Thank you to all who share their knowledge here!

Kent at Oregon : We thank you. I think you are the best replier here, to questions pertaining to France and Italy and England, and General Europe.

Thank YOU Kent for all of your balanced, informative answers. We can always depend on you for correct information presented in a friendly, positive manner. Big Kudos to you, for all YOU do. Rick should pay you something. You spend an enormous amount of time researching answers. Truly a gift to us all.

I think a big shout out should go to Lee also, for all of his fabulous train information. I used to think I knew the trains pretty good here, but I don't come close.(now hanging my head in shame). All the time spent looking up all those schedules, what a wonderful gift of time.

Go here to see Lee's German Travel website http://www.germantravel-info.com/

Norm, Maggie, et al,

Kent's name is at the top of the list, and rightfully so!

One of the best aspects of this (or any other) travel Helpline is not only the ability to share information to help other travellers but also to learn, and I've learned a lot from your Posts on a variety of subjects.

It's great that this has become such an informative source of information for European travellers, presented in a polite and respectful manner and without the "flaming" that occurs on some other Forums.

Cheers!

Veronica writes: "I miss Andreas, Regina and Flight Attendant, Where are they???" I do too, also I miss Jona of Paris, who moved to London in 2008 and I haven't seen her here since then. Andreas apparently still reads the Helpline occasionally but posts infrequently, I remember maybe one of his in the last few months. I think I remember Flight Attendant saying she was spending too much time on the Helpline, and needed to make a change. Or maybe she met a dashing airline captain(?) and is busy. :) (I made that up)--although she's posted some things in the last couple of months so I left her on the list. (old but totally inactive regulars are dropped to make room for the new regulars, given the 2000 character limit). The 100 posts is totally arbitrary, and really I'd like to thank everyone, regardless of # of posts, who help to make the Helpline a special and supportive little corner of the internet where people are kind to each other while giving help where they can.We have several different types of participants on the Helpline; in addition to the obvious types of people who need help but don't plan on coming back, we have people who are regulars for awhile and then drift off. Then we have long time readers/browsers who don't feel the need to post very often. Then we have a group of around 120 "regulars" that keep sticking around to share their knowledge and help people--those are the ones on this list.

The Rick Steves / ETBD staff has in the past from time to time asked me to make it clear that I am not a staff member and am not affiliated in any way with their organization. In fact, I have never met Rick Steves or had any communication with him, but am a big admirer of the work that he and his talented staff do. There are a number of posters here who know far more than I do about Europe and have made many more trips to Europe than I. I started traveling internationally as a child, my father was an officer in the US Foreign Service/State Department. When you start traveling internationally at 10 and you're now 60, well, you soak up some knowledge. About the time you know a lot, you start forgetting it--that's where Google comes in handy.

Thanks for the acknowledgement Kent. I am Jill of Austin formerly Jill of Kailua. I'm one of those who have tended to drift on and off depending on what's going on in my life and how much time I have on my hands.

Kent - I would like to say a personal thank you to you! You were a big help in planning my last trip. I like to think I give as much as I receive on this board. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to answer my questions in the past!

Happy travels!

Thank you Kent and all the others. I learn so much from this forum. Cheers for happy traveling in 2009!

Kent, thank you for putting me on the list, even though I post only periodically, and THANK YOU for your contributions!! You deserve a lot of kudos, my hope is that RS will recognize this as well one day soon. I see that I am not the only one in this opinion :-))

He's a modest guy....but I think Kent's name should be topping that list!

I'll second Norm's nomination of Kent for "#1"!

Kent, thanks for the recognition, but, as others have suggested, with almost 3000 posts, you really should be first on that list.

I particularly appreciate your posts for their objectivity and diplomacy.

Just wondering, how did you compile this list?

Good Job Kent... I miss Andreas, Regina and Flight Attendant, Where are they???

What a nice thing to do, but I agree with the others here, your name should be top of the list, Kent!

I'd also like to thank Kent and all the people who help others (like me) plan their first trips to Europe and help with all sorts of other helpful advice. The advice my wife and I got on this board last year (I started posting about this time last year and Kent, you were the first one to reply) were invaluable to making our trip so enjoyable and stress free. What a great FREE resource for people!

Wow, how nice to be listed in such great company. Kent, you are #1. I have to admit an addiction of sorts to this site, too. I think it's a sweet addiction...one that allows me the pleasure of my traveling memories.

I agree! Thanks to all who contribute to this amazing resource!

Kent- Thanks for the mention. Your replies are always so well done that mine pale in compairson. We all appreciate the input from the "travel veterans" who are willing to share their knowledge. Thanks to the Rick Steve's people for making this site available.

Excellent job Kent.
:) :) :) :) :)
Thanks.

Kent, you and so many others here have been so helpful to so many people. When I was planning my first trip to Europe in 2006 I wasn't aware of this helpline. I sure wish I had known that there were so many people willing to share their knowledge. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has answered my questions and I hope I have been of some help to a few people.

I had better post a comment so I can stay on "the list" Kent put together. I want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all the posters who take their time to put their information on this board for us travelers. I know some of you helped me more than you probably wanted to when I was planning our trip to England last June. I could NOT get the passes/cards straight for what would be the cheaper way to get from Heathrow into Paddington Station. You were very patient with me and I really do appreciate everyone who gives their opinion on this site. Thanks Kent for the list although we could add everyone that responds to a question. I had to post so I can have more than 100 posts but I don't know if I do or not. We've met Kent - he lives about 5 miles from our home. We continue to have lively discussions about travel "off line" when my husband and I get together with Kent and his wife for our weekly cribbage games. Kent and everyone else for your travel information thank you!!!

Let me "second" this thread by saying THANK YOU to everyone who has been extremely helpful. I am still amazed at how quickly I get responses as well as the high quality of the answer.

Thanks again!

Were you referring to MOI? Or is it another Amy in TN?

Amy: C'est vous!.

Kent, I don't speak French. I just knew the word Moi. LOL!!! What did your response mean in English or in German!!!???

It means, it's you! (in French)

Kent:

Thank you.

My travels have been so enhanced by the interactions on the helpline it is nice for me to share my thoughts, insights and experiences when I can. Have fun.

Hi everyone...

F/A here...Sorry I've not been around much as of lately...
I've been pretty caught up with the rhythm of life, work if you can call it that, and my Community Service commitments as of the past several months. (No, not court ordered - lol!!)

I've missed interacting with many of you. Hope to spend more time together soon!

Safe Skies,

F/A

P.S: It's so good to be missed! Thanks for that!