European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Travel Europe 1992a we Klong bus tour up close and personal by Ron Mckinney staff writer i came to my first bus tour in six years armed with a favorite Pillow and a stubborn determination to have a Good time. Both came in Handy. It began at 10 48 on a Friday night a time usually reserved for a comfortable spot at a pub with a cold one. Instead i found myself at the bustling dispensary parking lot at Darmstadt Germany. It was Day one of a seven Day trip with 21 fellow americans to Prague Czechoslovakia and Budapest Hungary. With several buses to choose from and groups of people milling around their Luggage in the darkened parking lot i knew i had to take action. I strode confidently past a fellow traveler who was shaking his head and moaning incredulously Quot he does t speak a word of  that was the bus Driver he was referring to. Not a problem i thought. A a Sprecher Sie engl Isch Quot i asked the Driver. It was soon Clear that indeed no English was spoken Here. I smiled and spoke again Quot Prague Quot a the magic  showed him my ticket and he took my bags. The trip began a after a futile 20-minute delay for a no show a with a 45-minute drive to Mannheim where dozens of buses were ready to depart in every direction throughout Europe. Some Call it the Transfer Point. Others Are less generous. Quot the worst part is the Transfer Quot said it. Col. Phil Reed the 440th signal in commander at Darmstadt Germany. Quot we be waited in Mannheim sometimes two hours three hours to change  we were More fortunate. Half an hour past Midnight on what was now Day two the bus pulled away from Mannheim with a tour guide and one bus Driver. The guide Hanka Stein Nissel promptly apologized for any problems that might result from their inexperience a neither she nor the Driver had worked this tour before. Furthermore with Only one Driver instead of the two a As advertised by top Tours a there would Likely be delays because of the restrictions on amount of time German Drivers Are allowed to be behind the wheel. It was a Subtle warning that we should have paid More attention to. Given the entire Back seat on the half filled bus i stretched my legs across the aisle and slept fitfully As the bus droned on the autobahn toward Nurnberg Germany. The Only interruption was the tour guide Awakening me to say that my Tennis shoes were damaging the seat. I groggily kicked off my shoes and closed my eyes again. At 5 06 a.m., the bus stopped at the czechoslovakian Border Northeast of Nurnberg. Although most people had their passports stamped mine was t this is not one of the happier moments of the we Klong trip for bus bound travellers from left Haydee Miranda Anne Brockway Jean Gaittens. Even glanced at. We All lined up in a cramped Exchange office to Trade our american dollars for a Adful of czech Krona or crowns As they Are widely known. A Little More than two hours later the bus stopped at Karloy vary known in the West As Karlsbad. While most of the passengers opted for breakfast at a four Star hotel i took to the streets in search of Early morning czechoslovakian life. After spending the 8 i hours trying to sleep on a Chilly bus i was t about to sit around in a hotel restaurant. Our guide gave us until noon to explore this City of decaying elegance famous for its hot Mineral Waters. That was enough time to browse the downtown area Sample some of the Mineral water inspect a Flea Market and even scribble notes on the Back of a few postcards. Then it was Back on the bus. This time we settled Back and scoured the passing landscape As the bus headed Down a secondary Highway at about 50 Mph on our Way to Prague. It s easy to lose your sense of direction on a bus especially while playing cards or taking in the scenery with a Walkman playing John Mellencamp s latest tunes. Not once did i consult a map or pay attention to the route. There is some Comfort in that As Well As cause for unease. But with Blind Trust in the bus Driver i was Able to relinquish the need to navigate and instead concentrate on the pleasures of watching the passing farms and villages. We arrived in mid afternoon and Stein Nissel born and raised in Prague gave us a walking tour of the City before we checked into our three Star hotel. On our Way to the hotel our Able bus Driver Theo Vogelgesang gave us an unintentional tour of the Industrial Section of Prague. The hotel a located Well outside the City Center a was a bit of a disappointment. The amenities were few no television not even a radio and really they expected me to dry myself after a Shower with a dish Towel. Three of our group were especially unhappy. They d paid an additional $150 for single rooms but found themselves crammed into a Small room with three single Beds during the three nights in Prague. As one astonished group member said at breakfast at the hotel on Day three As she warily inspected the murky residue in her cup Quot looks like Tea. Tastes like Tea. But it in t Tea More than anything that epitomized the hotel techie. Although every aspect of the trip is supposed to be meticulously organized by the tour guide much of it seemed to be thrown together at the last minute. Some optional trips were cancelled due to a Lack of interest. Dinners arranged by the tour guide were much More expensive than those i found on my own and the group dinners never offered More than two choices of main courses. But that s what Many tourists want. Quot my thing is if i arranged to go somewhere i would spend a lot of time finding a place to stay and organizing the trip Quot said Anne Brockway a special education program manager at the Pitburg Germany schools. Quot i organize for my Job so going on Tours is More to let someone else do it for  Quot when i pay for a trip i want people to take care of me Quot said Eleanor Kondo Ream a food consultant from Salt l Ake City. And that attitude from americans perplexes Stein Nissel. While she enjoys working with americans and Calls them the easiest to please she is stumped by their Lack of preparation for a trip. Quot russians Are very Well informed travellers while the americans Are not Well prepared Quot she said. Quot you know the joke you Tell an american the Date and he looks Down on the flier and says of this must be Rome Quot Quot the people Stop thinking when they continued on Page 38 la. Spencer and son Lanny take a Nap Between stops. At right tourists get a laugh watching artists drawing caricatures in downtown Budapest. May 13, 1992 travel Europe 37