Take Pain Out of Penny-Pinching

The first time you land in a foreign country after a long tiring flight, coping can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you are watching every cent. For those planning to use Amsterdam as a gateway to Europe, budget packages that offer a choice of either hostel, budget hotel or three-star hotel accommodations are available for 1995.

The packages are offered by Future Line Travel, a company that was formed by the Dutch youth hotel association but which is now independent. Each includes three nights’ accommodation, three breakfasts, one Indonesian-style dinner, a ticket for a one-hour canal cruise, three one-day tickets for public transportation and a ticket for free entrance to the main museums in Amsterdam (and other museums throughout the country) for 12 months.

For a bed in a dormitory room in a centrally located youth hostel, the package is $137. To stay in a two-bed room in a budget youth hotel in the city center, the package is $202. To stay in a two-bed room in a three-star hotel in the center of the city, the package costs $219. Rates are slightly lower for guests under 19 years old. The hostel package makes a good gift for a solo shoestring traveler because it puts them in facilities that have a reputation for providing a clean, safe environment where they can meet other like-minded adventurers. For further details, contact Future Line Travel, Prof. Tulpplein 4, NL-1018 GX Amsterdam, telephone 011-31-20-622-2859.

Travelers should keep in mind that some museums in Amsterdam are closed on Sunday mornings and Mondays.

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New Zealand-bound backpackers who want to explore the northern section of the country can team up with other budget travelers on the Green Beetle Bus.

Green Beetle operates an 18-passenger bus that takes six days to cover a route from Auckland up along the east coast to the very tip of New Zealand (Cape Reinga), and back south along Ninety Mile Beach and the west coast, through the Waipoua Forest with its giant kauri trees, back to Auckland.

Don’t expect pampering, the company warns. “They are self-service vacations involving helping out, sharing together and meeting people.” On board you’ll find free tea and coffee, a library and a music system.

Trips cost about $121 for six days, or $108 for five days. Accommodations and food are not included. The shared-room accommodation is reserved, and costs passengers $43.50 for five nights. For meals, the group either cooks together or looks for good value places in each area. Stops are made at supermarkets most days.

The route is designed so that passengers won’t have to spend long hours on the bus. Stops are make for walks, swims, climbing sand dunes, cooking barbecues and taking part in outdoor adventure activities. Some of the sporting activities and boat trips are optional at an extra charge and rates are included in the Green Beetle brochure. For example, sea kayaking in the Bay of Islands costs $39, horseback riding on the beach is $6.40 per hour.

Trips depart Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Auckland. For details, contact Green Beetle Bus Co., P.O. Box 31-228, Auckland, New Zealand, 1330, or book in Auckland at ACB Travel Centre, local telephone (09) 358-4874, fax (09) 358-4871.

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“Do-it-yourself” budget tour packages for visiting New York City and New Orleans are available again this year through the Y’s Way.

The Y’s Way is a network of 21 overnight centers in the United States and Canada, and 13 in Western Europe and the Far East.

Both the Vanderbilt and the West Side Y in New York City have recently been upgraded. Most rooms are single occupancy, with shower and toilet facilities located on each floor. Double rooms with bunk beds are also available.

The New York City packages include accommodations, breakfasts, sightseeing tours and a dinner. They range from two nights (from $100 per person in a twin room or $126 in a single room) to seven nights (from $272 per person in a twin room or $355 in a single room).

Guests are also permitted to use the extensive health club facilities including indoor/outdoor pools and cardiovascular equipment at each of the Ys. There are also information desks where you can arrange airport transfers or sightseeing services, including community tours that feature Harlem, the Bronx, Brooklyn, a Harlem Gospel brunch (on Sundays) and a Harlem jazz evening.

New Orleans packages include sightseeing, breakfasts and accommodations ranging from two nights for $145 in a single room or $135 per person in a double room, to three nights for $175 in a single room or $165 per person in a double room.

For details write to the Y’s Way International, 224 E. 47 St., New York, NY 10017, and request its free 23-page Y’s Way Accommodations and Reservations catalogue. Include a self-addressed, stamped legal-size envelope.