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Looper's Delight
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Dear Michael, You inquired about strategies for getting to and from Europe cheaply. I learned this the very hard way on my European trip two summers ago: Do everything by train. Inner European airplane trips and renting cars are hideously expensive, not to mention the fact that the cheapest air fares on the continent have very, very low baggage weight limits. As an example: it cost me $45 to fly from Stockholm to Glascow as an example but they charged me $600 excess baggage for a 40 minutes flight. Finding that the next leg of that flight (I was trying to make a BBC on air performance in Belfast), another $45/40 minute flight would cost me an additional $600 for baggage made Chris, my wife and I jump ship, so to speak, and we took a ferry there that costs us 29$ each. We never took another airplane flight until we returned home from Belfast to Roma. Anyway, If you know you'd like to spend two weeks in Europe, I would highly recommend that you 1) by round trip tickets to Frankfurt; 2) take trains to both Berlin to visit and perhaps gig with Andreas Willers,Leander Reininghaus, MIchael Schiefel and to Koln to visit and perhaps play with Michael Peters. 3) Then take the train to Zurich. For the $550 you will save by not flying to Zurich, you will be able to see a lot of territory by train. It's really easy to get around on a trane. I'd even highly recommend that you buy yourself a 6 space rack Gator luggage styled rack cases to put your gear into and another rolling styled piece of luggage for your clothes and sling your guitar with a small backpack styled carrying case over your shoulder for flights. You basically want to be able to get up stairs easily as most stations in Europe do not have elevators or handicap access. Make your guitar bag and shoulder bag both be black and sling them over one shoulder. I was able to get two bags on board in every flight this way even though technically you are only allowed one carry on bag. The only other thing is this and it is vitally crucial: Never put your luggage where you cannot see it on a train. There are thieves. I did a tour where the tour manager/sound engineer was sick and put his laptop carrying 2 B&K microphones in the luggage compartment and sat 5 seats away from it. As we entered Paris, two thieves grabbed it and ran off the very crowded train as we watched them unable to physically get to them or get off the train in time. Also be very careful of groups of women gypsies who will swarm you as you are getting off and steal you blind as a theft gang bang. Keep your valuables on your person and constantly make eye contact with these peeps. Also stay physically between your baggage and them until you get off the train. They'll know you know and they won't go near you.........it happened several times to us. LOL, be careful , they send in the youngest most beautiful ones to distract you and chat you up............. Good luck, I hope I can make it too. yours, Rick