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Booking it . . .

© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name

This week Ms Budget Travel cleverly avoided disasters economic and otherwise by staying safely at home and refraining from shopping. She participated in the most economical form of travel ever --- day dreaming, planning, 'remembrance of trips past.' It used to be called armchair travel - maybe it still is.

To aid her in this journey she curled up with the 20th Edition of Britain by Britrail by the legendary LaVerne Ferguson-Kosinski. Long familiar to rail travelers who plan ahead the By Britrail and By Eurail guides are classics --- with accessible station information and foolproof walking plans for getting around destinations on day-trips they are fully functional travel guides.

The series began decades ago and was dually done by Mrs. Ferguson-Kosinski and her late husband George Ferguson, inveterate travelers they rode the rails for years and brought home station plans, museum locations and other data to send thousands of disciples along the path to pass-travel.

The By Rail method centers on choosing a base city and using your rail pass to make convenient or scenic day trips to surrounding sights and sites. Unlike other guides, the book does not focus on restaurants that have changed owners since the reviewer left town or hotels that have closed since the book went to press. Mrs. Ferguson-Kosinki assumes that you'll be able to negotiate finding food and lodging and focuses instead on the premier sights and best walks in each area.

Well, I need to mention something --- I was wrong again.

Yeah, like you are all surprised.

I had thought that my mature copy of By Britrail was sufficient. I mean no one has moved Chester lately, and I think Glasgow is pretty much where I left it. The United Kingdom seems geographically stable.

I was wrong

I thought that there was no need to get a new By Britrail. Believe me, if you are Britain bound you need to go to http://www.railpass.com/guides/ and order yours now.

The guide is fully up-dated including hints and help for dealing with the confusingly privatized rail system. In clear concise language new sights have been added to familiar locations. The collection of useful telephone contacts and addresses is worth the price of the book.

Additionally, the current trade paperback format is easy to read, packs well, and seems built to withstand the abuse that occurs when a book is backpacked for a month.