Most Generic Questions/Topics..

Mhhm lets see...
These are some of my favorites posts people put on here. Any others I am missing???

1. I am going to (enter city here) for (enter time frame here) and was wondering what generic things we can do on a limited budget. Thanks in advance!

2. I am from Australia and am trying to find some work in (Enter European country here) with no work permit.

3. I only have 8 days and want to see 6,000 European cities. For most of the trip I will be by bike. Is this too much???

You've forgotten:

I've landing at Frankfurt-Hahn Airport and

a) is it far to the city / Frankfurt?
b) is it far to the station?
c) I have x ours to kill, can I pop into town? :-)

although admittedly these questions sometimes come up for Frankfurt-International as well.

Or I'm landing at Girona-Barcelona;

Is there a bus stop that takes me to the moon & back?!
Do the natives speak English?
Is there electricity there that will charge my non-European device without an adapter?

Kira

OP, on question #2 you left off the part where they admit they don't speak the local language of the country where they'd like to work...

or the classic:
- Is it better to bring traveller's checks in US$ or AUS$ to Europe? I am from New Zealand by the way.
- Does Poland use the Euro or does it have its own currency?
- I am travelling through Spain and France. Can you recommend some good hotels?
- Can you recommend a restaurant in Paris where the locals eat? (with an English menu please).

Oh and I forgot:
- I am looking for a quiet empty beach for the week of August 15. Preferably Italy.

and:
- I also need a cheap hotel in Venice for the same week. with a very cheap place to eat.

Is (insert name of country) safe?

And as September looms, I guess we can expect an increase in "I'd like to go to Oktoberfest but haven't booked anything yet" posts?

#7 that is already so last month! LMBO

Or "I was thinking about going to (name of country). Is there anything I should be sure to see" or "what's really cool, but off the beaten track there?"

"I am visiting (City) in Germany and would like to visit (Country bordering with Germany) as well, how far is it?"

It might be interesting to provide real links to these types of questions.
Or this link , perhaps collecting under a "FAQs you don't want to ask" thread...

#11 I agree, that's why I linked Hahn in my first post.

Unfortunately I don't think it makes much of a difference, because the posters who ask these sort of questions often don't search the forum before their do. I've noticed at least one post per week about Hahn - with the previous post being at the top of the 2nd page within the German section.

That's one reason for my blog piece on Hahn - I can link to it every time!

I am visiting the Amalfo coast in August - and wonder if hiring a scooter is the best way of getting about.

PS I've never ridden a scooter before.

Amalfo that is - not Amalfo

I'll get it right soon.

Write out 100 times : Amalfi

it also seems to be popular to open any topic with "french people refuse to speak english"

it goes very well with
- the Aussie looking for work
- the cheap but typical restauraunt (no tourists, english menue)
- overstaying shengen visa

What about:
(a) Do I have to carry my passport with me at all times?
(b) Should I wear a hidden valuables bag around my neck, or waist, or on my leg?
(c) Can I pay for things with US$?
(d) Where's the best place to change my US$ into Euros?

Or how about that regularly-asked other question: 'Doesn't anyone ever look at the FAQs any more?'

#12 I was thinking purely about the entertainment value of the OPs themselves! (not informative links/answers as the one you provided)
I don't seriously believe a "FAQs not to ask" thread would help the people posting. Here are a few reasons behind these dumb questions ... some might be helped, others not.

1. some are trolls
2. some are lazy ... typing key words into GOOGLE would be quicker than typing in their question, but then they'd have to sort out the info for themselves. They want others to do the work
3. some do not know how to make decisions and hope that a majority opinion will help them (one of my favourites, by the way: "help! I've been getting a lot of mixed opinions about (bla bla). Which is correct?"
4. some have no planning skills
5. some don't think about the question they ask (a variant of lazy?) ... along the lines of 'what's the fastest way from A to B?'
6. some think the TT is a chat site. They log in spontaneously, hoping to chat about some vague topic that pops into their mind while browsing, not realizing that the the TT has a forum layout
7. some are, unfortunately, just not very bright (big overlap with #1!) so don't know how to phrase questions etc
8. some treat the TT as a free travel agency ("where do I find cheapest tickets to X?")

9. and, to be fair, some are simply novices with legitimate (albeit naive) questions. Back in the days before internet you'd never see these people unless they were friends or acquaintances, brainstorming a possible trip they're dreaming about, getting oriented. (these might now include variant #6)

And further:
Do I have to have an International Driver's Licence to drive/rent a car in ...........?

To which the answer is:
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) Why bother?
(e) You might as well.

My favourite rant are those endless questions about "Heidelburg" (even better: "Heidleburg"), "Bamburg", "Hamberg", "Nurnburg", "Rothenberg" etc.
Hey, it cannot be that difficult to copy the name of a city correctly. -burg and -berg aren't the same, don't mean the same and aren't pronounced the same. Except by Americans who substitute both with the same gargling sound.

oldpro #18:
Let me add as 10. Some don't care a bit about studying the places they are visiting, they travel "because the tickets are so cheap".

I never answer questions of the "Where shall I go?" and "What shall I see/do there?" type. I mean, why are people planning a trip to a place or country they don't know a thing about?

I agree with most of the above - like

I am going to Barcelona for two days. What should I see and do there - it might help if they post their interests, budget etc. Barcelona has enough to keep a person busy for months, as do several cities in Europe.

Is there a youth hostel in Amsterdam?

Me and my boyfriend are going to Barcelona/Amsterdam/Rome/Paris/Vienna/London/Milan. We are looking for a hotel that is clean, quiet, super romantic and we would prefer a room with a private balcony, within walking distance to everything, but maximum 30 euros a night. No dorms.

We are going to Ibizia/Faliraki/Lanzarote/Benidorm in August. We want to be near the nightlife and close to the action, but where the beach is quiet and deserted, ideally beachside accommodation. Maximum 50 euros a night.

I will be in London/Madrid/Amsterdam etc. We have a budget of 25 euros a day. Is it do-able? We don't mind staying in a dorm if need be, we like to have one restaurant meal a day, see a few musuems and we like to go out and have a few beers in the evening.

I would like to go and work in Paris this summer for around two weeks. I don't speak French, I don't want to teach English, and I need it to be under the table as I don't have a visa.

We have three weeks in Europe. We plan to fly into Amsterdam, then visit Berlin, Paris, Rome, Florence, Athens, Budapest, Prague, Krakow, Brussells and London. What is the cheapest form of transport between them?

I will be in Greece for one week. I would like to do some volunteer work but all I can find requires me to pay, and I cannot understand why I would pay for that. Can anyone suggest somewhere where I can volunteer free, possibly in exchange for accommodation?

#18 oh, you mean like this one :-)

What is the best and cheapest way to get from A to B?

Baby - it's either the cheapest (but not the best) or the best (but certainly not the cheapest).

I'm on a lot of travel boards, being a traveller and travel writer myself, but this is the first time I feel understood! Thanks guys!
Pity it's hidden on the Germany board, should have it's own forum.

rant modus on

The worst kind of questions come from people from the US and Australia. No offence here, just statistics.
Like: Never been in xy but want to do it in 8 days. Any suggestions?
I agree that these people live in vast countries, no, continents, and looking at a world map places in Europe look really tiny. Like Ireland. It's just a teeny weeny blot on the map. Can I do it in four days? Cringe.

Or as I encountered recently: Go to Berlin for four days in August. Recommendations please.

I sometimes wonder how ignorant can people be? And what does it make of all those people who actually travel in the sense of exploring and experiencing a place and answering the silly questions? Why are we doing it?

When I did my first overseas journey, that was to Sri Lanka, there wasn't any internet, there was actually only one more or less homemade guide book for the island. I didn't have a clue but went anyway. I just had a quite dodgy ticket (don't ask!) and my sense of adventure. However, I remember this journey as one of my most exciting times of my life!

Why are people not capable anymore just to be curious and adventurous?

rant modus off

#24, great link!!!

#25, this isn't the "Germany" board, but the general "Western Europe" board.

#25, I see that LP is cross-posting some posts. I never looked in the sub-area "Germany", but saw this post in the W. Europe branch.

#saraki #27: that's alright then ... ;-))

I love the google link #24, too!

saraki #29... big hug ... you're oh so right. Sounds like ticking off a list of "1000 places my doctor/teacher/daddy told me to see".

really? it sounds like raping and pillaging to me;)

saraki and carraiq,
glad you liked the link. I find it useful on other forums I go to. ;-))

Not a generic question as such, but how about asking the question previously asked (and is therefore still at the top of the list of topics!)

Today 04:25

and

Today 06:31

of course, I could argue both could have looked further down the first page of the topic list to

Saturday

1. Not all Americans..only the ones with no German heritage or background

first things first

My favorite so far went something like this:

"I waited way too late to make plans for my 2-week trip to Andalucia (Spain) in August. I want to see it all and experience the real Spain. So, I am asking all you experienced TTers to help. My trip is in your hands [it actually said that] So, don't let me down. Tell me what to do and see and give me some suggestions for great and cheap places to stay and some good restaurants. Thanks in advance [which means: "I won't be back to acknowledge or thank you for your responses.]"

Top that one!

I <like> the ones that say 'Has anyone ever been to X?'

I'm sometimes tempted to answer: 'No, no-one's ever been there. It's a wonder the hotels are still in business as no-one ever stays in them'

Or the ones that say "Is there anything interesting/fun/"off the beaten track" to do in X?" I often just answer, "No, nothing to do there."