Civitan Around The World

Save $$ using Gateway Cities as Stepping Stones

2012-02-21T14:03:00.000-06:00

Seems a day doesn't go by that I don't get a call saying that the fares to Europe are too high. When I ask how they are flying invariably I hear that they are trying to book from their small home town direct to Tallinn 5 months in advance.

Two things to do differently that will save you money. Book later this spring since airlines don't yet know how many seats they will have in inventory in early July so there's no incentive for them to discount this far out. Secondly, If possible, book from a major gateway city in the US to a gateway city in Europe and then take a smaller feeder or discount airline to Tallinn. For example a flight from Florence, SC to Tallinn for July 1 returning July 7 is $1830 if booked today. However if you drive to Charlotte NC( a few hours away) and use http://www.parksleepfly.com to park your car free for up to 2 weeks for only a nights stay (at either end of your trip) and use the free shuttle you can save big $$$ as follows: A round trip flight booked today on http://www.Kayak.com for July 1 from Charlotte to Helsinki is $1113. The airport shuttle in Helsinki to the port is under $10. Then take the 2 hour ferry to Tallinn (40 miles away) for about $40 which gets you to the Tallinn port at edge of the old town and your convention hotel. Flying home from Helsinki would mean repeating the last two steps but your net savings is still about $650.

Better yet, on your way back to the US, take the 4 hour motor coach bus to Riga, Latvia that leaves several times a day (Riga market square above). After a few days in Riga fly home from there or to another European gateway city like Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin etc ($102- 170 one way) and then fly home. Kayak allows you to price multiple destinations such as flying into one city and home from another and its usually its about the same cost. Next weeks blog is on when to book and tips on other discount internal European flight aggregater sites.

Driving in Europe

2012-02-14T18:07:00.001-06:00

Car rental and driving in Europe is much like it is in North America. With the exception of the British Isles every country on the European continent drives on the right (same as US) side. Traffic signs, patterns and driving in general are pretty universal. Most cars are smaller which makes driving and parking in older downtown areas a bit easier. If you have a valid license in the US you are able to rent a car and drive in Europe. (More on renting a car in an upcoming blog). I first learned how to drive in Germany in the mid 1960s and still rent a car on occasion when visiting and if I have to travel over an extended period of time. I know train travel is popular but it’s also not cheap. If 2 of you are planning to do some touring, travel by car gives you a bit more flexibility and is often cheaper than a few train tickets. Driving also gives you the option of staying at hotels that you might like along the way and doesnt force you to limit yourself to downtown hotels near the train station or use taxis or public transportion to get around. A recent week long car rental was just over 300 Euros including insurance. A round trip train ticket to and from Munich to Hannover for 2 would cost more. I just want you to keep the option of car rental on the table. Gas is high but even at around $9 a gallon, the cars are smaller with 4 cylinder turbo charged efficient engines and mostly manual shift (automatic is available). Distances are also not that great. Central Europe would fit into Texas. Germany is about the size of Washington and Oregon combined. I’ll cover train travel in an upcoming blog and give you some web sites to consider schedules and prices along with rental cars

Convention Tours

2012-02-01T16:36:00.001-06:00

Post convention tours have been posted to our web site. These purport to be some exciting and affordable trips suggested to compliment your European visit next July. Starting the day after the closing, there is a 7 day Baltic cruise that starts in neighboring Stockholm, Sweden just a short flight away that takes you to Helsinki, Finland, St Petersburg, Russia, Riga, Latvia, Gdansk, Poland and then back to Stockholm for travel home or elsewhere. Other tours include a trip to Sweden then to Oslo and Bergen Norway. An overland trip by motor coach is scheduled from Tallinn to St Petersburg with an optional side visit to Moscow. The latter by motor coach requires a travel visa to Russia. Cruises to and from St Petersburg, Russia do not require a separate travel visa. Many Civitans have already signed up for tours post convention. Whether you take an organized tour or travel on your own, you'll enjoy the friendly hospitality of the people of the Baltic and Scandinavian nations. Shown below is a rampart of the city wall in old Tallinn 2 blocks from the convention hotels.
www.civitan.org/convention

For full details visit: www.civitan.org/convention

Travel booking using an online aggregater. Part 3

2012-01-22T12:33:00.000-06:00

Using an online travel aggregater to book flights is generally my first and usually the best option I've found when booking online air travel. These aggregaters look at all online travel sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, and many more including the airline sites like Delta, United etc. The results they return are an amalgam of the "best of" depending on the parameters you put in the search whether by price or schedule or limiting the number of connections. My favorite is http://www.kayak.com/. It also allows you the options of searching by a specific carrier so if you are trying to use Delta for example, it pays to look at both Kayak as well as Delta since there may be some unpublished specials on the Delta site The aggregaters will also mix and match carriers to give you the best fare options which specific airlines seem reluctant to do even if they are in the same "alliance" or award common shared "sky miles" points. Some aggregaters are region specific and for those traveling to Europe next summer consider http://www.skyscanner.com/ or http://www.momondo.com/. Kayak also has a neat feature that allows you to check a box called "my dates are flexible" and will then show you the best fares for up to 3 days on either side of your preferred travel dates coming and going. Momondo has a unique calender that lets you easily click to change dates and start the search over. These are but a few of the ways to book travel.

Booking International travel online searches (part 2)

2012-01-16T13:44:00.001-06:00

Shopping for an international airfare online is best done in stages. Every time you visit one of the dozens of online travel sites the fare to your intended destination will likely change. Sometimes its cheaper and sometimes not. This blog deals with the online travel sites that just search for the date and schedule you want and and returns options to consider. They are paid from a small markup from the airline and from some ads in the margin. Some of the more popular Online travel sites are www.EXPEDIA.com. www.TRAVELOCITY.com or www.ORBITZ.com. They do a good job of mapping out all the possibilities of getting you to your selected destination and home again. They do it well and will search most airlines to get you a reasonable selection of options to select from based on price, schedule and number of stops. You can screen for preferred airlines (i.e Delta.com) and even set a filter to eliminate too many connections. In theory you are seeing what the airlines offers at their sites but I have found that sometimes it pays to look at the airline site as well to see if perchance they may have something else to consider or even a "special". Fares for the same routing can vary many times a day so it pays to check them all. Prices will also vary based on dates selected, time of the year and demand for those airline seats. In other words, who is your competition for those seats. If you plan to travel to London in late July you'll be competing with the world trying to get there for the summer Olympics. If there is a big trade show that week, you'll have lots of businessmen traveling who can generally pay more so the airlines obliges by not discounting their seats. If you want to go to Rome or Paris in July you'll have tourists in place of the business traveler. My suggestion is to check these sites beginning 3-4 months before traveling and then monitor regularly for a while before booking. There is not urgency to book anytime before April for July trip. The airline is in no hurry to discount and they don't even know the final demand for a trip in late June (more on when to book in an upcoming blog). Also look for other nearby gateway European cities that may offer cheaper fares direct from North America. For example fly to Manchester, England instead of London, Lyon instead of Paris. You can use these online travel booking sites to also check internal European flights on a whole host of discount air carriers within Europe that fly to Tallinn. Part 3 next week: the ONLINE AGGREGATOR.

Passport for travel to Europe

2012-01-09T11:33:00.000-06:00

Tallinn the capital city is located just accross the Gulf of Finland from Helsinki (not incidated on the map but just below the "D" in Finland). By ferry boat the distance is about 42 miles. Estonia is part of the European Union and uses the Euro unlike the other Baltic nations who still use their national currency and are only provisional members of the EU. Once you have cleared immigration and customs in any Euroean country that is one of the 17 member countries you are able to travel to any member EU country much as we in North America can travel between states and provinces.

Not sure who is reading this so best to note that anyone traveling to Europe from anywhere else in the world will need a passport. In the US the passport forms can be secured at the US post office https://www.usps.com/shop/apply-for-a-passport.htm or completed online at the US State Department http://travel.state.gov/passport/ First time applicants will need to appear in person at a post office to verify identification.
Passports are valid for 10 years and cost $110 plus a small handling fee. Best to apply early or check and make sure your old passport will still be valid through next July. You can get them in about 3 weeks or for lots more money you can get them rushed out but why wait?

Booking international travel using a travel agent (part 1)

2012-01-05T14:13:00.003-06:00

Since you are reading this blog online I’ll assume you are probably more inclined to book your travel online without the use of a local travel agent. However, there are still many benefits to using some outside professional help especially if you are planning for multiple city stops needing hotels, train travel, car rental or even tours including cruises. All this can also be done online by most PC literate travelers at any number of travel sites which will be my next blog (part 2 of travel booking).

Airlines have all but eliminated agent commissions on flights over the past several years which has forced travel agents to focus on other aspects of travel such as the tours, hotels, car rentals and visas if needed (not necessary in Europe). In order to get your business they will be happy to book your multi city travel international air travel for a service fee. The fee for booking an international ticket is generally between $30 and $50 per ticket but worth it if you get a good fare, good stopovers and travel times that suite your style of travel (i.e. no 5 am departures or midnight arrivals in Budapest). An experienced agent can also recommend and book all your hotels and airport transfers as needed. To find a local travel agent you can ask around or check out http://www.angieslist.com/travel-agencies/. The Angies Listing for your area will include phone numbers a map and reviews by users.

Baltic Ferry connections

2011-12-30T11:09:00.003-06:00

Ferry connections in the Baltic

Travel in an around the Baltic is mainly done by Ferry Boats. These are large ocean going vessels that carry not just passengers but also cars, trucks and buses. In fact, the Norwegian Civitan delegation is coming to Tallinn in several large buses by an overnight ferry boat from Stockholm, Sweden. When booking your flight to Tallinn, consider using one of a number of Scandinavian, German or even the Polish port of Gadansk. Helsinki, Finland is just 40 miles and about 2 hours by ferry boat to Tallinn. For example you might book your flight into Stockholm from North America, take the overnight ferry to Tallinn and then book your flight home from Helsinki. On the overnight ferries you can book a cabin or simply sit in the lounge and watch the midnight sun set for a few hours before rising again at about 2 am in early July. Here is the link for schedules and prices.

Tallink Silja

Religion in Estonia

2011-12-20T10:38:00.000-06:00

A richness in religious diversity is evident in Tallinn. Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches are found throughout this northern Baltic country. Hundreds of years of many invaders and occupiers have left their mark of religious tolerance as these three main Christian denominations together with their churches dot the old city. The Christmas and New Years celebration is a particularly important period of time in Tallinn as the Eastern Orthodox church, introduced in the 1700's by Czar Peter the Great has a different advent period. Christmas day is celebrated but the first 10 days of the new year are the major celebration with daily gift giving. Pictured is an Eastern Orthodox Church. Convention visitors next summer can worship at Catholic or evangelical churches or even experience the richness of the Russian Orthodox church once part of the the Church of Rome prior an east/west split in 1054.

Christmas in Tallinn

2011-12-12T22:56:00.000-06:00

Christmas in Tallinn with the old town under a blanket of snow. Its cold now but in July will be just perfect. The Euro continues to weaken meaning your travel costs including airfare and hotel will be cheaper in relation to the US and Canadian dollar. Access hotel and convention links at www.Civitan.org/convention

European unrest not necessarily a bad thing

2011-12-07T11:43:00.000-06:00

The news would have us believe that the Europe Union (EU) is on the brink of unraveling. I don't share that opinion of the dire outcome facing the 17 member union (of which Estonia is a member). The adults in Europe will figure it out. Over the past 2 months, Greece, Italy and Spain each have new conservative prime ministers who have all managed to get their austerity budgets passed and will work with their northern European partners to solve the problem of a currency union without a political union. Everyone involved has a stake in a successful resolution of structured debt, a stronger European Central Bank and even issuing of Europe Bonds.
The benefit to North Americans traveling there next summer will likely be a cheaper Euro and by extension cheaper air fares and local costs. We'll continue to monitor this but watch the Euro now at $1.34 per dollar.

Eastern Europe is very affordable

2011-11-27T18:59:00.000-06:00

Pictured is one of the many roof tops of the old town along the city wall in Tallinn, Estonia. This medieval Baltic city is by some accounts the best preserved walled city of northern Europe.

Eastern Europe is still very affordable. The Sokos Hotel, bigger of the two convention properties for the July 2012 convention is 73 Euros per night. At today's US rate it will be $97 per night including full buffet breakfasts for 2 and no additional taxes at check out. WOW...

Future posts here will include travel tips such as economic ways to fly to Estonia, ideas for bucket list visits to other European destinations and when to start booking flighs. (tip: not before next spring).

Baltic Blast

2011-11-21T12:02:00.000-06:00

Fun and Fellowship in Eastern Europe

The Civitan International convention next summer will be held in the Estonian City of Tallinn, July 3-6. Two hotels have been selected for the delegates, the Sokos and the Nordic Forum. The negotiated single or double rate for these convention hotels is 73 and 75 Euros respectively. Based on the current Euro exchange rates that is about $99 and $101 respectively and includes a buffet breakfast for 2.

Follow convention developments at http://www.civitan.com/template.php?t=sr&id=274 and make plans to join us for a Blast in the Baltic. Stay tuned for more on this weekly.

2009-10-19T16:02:00.001-05:00

2009-10-17T12:14:00.000-05:00

Eva Stendler, music teacher and daughter of the current Hungary Civitan Governor at the Civitan District Sept 09 meeting in Szeged southern Hungary singing a popular Serbian folk song. The Serbian boarder is about 20 miles to the south.

2009-09-12T14:40:00.000-05:00

2009-08-11T16:01:00.000-05:00

BIRMINGHAM-BASED NON-PROFIT CELEBRATES LIFE OF
EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER

Birmingham, AL . . . One Birmingham area non-profit is celebrating the life of developmental disabilities advocate Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and their immeasurable work together to improve the lives of these special people. Civitan International, whose mission is to meet community needs with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities, was one of the first premier sponsors of local and international Special Olympics Games – and found a great supporter in Shriver, who was Chairman at the time. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Shriver spoke to tens of thousands of Civitan members, helping raise millions of dollars for Civitan International’s support of Special Olympics.
Today, that legacy of partnership continues as Civitan’s International Research Center at UAB has become one of only 12 research facilities in the United States to receive grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development in 2008. The Center at UAB, which brings together top scientific minds and the latest technology to create innovative therapies and treatments for people with developmental disabilities, is the result of a $20 million commitment by Civitan International. “The world has lost a remarkable champion of people with intellectual and physical disabilities, and a true friend to all Civitans,” said Civitan International Executive Vice President John Rynearson. “She will be dearly missed.”
Since its founding in Birmingham in 1917, Civitan has grown to approximately 40,000 member in 28 countries. Civitan clubs meet a wide variety of needs in their communities, with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities. For more information about Civitan International, and our programs, please visit us on the web at http://www.civitan.org/, or call us at 1-800-CIVITAN.

Civitan Research Center's Percy in national spotlight as Rett Syndrome expert

2009-08-04T16:49:00.000-05:00

Dr Alan Percy's work at Civitan International Research Center at UAB is transforming how Rett patients have their very unique needs met. Percy honored at the International Rett Syndrom Foundation's annual conference. Details: http://tiny.cc/QUeC0

2009-07-14T12:02:00.000-05:00

Christian Tucker and wife, Civitan General Secretar, Sierra Leone, West Africa

2009-06-29T09:16:00.000-05:00

Civitan member with sons in Sierra Leone, West Africa

2009-06-21T15:26:00.000-05:00

One of 9 infiinity pools facing the ocean at the Cancun Hilton, site of the Sept 2010 Civitan International convention.

2009-06-15T09:36:00.000-05:00

Woman selling table cloths and hand made textiles at an open air market in Romania. Civitan has Romanian clubs in the eastern part of Romania as well as Hungarian ethnic clubs in the eastern part of Romania known as Transylvania. Picture taken 2007

2009-06-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

Here are some young Civitans in Philippines last year.

Civitan News

2009-06-10T15:17:00.001-05:00

Come have fun with us in Las Vegas at the Civitan International Convention July 6th through the 9th.

Justine was having a great time on the Cruise, with the captain. I think they were sharing a secret.