This is a work in progress, sorry for the mess, EG *Most of these links are for sites in the USA and so most phone numbers given are also for the USA

Country/Reigon
International	Directory of tourist offices http://www.towd.com Air Courier Association Web site at http://Cheaptrips.com International Travel Information Service for budget travelers http://www.itisnet.com/english/e-top.htm The Change for Good program has enlisted 16 airlines, which will take your donations while you're in-flight and pass them on to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Participating airlines include Aer Lingus, Air Mauritius, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways (ANA), American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Canadian Airlines International, Cathay Pacific, Crossair, Finnair, JAL, QANTAS, Saeta, and TWA. United will also collect funds, but only on flights over the Atlantic. http://www.unicef.ca/eng/aide/change_good.html Lonley planet Travel Guides http://www.lonelyplanet.com Rough Guides Travel Guides http://www.roughguides.com http://www.expedia.co.uk/daily/resources British Government Forign and Commonwelth Office - Travel Advice Unit; Full and upto date list of countries where travel is not advised, Travel Safety Advice, British consular services abroad, english speeking lawyers abroad, Visa information http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel http://www.1000traveltips.org http://www.tips4trips.com Freighter World Cruises, in existence since 1975. The freighter itineraries the organization handles vary in duration from two to three weeks for local area sailings through 40 to 60 days for voyages among two or three continents to 80 to 120 or more days for voyages that run around the world. On some of the longer voyages, passengers can cruise in one direction and fly in the other. FWC is an agent for more than 20 shipping lines that operate more than 100 ships on more than 50 different service itineraries. Cabin space on ships depends on how much crew is onboard, meaning that guests sleep in unused officers' quarters. For more information, call Freighter World at 800-531-7774 or 626-449-3106, or e-mail [email protected]. Check the site at :http://www.freighterworld.com/ HOME EXCHANGE find a person to swap with through Digsville, which is dedicated to helping travelers match up with others interested in doing a switch. The site contains an area called the Forums, where readers can post and read questions, comments, answers, and advice, making for an online community. At the area Local Digs and the Newsstand people can share stories of their hometowns and home listings. A tool called U-Rate allows members of Digsville to rate a stay and check the reliability of a person listing his or her home. Digsville offers a Seal of Approval for homes that receive three ratings of 7.5 or above. The Lounge is a community chat area as well as a spot where homeowners can meet privately to determine the fine details of a home swap. http://digsville.com/ Shoestring Travel E-zine travel features written by users, large number of links in a number of categories, such as languages, health and safety, sights to see, accommodations, travel tips, travelogues and anthologies, national and state parks, etc. The links often are of interest to budget travelers. But the only problem is that since Shoestring Travel's Web site hasn't been updated in a while, it's not unusual to happen upon broken links. http://www.stratpub.com/shoe1.html HOW TO SAVE MONEY BY SLEEPING IN AIRPORTS It's not something that airports advertise or travel agents advise, but there is a Web site, the Budget Travelers Guide to Sleeping in Airports, where travelers can exchange information and experiences about sleeping at different airports. The site features some 1,200 listings. The site was started by a traveler named Donna who actually slept in airports to save money on hotels during her travels through Europe. Her Web site at first only had three listings, but has obviously grown in popularity. To list your own recommendations, e-mail the site editor at [email protected]. She requires that submissions include the date that you slept in the airport, as well as the terminal. To check out other listings on the site go to http://www3.sympatico.ca/donna.mcsherry/airports.htm http://www.igougo.com/ At I Go U Go, there's travel journals and regular features,photo galleries, travel resources (including guidebooks & packing lists) and a space to answer all your travel questions. Look over the travel providers and then, once you return from your adventure, you can go back to the site and submit accounts of your own travel abroad. You can even become a freelance travel writer and earn a few bucks along the way. success sites is Bestfares.com, which claims to find the lowest published fares and offers alternate airport fares that allow a savings of up to 70 percent. The site also lists Internet-only specials from more than 20 airlines. There is also a Snooze You Lose feature for unadvertised fare reductions of up to 50 percent. These fare deals sometimes last a few days, or can be as fast as a few hours. Seniors 62 and over can find fare savings through the site of up to 65 percent on standard 21-day advance purchase tickets. To check out the options, head to http://www.bestfares.com
Europe	HOTEL MONACO IN MADRID For those looking for hotel accommodations in Madrid, there is a centrally located, reasonably priced spot that has become a favorite for many travelers. Hotel Madrid, formerly a bordello, is now an upstanding lodging near the Plaza de Chueca. The hotel has kept a bit of the flavor of its past with its decor-many mirrors in public areas or guest rooms, marble floors in the hallways, grandiose rooms, and Louis-style furniture. One room even has a bathtub on the platform in the middle of the room, while another offers mirrored ceilings above the bed. There is also a cafeteria and bar on the premises. The rooms are priced at about $50 a night. For more information, call 011-34-9-1-5224630, or fax 011-34-9-1-5211601. The hotel is located at Calle Barbieri 5, Madrid 28004. NORWAY CONNECTS TOURIST DESTINATIONS Two of Norway's popular tourist areas were more securely linked when a new tunnel opened recently. The 15-mile Laerdal tunnel connects Aurland and Laerdal and also makes it easier to move between the country's two biggest cities, Oslo and Bergen. Aurland and Laerdal are in Norway's fjord and mountain country, which provides intensely dramatic scenery. With that in mind, in good weather you may want to skip the tunnel and take the traditional road route--it supplies scenery you won't find in the tunnel. Or, you might want to skip the tunnel altogether and take the car ferry. It's a much longer ride, but, like the car ferry between Anacortes, Washington, and Victoria, British Columbia, the scenery shouldn't be missed. www.visitnorway.com Though most backpackers choose to tour Europe by rail, there is another option--bus. The company Busabout offers flexible passes to allow travelers to get on and off whenever they please. Busabout travels to 70 cities in Europe and offers the added help of coach coordinators who give advice on visiting attractions and finding accommodations. Busabout also offers an onboard accommodation booking system to reserve rooms at hostels and camping sites in advance. There are six different Consecutive Passes offered, ranging from a two-week pass to a seven-month season pass. In addition, the Busabout Flexipass lets travelers choose the number of travel days within a certain time frame. Flexipasses range from 10 days in two months through to 30 days in four months. For more information, check the Busabout Web site at www.busabout.com' Information source for budget travel to Europe. Includes information on hostels in Europe, packing, travel tips, working options in EuropeOnline travel writers can submit stories about backpacking in Europe or reviews of hostels. http://www.travoholic.com/ Europebyair.com multi trip flight passes http://www.europebyair.com Ciao Italy good deals on apartments or bed-and-lieakfast-style rooms (Rome, Venice, Florence, etc) http://www.ciaoitaly.net/default.htm not every deal is listed on the company's Web site, email requests to [email protected] Star Alliance European Airpass, a flight coupon book that allows travelers to hop around Europe at discounted prices.http://www.star-alliance.com/isroot/SA/htmen/0_2-10-24-2000a.htm The Eurail Selectpass connects any three adjoining Eurail countries (choice of 17 participating countries) for train travel over a three-month period. This pass is cheaper than traditional Eurailpasses and allows purchase of travel days in five, six, eight, or ten-day packages. Passengers do not have to use the travel days consecutively. The passes include first-class travel and also entitle the bearer to a number of other useful discounts. http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/passes/eurail_selectpass.htm London Transport Official site http://www.londontransport.co.uk Backpackers Ultimate Guide to Europe (BUG): essential information, how to pack, currency conversion, getting by in foreign languages, organizing the trip, budget accommodation, reviews of hostels, information about the best air, bus, and rail deals, online guidebook listings, calendar of European festivals and other cultural events,travel forum & free e-mail http://www.bugeurope.com/ BRITISH TRUST OFFERS VOLUNTEER TRIPS It's time to start booking spring and summer volunteer vacations with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. The trust, which has been in operation more than 40 years, offers more than 100 volunteer opportunities in Britain and elsewhere around the world at affordable prices. Trips range from monitoring turtles in Turkey to restoring 17th-century buildings in Norway. Programs in the UK cost on average around $80 per week, while the international trips run much higher, from $150 to $350 per week. The price covers housing, which varies from private hotel rooms to beds in a hostel, as well as all meals. Transportation is not included, however. A few spring trips include a seven-day stint at Low Luckens, an organic working farm in Cumbria, England, close to the Scottish border. That volunteer trip starts March 10. On June 23 there is a seven-day program helping with erosion control at Curran Strand on the east side of Portrush, one of the most popular seaside resorts in Northern Ireland. For more information on these and other trips, visit BTCV's Web site at http://www.btcv.org INLINE SKATING IN THE NETHERLANDS a list of skating venues (dedicated skating tracks and ramps as well as parks and other nice public places) to wheel around. Johannes' inline skating page http://www.nada.kth.se/~johannes/inline/skate.html
North America	U.S. Tour Operators Association Web site http://www.ustoa.com Amtrak frequent-rider program http://www.amtrakguestrewards.com Amtrack Acela Express high-speed Washington-New York-Boston service http://www.acela.com/express/ Disneyland tickets http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneylandresort/ResortInfo/Tickets/ Universal Studios Tickets http://tickets.universalstudios.com Shuttle America (flies to Boston's Hanscom Field; New York's LaGuardia; Buffalo; Greensboro, North Carolina; Hartford; and Trenton, New Jersey) http://www.shuttleamerica.com SeaWorld Orlando http://seaworld.com/seaworld/sw_florida/swfframe.html Busch Gardens Tampa Bayhttp://seaworld.com/buschgardens/bg_tampa/frame.html Things to do in Texas - Yard shows http://www.insync.net/~orange/home.html ArtReach, a Philadelphia nonprofit organization, has published a new guide for disabled art patrons in the Philadelphia area. Access the Arts, etc...A Guide for People With Disabilities, provides information on more than 75 venues and discusses such topics as what general access, TTY services, and special facilities are available for those with physical disabilities, including blindness and deafness. The 80-page guide is modeled after the Access Expressed guide, which started as a Massachusetts guide and now includes locations in eight other states. Access the Arts, etc... costs $5 for single copies and can be ordered through ArtReach's Web site at: http://www.art-reach.org/access.html Visit the Access Expressed Web site at: http://www.accessexpressed.net VOLUNTEER VACATIONS WITH THE AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY Anyone willing to participate in a volunteer vacation with the American Hiking Society can spend just $60 for a one or two-week vacation. These vacations are held in some spectacular destinations, including the rim of the Grand Canyon, Haleakala National Park in Hawaii, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Sage Creek Area of Badlands National Park, just to name a few. The chores volunteers are expected to do range quite a bit, from digging trenches to prevent erosion from water runoff to helping construct bridges to pulling weeds from hillsides. Many of the odd jobs are not on the priority list of the national and state park services, making it all the more important to reign in volunteers. The $60 fee covers training, campsite fees, and in most cases all meals. There is also a $12 online membership fee to the American Hiking Society. Transportation to the site is up to the volunteers, as is bringing personal camping equipment. The trips are not exactly holidays, however. Work runs from about 8am to 4pm, but it does offer opportunities to discover and explore areas not usually touched by most tourists. Each trip takes from four to 15 volunteers. For more information, call 301-565-6704, or check the American Hiking Society Web site: http://www.americanhiking.org Greyhound Coaches new Travel Ease program. The program establishes Greyhound's intent to provide better services to passengers with disabilities http://www.greyhound.com Las Vegas's Certified Airline Passenger Services (CAPS) http://caps.vegas.com Hawaii Aloha Destinations http://alohadestinations.com/senior/ Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs, California, has reopened. The canyon, which sits on a Cahuilla Indian reservation, contains archaeological artifacts, 23 endangered species and other wildlife, and, most famously, a 60-foot waterfall that appeared in the 1937 movie classic Lost Horizon. The tribe has built a new visitor center at the canyon's entrance that uses walls of glass to take advantage of its commanding view. The center offers educational exhibits, including Indian artifacts, photography, and a video. The only way to see the canyon is by tour, which begins daily on the hour from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission, including the tour, is $10. For more information, visit the Tahquitz Canyon Web site at: http://www.tahquitzcanyon.com BACKPACKING THE GRAND CANYON It might be cheaper to set it up yourself, but Sky Island Treks runs reasonable three-day trips to the Grand Canyon in the off-season. Though the depths of the canyon can get quite cold in autumn and winter, and even early spring, temperatures can be much higher near the Colorado River. One of the routes taken toward the bottom of the canyon is the trail to Bright Angel Campground. Hikers head down the seven-mile Kaibab Trail and then loop around to the 9.5-mile Bright Angel Trail. Sky Island Treks charges $420 per person, including guides, food, tents, and backpacks. For more information, call Sky Island Treks at 520-622-6966, or check the Web site at http://www.skyislandtreks.com DOG MUSHING TOURS IN ALASKA WILDERNESS INQUIRY OF MINNEAPOLIS- Physically disabled travelers now have a less expensive option for experiencing the outdoors than in the past. The company Wilderness Inquiry of Minneapolis runs trips that allow the disabled to go canoeing, trekking, and more by including them in journeys taken on by non-disabled travelers who volunteer for the trip. These travelers help out the disabled travelers when necessary, making for quite a bonding experience. The cost for disabled travelers is less than $100 per day, which is far less than most trips solely catering to disabled travelers. For more information on the Wilderness Inquiry trips, call 800-728-0719 or 612-676-9400, or check the Web site at http://www.wildernessinquiry.org/ CruiseNet America offers a variety of cruises for about $699 or less with major cruise ship operators. http://www.cruisenetamerica.com
South America	Mexico-Upscale hotles charge budget prices in Cancun http://www.cancuntoday.com/cancun-discount-packages.html SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORERS CLUB South American Explorers (SAE) is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of information about South and Central America. Much of that information is disseminated through the group's clubhouses, which are located in Lima and Cusco, Peru; Quito, Ecuador, and Ithaca, New York. Members looking for travel companions, or those who want to contact experts in various fields, can post notices to the SAE electronic bulletin board, or on the bulletin boards in Lima, Quito, and Cusco. SAE members also get discounts at a number of lodges, hotels, travel agencies, language schools, and guide services in Peru and Ecuador. Also available to members are discounts on books, tapes, maps, and other items from the club's catalog. Membership, which costs $40 per person or $70 per couple, includes a subscription to the South American Explorer, the quarterly journal of the club, discounts on items in the club's catalog, use of information and trip planning services, and storage for equipment and supplies at the Lima and Quito clubhouses. For more information, call 607-277-0488, or check the SAE Web site at http://www.samexplo.org/index.htm
Asia	China Explorer http://www.chinaexplorer.com/bdt.html China -In the Zhuhai Holiday Resort, located in Guangzhou's city center, 70 minutes by jetcat from Hong Kong, there is a 120-bed Zhuhai hostel that is much more affordable than the resort and allows guests to use the resort facilities. ( inc: bowling alley, tennis courts and swimming pool)http://www.zhuhai-holitel.com/english/ehotel_home.htm GRAND HOTEL BEIJING China was already becoming a hot tourist destination, and with the release of the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," it will likely also become a destination for those seeking romance. If you decide to go to Beijing, consider staying at the Grand Hotel Beijing. The former imperial palace and now colorful hotel offers the best of both worlds, old and new, and provides the same contrast in its view: From the hotel, you can enjoy views of the ancient Forbidden City and the modern traffic of Changan Avenue. The hotel is also situated in the city center, making it a perfect launching point for explorations. Standard rates for doubles begin at $225. I can't vouch for the site listed below, but it claims that it can get prices for substantially lower and may be worth investigating. http://www.sinohotelguide.com/beijing/grandhotel/ ---by Tom Hinds TAP INTO HONG KONG'S CULTURAL OFFERINGS AT ARTS FESTIVAL Hong Kong plays host to an enormous variety of festivals, many drawing on the region's sophisticated cultural scene. One of the biggest events, lasting three to four weeks, from February into March, is the Hong Kong Arts Festival. The annual arts gala this year showcases the Netherlands Philharmonic, as well as famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Greek vocalist Nana Mouskouri is on the set list, as well. Naturally, there are performances by Chinese opera groups and Asian drumming outfits, in addition to theatrical presentations of everything from a Lithuanian rendition of Hamlet to Gioacchino Rossini's version of Cinderella-La Cenerentola. The National Ballet of China even performs an adaptation of novelist Su Tong's Raise the Red Lantern. This year's festival is being held from February 7 through March 11, but it's never too early to start planning for next year. Hong Kong Arts Festival Society tel +852 2824-3555 http://www.hk.artsfestival.org/ Tokyo http://www.tokyoonthecheap.com/ low-cost options in Tokyo including reasonably priced food and drink, free cybercafes, Japanese language classes as well as a couple of campsites, though prices listed are mainly for students. PACKAGE DEALS TO VIETNAM Though many budget travelers prefer to travel on the cheap on their own, those who would rather take advantage of a package deal can find a decent rate to Vietnam with Untours. The organization is offering 14-night trips to Vietnam, split evenly between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The price, including roundtrip airfare and accommodations in modest guesthouses with English-speaking proprietors, is $1,587 from Los Angeles and $1,684 from New York. Food and other expenses once in Vietnam are cheap. Hanoi's French architecture and cobbled alleyways make it a great city for strolling. Water puppet performances are a popular nighttime event. It is also possible to arrange a sojourn from there to the beautiful Halong Bay, though that is not included in the price. Ho Chi Minh City is filled with tourist sites and nightlife, though day trips to the Cu Chi Tunnels or Vung Tau beach resort are worthy of consideration. For more information, call Untours at 888-868-6871 or visit the company's Web site at http://www.untours.com
Africa	Zambia - lodgings around game parks One of the most affordable options is the Wildlife Camp on the banks of the Luangwa River. Accommodations are modest, and there is even opportunity to camp. The main attraction, aside from the price, is the opportunity to pay for a package of accommodations and game drives that doesn't empty the savings account. Guests can take morning or night drives in typical 4x4 safari vehicles to see some of the 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species in the park. During the dry season the camp offers walking safaris led by trained guides. Part of the proceeds from the Wildlife Camp go to the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia. There is a cook on hand at the camp, but many travelers make use of the camp's well-equipped kitchen, including a refrigerator and freezer. For more information, call Wildlife Camp at 62-45026 or e-mail [email protected] TUNISIA - Cheap accomodatio. Tunisia is a budget traveler's dream. Meals can be had for about $4 a plate in local restaurants while budget rooms in guesthouses cost from about $5 to $10 a night. It is not impossible to get by on $15 a day, though the price may be more in the $25 range for a more comfortable stay. The Worldwide Hostel Database has a long list of hostels in Tunisia at http://www.hostels.com/tn.html The high season is August-September, and around the holidays it can get quite packed, so it is best to book accommodations in advance if possible. For further inquiries regarding accommodations contact the tourism bureau at Association Tunisienne des Auberges et Tourisme de Jeunes, 10 rue Ali Bach Hamba BP 320, 1015 Tunis RP, TUNISIA
Austraila & New Zealand
Pacific & Caribean Islands	FIJI FOR LESS Where Tahiti has always catered to the high-end tourists, Fiji has tried to accommodate upscale as well as budget travelers. There is a budget accommodation service called Fiji4Less that offers what are called Starter Packs, including two nights lodging at any of three hotels on Viti Levu-- the Cathay Hotel in Lautoka, Saweni Beach Apartment Hotel in the city of Suva, and the Tubakula Beach Bungalows on the Coral Coast. The "Starter Pack" with two nights' dormitory accommodation is about $29.50 per person. An air-conditioned twin room is around $44 per person. The price includes transportation from the airport and a guidebook or breakfast. The hotels exchange currency and provide storage for excess luggage. Dive Trek Nature Lodge on Wayasewa Island, a one-and-a-half-hour boat trip from Lautoka, is one of the largest backpacker camps in Fiji, with dorm beds for about $15 per night. On neighboring Waya Island is Octopus Resort, which Stanley calls "one of the nicest backpacker resorts in the South Pacific." Bures are $49 for two; dormitory beds are $16 per person. The boat from Lautoka costs $20.50 each way. To get a "Starter Pack" for Viti Levu, contact Fiji4Less, P.O. Box 2086, Government Buildings, Suva, Fiji Islands; telephone 011- 679-340-211, fax 011-679-340-236, or check the Web site at http://www.fiji4less.com STAY IN A PRIVATE HOME IN CUBA Though Cuba isn't the cheapest Latin American-style destination, it certainly is less expensive than much of the Caribbean. There are cheap hotels in pretty much all Cuban cities, ranging from about $9 to $18 a night, but one of the best options is to stay in a private home. Cubans often rent out rooms in their homes (casas particulares), usually including a private bedroom with a double bed or two singles, a private or shared bath, and occasionally hot water. Cheap hotel rooms in Cuba in contrast often do not have hot water. Usually, in the homes where there's no hot water, someone will heat a bucket of water for a bucket shower. The rooms often are equipped with fans and once in a while air conditioners. Some of the homeowners will entrust guests with a key while others make sure somebody is always there to open the door. It's advisable to take all valuables with you when you leave for the day, no matter how trustworthy the family seems. To find these casa particulares, it's best to search around the Web for referrals, including the following site: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/5902/accomod.htm

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