We were on our second European vacation in 2000 and had planned two fabulous weeks in England. After landing in London, we would take the train to Bath and pick up a car there, the better to see the Cotswolds and South Wales before heading further north.

As we came through passport control and on through the airport I saw hand-lettered signs everywhere. "No petrol!" they said. "Do not drive unless you have petrol!". I stopped at an information desk and questioned the man there, who was wearing a turban.

"Didn't you read the papers before you came?" he asked us in precise Indian accents. "There is a petrol strike in this country. You should have read the papers." He seemed to think that we could - snd should - have simply postponed our trip due to their petrol strike.

Of course there WAS a petrol strike. The freeways were empty. The buses (who had fuel, somehow) and trains were jammed with people. And our itinerary was useless. We created a new one the next morning, with a lot more train travel in it, and enjoyed two fabulous weeks in England!

--Dave & Karen Votaw, in beautiful Salem, Oregon