How to Book Train Travel From Ljubljana to Venice

There are two easy ways to book train travel from Ljubljana to Venice. The one you choose, however, depends solely on how long you plan on traveling in Europe. Booking a Eurail Pass is the obvious choice for tourists making their way around the continent. However, for a straight shot to Venice from Slovenia, it is best to book train travel from Ljubljana to Venice on a local Slovenian train for a rather low fare.

Book Your Train Travel From Ljubljana to Venice

1 Book tickets online via Eurail's Web site, contact Eurail directly via email or call (866) 6-EURAIL to book your tickets and get more information (see Resources).

2 Pre-select your desired departure time. You may leave from Ljubljana on the EC 50 around 10:30 a.m., on the EN 240 around 2 p.m. or on the EC 1252 around 4 p.m.

3 Know that there are a number of additional discounts on train travel from Ljubljana to Venice. Request either the Smart Price (one-way) for around 15 Euros, or the Global Price (also one-way) for around 25 Euros.

4 E-mail the Ljubljana Railway to inquire about departure dates and travel arrangements (see Resources). Be sure to also book a specific seat with your purchase of a ticket. Purchases and reservations are often two separate steps.

Enjoy Your Train Travel From Ljubljana to Venice

1 Bring your Italy Guide book on the train. It is a great time to go over where you will be and what to see once you arrive in Venice.

2 Know that the Slovenian people care about those with disabilities. Those accompanying the blind will travel free of charge.

3 Buy your tickets for train travel from Ljubljana to Venice ahead of time. Tickets may be purchased up to 2 months in advance for regular tickets. However, if you are using one of the other types of discounted travel, like Inter Rail or Euro Domino designed for those residing in Europe, the pre-booking times vary.

How to Book Train Travel From Zurich to Geneva

If the good life is what you're after, a trip from Zurich to Geneva is really second to none. According to a 2006 survey, Zurich and Geneva ranked one and two respectively as the most livable cities in the world. It's hard to beat that! Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Plan Your Trip from Zurich to Geneva

1 Decide on the route you'd like to take on the way to Geneva. While the fastest route will take you along a more northerly route through Biel, a more scenic route will take you right through the heart of the Alps and Interlaken. Direct travel through Biel will take a little less than 3 hours. The more scenic route will be closer to 6 hours.

2 Look at the train options available and determine which is best suited for your style of travel. At close to 3 hours on the quickest route, the trip is just long enough to warrant a first-class upgrade if you have the means. On this trip, first class will run about $50 more than second-class.

Book Your Trip from Zurich to Geneva

1 Visit the English-language version of the Swiss Railways Web site (click on the link in Resources below). Enter your departure and destination city in the appropriate boxes.

2 Enter "Interlaken Ost" in the "via" field below the destination box if you'd like to take the long route through the mountains. Leave this field blank if you want to travel directly to Geneva.

3 Book a trip with restaurant car if the trip will fall around lunch or dinner time. A growling stomach may put a damper on your otherwise enjoyable trip. The Web site will give you information on the services offered on each train, including whether or not the train has food service.

4 Grab a seat in a "quiet" car if you want to catch a few zzz's on the way to Geneva. The quiet car prohibits the use of cell phones, radios or any other distraction. Make sure you follow the rules. Conversation is still allowed--just keep it down!

5 Call Rail Europe at 877-257-2887 to book train tickets from Zurich to Geneva by phone.

How to Make a Travel Brochure for a School Project

Travel brochures are a great way for students to present their research about a current place, a place in history, their community, or even a setting in a novel. They allow students to practice writing descriptively and use their organizational skills to create a creative, appealing, and informative product.

Outlining the Brochure

1 Look at a variety of travel brochures (many can be found in a hotel lobby or at local visitor's centers) to get a feel for what a brochure looks like and the various categories contained on a brochure.

2 Create a list of topics to include in the brochure and write the information to be provided under each topic. Some possible topics include: geographical location, attractions, food, history, people, culture

3 Design a rough draft of the brochure using a piece of computer paper. Determine how the brochure will be folded, then write in the topics where they will be included on the brochure. Draw boxes to represent where you are going to place pictures or other images.

Creating a Brochure

1 Using computer paper, create an enticing cover that includes the name of the place your brochure is about. The cover of the brochure should contain at least one picture of your location and any short snippets of information that would get someone's attention.

2 Add the topics and information within the brochure. This can be done neatly by hand or the information can be typed out and cut and pasted into the form of the brochure. Microsoft Publisher also offers a brochure template that can be used.

3 Insert relevant pictures into the brochure. Brochures that are all text are less appealing, so be sure to add a lot of graphics related to your location to pique a reader's interest.

How to Book Train Travel From London to Dublin

Taking a train from London to Dublin is easier than it sounds, but it does require some planning since there are so many choices. Many rail companies offer comprehensive ferry and rail packages, but there are also a few exciting and tempting ways to deviate from the plan, such as high-speed catamarans or traveling via Scotland. Read on to learn how to book train travel from London to Dublin.

Book Your Train Travel From London to Dublin

1 Check out the many travel Web sites that offer comprehensive rail-and-ferry packages to Ireland, such as Stena Line or Irish Ferries, for timetables and prices. This will help you determine which path of travel is most appealing to you. You can also book train travel from London to Dublin by calling Rail Europe at (888) 382-RAIL or by visiting the link below.

2 Book travel by the most direct route, called the Central Corridor, for the fastest way to get from London to Dublin. This requires crossing the sea at Holyhead, Wales, for a ferry trip of one hour and 40 minutes to Dun Laoghire, located very near Dublin.

3 Opt for one of the less direct routes, such as the Northern Corridor, if you want to see more of the British Isles during your journey. The Northern Corridor crosses the ocean from Scotland into Belfast, Northern Ireland.

4 Pick your ferry and train voyages separately for the ultimate in flexibility, although doing so will almost definitely cost more money.

5 Defer to a travel agency to create the best possible package for your needs.

Get Ready for Your Journey to Dublin

1 Choose first-class accommodations on both the trains and the ferry to ensure that you're well-fed and comfortable every step of the way.

2 Consider alternative forms of crossing the ocean, such as high-speed catamarans or speedboats, for a more thrilling adventure.

How to Paint a Travel Trailer

You love trekking about the country with your travel trailer in tow, but you've begun to hate how it looks. After years in the elements, your trailer looks less like a sporty addition and more like a hunk of junk. The interior is fine, but the outside has seen better days. Rather than covering your trailer with a million stickers hoping no one will notice its shoddiness, you can paint a travel trailer with a few simple steps

1 Figure out what your trailer is made of. You cannot paint it properly unless you pick the right paint. Many trailers have aluminum siding, while others are made from fiberglass or metal. Some may have a combination of exterior materials.

2 Pick your paint. Any paint used on a travel trailer should be exterior paint. If you use more than one color, pick the same brand for best results. Exterior paints for fiberglass, aluminum, metal and other materials are available at hardware and home stores. You can also see a selection in Resources.

3 Watch the weather. Of course, do not try to paint your trailer outside in the pouring rain. Heavy winds can stir up dust and debris that will stick to your new paint job. Extremely hot or cold temperatures will screw up the paint job, as well. Try to pick a calm day between 50 and 80 degrees and park your trailer in a shady spot.

4 Clean and prepare the trailer. Wash the outside thoroughly to remove any dirt, debris and anything else that may be stuck to it. Once it's dry, cover all areas you don't want to paint--like windows and metal door frames--with a heavy-duty painter's tape. Sand off any rust with a durable sandpaper.

5 Paint away. Use thick, durable brushes for siding and rollers for flat surfaces. A paint sprayer will give you fast results and even distribution. Spray paints are good for smaller areas or trailers, but will prove costly on larger units. Use a contrasting paint for the small details. Use smaller brushes or a sponge brush to fit into small crevices. (A variety of paint sprayers appear in Resources.)

About Traveling With Pets in Airplane Cargo

Traveling with or transporting pets in airplane cargo requires a lot of information, thought and planning ahead. Even under the best conditions, air travel can be difficult for some pets. You should talk to your veterinarian before transporting your pet by air, not only to satisfy the official airline regulations, but to make sure that your pet is healthy and stable enough to tolerate travel related physical stresses as well as the stress of separation from familiar humans and surroundings.

Will My Pet Be Safe?

Federal rules now require airlines to make known to the public the number of animals killed or injured on flights. Some of the airlines are now refusing to allow pets to be checked as baggage because of the possibility of dangerous heat in cramped cargo holds. Some airlines limit pets traveling in cargo to temperate seasons only. Pets weighing more than 15 or 20 pounds must be checked as baggage or sent as cargo if they are to travel by air. Giant-size kennels can only be shipped as cargo and most airlines have a 100 pound weight limit for both animal and carrier. On the major airlines, the cargo section is supposed to be fully pressurized and properly heated, but crated animals in cargo have had problems and there have been some deaths. People should be especially cautious if the traveling pet is old, unhealthy, timid, or if it is a short-nosed breed. Your animal will never be put through the x-ray machine, but you will probably be asked to take your pet out of its carrier so the carrier can be sent through the machine.

Airline Pet-Transport Policies

Each airline has its own specific regulations, as well as kennel, temperature, size, breed, and species restrictions. To be sure you have the most up-to-date information available, it is essential to contact the airline you have chosen before making travel plans for your pet. Some airlines allow pets in the cabin and to be checked as baggage. Some accept pets as cargo only and others do not allow pets to be checked as baggage or placed in cargo. A few airlines have special sections of their cargo planes and domestic flight planes set up for safely transporting pets. Some require that the customer will be traveling on the same flight. There are airlines which only allow service animals to travel on their planes. All airlines require advance reservations and strict adherence to rules when it comes to flying with pets.

Health, Comfort & Safety Rules

You will need a health certificate with proof of current immunizations, provided by your veterinarian, in order to comply with the airline, state and federal rules. To be valid for your trip on most airlines, the certificate should be issued no more than seven to ten days before your pet's departure date. An airline cannot transport a pet that is violent or dangerous, so it is important that the pet's paperwork includes information about personality as well as health.

USDA requires that you give your pet water and a small amount of food about four hours before you check in at the airport. The kennel must display labels on top and on at least one side with the words LIVE ANIMALS printed in 1-inch-high letters and it must also display your telephone number and/or the phone number of a person who can be contacted about your pet when it reaches the destination, especially if you are sending your pet unaccompanied by cargo plane.

Airline Security Regulations

Check with the specific airline to find out the exact amount of time they require you to arrive before your pet's trip. For pets transported as cargo, the airline may ask you to take your pet out of its kennel to allow security officers to screen the kennel before your pet can be approved for air travel. When your pet travels as checked baggage in the plane's cargo hold and you have to switch planes, most airlines cannot transfer your pet to another airline. Each airline must inspect your pet at the time it accepts your pet for transport. On a trip involving more than one airline, you will probably have to claim your pet at the connecting airport and check in with the agents at the new airline. This will definitely take additional time so factor it into your schedule.

Pet Transporters and "Travel Agents"

If for any reason, you cannot travel on the same flight with your pet there are licensed businesses and people who can help you. These companies help people, organizations, businesses, and the military make travel arrangements and even accompany your pet. You can find them online by searching for "Pet Transporters."

Check with individual airlines as to specific regulations, restrictions, safety records and costs before selecting the best one for your pet. It would be best not to rely entirely on website information because rules and prices change frequently and sometimes seasonally. Contact the airline and insist on speaking with someone who is knowledgeable about traveling with and transporting pets on airplanes.

How to Start a Travel Blog

Are you really into traveling and need an outlet for all your travel information, recommendations and tips? Consider starting a travel blog, where you can share your experiences with others and get ideas from readers. Starting a travel blog can be done in just a few steps.

1

Sign up for an account on Blogger or Wordpress if you do not already have your own domain name. Both sites are free to use and are good places for new blogs to start. If you have your own domain, your web hosting service may include installation of blog software that you have uploaded to you main page or a sub-directory.

2

Name your blog. The blog's name should be something memorable and logically tied to travel, as you'll want people to have a good idea of what it is by the name.

3

Begin adding content to your travel blog. You may want to provide a list of some of your favorite travel websites and an "about me" page. Start posting blog entries about some of your favorite travel destinations, travel deals or whatever else your target audience may be interested in.

4

Improve the look of your blog by downloading blog templates for the blog software you are using and adding pictures and other visually stimulating things to your blog. The more eye appealing it is, the more likely you'll have repeat visitors to your travel blog.

5

Promote your blog by linking to other travel websites and contacting the webmasters and asking them to link to you. You can also post in travel related forums and use links to your blog in discussions.

How to Avoid Scams While Traveling Abroad

Con men, hustlers and other scam artists often target obvious tourists as their victims. By being alert and knowing what to watch out for--you can avoid being taken during your journeys abroad. Read on for some safety tips.

1 Never hand your wallet to anyone. One popular European con involves crooks in police uniform who stop you on the street, show phony badges and request to check your wallet for "funny money" or drug cash. It's all a ruse to clean you out of your hard-earned cash.

2 Beware of photographers that snap your picture at famous landmarks without even being asked. This is typically followed by a request to pay them before waiting for them to return from their nearby studio with your pictures. They never come back, and neither does your money.

3 Lookout for that "free" drink. There's one scam with a few different takes on it that involves being invited to a bar by a beautiful gal or handsome guy; after a few drinks your new friend has slipped away and a massive bill awaits.

4 Be aware of pickpockets, particularly at large gatherings or on busy streets, and beware of possible diversions-someone spilling their ice cream on your shoes, or a couple arguing loudly nearby-that could be intended to take your mind off of watching your money.

5 Another scam involves a found object-such as an expensive-looking watch, that a stranger appears to suddenly find on the ground or somewhere else around you. It won't be long before they're trying to sell you the item, and at a "bargain" price no less.

6 Overcharging cab drivers is a common way tourists get taken. One way to try and avoid this is asking ahead of time how much the fare will be-and not being afraid to negotiate if the price seems steep.