FAQ

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="044d4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Masonic Connection"><U><IMG SRC="0450b0b0.gif" border=0 width="11" height="11" ALT="previous" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>   <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11">       <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="11" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="11">   <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gastropods Trail"><U><IMG SRC="0480b0b0.gif" border=0 width="11" height="11" ALT="up" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Gastropod's Trail</B></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Gastropods Trail"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> FAQ</div> <div>  <A NAME="frequently_asked_questions"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A>Frequently Asked Questions</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#what_is_a_gastropod_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>What is a Gastropod?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#is_the_water_safe_to_drink_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>Is the water safe to d</B></U></A><B>rink</B></div> <div> <A HREF="#is_it_easy_to_convert_money_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>Is it easy to convert money?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#do_you_carry_travelers_cheques_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>Do you carry Travelers Cheques?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#are_there_atm_s_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>Are there ATM's?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#what_about_languages_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>What about languages?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#where_do_you_buy_your_food_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>Where do you buy your food?</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="#how_are_the_roads_" TITLE="FAQ"><U><B>How are the roads?</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="what_is_a_gastropod_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>What is a Gastropod?</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="16840360.gif" border=0 width="64" height="54" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">The real meaning of 'Gastropod' is 'Snail'. We have choosen to call <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Van"><U>the van</U></A></FONT> our gastropod. There are two obvious reasons for this: a) it is our home for six months and whereever we stop, we are at home and b) we very much intend to take our time. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="is_the_water_safe_to_drink_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Is the water safe to drink?</B></div> <div> We get our water at gas stations, public fountains, private houses, etc.; generally speaking, tap water anywhere in Europe is safe to drink. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="is_it_easy_to_convert_money_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Is it easy to convert money?</B></div> <div> Any bank will convert money from adjacent countries. No bank, however, will exchange coins. We usually try to estimate the amount of money we will need for our stay in a given country and before we leave it go shopping for food or other provisions to spend whatever is left. The few coins that are left over we keep as souvenirs.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="do_you_carry_travelers_cheques_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Do you carry Travelers Cheques?</B></div> <div> We have choosen <B>not </B>to carry traveler's cheques. Instead we brought along some US Dollars and German DMarks (which are accepted like local currency in some of the countries we are traveling through) and for current expenses we either use the Visa or Master Card (which are widely accepted) and draw cash at ATM's.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="are_there_atm_s_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Are there ATM's?</B></div> <div> To date all countries we have visited have ATM's which accept either Cyrus or Interac (or both) card types. Even our PCF debit card has worked. Of course, ATM's are not as frequently found as in Canada, but in most towns we had no problem finding one. The obvious advantage of using debit cards is that you can draw just the amount you need at the current exchange rate - you get local currency and get debited in CAD$.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="what_about_languages_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>What about languages?</B></div> <div> Traveling in countries whose language one does not speak has it's challenges! It can be fun or frustrating - depending on which side of the sleeping bag you got up in the morning. Surprisingly enough, at least so far, we have always found people who spoke enough English so that we were never stuck. On the other hand, one has to resort to sign language sometimes :) The day I needed a hose clamp for the van's water pump, for instance, the clerk had no idea what I was talking about - I coaxed him out of the store and showed him what I needed and where - problem solved.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="where_do_you_buy_your_food_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Where do you buy your food?</B></div> <div> Those of you who know us well enough also know that we are both fond of good food. We tried a few times to eat at restaurants to taste the local fare but, as much as we appreciated the food, it is simply too much. On the other hand, preparing five course meals on a two-burner camp stove has it's challenges! Nicole is getting very good at it though. So we stop at supermarkets for the staples and small shops and roadside stands for the day-to-day stuff like meat and bread. Bread, in most places, has to be bought early in the morning (after nine o'clock you only get what's left) whereas butchers seem to have a better selection late in the afternoon. None of the countries we have visited so far seems to be importing vegetables, so, the choice is poor at this time of the year. Lettuce, leeks, green oniond, green and sweet peppers, egg plant, cabbage and carrots as well as fresh fruit, on the other hand, are cheap and plentiful.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="how_are_the_roads_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>How are the roads?</B></div> <div> Believe us, after driving the spring roads in Nova Scotia, all the roads we have been traveling on are in excellent condition! No kidding. </div> <div> I have always liked the quote from Robert Frost's 'The road not taken': <I>Two roads diverged in a wood, And I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.</I> Whenever we can, we take the road less traveled by and through quiet little villages, farm land, and vinyards. Sometimes we have to stop and wait for herds of sheep to cross the road or stop on the side to let oncoming traffice go throug. No matter how small (or steep) the road, however, we have been driving on good to excellent paved roads. Contrary to the bad reputation given European drivers, (large cities excluded?) traffic is generally disciplined and the drivers polite. Although most towns are hopelessly congested and parked cars force you to drive slalom on a two lane street there is little honking and people are very patient.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="#frequently_asked_questions" TITLE="FAQ"><U>Back to top</U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>