These are a few of my favorite web resources. For my links about specific countries or cites, visit my Destinations page. Oanda This currency converter helped me determine how many Austrian schillings or French francs I could get for my dollar. Rail Europe I ordered train passes and Chunnel tickets here. I discovered that many trains require reservations, although it is often much cheaper or even free of charge if you make the reservation once you're in the country. Rail Europe charges fees for reservations, so it pays to ask about it. Web of Culture Did you know that you should pick up your change immediately in an English pub so the bartender will not think you are leaving a tip? I wanted to learn as much about the customs and gestures of each country before I visited, and this site was a big help. Babelfish This is a great site that can translate single words, e-mails, even entire web pages. I used it to make hotel reservations through e-mail. You just type your message in English and use the translator to convert to the language you need. Fodor's Forums In my opinion, this is the best site on the web for exchanging information with fellow travelers. Advertising is forbidden, so you're getting honest opinions and advice from others. The search function was a big help, as there seems to be a wealth of information on just about any destination you could imagine. Microsoft Expedia This excellent site helped me find the lowest airfare, and it offers many travel services (although I did not use any except the airfare finder). I checked my desired flight dates every day and watched how much the airfare varied, then made my purchase.