’re more likely to encounter riots and travel disruptions (when I was there last year the metro was shut down and buses and taxis weren’t going to the airport).  If you decide to go, make sure to get a good guide book (try Rough Guide to Greece, Let’s Go: Greece, Lonely Planet or the Thomas Cook Guide to Greek Island Hopping for some tips), and pay a little more to stay in a safe part of the city.  The Acropolis (€12 entrance fee), Ancient Agora (€2), the Acropolis Museum (€5) and the Archaelogical Museum (€7) are all worth seeing.

If you choose to take the island route instead, or have a chance to visit Athens as well as an island or two, you have a lot of choices.  The most popular and easiest to get to (and therefore the most expensive and touristy) are Santorini, Samos, Lipsi, and Paros.  Santorini is famous for its sunsets and beach scene, and is where I ended up on my Greek holiday.  One of the most diverse islands, the town of Perissa has some of the best beaches and Oia has what many consider to be the best sunsets in the world (they are pretty amazing, I have to admit).  Samos is known for its greenery, pebble beaches, and the Temple of Hera, of which only one of 134 columns still remains (€1.15 for students).  Lipsi is one of the more remote Greek islands, and is the best place to go to get away from it all while still not spending a bundle.  There’s nothing much to do there except swim, eat and relax.  Beware – there are no ATMs on the entire island!  Paros is a popular island situated in the central Cyclades of Greece.  It’s easy to get there because of its port town status, has excellent beaches and is known for its good night life, especially during the high season.

If you do take the island route, keep in mind you have two options to get there – by plane (from €100 – 200, respectively), or by overnight ferry.  The ferry is cheaper, about €30 for a second class ticket, but will take about 12 hours to get there.

To eat: If you’re a fish or seafood lover, you’ll be right at home in Greece.  Octopus, calamari, lobster, shrimp, mussels, and much more are fresh and abundant.  The Greek also love their meat, and my carnivorous friend ate plenty of brizoles (steak) and gyros (grilled meat and veggies in a pita).  As a vegetarian I found it slightly harder to eat there, but had tons of wonderful Greek salads as well as toasted pitas with tzatziki sauce (a creamy dip with yogurt, cucumber and garlic).  Other things to try while you’re there are Spanakopita (spinach pie) and Tyropita (cheese pie).

For a reasonable restaurant on the island of Santorini, try Lotza Restaurant (has a great view) or Petros Taverna, which is known for its seafood and makes its own wines.

And you can’t leave Greece without trying Ouzu, a licorice-flavored liquor drunk by nearly everyone.  It’s cheap, strong, and tastes better after you’ve had a few shots.

To buy:  Jewelry, especially silver, can be found all over Greece and sometimes for good prices.  Look for new and vintage pieces at markets and smaller shops and you may find something unusual.  Olive oil soaps are also something of a specialty in Greece, and many tourists bring cases back if they have the room.  And of course, bring as many bottles of Ouzu home for your friends as you can carry.

For the most part, though, things like homemade baklava, Greek wine and Greek pistachios can be found in specialty Greek shops in the U.S. and around the world, and aren’t worth the trouble to bring back unless you have a lot of extra space.

To stay: In Athens, youth hostel AthenStyle is known for its great location (very important for this big city) near the Acropolis.  Includes free breakfast, security lockers and wifi access in lobby.  Air conditioning is also a plus.  From around €24 a night.

AthenStyle Hostel, Agias Theklas N 10 Monastiraki, 10554 Athens.

In Oia, the Youth Hostel Oia is a good choice for students.  Its clean and spacious, and includes breakfast on the rooftop/terrace bar (I stayed here on my visit).  Rooms run €4.50 – 8.80 a night.

Youth Hostel Oia, E. Karvounis GR-84702. Oia, Santorini.

On the island of Samos, Hotel Samos may not be the most comfortable of places (think lumpy beds and thin walls), but it has an unbeatable location from €26 a night.  It also has a rooftop restaurant, a pool and breakfast is included.

Hotel Samos, 11 The. Sofouli Str., P.C. 83100, Samos.

The proposals include increasing compensation for those bumped off their flight to at least $650 or $1,300 (as opposed to the current $400/$800 limit), granting baggage refunds when luggage is lost or late, enforcing full fare advertising (no more post-tax surprises!), allowing refunds within 24 hours of ticket purchase and notifying passengers on the status of a tarmac delay, should one occur.

Enforcement of these new rules is scheduled to begin this fall, and consumer comments are currently accepted. Should you feel something is missing, say so here.

Corfu is a Greek island for those who want to listen to more than just the crickets at night, but who also fancy a few trips to those tranquil and secluded beaches. Kavos, on the southern tip of the island, is the main tourist destination for those who want nightlife; it has quite a few large nightclubs and plenty of bars and restaurants as well as a fair-sized beach but, on the whole, Corfu holidays tend to be relaxed. Further north of Kavos lies the Myrtiotissa Beach in Parelia, Corfu — regarded as “perhaps the most beautiful beach in the world” by Lawrence Durrell in the travel book, Prospero’s Cell. This sandy beach, concealed and protected by sheer and magnificent cliffs, is one of Corfu’s quietest beaches. It can be reached via a 20 minute bus ride from Corfu Town, with some walking.

The island of Crete is distinguishable from the other Greek islands by towering mountains and a wealth of history. It’s also home to some of the best nightlife in the Greek islands, ranging from fantastic nightclubs, British bars and foam parties to traditional Cretan bars with local music. Aside from the nightlife, there are plenty of Cretan traditions to take part in, such as an early evening ‘volta’ in Hania (one of the most beautiful Greek towns) — a stroll without any particular destination in mind. The most heavily packed resorts and beaches are around Hania, Iraklio, Hersonissos and Malia, which have plenty of water sports and kids’ activities, but if you want as few distractions as possible, head to the sandy beach of Plakias, the Preveli Beach or even wade across an azure lagoon at Elafonisi (southwest corner of Crete) to a tiny islet to have a relaxing break from civilisation (take your own towels, snacks and water).

Alonissos is in the Sporades chain of Greek islands and lacks the intense tourism of many of the others. It’s perfect for those who want to do nothing but soak up the sun and traditional Greek culture in a cosy and classically Greek village. This is a place where you never have to worry about getting a spot on the beach, where you can watch the sunset in a Greek taverna, go for a bike ride around the stunning hills and even hire a small boat to reach a deserted island.

Hydra is the ultimate island for those who can’t stand the sight of hotels and most other buildings when on holiday, as most of the permanent population of 3,000 resides in the main town. Throughout the rest of the island, all that can be found are small beaches, farmhouses, hills and monasteries built on steeply rising land. It has a worldwide reputation as an artist colony, and many artists and writers come here to relax in the stone villages and monasteries and amongst the Venetian-style mansions built by wealthy merchants in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, when Hydra was a base for a huge commercial fleet. The few beaches and lack of foreign tourists result in this island being out of the way of the usual travel routes, so you’ll have to catch a ferry from Piraeus. Or, if you have the money to splash out, take a helicopter from Athens International airport.

Most Greek islands lack airports or aren’t amongst the well-travelled air routes, so you’ll have to catch a ferry to reach the majority of them. Ferries are thankfully an affordable way of reaching just as affordable destinations on Greece holidays, particularly if you’re heading to one of the less visited islands. Locating those distant and secluded beaches may be a bit more effort than others, but some consider it even more effort to locate a small patch of uncovered beach in a packed holiday resort. Holiday companies (such as lowcostholidays.com!) can help you create the perfect tailor-made holiday in Greece this summer.

There are definite pros and cons for traveling couples. If you research well and are careful about your choices you can save time, money and get a bunch of freebies thanks to your better half. To maximize your trip as a couple, try some of these handy hints:

1. Search for accommodation that you can share for a cheaper price. Unfortunately, you will have to be prepared to not indulge in private double rooms at every stop.

2. Share larger meals and bulkier food and drink items.

3. Make sure your partner has some of your identification and you have some of his or hers. That way you aren’t left completely stranded if one of you loses some important papers.

4. Make sure you each carry cash and have your own access to bank accounts in case you lose money or get separated for whatever reason.

5. Don’t get offended or be afraid to ask for a little bit of time alone; couples who travel together but haven’t lived together can still need their space sometimes.

6. Take turns in acting as a human pillow on those long stints of public transport.

7. Be aware of the fact that some cultures frown upon public affection, and therefore cautious about engaging in too much physical contact in some countries.

8. Take advantage of those few holidays around the world that specifically celebrate love, even resulting in free museum entry, nibbles and drinks for couples!

9. Unless you are actually married, engaged or seriously living as a de facto couple, it is simpler to say you are single on most official forms.

10. Share the load of your luggage. You don’t really need to both take a laptop, for example.

11. Enjoy entry into more elite venues and locations, thanks to females being desirable customers for nightclubs and males being expected to escort females in certain countries and locations (this of course can double as an extra hindrance for same sex couples, in these cases you need to make sure you make some friends in hostels to explore with!).

12. Don’t get jealous when your partner speaks to other travelers — you should be chatting to strangers too! Meeting people on your journey is a large part of the experience and some people are intimidated by couples that never stray from one another.

13. If you are sharing money, be very clear and aware of how you are going to split your funds so there are no arguments and disagreements as to how much each of you has to spend.

14. Last but not least, make sure that you see the sights and do the things that each of you wants to do. And, if either of you feel like the constant contact — and sometimes pressure and stress of traveling as a couple — is getting to be too much, speak up and change your plans. Nothing is worse than forcing yourself to continue a journey that you no longer enjoy. In fact, doing so can be detrimental to your relationship and leave you returning from your trip a lot less close than you were when you left.

Budapest is probably one of the coolest European cities I’ve been to. I went not expecting much, thinking Budapest would be a drab series of concrete apartment blocks set among a maze of grimy streets. What I discovered is that, in fact, Budapest is really cosmopolitan and quite beautiful. At least when I visited a couple of years ago, it was in an interesting interlude between “former Eastern Bloc” and swinging hip European capital. On any given city block, you are bound to pass a chic wine bar with dim lighting and glammed up people laying around on pillows on the floor next door to an abandoned building with illegible graffiti smeared down one wall and a few half-torn rock band flyers hanging next to a broken out window.

Suffice it to say that I really liked Budapest and I would very much like to go back sometime soon. During my stay, I learned that the city is actually split into two smaller towns, Buda and Pest (yep!), by the Danube River and that is has easily the most beautiful parliament building in all of Europe. I also discovered it is a great city in which to experience a traditional Turkish bath and that there are plenty of cheap student travel options in Budapest, if you know where to find them.

Budget Bang-Ups
One thing I really loved about Budapest, especially as a student traveler, is that there is no shortage of cheap and free things to do around town to keep yourself busy during the day. In fact, Budapest’s most famous attraction, Castle Hill, is basically open free to everyone. Here on the Buda side of the city, you’ll find the Royal Palace — known as Buda Castle — which includes the Budapest History Museum, the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Library, as well as a number of churches, towers and statues, and Fisherman’s Bastion, a lofty defense terrace with absolutely amazing views of the Danube River and Pest.

There is no entrance fee to wander the grounds and surrounds of Castle Hill, including most of the exteriors of the Royal Palace and Fisherman’s Bastion, and these are definitely the best spots up there. To get in, for instance, to the Castle Museum, costs a mere 650 Forint (roughly US$3), while International Student Identity Card holders get in for free on the first Saturday of the month.

Buda Castle, Castle Hill, +36 1 438 8080, www.budapestinfo.hu

Another super cool free activity in Budapest is walking one or more of the beautiful bridges that connect the two sides of the city across the Danube.

The most famous of these is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge, a suspension bridge that dates back to 1849 and was the first permanent bridge in Budapest. There is a pedestrian footpath the runs along one side of this absolutely gorgeous bridge, and although the walk can feel a bit intimidating at times when cars rumble past giving the bridge an unnerving shake, it is a really worthwhile way to see the city (and also a great way to save on transportation costs). A walk across takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Roosevelt Square (Pest) to Adam Clark Square (Buda), Map

Budget Beers
Drinking in Budapest can be expensive or cheap, depending upon which part of the city you’re in and which type of bar you’re at. Hungarians love their beer, but the country also has a wine-producing region that knocks out some fantastic, highly underrated wines. If you want to sample some, just head into any small convenience store or supermarket and buy a bottle or two, which should only set you back 700-800 Forint (about US$4-5).

To get off the tourist track and find the cheapest beers (and meals) in town, you’ve got to head out into the suburbs a little ways. One bar that’s great to start out with is Mister Sörház. Purportedly the largest bar in Budapest, this laid back place brews its own very tasty lager and offers hearty meals that won’t set you back more than a few dollars, including drinks. The staff here generally doesn’t speak much English, but as long as you know the Hungarian word for beer (sör, sounds like “shuh”), you’ll be fine. To get here, take bus numbers 5, 104/A or 204 to the Kazinczy utca stop.

Mister Sörház, Régi Fóti út 31, +36 1 306 7931, Map

To learn more about Budapest, check out Sosauce user Stephen’s trip to Hungary, and for a few more ways to travel cheap in Budapest, check out my recent Students In Europe blog entry, ‘4 Great Ways to Spend 2000 Forint’.

I’m constantly on the prowl for cool and cheap (preferably free!) sightseeing spots, things to eat, places to sleep and drinks to quaff. If you’ve got the inside scoop on someplace and think I should know about it, leave me a comment below!

“Would you like to try cheese with worms?”

I first read about cheese with worms in a guidebook. It’s a traditional Sardinian specialty and yes, it really does have honest-to-goodness worms in it. A special kind of cheese is placed outside where it attracts a particular kind of fly. The flies lay eggs in it and the eggs hatch into little maggots that squirm around in the cheese and make it creamy. There’s no way to remove the worms, so of course they’re still in there when you eat the cheese. The most intense part is that they’re still alive.

I had two immediate reactions when I found out about cheese with worms. The first was: this is disgusting. The second was: this is a challenge! Sardinia has given me lots of opportunities to overcome my American ideas of what counts as food. First I ate horse meat. Then I ate snails. Then I ate raw shrimp heads, sheep intestines, veal thyroid glands, and sea anemones (yes, Sardinians are very open about what counts as food). I haven’t liked all of it – the sheep intestines were actually pretty terrible – but I’m proud of the fact that at least I tried.

So I’ve been waiting a long time to test myself with cheese with worms. Would I be able to overcome the gut reaction that says: “no way, absolutely not!” The problem is, you can’t go into a grocery store and buy cheese with worms. For obvious reasons, cheese with worms violates the very concept of a health code, so it’s illegal to sell. My only hope of trying it was to wait, be patient, and hope that someday someone would offer it to me.

So when Fabrizio turned to me and asked “would you like to try cheese with worms,” my heart skipped a beat. There it was, both the creeped-out reluctance and the excited determination I always feel in these moments of running the cultural gauntlet. I didn’t let myself stop to consider. I said “yes” so quickly that Fabrizio’s family looked shocked.

The cheese is actually very good. It has a strong, pungent flavor and you can’t taste or feel the worms when you eat it. It’s probably a good idea not to look too closely at what you’re putting in your mouth, but if I had to choose between cheese with worms and sheep intestines, I know what my choice would be. Even so, whether the cheese is good or bad isn’t really that important. What’s more important is that I faced down the part of myself that wanted to judge without trying.

Sara Harding: 1, Cultural Differences: 0.

Are Callebaut's Eco-Airships the future of travel?

I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and have been increasingly disappointed by the state of the airplanes I’ve ridden in. Cramped and uncomfortable, many of my recent flights have been in planes that still have ashtrays for smokers in times past, sport torn, unkempt seats, and are staffed by tired, less than friendly flight attendants.

In fact, a surprisingly few amount of changes have been made to airplanes ever since the Wright brothers made their flights famous back in the beginning of the 20th century. And many of the airplanes we ride in today are the same as they were in the 1970s.

The 70’s? It’s been 40 years already! Isn’t it time for change in the air travel business?

Well, Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut thinks the future of air travel is destined to bring big changes. He envisions we will be traveling in giant eco airships, called Hydrogenase. The ships would be 400 meters high, 180 meters wide and would run off a seaweed biofuel. They would travel up to an altitude of 6,500 feet, reaching up to 175 kilometers an hour (about 110 miles per hour) and be made up of a protective canvas and bio-hydrogen fuel which would carry passengers, and if Callebaut gets his wish, also aid in humanitarian missions or scientific studies. And if that doesn’t sound crazy enough, the eco-ships would be docked in an organic farm, recycling C02 as its powered by renewable energy sources like solar panels and hydro turbines.

Sound more like something that would be seen in the movie Avatar than on planet Earth? While it’s unlikely that we will be traveling in Hydrogenase airships anytime soon, Callebaut’s vision of a floating travel future isn’t as far out as it may seem. His latest concoction can be seen at the Future Pavilion Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. To read more about Callebaut and his futuristic eco-ships, check out this CNN article or go to Callebaut’s web site.

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a copy of Discover Europe, an 816-page behemoth of a book covering most of traditional Western Europe, minus the Baltics, Scandinavia and Portugal and, strangely, plus Turkey.

As you would expect from a full color guidebook, there are lots and lots of pretty pictures accompanied by bite-sized descriptors and bits of information about the areas covered. There are also plenty of itineraries listed for different interests to help you find your way through the main sights in each country.

The main listings are presented in traditional Lonely Planet style, with headings, locations, contact info, prices and hours, but the descriptions are truncated forms of what might appear in a normal Lonely Planet guidebook. The maps are excellent — I love the full color — and not lacking in abundance, but I wish they accompanied the book in a small pocket, rather than being attached inside the book as regular pages, because seriously, no one in their right mind would carry this book around all day for the maps. It’s too heavy.

When I got this book to review for SIE, I was skeptical about its usefulness for younger travelers. Lonely Planet themselves admit that the Discover series is aimed at a “highlights-based audience”, and that does not scream ‘backpacker’ to me. Furthermore, the book is quite simply too large and too heavy to carry around Europe in a pack for a couple of months.

However, the more I considered this book, the more I’ve come to believe this could be a really useful product for study abroad students specifically. When you’re studying abroad, you have the openness to take a few weekend trips here and there or explore other countries in short stints, rather than one long backpacking extravaganza. In this case, you could simply use the book to plot your journey and get inspiration for where to go (the pictures are GREAT for this), and then leave it at home when the time comes!

I like the format of the Discover Europe book. The font is bigger and easier to read and the multi-colored text headings and captions help draw your attention across the book — I find my eye sometimes begins to wander staring at the tiny black and white font in a regular Lonely Planet. Honestly, the book’s general layout seems to be inspired by a travel website or clean blog, with plenty of colored boxes, headings and wrapped captions.

There are a number of Discover Guides on the market so far. In addition to Discover Europe, titles that have already released include Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain and Thailand. I’m still not convinced that this book is a good fit for young travelers, and obviously that wasn’t the publisher’s intention with this series, but I still think that study abroad students might enjoy and/or benefit from a book like this.

And if not, it will definitely make a great gift for your parents when they come to visit you during the summer after your semester ends!

Discover Europe
1st Edition
ISBN:  9781742200415
$27.99