Create Your Own European Adventure: Leave the Guidebooks at Home

By Clive Shearer

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1879899191
• ISBN13: 9781879899193
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Newjoy Pr
• Length: 370 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A Really Fun Book

I find myself in Europe 3-6 months a year since 1991, and can say I know the European scene very well. Came across this book late last year and must commend Mr. Shearer for a fun read, as well as a comprehensive guide on how to get around. I see from the book notes that he is British and so it is no wonder that he knows his stuff. He also has that great "tongue in cheek" British sense of humor and this is the most amusing book of its kind on the market. I have recommended it to several family members and friends. It is really useful, with chapters on just about everything you need to know about, including on the pick pockets and thieves. By the way, anyone who thinks this is not a problem has not been to Europe for a while as the flood of immigrants has really made this into an issue. However Mr. Shearer is on top of it and gives really great practical solutions. Altogether a great read and a lot of good humor.

Outstanding

Without a doubt, the most valuable printed material I have ever read on the subject! This book is very user-friendly and packed with "essential and practical" day-to-day, country -to-country information. It is as though you have your own tour guide condensed into 300+ pages. It answers questions you didn't know to ask! Don't leave home without it!

How to plan the European vacation that works for you.

The title appealed to me as a middle-aged woman planning a fourth trip to Europe. As did the author's philosophy of travelling truly independently rather than following the crowds. This book keeps its promise to educate and entertain with facts plus anecdotes collected by an English gentleman with a dry sense of humor. First you are asked why you are going to Europe, and what adventure means to you. Then you are coached on how to travel and chart your own course. Unlike Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door", Shearer does not suggest which roads to follow or doors to open. That's up to you!This book provides essential details for visiting Europe, pointing out what can go right and what can go wrong. I liked the consolidated information on the different countries and their currencies, their train stations, their different names for budget hotels plus various rip-off tactics and defenses. The `pros and cons' got me thinking about how best to get around, pay expenses and phone home. A fan of checklists, I appreciated a veteran's views on packing, renting cars and choosing accommodation. Shearer's advice helped me reconfirm my travel goals, revamp my photography plan and transform my travel journal into a multipurpose tool. The well-researched and engagingly written text guided me into worthwhile websites and out to the library to do more in-depth reading. This book was well worth the price, even in Canadian dollars.

Rare tips for the less-than-intrepid traveler.

This book addresses the needs of the whole person who travels in Europe. Mr. Shearer helps the traveler navigate the minutia-everything from how to read a timetable to paying for a toilet. The book is packed with valuable information. I wouldn't leave for the Continent without it!