I will be traveling for a few weeks in Southern Germany and Austria this summer and want to stay in touch with family at home without racking up big phone bills. I have a netbook with skype and email access but I'm hearing mixed reviews on how easy (or difficult) it is to find free or inexpensive wi-fi spots. Any advice would be appreciated.
WiFi is everywhere these days. Most hotels provide it, and you can also find it at places like McDonalds, Starbucks, and other similar chains; often it is free with a purchase. But one thing I've discovered during my travels is that a lot of free hotspots can get overload so the speed is frustrating slow. Whereas the pay WiFi services are often faster and more reliable. So it's a trade-off.