Civitan around the world is back

......after a two month summer break.  The focus going forward till next spring will be blogs about interesting Civitan events found in the media.  Sometime in February I'll start blogging about the Civitan International convention in Denver July 3-6, 2013.  I just came back from a visit to Denver and a week's vacation in the mountains and am excited about the whole area and the plans underway to bring the convention to this vibrant mile high city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
  Meanwhile I invite you to enjoy these weekly blogs representative of daily Civitan activities in Clubs just this past week.  I'll blog about any Civitan activities past or upcoming if you care to alert me.  If not, I might just find it through the Google Alerts that sends me an email about any Civitan activities that makes the news throughout our collective communities. 

Broyhill talks history with Salisbury Civitan (North Carolina)

Friday, September 07, 2012 12:00 AM

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Former U.S. Sen. Jim Broyhill, speaks with a Salisbury Civitan Club member during his visit to the club Thursday. Photo by Mark Wineka, Salisbury Post

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SALISBURY - As a N.C.         Former congressman in the mid 1970s, Jim Broyhill became fascinated with the Revolutionary War history connected with Kings Mountain.
Back then, he successfully worked with historians and local officials in having the Overmountain Victory Trail added to the National Historic Trail system. Today it's one of only 18 trails in the country with that designation.
Broyhill has worn many hats in his life: U.S. House representative, U.S. senator, N.C. Commerce secretary and furniture industry executive among them.
But these days, he's just as happy being a history buff. He visited the Salisbury Civitan Club Thursday to give a program on the 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain - a patriot victory in the Revolutionary War that Thomas Jefferson called "the turn of the tide of success."
More:  http://www.salisburypost.com/News/090712-Broyhill-on-Kings-mount
By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.nc

MSE board president speaks to Civitan Club (Arkansas)

By: Allison Gatlin - El Dorado,  News-Times

Generating excitement for downtown El Dorado is at the top of the bill for Main Street El Dorado, which this summer alone has instituted Cash Mobs and First Thursdays in an effort to pull more feet into businesses on the square, said Beth Chadwick on Thursday at the El Dorado Civitan Club.Published: 09/07/2012

more: http://www.eldoradonews.com/news/2012/09/07/mse-board-president-speaks-to-civitan-cl-320349.php

Cops Care Program teams with Music in the Park (North Carolina)

by Lindsay Craven
Staff WriterYadkin Ripple

9 days ago | 2499 views | 0 | 4 | |

RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
Cops Care Program participants were treated to a meal and live entertainment on Aug. 25. The event was held alongside the Music in the Park series hosted by Yadkin Civitan Group. The civitans sponsored the Cops Care event and provided Arby’s sandwiches and homemade icre cream.

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RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
Gina Painter, administrative assistant for the Yadkinville Police Department hands out homemade ice cream to Cops Care Program participants while they enjoy live music at the Music in the Park series.

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RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
The Enon Boys performed live gospel music for the Music in the Park event. There are two more performances left in this year’s series. Bluegrass band Porch Dog Revival will perform Sept. 8 and Oldies and current hits cover band Too Much Sylvia will perform on Sept. 21.

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RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
Yadkinville residents enjoy live music by the Enon Boys at Music in the Park at Yadkinville Community Park on Aug. 25.

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The Yadkin Civitan Group teamed up with the Yadkinville Police Department’s Cops Care Program on Aug. 25.
Each year the Cops Care Program holds multiple fellowship events for its participants and the Yadkin Civitan Group chose to sponsor an event to coincide with its summer Music in the Park activities.
The Civitan Club always sponsors a cookout or some kind of event for the Cops Care Program and this year they asked me what I thought about having the participants come down to the park and enjoy the Music in the Park event too,” said Police Chief Tim Parks. “I told them that I thought that was great.”
The Cops Care Program was started by the Yadkinville Police Department in 2008. Officers involved in the program go out and sign up Yadkinville residents over the age of 65. Officers regularly check on these citizens during bad weather and are available to them for things that may not fall under the umbrella of the police department

Read more: Yadkin Ripple - Cops Care Program teams with Music in the Park
http://www.yadkinripple.com/view/full_story/19978494/article-Cops-Care-Program-teams-with-Music-in-the-Park

Pack for Baltic cool weather

This morning I spoke to one of the Civitan staff members in Tallinn, Estonia involved in set up for the convention.  Everything is on scheduel for the convention but he did express concern that most of our delegates will be surprised at how much cooler it is than they expect.  It was 4:45 pm Estonia time when we spoke and although it was sunny, the temperature was 50 Degrees.  Locals all wear jackets.   

Best of convention Blogs.

Top ten things to do before you go....

(If you are registered for the convention,  keep the June 14 email from Mary Luck handy.  Its a trove of information and includs a copy of the convention program.)

1.  Don't forget to pack an adaptor so you can charge your phone, laptop or tablet. No need for a converter just an adaptor. Details see Blog 4/13/2012
2.  Make a copy of your passport (just picture page) drivers license and credit card(s) and keep a copy in a suitcase and somewhere besides where you keep your passport and credit cards.  If lost its easier to get them replaced or canceled.  Any US embassy will replace a passport in a few hours.  I know from first hand experience. Details see Blog 1/9/2012
3.  Call the credit/debit card bank toll free number on the back of the card and follow the instructions about letting them know your travel dates and destinations.  Not to do so risks having your card not work since it will appear to be used out of your normal routine.  Its simple to do and will save you the anguish not having a card that works.  Details see Blog 4/27/2012
4.  Your cell phone/ smart phone will work fine BUT you need to be sure you have let your carrier activate it for international use.  It will save you lots in fees and charges to get it activated.   With ATT it brings the cost of use to .99 per minute from over $2.00 without international activation.
5.  If you have a smart phone... TURN off you DATA PLAN when you leave the US and don't turn it on till you return.  You have a contract plan for the US but in Europe they don't recognize it and can really hammer you with some outrageous charges.  You can still use WI-FI if its available and don't need your data plan on to use either WI-FI or use it to make a call or text. 
6.  To stay in touch back home use SKYPE on your smart phone or laptop.  Its just pennies to call phones back home and free if you call a PC anywhere.  Skype was invented in Estonia.  It is easy to use and even has a video feature so you can show the folks back home all the cool things you are seeing.  Tallinn has free WI-FI through town and in our convention hotels.  How cool is that? Detail see Blog 3/8/2012
7.  The weather in Estonia will be cooler than back home unless there's an unexpected heat spell in the next few weeks.  It should be pleasant ranging from highs in the low 70's to lows in the high 40's.  Certainly not muggy and a pleasant contrast to Alabama in July.
8.  Do not over pack.  European airlines generally limit checked bags to 20Kg (44 lbs) and 16 lbs for carry on.  Some are pretty strict about weight limits and will charge for excess weight and may not allow a second bag checked.  The smaller "discount" carriers may have cheap fares but then can really sock it to you with the overweight baggage fees.  Be careful.  Best to not try to match shoes with every outfit.  All the main functions at the convention are casual.  Coat and tie at the final banquet is appropriate but no need to bring more formal outfits. Details see Blog 5/4/2012 and 5/24/2012
9. Texting is an inexpensive way to stay in touch.  I pay .15 cents per text traveling abroad with ATT and that is with or without a plan in Europe.  Texting will be a great way to stay up with your friends at the convention.  You can become a texting teen fool and impress your kids when you get home. Details see Blog 3/15/2012
10.  Get money at a local ATM up arrival in Europe.  It will be in Euros and you'll get as favorable an exchange rate as you would going to any bank without waiting in line.  Carry some US cash in smaller denominations.  The dollar is still the premier world's currency and works for tips (don't over tip) and to barter at local street markets.  Also carry Euro change to tip public restroom attendants.  Details see Blog 6/6/2012

Dont get lost in translation

Don't know much about algebra, don't know much about the French I took.....

Today there is no excuse for not trying at least.  The language guides, English-other language dictionaries and phrase books are too readily available.  Well you certainly have an excuse if you come from North America.  The rest of the world is learning English so you might say "why bother"?  With some of the inexpensive or free tools available today you really should make the effort. You never know when you'll meet the cab driver who doesn't understand you or the waiter who thinks you said you want pickles on your cake.   

Here's a really cool web link from Google:  http://translate.google.com/ and there's also a phone app too.   With your smart phone you say what you want in English (or your language) and pick the language to translate in.  You can hear the translation and play it to your cab driver in her language or show her the screen writing.  You will see what you said in English on your screen so you should be fairly confident it translated it right.  These online translation programs are getting better all the time. 

Here's a post script to the last blog on guides:

 The Kindle Store on Amazon has inexpensive travel books ($1.99) from top sights for Tallinn and any other cities or countries you may have on your travel list.  They are short and easy to read covering the main sites in the location. 

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Guides can maximize the experience

  History, foreign languages and geography may not have been your favorite subjects in school but when you are paying to visit a place, studying about it ahead of time can be loads of fun.  I think you soon realize you were not bad at these subjects.... they just were not relevant to you at the time.  Now they are.  Here are some tips to help you for the convention in Estonia and for some side trips   along the way.

 Next week tune in for cool easy to use language translation tools.

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Estonia/Harjumaa/Tallinn-411828/TravelGuide-Tallinn.html  This is a very comprehensive guide to Tallinn including what to see, what to do, night life and fun things most tourists never hear about. 

http://wikitravel.org/en/Tallinn.  This is another very comprehensive web site about Tallinn including weather, history, politics, music and culture.... lots to learn if that is your thing.

http://www.ijourneys.com/  Using your IPod or MP3 this is a great way to hear what you are seeing.  Download the city you will be visiting and follow the audio guide.

Rick Steves has loads of material including audio walking tours of many European cities and sites.  http://www.ricksteves.com/

Others including The Lonely Planet and Aurtur Frommer have guides with audio podcasts of walking tours of monuments and popular European destinations like Paris, Florence, London and Amsterdam.  I understand there is also now a walking tour of Stockholm cafes and clubs frequented by the characters from the popular Stig Larson series, "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo".

There is something for every interest online these days but you might start at your local book store or library.  Amazon is also a great source of travel guides even used ones for the budget minded who may just want to tear out the pages you need and ditch the rest along.  Libraries also have a travel section with guides that you can check out for up to 3 weeks.  They also have video guides of many popular destinations.

Know before you go

This is where Boom Hilda works now

His and Hers

Know before you go.......to the rest room that is. Public restrooms are not so public in Europe. Oh, they exist but you need to take advantage of every one you encounter as it may be your last for that outing. Unlike what we are accustomed to in North America, downtown public toilets or WC's are generally only found in restaurants or cafes and for patrons only.  It's really not as bad as it sounds.  European WC's are clean and the things you hope to find in a public restroom are generally available such as soap, paper, and  door locks that work.  Many public restrooms will also have an attendant seated at a table outside the restrooms with a tip jar.  You get the idea.  It doesn't seem right to have to pay to go but then it will be in a clean facility.  And here are some tips for you:  Carry change.  The Euro has many of the same coins we do and are also called "cents." I think a tip of about .50 cents is on the generous side but .20 may be on the miserly side.  Another tip is to carry some "wet and dry" towelettes.  They are very handy and you can buy a box of 24individually wrapped ones at Walmart before you go.

You wont be happy so find another one



Bidet on right is not same as toilet on left

Last call before the window closes

You’re in luck if you haven’t booked your air ticket to the convention yet.  Air fares are coming down.  If you have booked…don’t despair you’ll still save in ways you had not expected.  The Euro has now dropped to its lowest level to the US dollar since July 2010 now trading at 1.24 US to 1 Euro.  At that rate the Sokos convention hotel in Tallinn is just $90 per night including breakfast and no taxes.  WOW…That beats the local Irondale, Alabama Holiday Inn Express by over $10 when you count the local sales tax.  A strengthening dollar helps in so many other ways too.  A restaurant meal and a cup of coffee or  a taxi ride are getting cheaper every day.



1 Euro= 1.24 US

Although air fares to Europe in early July are getting incrementally better you may have to be resourceful to find the good ones and be flexible in your travel dates. Earlier today I plugged in some rough dates on http://www.kayak.com using the “my dates are flexible” option and started with July 1 returning July 7^th and got $1080 from Atlanta  to Tallinn leaving July 1 but returning July 10th.  The added night at an airport http://www.parksleepfly.com motel to park your car in Atlanta adds about $85.  If you can drive back and forth to a bigger international hub rather than spending the night then its only about $50 to park at a hotel for up to 2 weeks and use their shuttle.  Birmingham to Tallinn was a few $$ hundred more than from Atlanta but Birmingham to Helsinki was $1180 comparable to Atlanta to Helsinki at around $1160.  From Chicago and JFK rates to Tallinn were just under $1000 but then you need to drive or fly to these gateway cities. 

Remember, on Kayak, posted prices include all taxes and fees (except luggage).  The point is, reasonable fares are available if you are flexible and can travel a few days before or after the convention.  The strengthening US dollar and the declining oil prices should continue to keep downward pressure on the air fares for our booking window of the next 10 days or so.  It’s really a myth that you need to have your international ticket secured a month or more in advance.  If the plane isn’t sold out, the airlines will keep discounting till it is.  And once it’s sold out there are always  other planes and other time slots from other nearby cities that are all vying for the same customer.   

Also, the room block for our convention hotel is quickly filling up.  If you have waited to book your trip,  your patience may have paid off on airfare but we want to be sure you are able to be with us in the one of the two adjacent convention hotels. http://www.civitan.org/convention

Packing for your European convention trip

No one size fits all when it comes to packing lists.  Every trip is different and every person is unique in what they feel they need while traveling.  There are numerous online travel lists you can find online.  Do a search on "packing lists" and download a few and see what each suggests and develop your own.  Of equal importance should be a "To-Do" list of things you absolutely need to do before you leave town.  Some of it comes naturally like stopping mail delivery, having neighbors water the lawn or stopping newspapers.  However, what some never do is plan for potential problems that will likely never occur but if they did it could ruin an otherwise great trip.  Things like making copies of your passport (just the picture page) , drivers license and credit cards and then pack it somewhere else besides your wallet or purse.  In the unlikely event you loose an important document you can more easily have the card canceled or the passport replaced.  One way is to scan these documents and then email it to yourself and possibly one of your family members.  Your vital documents then become available electronically should you need them.

Mentioned on an earlier blog is to have contacted the issuer of your credit card via their 800 number before you travel.  Let them know the dates you'll be traveling abroad and out of your normal routine.  Best go one step further and bring an extra card that you pack somewhere else besides your wallet.  I am not concerned with pick pockets but people do loose wallets or leave cards in restaurants.
Try and begin "packing" as much as 10 days before your trip.  You do so by starting a 'list" and then by the time you begin the actual packing it is a much easier process and you are less likely to forget something vital like a phone charger or swim suit.
As hard as I try and as long as I have traveled, I am still given to over-packing.  Try and think about multiple uses of outfits.  Can you manage with just one all purpose sports coat that dresses up with a tie and slacks and can also be used to dress down with a golf shirt and jeans? Anyway, you get the idea and you can always get clothes laundered along the way.
Something I also do is begin to stage items in some corner of the room beginning a week out in the actual suitcase I plan to use.  I find it to be a less impulsive way to pack and therefore more deliberate and  efficient.


Anyway, a packing list or some system is a must even if its just informal post it notes everywhere.

Dealing with Jet Lag

Jet lag is something that can be managed with minimum difficulty by just observing a few simple rules.

Ignore them and you’ll still recover but it may take a bit longer and you may feel out of sorts for a few days and not necessarily draw the connection between sleep deprivation and appetites at strange times of the day.

We all know that jet lag is caused by quickly moving through several time zones and not allowing your natural body clock to adjust. Were you to take a cruise to Europe this summer, you’d hardly notice that every day you were losing an hour of the day until at the end of the voyage you’d have recouped the seven hours and be hungry and sleepy at the same time as the locals. However, moving across 7 time zones in as many hours can be a bit of a shock to your system. Here are some tricks to help you manage the adjustment:
It begins on the plane by drinking lots of water (or non-alcoholic fluids).  Alcohol is fine in moderation but the recycled air on planes is dry and you can easily become mildly dehydrated on a long flight especially if you drink lots of coffee and beer.  Best to go easy till you land. 

On the day you arrive you’ll be tempted to take a nap as soon as you’ve checked in to the hotel. I used to fight it and try to stay up till after dinner and then go to sleep. I’m no longer militant about not taking a nap upon arrival as long as its kept to a nap (one hour or less). The danger is that once you lay down you might not want to get up and then find yourself coming down to dinner after a 6 hour “nap”. Good luck getting to sleep later that night. The first night is always the easiest to get a good night’s sleep since you’ve been sitting prone in economy class most of the way over the Atlantic.

Here are some helpful tips: Bring a sleeping mask. In July in northern Europe it doesn’t get dark outside till about 11 pm and dawn begins around 4 am. If you don’t have a sleeping mask be sure to draw the black-out curtains in your hotel room making sure there is no light peeking in or it will seem like a beacon at 4 am in the morning. You might try using sleeping pills to help make the adjustment but I have always found that for me it just delays the adjustment. The night you don’t take the pill is the night you wake up at 1 am and lie there all night with your thoughts. I have learned not fight it if I just cannot get back to sleep. What I do is bring lots of reading material and just read till its time to get up or I fall asleep again. The new tablet readers all have a “night” option that reverses the letters on the page. With this option selected on your Kindle or Ipad your partner will never know you’re awake and reading. All our convention hotel room come with free wi-fi so if you’re inclined, you can use your insomnia to catch up on email or Facebook. Anyway….. let Jet Lag be something you enjoy while all around you watch the clock and worry about how they’ll manage on less sleep in the coming day.

The good news is that at your age you’ve come to realize sleep is overrated and not something you need like your teenager kids back home. You’ll function fine on limited sleep. Catch up when you get home if you must.

Good Air Fares to Europe

Lots of questions to consider about when to book air travel to the July 3-6 Civitan convention in Tallinn, Estonia. The gloomy news about problems in Greece and the Euro zone can be VERY GOOD news for North American travelers. Here's why; The dollar has strengthened significantly in the past several months now trading at 1.29 US to the Euro (a stronger dollar goes further). The Tallinn 4 star convention hotels are now about $94 per night with no additional taxes and you get 2 hot buffet breakfasts daily included with your room.
The international price of a barrel of oil has been down steadily for the past 2 months now at 96.45 per/bbl. Since fuel costs are a significant factor in air fares, declining crude means cheaper air fares.

Regarding airfares:
We are already seeing some reasonable deals on fares to Tallinn and other European gateway cities. Here are some found on www.Kayak.com. I use Atlanta as the example departure city but Birmingham only seems to add about $70 to the overall fare.
Using the "My dates are flexible" option allows you consider fares up to 3 days before or after your ideal dates.

Round trips options as of last night:
Atlanta to Tallinn July 1- July 9 $1145 including all taxes
Atlanta to Stockholm July 1- July 11 $1234 " "
Atlanta to Helsinki July 2- July 10 $1152 " "
Atlanta to Riga, Latvia July 1- July 10 $1145 "
Atlanta to Paris July 2 - July 11 $1133 " "

Now for multiple stop options: Once you have looked at several round trip options above using the "my dates are flexible" you can then begin to mix and match the best fares from above using the "multiple cities" option. Examples:
Atlanta to Paris on July 2 and back to Atlanta from Riga on July 10 $1320
Atlanta to Helsinki on June 30 and back to Atlanta from Riga on July 11 $1364
For multiple cities you will need to then determine how you will get between the cities in Europe. For example fly into Helsinki and overnight or proceed to the port (about $8 bus fare from the airport) and take the 2 hour ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn and then after the convention take the 4 hour ($20) motor coach to downtown Riga next to the old town. See earlier blogs about using the Helsinki ferry (Dec 30) and the bus to Riga old town (Feb 21).

What about leaving my car in Atlanta (or whatever your gateway city)? No problem. Go to http://www.parksleepfly.com/ and select one of several airport motels in your departure city that allows you to leave your car for free for up to 2 weeks with just a one night stay at either end of your trip. They also shuttle you to and from the airport at no extra cost.

Get started NOW planning your flights to the convention. Problems in Greece have been successfully managed for 3 thousand years.     

BAGGAGE, Checked, carry on and what to pack.

For international travel there is no standardized rule about size, weight and cost of a checked bag.  All rules are specific to the airline with some common guidelines.  Its best to check with your airline to see what their bag policy is before you complete your packing.   When you depart North America for Europe, you will be checking your bags through to your final destination even if you are connecting to a smaller inter-European airline that has a different and more restrictive bag weight policy.  However if you are making a side trip before or after the convention within Europe you need to be aware of that airline's checked and carry on bag policy.  Delta, for example, does not charge for the first bag on international flights which is surprising since they charge $25 for a one way domestic flight.  From the US, the bag may weigh up to 50 lbs without incurring an overweight or excess baggage charge.  Most European carriers allow 20 Kg (44 pounds) and charge 25 Euro per checked bag.  Please note that the extra few pounds Delta allows might later incur a charge say on SAS or Baltic Air.  I say "might" because you may get away with a few extra pounds but be prepared to either pay the extra fee or pull heavy items out of your suitcase to stick in a carry on back pack or purse.  I have a small colapsable cloth bag (like a big launry bag with a zipper) that I carry in my suitcase.  If I start to run over on weight, I have used this as a second checked bag paying the 25 Euros rather than the penalty for excess baggage which can be 5 or more Euros per kilo.  Your second bag then can also be up to 20 Kilos.  This might be helpful if you are inclined to bring home lots of souvenirs.

Most airlines allows customers to bring one carry on bag and one personal items such as a purse, backpack or laptop bag. 

Be mindful of some of the discount European carriers who may have a cheap fare but charge more for luggage and have a lower weight allowance.  (e.g Ryan Air)
Make sure your luggage is tagged.  I have never lost a bag permanently but a few times over a lifetime of travel I have had to wait a day or two to have a bag delivered.

I prefer a hard sided suitcase that can take shocks and not damage anything inside.  Soft sided bags are fine but just be sure and wrap fragile items in clothes.  Except your meds, most anything can be easily secured in Tallinn.  The main convention hotel is adjacent to the city's biggest indoor mall complete with drug and department stores. 
Most of the sessions at the convention are summer casual.  Slacks and sports shirts for men will be standard. The installation banquet is business casual with coat and tie for those being installed so there's no need to pack an assortment of suits.  Men, you can easily plan to pack a blazer or sport coat and wear it on the plane and dress it up as needed during the convention.

Try to resist over packing.  Laundry services are readily available and housekeeping can bring an iron to your room.

The European division is also asking convention visitors to bring one or more articles of lightly used clothing for the Raake Civitan Club"s clothes closet for the poor. This might be a way to lighten your load and make room for souvenirs for your trip home.

Getting and using money in Europe

For any international travel, money or its equivalent (credit cards) are important issues to sort out before your trip.  You might have sufficient money to pay your way but is it in the right currency, and is your credit card accepted in the local ATMs and what about travelers checks?  All good questions so lets address them:

Start with pocket money:  For a week long trip to Europe I would bring at least a few hundred US dollars in bills no bigger than $20s.  I don't recommend that this be what you change to use exclusively for your pocket money but rather to keep as back up.  Then use an accepted (more on that later) credit/debit card to get local cash in an ATM.  I prefer to use ATMs since you get a much better rate of exchange than you would at a money changer.  Estonia is a member of the 17 nation European Union and therefore uses the Euro.  Unless you go to non EU nations like |Great Britain, Norway or Eastern European countries like Poland, Latvia or even Russia, the Euro will be all you will need. 
You will need to use your PIN code with your card for any purchases.  This means in restaurants, shops as well as at ATM's you will need to use your pin whether you use it as credit or debit.  American Express is the exception. 

You can get Euros at your local bank in the US before you leave but really don't need to.  ATMs are readily available everywhere and especially at arrival terminals at every airport that you would fly into from the US.  So when you arrive find an ATM, get a few hundred Euros and you'll be set.  If you need more there are ATMs everywhere.  If you change too much you can always use up your excess Euros to pay a part of your hotel bill in cash on your last day and the balance with a credit card. Some banks charge you a fee for using ATM's outside their network but from our experience its cheaper than buying Euros at a US bank before you leave.  Our local Birmingham banks don't sell much foreign currency and don't keep any on hand so it becomes a big deal.  They need to order the Euros to be brought in which takes a few days.  They then charge a fee of $25 no matter how much we change and the exchange rate is usually not very good.  I recommend you wait and get Euros at an ATM at your arrival airport.

Most Visa/ MC and the Amex credit cards are accepted everywhere but there are some caveats worth noting... THIS is very IMPORTANT ... Before you leave the country, call the toll free number on the back of your card and let them know that you will be traveling to Europe and the dates.  Otherwise they may assume your card has been hacked or stolen and being misused in Eastern Europe and block it.  I have never had a problem when I have called to let the card issuer know my plans.  However, I have had it blocked when I didn't call ahead.  Its really no big deal and its for your security.  Also look for either the word "Plus" or "Cirrus" on the back of your Visa or MC card.  These are more readily accepted as international cards and some may argue you don't need to get prior authorization to use them abroad.  I have one card with PLUS on it and one without either designation.  I generally use the one card tied to a local Birmingham bank without either of these designations on the back and have only had a problem when I don't let them know I'm going abroad.
You can pay with Euros wherever you go or you can charge to your credit card.  The exchange rates using the cards are as good as any business gets with no unreasonable mark up.  You can get an idea of the currency daily in local newspapers or at any number of online exchange sites.  I like www.xe.com where you plug in your purchase in either US$ or Euros and it will calculate it for you.  The rate today is $1.32  to 1 Euro.  When shopping or getting a coffee figure to add about 30% to the posted price in Euros to get the dollar equivalent. 
Some tips:  Find out if your bank has a partner in Europe and stick with their ATMs to save on fees.  Some bank cards don't charge a foreign currency transaction fee.  You might have such a card already.
Travelers checks:  I haven't used them in over a decade.  They still work but have limitations.  You pay I believe 1% to get travelers checks and then many merchants won't take them or if they do, you pay a premium (i.e. worse exchange rate).  The big advantage is that you can get your money back if they are lost or stolen.  I still think using ATMs for cash and credit cards for everything else is best. 
Best be smart and keep an extra card in a carry on or with someone else you are traveling with in case you loose it or if your card for some reason doesn't work.

10 weeks to go

Is it time to book your flight yet?  I think round trip air fares to Europe in early July will still come down in the next 4 weeks and be cheaper than today.  This is my guess albeit one born of experience.   Here's why; in mid to late May as the airlines assess their inventory of unsold seats for trips in July, they do so recognizing this will not be a banner year for travel to Europe given concerns about the economies of both the US and Europe.  The exception will be for Olympics related travel mainly to London in late July.  The airlines assessment will be factoring in the higher cost of fuel which is still somewhat of an overhang affecting everything against the lost revenue of flying with empty seats.  My sense is that they find a balance by discounting from these levels enough to try and fill all the flights heading over the Atlantic. 
I'll repeat some of what I've covered in previous blogs regarding flight bookings:
Use an aggregater like Kayak.com (or even Priceline.com to make an offer).  Pick some round trips to assorted European gateway cities that you might have wanted to visit (or just to change planes) and be sure and check the box "My dates are flexible."  Stockholm and Helsinki are good ones with cheap round trip connections to Tallinn on local carriers.  Once you've found the best fares to and from the cities of your choice then match them up by picking the best fare coming in (for example to Munich) and then best fare coming home (e.g. from Amsterdam).  Each of these cities also offers very reasonable one way fares to Tallinn on several airlines.   You can even get real creative and pick some "out of favor" cities that have been stigmatized of late in the news due to their political and financial problems such as Athens and Barcelona.  Tourists are still welcome there and hotel and airline rates are better than they were prior to their problems.
This is an ideal time to play around with your bucket list and see what strikes your fancy.  Here is another option to consider;  Round trip to Dublin, Ireland which also has a direct non stop flights to Tallinn or one way to Dublin and then come home from Helsinki spending a few days in each city coming and going.  Anyway...best to start playing around with the many options online or contact a travel agent.  If you don't have an agent, we recommend Wayne Mullis Travel who is coming to the convention and will book your round trip to the convention for only $25 amoe@wmtvl.webmail.com or 800-225-4815

European electrical voltage and plug adapters

For most phones and laptops you do not need to worry about the European standard 220 Volts since manufactures of travel appliances (razors, hair dryers, cell phones, etc) have designed the chargers and power adapters to handle a range of power from 100 Volts to 240 Volts (for North America, 110 Volt is standard) and convert it to whatevever output your appliance requires to run or charge it.
You will however, need to have a PLUG ADAPTER in order for your US plug or charger to fit in the wall in any standard socket in Europe.  These adapter plugs are readily available online for a few dollars or at Radio Shack, Best Buy and even Walmart sometimes in a kit with more plugs than you need.  I recommend EBay where I recently bought 20 plug adapters for $10 and passed them out to the board and staff.  The plug adapter is a must have item if you plan to have a phone, tablet or laptop charged while in Europe.  The picture above shows the configuratiuon of the European standard wall plug with the flip side showing the standard US wall plug.
All rooms at the convention hotel in Tallinn have hair dryers in the room and irons available.

Airfares to Europe starting to come down

Old Town Hall in Market Square, Tallinn
Airfares to Europe for our late June to mid July window are starting to come down.  Here is what I am finding using Kayak.com and checking different gateway cities: 

Roundtrip from Birmingham to London June 29 or 30 returning July 10   $989.    Round trip to Tallinn from London around $235 for the same dates.  Total:  $1224 and you get to visit in London if you like or fly straight through.

Or:  Roundtrip Birmingham to Helsinki on June 30 returning on July 9 is $1173.  Then a $40 dollar ferry ride each way.   Best yet, mix and match by doing Birmingham to London and home from Helsinki for $1177 using the June 30 and return July 9 dates.  The one way ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn is $40 and  the only additional air fare you need is a one way from London to Tallinn $180.   

Note:  To get the best fares on Kayak for a straight roundtrip and no side trips, pick your gateway European city and using your preferred travel dates for the convention click the “my dates are flexible” link which gives you fares for up to 3 days on either side of your selected dates.  It’s worth considering because fares for your specific date may be over $100 more than the same flight a day or two earlier or later.  You might find you can stay a few days longer and still save a few hundred $$ and do some side travel before you come home.  I do not recommend using Tallinn as a final destination on Kayak because it is a second tier city and for a transatlantic flight you will find you are better off picking one of the larger cities (London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Copenhagen etc) and then using any number of inter-European commuter airlines like Air Baltic, Estonian Air, SAS or Ryan Air (all searchable on Kayak) to get to Tallinn.

For those who plan a stopover on your way to Europe and a different  stopover somewhere on your way home, here is a tip on how to get the best fares: 1) search for the cheapest roundtrip fare (+/- 3 days) on Kayak to EACH of these cities you want to visit from your home airport.  2) Compare the two “grids” of fare choices for the two cities to determine the best fare and date to your city of arrival.  3)  Then see what city gives you the best fare coming home.  4) Now you can make your plans based on best fare and best date options for the target cities.  That way you can pick the cheapest fare flying into Europe and the cheapest city and fare to fly home from based on the parameters of our convention dates.  The internal flights in Europe don’t vary much in price; it’s mainly the transatlantic portion that is in play here.

I think the fares will keep coming down a bit over the next month.  Why? Because the US dollar is strengthening of late which makes the hotels, meals and even airfare cheaper.  Also, there is no incentive to discount fares three months out.  For example, a fare yesterday to Frankfurt from Birmingham in late May is about $870.  Fares for late June travel should also start to come down by late April.  However you need to begin watching the fares and “playing” with the options like roundtrip to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Barcelona or Rome….all of which have air service direct to Tallinn on any number of carriers you can monitor on Kayak.  Then pick the cheapest gateway in and the cheapest way home and voila… you’ll have made some life long memories.

Parking a car in European cities

Parking a car can be simple if you understand the system that has evolved over the last few decades to accommodate the growing traffic in older crowded European cities. Some hotels allow free parking but generally not in the downtown or tourist areas. The rates however, are comparable to US big city hotels ranging anywhere from 8-12 Euros per night. It really depends on how close you are to the old town or city center where real estate can be expensive. You can also use public parking garages or park on the street and pay a meter. The meters in Europe are a bit different. Where metered parking is available, you'll find one of several convenient “meter” stations spaced to serve about every dozen spaces.  Just as in the US, you pay for the amount of time you want. In a downtown area in a Germany city recently, the rate was 1 Euro per hour but available in minutes based on how many coins you inserted. I believe the minimum time was 15 minutes or .25 cents (yes, the Euro is made up of 100 cents). When you have inserted your coins and selected the time you want to park you will push a green button and a receipt will print with the time you have selected your meter to expire. For example, if it is noon and you want to park for 45 minutes you deposit .75 cents and when done you push the green button on the meter and a receipt prints that shows valid parking till 12:45 (it has a date printed so no fudging). You then take the receipt and put it on your dash (then lock your car). The receipt can then be read by the meter monitor on her rounds. If you come back to feed the meter, just repeat the process and replace the old receipt on your dash with the new one. Its really quite simple without the need to have parking meters for every car.   Parking overnight on the street is usually free after a certain time. In popular tourist areas it may be as late as 10PM.  The same rules you learned in driver's ed apply about not blocking exits, parking in restricted spots or too close to the corner.

Car Rental in Europe

Car rental in Europe is really not much different than in the US.  You’ll find the same major international rental agencies you’re familiar with in the US at major airports in Europe as well as in the city center near the train station (historically the center of town).  A valid US drivers license and credit card is all you need. You do NOT need an international driver’s license.  I had one back in the mid 1970’s and never used it.  To reserve a car in advance, go to any of the online travel sites (I still like Kayak.com) and make a reservation.  The car rental booths can be found at baggage claim.  After that, it’s all a matter of what additional services or insurance coverage you want.  And,… like renting a car in America, they make you sign lots of papers and then initial a few dozen places saying that you are responsible for anything and everything especially if you don’t buy their comprehensive collision damage coverage.  For those who like to use the American Express Gold card to waive coverage, you might check first to make sure that agency allows it.  Some do and some don’t.  The main ones we’re most familiar with should be fine (Hertz, Avis, Budget) but on some of the lesser known ones I have been shown the fine print in the contract saying that only Visa Gold or some other “gold” card is all that will allow their insurance to be waived. 

Rental rates are actually quite reasonable.  One would think it is more expensive for a week long rental in Europe but I find it about the same or even less than in the US.  Maybe it’s because the cars are smaller and not as expensive to start with.

The cars you rent are geared to travel well on the European Autobahns, park easy in the smaller streets of old towns and not break the bank in miles per gallon or as the Europeans measure it in “liters per 100 Kilometers”.  Although gas is just over double what we pay per gallon, the smaller 4 cylinder European rentals whether gas or diesels are also getting about double the mileage compared to the cars currently offered in the US.  Diesel cars do even better and most are also turbo charged.  So on average I’d say it’s about the same cost for a week’s rental in Europe.  It’s also more common to find stick shift rentals.  Automatics are generally a small upcharge.  I prefer stick shift for better mileage and performance.   Although train travel is common in Europe, you’ll be surprised that for two travelers you might find it cheaper and have more flexibility to rent a car rather than takeing the train.  More on train travel in upcoming blog.

International Texting

A feature that works well to stay in touch overseas and wont break the bank is TEXTING.  As noted in the previous blog, using your North American cell phone provider in Europe without a local SIM card or special plan can be VERY expensive.  However, texting, by contrast, is very affordable.  I am most familiar with my ATT plan and its options but the other carriers have similar ones so just check with your provider for specifics. 
There are two ways to handle texting with ATT cell phones.  You can text overseas and pay the .25 cents per text to send and .20 cents to receive a text.  Text messages will come in through the "cell data" portion of your settings so don't turn off your cell phone if you want to get texts.  You don't have to worry about roaming charges if you use the phone for texting and not as a regular cell phone.  |As mentioned in the previous blog, if you have a smart phone you need to turn off the "Data Roaming" in your settings which wont affect receiving or sending cell calls or texts.  I don't answer my cell phone abroad but rely on text messages from those who want to get in touch with me. I then text them back or call them later on SKYPE when I have wi-fi service.
ATT also offers cheaper text service for $10 a month that allows you to text from anywhere for .10 per message coming or going.  Its probably not worth the it for a 10 day visit to Europe unless you plan on sending or receiving at least 100 texts.    Check with your phone provider to see what they offer in international phone/ text packages

Cheap long distance calling from Europe

Want to stay in touch with the friends and family back home for free or just a few pennies a minute?  Here's how. SKYPE.   http://www.skype.com.  Skype was actually founded in Tallinn in 2003, snatched up by Ebay and last year sold to Microsoft Corp.  Skype allows you to use your laptop, cell or smart phone to call over the internet free from PC to PC or for just under 3 cents to call from cell phone to land lines or other cell phones.  You can even do video chats on a laptop or smart phone.
Don't even think of trying to use your ATT, Virizon, T-Moile or other service providers to call (or answer calls) in Europe. If you do, be prepared for at lest $1.99 per minute + roaming charges.  With a wi-fi signal you can use Skype from anywhere.  In Tallinn, wi-fi is everywhere and free even in the streets of the old town.  The convention hotels both have free wi-fi throughout.  There are just a few things to do to get you started.  Once you've downloaded Skype you need to set up an account and use a credit card or Pay Pal and deposit some money in it which gets drawn down as it gets used. You start with $10 and either automatically have it replenished when it gets low or get an email request alert for a new deposit.  I have been using Skype regularily for over two years and am working on my second $10 reserve. If you have a smart phone (I-Phone, Android, etc) I recommend TURNING OFF your network data roaming (in the settings) while in Europe or you might get billed for roaming charges.  You can still leave your cell phone powered on and that way you can see who is calling.  Just dont answer and then return calls later via Skype.  If you want to use your cell phone at will like you do at home,  look into buying a local sim card or minutes from a European provider.  I've never done that so you'll have to do your own research.  I'll cover adapters for charging electronics, voltage concerns and texting in Europe in upcoming blogs.

International travel using a travel agent (part 2)

Still in a quandary about when and how to book your Civitan convention flights to Tallinn this July?  Letting a professional handle your trip is likely the best course for those who seldom book overseas travel or don’t want to try and master a host of new online web sites and options.  There is a time and place to do business online including banking, investing, bill paying, etc.  However, nothing in our early schooling or training since has prepared us for the sometimes overwhelming task of booking online international travel given all its nuances, options and fares.  As with any new online activity there is a learning curve to find and navigate the appropriate sites but that is only one aspect of planning an international trip.  Understanding some of the complexities of the newer airline rules, international security issues and baggage limitations suggest that using an experienced professional travel agent might be best.  In part 1 of this topic on January 5, I gave you some ideas on how to find an agent.  If by now you haven’t found one and have not felt comfortable venturing out online to begin the process then allow me to recommend an experienced professional agent.  Wayne Mullis Travel has been booking Civitan travel to international conventions for over 20 years.  This year is no exception.  For only $25 they will book your roundtrip flights to Tallinn, Estonia.  They monitor the fares, appraise you of options and shop to insure you get the best fares at the time of booking.  Mr. Mullis himself will be in Tallinn to help at the other end if needed.  You can call or email them to book your convention travel program:  800 225-4815 or amoe@wmtvl.webmail.com (put “Civitan” or Tallinn somewhere in the subject line.)

Reminder: If you are planning to participate in one of the post convention tours in July, the deadline to commit for a berth on the 7 day Baltic cruise is March 8.

When to Book your international flight

There seems to be some angst about when to book your overseas flights to the Civitan convention in Tallinn next July.  There are several sites that you can subscribe to that will tell you when the fare goes down (or up). Two I've been satisfied with are www.tripadvisor.com and www.airfarewatchdog.com.  Post your planned flight literary on them and they keep tabs on changes in prices.  They will email you with regular updates about changes in fares and flight options.  One I haven't tried but have checked out is Microsoft's www.bing.com/travel.  This one has a "price predictor" option that tells you if it will get cheaper at some later date.  They do so using historic flight data and will predict whether the date and flight you are trying to book will go down, go up or stay the same with a relatively high degree of certainty which they post (e.g. 83% certainty for your selection to go down if you wait.)  They have certain limitations to their prophetic powers.  The "price predictor" function only works less than 120 days from departure, the trip abroad must be at least 2 weeks long and it only works between major airports such as Atlanta and London or Frankfurt.  Neither Birmingham nor Helsinki were not on their list.  Even if your airport isn't included in the "predictor" they are still a good online travel agent since flights to European gateway cities such as Atlanta to London are a good predictor of what they will be from Birmingham.  I checked this morning and in spite of the higher fuel prices at the moment, international fares to Europe in the summer are starting to come down.  I found great fares in May and June ($850- $900) but still $1200 in July.  Those same May-June fares were $1200+ last month at this time.  If you usenthe watch lists above, try putting in several options on cities and dates and see how the pricing comes in over the next few months. Be paitience.... it's still a virtue and might save you some money...  Next blog: Using an experienced live travel agent with an 800# and email for only $25 to book your international travel.

Save $$ using Gateway Cities as Stepping Stones

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.