megami

Thanks for all the great info people! Much appreciated. Stuttgart is looking likely.

We are hoping to go to a Christmas market in Germany this year. I am thinking Munich simply because...

We are just back a few days ago from a 19 day trip to Japan and went Tokyo-Fuji 5 Lakes-Tokyo-Takayama-Kansai. We went by highway bus to...

We have just come back from a holiday in Japan and the place we stayed at was Hotel Edoya in Ueno. More of a ryokan (if you get the...

Thanks for the quick replies, and also for the heads up on the smoking issue - something I hadn't thought of.

While we are not the 'clubbing/partying' sort, we are the type of family that after a walk or a day out will happily head to the local pub...

Another one saying CS is okay - I have stayed with CS hosts when it was me (a woman) and my six year old son and never had any problems. ...

"Shop in areas with more competition - a Coles , Woolies and Aldi store etc.."...

Can I suggest you read this: http://theroadforks.com/offtheroad/how_we_dont_fund_our_travels...

As well as the soultravelers blog, there are some other good ones that touch on educating on the road if that is more your kind of thing,...

Thanks for the detailed information! We are flying (unless this last minute enquiry with Trailfinders finds better) with Qantas (code share...

Thanks Bamse! The CS people we might be staying with are maybe selling themselves a bit short :)

Thanks folks, great information so far. By the looks of it cheaper option is NOT the JR pass. I thought that might be the case....

We are going to be spending 19 days in Japan, flying in and out of Tokyo. Of that time, around a week will be in Tokyo, some time...

Have you checked out Couchsurfing? It is really popular in Berlin.