Clark has been playing in Europe for the past week and he and his wife, Lane, had a great time. They rented a car and drove from Germany to France during the trip, and Clark was floored by the cost of gas. It was $5.53 a gallon! In the United States, we’re upset about the $2.00 per gallon cost, but we don’t have it nearly as bad. When you fill up in Europe, they trust you to pay after you’ve pumped. There is no pay at the pump. And the cars in Europe, although very small, go very fast. Clark was going about 100 to 105 mph in Germany where there is no speed limit. People passed him going between 150 and 175 mph, and that wasn’t unusual. In France, the speed limit is about 80 mph or 130 kilometers per hour. People do not drive over the speed limit. Trucks must go 100 kpm, which equates to 60 miles per hour. If they go over the speed, cameras catch truckers and send them a ticket. So, people don’t violate it. As for hotels, Clark was paying about $100 a night in France and a little less in Germany. Clark booked a car to rent before the trip. But he checked again right before they left and prices had dropped. So he got a different car for about $150 for the week. You can also get very good off-airport rentals for a $5 to $6 a day, which is great. You can tool around for the day in a city and it won’t cost you much (aside from gas). Just be sure that you decline the rental car company’s insurance. And, make sure you have a credit card that covers international rentals. Food is much more expensive, with meal prices at between $10 and $15 a person. But there are tons of McDonald’s all over Europe. So, you can get a decent deal if you know where to look.