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The Best Year to Travel

By Brecken Donelson

Tourism overseas is at an all time low. With the economic decline felt all over the world and the fear of terrorism threatening our travels, no one is venturing outside of the States. This is a big mistake. Never have I experienced such hospitality and gratitude in a foreign tourist city as I have this year in Athens.

I have recently traveled to Greece where this summer the Olympics are

going to return to their birthplace. There is much anticipation for the

long awaited games, but for now it is the calm before the storm. Normally

this time of year there are queues lined up for miles to all the ancient

attractions. This year it is different.

My two traveling companions and myself climbed to the top of the ancient Acropolis where the Parthenon and many other ruins still remain after two thousand years. In the past this is where the line would start its mile long procession, but not this sunny afternoon. We had failed to heed our

guidebooks' warnings and arrived midday on a Monday. This is right when the crowds would be at their peak, but we found no line at all. We paid our 6

euros (student price) and walked right through the gate. There were

approximately 40 other tourists scouring the ruins along with us. This time

pictures did not have to wait until a 50-plus-person tour group moved onto

the next temple. With less Americans traveling to these ruins, you have the

opportunity to meet the locals and dive into their culture.

In Greece the locals are more than nice. They are helpful, patient, curious and generous. While in Athens, we had the opportunity to make the acquaintance of many of the locals. Stavros, a young Greek man, found us struggling with a map and offered to take us to our destination. This one offer of kindness turned into two days of exploring restaurants and bars only the locals frequent. On most trips I've been on we naturally gravitate towards Canadians or Americans because that is who we are familiar and comfortable with. We encountered very few of our countrymen during this trip. Instead we were able to meet more of the locals. When anyone asks me what my favorite part of my trip was I always say the people.

The Euro has gone up, making it slightly more expensive for Americans to travel to Europe, but with the price of food and accommodations so low, it more than makes up for the rising Euro. A hotel on the island of Naxos, in the Aegean Sea, advertised a three-person room on the Agios Georgios Beach with amenities boasting a veranda, TV, hairdryer, plenty of room and an

adorable ensemble of ocean blue furniture. All of this was 45 euros or 15

euros apiece. For only three extra euros you could have a breakfast that

consisted of a hard boiled egg, four pieces of sesame bread, butter, jam,

English tea, orange juice, teacake and a biscuit, all brought up to your

terrace. Talk about hospitality. They even threw in a few little perks

like transportation to and from the port and free Internet use. For three

young, female backpackers free rides and Internet are like free nose jobs to

aspiring actresses.

Since there aren't as many tourists traveling this year the locals gave us a

lot of attention. Everyone wants you to come and eat at their restaurant,

sleep at their hotel or dance in their bar. You may have heard of free wine

tasting to promote a winery, but have you ever heard of free wine with your

dinner? Some waiters are grateful that you stepped in to sample their

cuisine. Others are desperate to get you into their restaurant. Both offer

free wine. In Greece you have to pay for the water that you order, but the

wine is complimentary. You can save yourself about 18 euros a meal by

accepting this offer of free wine. Sometimes it even comes with dessert.

These incentives should persuade you to take that well-deserved vacation in Europe. Statistics say that only one in 8 million will die in an airline accident, and only one in 9 million will die in a terrorist attack. The locals are not interested in harassing or harming you. In fact they did not even talk about the war with us. Do not let rumors and exaggerated stories

scare you away from your dream vacation in Europe. If you are still hesitant to buy those plane tickets to Europe (Greece), don't be. This is the best year to travel.

Brecken Donelson is a 25 year old writer from Redmond,

Washington, who has traveled all over Europe and would love to make a profession of traveling. She says writing about her adventures is a way to share wonderful international experiences. She says, "I wish everyone could have a cross-cultural experience. It really is a small world."

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