INTRODUCTION - Europe by Eurail 2015: Touring Europe by Train - page 31

of the flight to Europe. They do, however, advocate lots of fruit juices, vegetable
juices, and water (no carbonated drinks). This method follows the theory that your
body clock will then go on hold, waiting for you to restart it with breakfast the day
you arrive in Europe.
Resist the temptations of the airlines up to the point of breakfast, and try to get
some sleep. Some current studies have shown the hormone melatonin to be useful
in combating jet lag, but as with any other over-the-counter drug, you should first
consult your physician. And then there's the “light theory”—that using a blue light
source behind your elevated kneecaps will eliminate jet lag. Regardless of which
remedies you choose, respect jet lag by taking some precautions and taking it easy
on yourself, and you'll enjoy your vacation.
Tax-Free Purchases. Tax-free shopping in Europe ended in 1999 between
European Union (EU) countries. This change has little if any effect on U.S. and
other non- EU travelers as long as travel is to or from a non-EU destination. At
press time, the EU consists of 27 member countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Po-
land, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United King-
dom. Croatia, Turkey, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are three
other candidate countries. Every international airport, as well as many ferry ports
and train stations, currently has a “tax-free” shopping service. The routine is gen-
erally the same: You select your purchase, pay for it and add it to your carry-on
luggage, find safe storage for it during the flight, and then haul it off the airplane.
There are variations.
For example, at JFK in New York you select the items from a sample or catalog.
The items are then delivered “for your convenience” to your departure gate for
pickup. The hazards of this system are many. If the delivery person gets things
mixed up and fails to make the right gate at the right time, you'll be off into the wild
blue yonder sans purchases. Or if you are late passing the pickup point, some-
times an unknown “benefactor” will try to help by taking your purchases onboard
the plane ahead of you—then finding this so-called benefactor can prove to be dif-
ficult.
Solution? Buy your “booty” aboard the airplane while en route. Most international
airlines carry aboard a good stock of “tax-free” items that you can purchase from
the cabin crew. It's always best to check at the airline counter, however, to be cer-
tain that this in-flight service will be available on your particular flight. Tax-free , by
the way, is a misused term. Most items, with the exception of alcohol and tobacco,