BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey guys. I'm writing a little series of articles to help teach prospective travelers everything there is to know about making their way through Western Europe.

I finished the first part, and am writing two more. Would you mind taking a look and letting me know if I've missed something, or things I should definitely mention in the future articles?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/623611/traveli...h_europe_part_1.html

(I would post it here instead of linking, but it's a bit long)

My own thoughts on a couple things you mention:
In describing the more typical backpacker style of travel, you specifically mention hitting up major cities. While this is common, since you're giving advice to first time travellers, I'd at least make mention of the charms of smaller centres.

Similarly, when you mention budget airlines, you should also point out that you can't just compare a flight ticket to a train ticket, as there are significant transportation costs in getting to airports...not to mention the costs in terms of hassle involved in flying vs the lovely scenery from a train.

I also completely disagree with your comments on "quality and safety" with regards to eastern Europe, not to mention "Flights are recommended." Both the statements seem, well, just wrong. Pricing is more complicated than just "cheaper as you go east", since the world's most expensive city (Moscow) about as far east as Europe goes. Prague and Budapest aren't exactly bargains either.

Also - basic editing stuff:
In the middle of the second paragraph, you've spelt career "carreer."
Air Canada is two words.

Thanks for the comments.

You're right...I should just leave Eastern Europe out altogether since I don't have firsthand experience. But I don't think it's an unfair statement to say that the Eastern countries generally are cheaper (Moscow being a notable exception) and usually not as nice and safe as many of the Western cities.

As for the plan/train thing, I planned on mentioning that in the coming article. A lot of people don't realize that getting to an airport can be a big hassle, especially with the budget airlines (I nearly missed a flight from Belgium because I didn't realize the cheap airport was ~50km out of the entire city). That said, I do think planes are often a better deal for international travel. They aren't the most adventurous, but just from a money standpoint...~40 Euros for a 90 minute flight over several countries is a great deal. But yeah, I'll definitely be elaborating on such things in the coming articles.

And again, thanks very much for the comments.

quote:

But I don't think it's an unfair statement to say that the Eastern countries generally are cheaper (Moscow being a notable exception) and usually not as nice and safe as many of the Western cities.

Generally speaking, cheaper is fair; "not as nice and safe," not so much. I'm not sure where your perception on this is coming from, but it's not accurate anywhere I've been.

Congrats on offering a helpful article! It's good that you listed details, like cost and carriers, and touched on various methods of travel in Western Europe.

I do have to agree with 2wanderers, though. Personally, some of my best travel memories come from summers spent in Lithuania and Belarus. Both countries are somewhat off the beaten tourist track, but I never felt unsafe. Cheaper then London and Paris, though? Yeah, probably. I'll give you that one.

Overall, an informative article! Keep pursuing the desire to write. But a good rule of thumb for Part II: general/stereotypical statements are best avoided since they usually don't work to your advantage.

Also, I hope you plan to include some of your personal experiences. Sometimes that helps to connect with your readers. Best of luck!

Before I comment on particulars I just want to say that every person has their own view of what it means to 'travel'. Your view of travel will be different to mine, and my view will be different to the next person's. So writing a decent introductory travel guide to suit different tastes is no easy feat.

I think the basic premise and layout of the article is fairly good. The style of writing is clear and easy to follow.

But in terms of improvement I think you need to avoid making certain generalisations. I have picked out 3 you might consider.

quote:

Many people make the sad mistake of trapping themselves in a lifestyle and carreer

On the one hand I know certain people that have done this. On the other hand you need to be careful with generalisations: remember that we are fortunate, not everyone in our society has the means and opportunity to travel.

quote:

Riding planes and trains isn't really the fun part.

Another point I would pick up on is this. Not all train journeys are fun, but I have also had some great experiences. Riding on the trains is one of the best ways to see a country, and there are some fantastic train journeys throughout Europe with wonderful scenery.

quote:

You can save up money, and travel through several cities.

The article seems to be based on cities, and hopping from one to another. Bear in mind however that this is only one possible way of travel. Europe has plenty to see and do beyond its major cities. Infact some travellers may opt to avoid cities altogether.

Great, thanks for the comments.

I see what you mean about the generalizations...I'll see if I can have this article replaced with a revised version. If not, I'll just keep it in mind when doing the next parts.

Avoid word repetition, and try to use a stronger verb than "to be/is/are" so often.

Other than that, with all masses of info already existing out there about European travel, unless you are writing for fun, you need to be detail and practical bits heavy to make a difference. Avoid stereotypes, broad generalizations and recycled phrases.

And spell check!!!
Good luck with the follow-up parts!