Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
times there's a fee. At hotels that charge for access, save money by logging in and out of
your account on an as-needed basis. You should be able to stretch a two-hour Wi-Fi pass
over a stay of a day or two.
Some hotel rooms and Internet cafés have high-speed Internet jacks that you can plug
into with an Ethernet cable.
Public Internet Terminals:
Many accommodations offer a guest computer in the lobby
with Internet access for guests. If you ask politely, smaller places may let you sit at their
desk for a few minutes just to check your email. If your hotel or
soba
doesn't have access,
ask your hotelier to direct you to the nearest place to get online.
Security:
When you're accessing the Internet with your own device or at a public ter-
minal, using a shared network or computer comes with the potential for increased security
risks.Ifyou'renotconvincedaconnectionissecure,avoidaccessinganysites(suchasyour
bank's) that could be vulnerable to fraud.
Youcanmailonepackageperdaytoyourselfworthupto$200duty-freefromEuropetothe
US(mark it “personal purchases”). Ifyou're sending a gift to someone, mark it “unsolicited
gift.” For details, visit
www.cbp.gov
and search for “Know Before You Go.”
TheCroatianandSlovenianpostalservicesworkfine,butforquicktransatlanticdelivery
(in either direction), consider services such as DHL (
www.dhl.com
)
.
If you're debating between public transportation and car rental, consider these factors: Cars
are best for three or more traveling together (especially families with small kids), those
packingheavy,andthosescouringthecountryside.Trains,buses,andboatsarebestforsolo
travelers,blitztourists,city-to-citytravelers,thosewithanambitiousmulticountryitinerary,
and those who don't want to drive in Europe. While a car gives you more freedom, trains,
buses, and boats zip you effortlessly and scenically from town to town, usually dropping
you in the center, often near a TI.
Cars are a worthless headache in places like Ljubljana and Dubrovnik. But in some parts
of Croatia and Slovenia, a car is helpful, if not essential: Istria (especially the hill towns),
the Julian Alps, Logarska Dolina, the Karst, and Montenegro's Bay of Kotor. A trip into
Mostar (and on to Sarajevo) is best by car—allowing you to stop off at interesting places en
route—but doable by public transportation. In other areas, a car is unnecessary: Ljubljana,
Zagreb, and most of the Dalmatian Coast (Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, and Kor
č
ula). For most
