Give the Rick Steves staff consultants a chance to answer your questions

I agree. A lot could be answered by quick read of one of the books. Also, a quick Google search will answer a lot of the others. I really enjoy this forum and find the different perspectives helpful and fascinating. As Kent says, we're all glad to help, but it's amazing what's on the Internet. Maybe check there and then ask here about what we think.

Pam

Kent...just what is your affiliation with RS or ETBD? You seem to really promote what Rick says and the use of his staff, his products, etc? :)

To me, the RS guidebooks are just one resource. As you say for hotel recommendations, look at his guidebook. That's fine, but I'd rather hear from others their opinions of things in his guidebook and any extra recommendations they might have.

I agree, his books are good to learn "how-to" but it's good to get recommendations and opinions from others. Remember, what you might think is the perfect Paris hotel may be different from what RS thinks is the perfect Paris hotel which may be different from what I think is the perfect Paris hotel.

I concur as well. GOOGLE is the most helpful tool for finding all sorts of useful travel information. Just about every museum has a website,for instance, which will answer most questions. There is a wealth of free information available at the touch of your fingertips. Judging by a lot of questions posted, I don't think a lot of people even explore this website which has loads of information. The part about the Swiss scenic train trips alone is fascinating reading even if you are not going there.

THe more research you do, the better the trip!!!!
Read, read, read!!!

Answering Frank's question: I am not a Rick Steves/ETBD staff member or affiliated in any way with his organization. Just a happy customer who recognizes the value of Rick's focus on taking the inexperienced traveler by the hand and explaining how to do the important things the other guidebooks don't explain.

Baloney, kent....I think you're Rick's Evil Twin....or evil third cousin once removed. :)

Thanks for the compliment....but I saw the real Rick Steves in Edmonds today (if only through a window) and unfortunately there's no family resemblance, which puts paid to your theory of familial relationship between him and me--the real Rick Steves is 6" taller and has a lot more hair than I do.

Did you reveal that you're the Kent of 10,000 posts? Did you meet the webmistress? Did she wag her finger at you?

I agree that not enough people do their homework before asking questions here. I can't count the number of times I've answered a question after spending less than a minute checking the website of the airport or airline or museum. If you can get here, you can get there, right? :)

As for hotel recommendations, I think there's a big difference between asking for people's opinions about Hotel A or Hotel B and asking, "Can you give me recommendations for a good place to stay in Paris?" The second question can be answered by any number of guides. The first question is what this helpline is for, in my opinion.

I use all kinds of resources and guidebooks when planning a trip. And as Frank said, personal opinion only means so much anyway. Everyone has their own ideas about what is affordable or easy to get to or even clean. (And who would recommend a hotel that wasn't clean, anyway? Why do people always include "clean" in what they are looking for in a hotel?)

I look at the RS books as just one of a number of valuable sources of information.

Wow! Good to hear! I'm glad they support the site. I hope they at least gave you a t-shirt or something. Tripadvisor gives out hats, you know. I like to wear mine when I check into hotels!

Kent, it's great to hear that you made it to "head office"! I also enjoy visiting with the staff when I get to Edmonds, although on travel festival days they don't have a lot of spare time.

Although I'm sure they don't mind answering questions, I suspect the sheer volume of questions that appear on the Helpline might overwhelm Rick's staff? Perhaps that's one reason Rick started the Helpine?

Cheers!

Ken: You're right. I got the feeling the work of us part-timers is appreciated in Edmonds--as long as we don't start mis-using the public section of the Helpline as our personal chatroom for one on one chatter. For that they would strongly prefer that we use PM's.

Kent - immediately violating the rules but since we're basking in the afterglow of your diplomacy... Last year I came back from my trip and divided contribution time between here, TA and Lonely Planet. TA is very well organized and attracts many more participants. It's a drinking-from-the firehose experience because new topics come up so fast and dozens of responses appear immediately (except to one question I had about Crete). Anyway, I posted a reasonable number of comments after registering with my home address. At the end of the year they sent me a message saying they appreciated my participation and would I like a ballcap? The big difference from here is that they structure hotel reviews and I had a dozen or so reviews of places we'd stayed at during the year. Lo and behold, a package arrived with two Tripadvisor ballcaps!

Do you know how many places set out small signs asking for positive comments on Tripadvisor?

Maybe we get a special dispensation tonight. Re Doug's comment on TripAdvisor.com, I've also found TA to be a good resource. Why on this very night I'm sitting here typing this in a hotel that I found on TA after I noticed that 5 of the 6 hotels at my destination had consistently bad reviews on TA except this one. TA turned out to be spot on for this hotel that I'm attonight, its reviews said this hotel had courteous reception staff, that the other 5 didn't, and sure enough when I walked in here there was a young man that gave a cordial welcome and so I immediately left a voice mail with the manager giving the young man a good review (let's try to strike a blow for fairness, the managers always hear the complaints).

Kent, on the topic of using P.M.'s vs. posting on the public section, I tend to prefer to post here as some of my comments may also be of benefit to others reading the posts. It seems like somewhat of a "fine line" in deciding which method of communication to use.

I try to divide my time between here and another small message board at www.guideforeurope.com and at times the Lonely Planet (ThornTree) site. I've never looked at TA, but given some of the comments I've read here, perhaps I should give it a try.

Cheers!

Ken: I've had exactly the same thought as stated in your 1st paragraph re the "fine line." And in the last several months, I've noticed a lighter editorial hand by the Webmaster. I think she realizes we're trying to help, and that can't be bad for Rick's business. Many, many first time users Google and discover the Helpline as a special little corner of the internet where they can get their questions answered promptly, politely, and for free--how may times in this capitalistic world do you get all of those for free, and from a small dedicated staff of volunteers such as us? And that can only be good for Rick's business. And we can only hope we're getting some satisfaction somewhere, and perhaps that is where the lighter editorial hand has come into play, if the regulars can't have a little fun then we will go elsewhere. So we have a good thing going right now. And the work that the regular repliers do is noticed and appreciated (but no free hats, Doug). Maybe someday we'll get a free lunch with The Man?

I got a TA hat last year, too, after doing a few reviews. I'd never even thought of wearing it when checking in. I should have my husband wear it next time we go to a hotel! I love TA for hotel reviews, but I love it here for advice or quirky situational questions.

I use the RS guides for Italy and Germany/Austria, which I purchased. I check-out other guides from the library. I read this site, TA, and use Google (and Google Maps!) a lot.

I agree with Kent : some of the questions asked at this "Helpline" were answered in Rick Steves' travel guide books. Such as : train stations that have a place for parking baggage. And, information about train travel ticket prices (approximate) compared with the price for a rail pass, is at this website at "Railpasses". And the section on Railpasses says what a railpass pays for, and what it does not pay for. I think the reason Rick Steves decided to start this "Graffiti Wall/Helpline" is for people to have the privilege of asking qustions that they could not find an answer to in a travel guide book, or at the other sections in this website.

Kent, like Doug I am curious as to whether or not you met the webmistress?

I too check the T/A site for planning trips, asking questions and offering what little help I can in areas that I have been or places that I have stayed. I also use guide books other than RS for planning but I do limit my traveling with books to the RS guidebooks. Too many books add weight in a hurry and also takes up more space which conflicts with my desire to pack light. I know RS has suggested and others too that you tear out pages for the areas you are going which is a good idea but I like to save the old guidebooks for souviners and reference purposes. That flies in the face of my packing light ways but I have not been able to tear up the guide books. Still manage to keep the weight and space down to do carry on only. And Kent, when the webmistress wags her finger does she also give you an evil look?