I <3 EuroRail.com

Honestly, I have never really been on a train before (unless you count that ride at the children’s zoo); but in Europe, train is the way to travel. So I have been exploring my possible options of rail passes available for a non-European resident. Out of the 841 different pass combinations, the best and most popular is the Global Pass.

The Eurail Global Pass is the European Rail Pass with the most extensive travel possibilities—practically unlimited train travel in 20 European countries!

The only downside—this pass is also the most expensive one! So to save a little money, I had considered purchasing the Youth Global Pass (same as the Adult, only 2nd class). Then to save a lot more money, I began entering Facebook contests on the Eurail.com fan page.

For four consecutive weeks, Eurail hosted a contest—announcing five lucky winners each week. The prize -> no less than TWO Eurail Global Passes!

I entered the contest on the 3rd week. I felt my response was pretty clever but no luck, not a winner. So the 4th and final week of the contest, I decided to step it up. It was already late Thursday and the contest deadline was Friday @12:00 - Central European Time (about 3 a.m. here in the U.S., so I had a few hours).

So my good friend Ramon and I wrote a song (very quickly, I might add!). But to raise the bar on the level of competition, we needed more… something like a music video!

So another awesome friend of mine, AA-ron :) came equipped with the camera and audio equipment.

Several hours later we had produced something ridiculous! It was about Germany—complete with an accordian solo (1st time ever playing an accordion!), a giant dancing chicken (another first :), and beer (of course).

Funniest thing -> I WON! So now I get TWO FREE 1st Class Global Eurail Passes worth $1235 a piece!!!

Thank you Eurail.com!

The Couch Surfing Project

Imagine a world…where any place we travel, there is a network of connections available with locals who are cheerfully willing to make their own homes available for us to stay. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this,, but it’s true!

CouchSurfing is a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit.

Check out the website -> http://www.couchsurfing.com/

And look -> HERE'S MY PROFILE
I’m a couch surfer! 8)

Here is the organization’s mission statement:

"CouchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance, and facilitate cultural understanding."

-As a community we strive to do our individual and collective parts to make the world a better place, and we believe that the surfing of couches is a means to accomplish this goal. CouchSurfing isn't about the furniture- it's not just about finding free accommodations around the world- it's about participating in creating a better world. We strive to make a better world by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!