 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Please click on each underlined topic to expand.
Attitude-
As Rick Steves says “leave your American attitude at home-do what they do.”
I have found that generally people overseas do not hate Americans as per say, but hate their haughty attitude and rudeness. The first thing you will learn while traveling is that they do not envy us. One must always beware that you are in their country and should act like they do. I would not trade my passport for any other, but neither would they. What is that old saying? “When in Rome . . .”
Whether you travel by land or cruise ship there are laundries available everywhere. Or be like me and wash your things in the sink! Tide now offers soap in small packages that are great for washing things out in a sink. (try Wal-Mart). Why lug around a lot of luggage and be miserable while doing so? Travel light!!!!I try to pack two days in advance of my trip- this allows to me think about what I had forgot to put in -- also I am not in a rush the night before to get it done. Make a check list before packing of what you will be carrying – including your paper work/credit cards and then check them off as you pack.I carry a Rick Steves’ backpack and a daypack. I am on my second backpack after wearing my first one out – took me 10 years of traveling to do so. I realize not everyone is going to carry a backpack, but it is an easy way to travel. Rick Steves had made his backpack so it fits in the overhead on all airplanes and the lockers in Europe. No more waiting at the airport to retrieve your luggage; I head straight to customs and out of the airport. Luggage with wheels are handy, till you have to walk a street that has cobble stones. I carried one once and spent more time setting it back up than walking. Daypacks vary in size, buy the one that fits your needs, however, you’ll find out you always need one a little bit bigger. We all have too much stuff.
Depending on where you are going dress accordingly. It seems to rain a lot in the summer in Europe so I carry a very small umbrella that will fit in my day pack. A wind/rain proof wind breaker with a hood works well too. Take two pair of shoes, so you’ll have dry shoes after the rain. Be sure to break your shoes in before going overseas – nothing is worse than sore feet when you are trying to have a good time.My backpack for a 3 week adventure typically contains the following items:
One pair of long pants
Anything I forget, I can buy overseas. My daypack carries my camera’s and lenses, travel books, and books to read on the plane, and Special K bars to munch on. The Europeans say they can identify nearly all Americans because we all seem to wear new white tennis shoes. Yep-me too!!
Technology is changing the world for sure and especially in Europe. If you are planning on traveling with a credit card – you might find it doesn’t work overseas. Much of Europe has started using a credit card that has a “chip” embedded into the card along with a pin number required to use it, eliminating the need to sign a receipt. Presently, the British Isles, Scandinavia, France, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands are the countries where this has already been implemented. By 2012, most of Western Europe will have converted to the same system and Canada will be converting in 2015.
Your normal credit card only has a magnetic strip and will not be accepted at some automated payment machines like train tickets dispensers, self-service gas pumps, and toll roads. It is rumored that some European automated machines will take your U.S. credit card if you know what your pin number is, so just in case, it is a good idea to call your bank and get it before going overseas. It doesn’t mean that it might not work, but be prepared if it doesn’t.
Your Credit Card and ATM cards are still viable at the ATM machines in Europe, and, for the time being, most hotels, restaurants, and shops will accept U.S. cards.
A few merchants prefer that you pay cash – that’s so they can hide reporting it as income. Sometime they will offer you a discount if you pay cash.
It’s also good idea to get some cash before going on your trip. I buy my Euros here in the states from my bank. They charge me a fee, but I watch the money market to see when is the best time to exchange funds. The Euro seems to be cheaper in the winter months and raises when spring and summer comes around. Wonder if that has anything to do with the tourist season?
Additionally, when using your credit cards, there will be an exchange fee on all foreign purchases. Certain Capital One credit cards only charge a 1% foreign exchange fee, while most banks charge 3%.
While they used to be widely popular, I suggest that you do not carry Traveler Checks. They are expensive to cash and now it’s hard to find a place to take them.
If you are traveling from country to another, be sure they are using the currency as the one you left or remember to exchange a little before you enter the next country. It is easy to exchange bills, but coins are hard to get rid of if the currency is different.
For your safety I recommend you carry money and all your important papers in a money belt under your clothes, out of sight. I use a money belt made out of nylon/silk and then use a quart baggie to protect my cards, passport, airline tickets – this keeps the perspiration from ruining them.
Around the neck money belts work ok too – especially for women. I don’t recommend fanny packs, they can be slit open and your goods are gone without knowing it.
If you want to travel like I do, then don’t tie yourself down to such a tight schedule that you won’t be able to see or do what you want. In short, leave time to be flexible. Being on a limited time schedule means you must use your time wisely. If you have sights to see that are inside and outdoors, do the outdoors sightseeing first in case the weather turns bad, that leaves you with the indoor things to do. The reverse leaves you setting and watching it rain. Be sure to check the guides as to what you want to see for the days and times they are open. Nothing worse than scheduling yourself to go see something and then find it closed. Remember, lots of museums in Europe are closed on Mondays and usually close early, except sometimes during the summer.
This can be an art, but is really a science. If you are in Europe during the summer it gets daylight very early – so get up and out on the roads before all the other tourist block your view. This is especially true when taking photographs. Don’t be afraid to go out at night and see the city from a different perspective. Make your own tours-walk the unknown streets. Many great sights are not listed in any tourist guides. Extroverts seem to have more fun because they are not scared to walk those unknown roads.
Are made to sell. So many times the sights have been built up by the writers so much and then turn out to be very disappointing. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, read several travel books on where you are wishing to go and get different opinions. The internet is a good way to pre-visit the country that you will be seeing, so spend some time doing your research and you will not be disappointed. Being cheap, I go to Borders/Barnes and Noble and read the travel books while enjoying their coffee-then putting the books back on the shelf. Make notes on what is of an interest to you- one can save lots of money by doing this.
Carry the following items:
Make two copies of everything – leave one copy at home with someone whom you could call if need be. Put the second copy in you baggage in case you need to refer to it. Be sure to copy both sides of your credit cards so you will have the telephone numbers to call if you lose or get your credit card stolen. If you lose or get your passport stolen call the nearest American Embassy and then the local police. You can get home without a passport with the Embassy’s help.
There are many places to stay in Europe. I still try to stay in the Youth Hostels when I can, because I am cheap and on a tight budget. On the other hand, hotels range from 5 stars to no stars. Since lower rated hotels don’t normally have air conditioning, get a room on the top floor – it’s usually cooler and cheaper. Using the internet, you can check on pricing and location if you know where you are going and when you’ll be there. Then you can make your reservations saving the question and frustration of where to stay. Thankfully, I have never been without a bed of some kind, and I still use Rick Steves’ books for the best pricing and locations. Lonely Plant is another good travel guide to find inexpensive places to stay.
Do not stay at Ritches Hostels and Hotels. Trust me on this one.
Anytime is great – you just have to take the first step. For the best rates on airline tickets, hotels and food; September 15th through May 15th should be your preferred choice. Plus there’s not so many tourist to contend with. May 15th – September 15th is the high peak season for tourism, and the most costly. Avoid August in Europe, most Europeans go on vacation that month as well.
Always take two camera’s- a person never knows when one will fail. If you carry a big SLR camera with a number of lens-consider taking one of the new small Canons- 12 mp- 18-336 zoom built into it. Fits in your pocket and great when you go out at night and tired of carrying your big one.There is always the question as to how much film/flash cards to take-take more than you can possibly use. Only you can decided as to what size flash cards to carry 1GB or 4 or 16 GB. The old question is what happens if one of the big one fail and you lose all of the photographs that are on it. I prefer to carry 2 GB cards and plenty of them. Digital camera cards are expense to buy overseas-so buy them here in the states. Nothing can ruin a good travel adventure more than losing photographs. Use address labels on your disc covers so you can put the date and place you took the photographs-match this to your diary and you can always identify where you were- no more remembering! I never delete any photographs I shoot till I get home and see them on a big screen- if you do you might miss a good opportunity for a great photo.
Tripods are another question each one must address- if you are traveling light and don’t do night time photography- forget it. I normally carry one for night time and when I am trying to get a lot of depth of field by shooting very slow speeds.
O.K., sort of fit. Most people live sedentary life styles with jobs where where you not required to walk a lot for any length of time. I suggest that you start walking 3 months before leaving. Start by walking for 15 minutes a day and progress up to the minimum of one hour nonstop. I also carry a daypack (lightly packed) on my walks to get use to carrying something on my back. Don’t forget, you will most likely be on your feet for as much as 8-12 hours a day or more.
For the most part English is spoken, but you should learn a few words in the language of the country you are visiting. Also, remember that something's have different names, even in English. There are no such things as restrooms in Europe, if you need to find a bathroom ask for the “Toilet” or “WC” (water closet), otherwise they don’t know what you want. If you are trying to buy something and you want one – hold up your thumb – that is how they say one. Holding up one finger only gets you funny looks and “HUH.” Radio Shack sells electronic translators with as many as 10-15 different languages in it – they are a big help, especially when in the country side or where they don’t speak English, or if you are reading a foreign menu.
Americans also have an uncanny knack to change the spelling of name to suit their own purpose; one can get in a storm by not knowing the correct spelling of cities/towns or countries.Please see the examples listed below:
Italy is ItaliaVenice is VeneziaFlorence is FirenzaNaples is NapliRome is Romaand the list goes on.
Knowing the correct spelling is important if you are traveling by train, plane or bus - not knowing the correct spelling, I stood for 30 minutes trying to find the correct train track for Venice, once someone pointed out the correct spelling - I was off and running.Since I only speak Texan, no one in Europe understands me. When I go to purchase a ticket/billet I take a piece of paper with the correct spelling of where I want to go (pointing to a map with the correct name works also). They just grin and smile and think "just another dumb American who comes to visit and doesn't speak our language."
Everything in Europe is measured in millimeters, liters, kilometers, meters, and so on. Learn how to convert these roughly in your head and you will get along ok.
For the most part Europe is safe – not as much violent crime, but pickpockets are in abundance. Just use your head; stay with your party and never put yourself in a compromising situation. When carrying a purse/camera do not carry it over just one shoulder, but around your neck. Do not leave these things lying on a café table – thieves can run by, grab it, and be gone before you can get out of your chair. It is always better to have a travel companion – safety in numbers.
Since I have been traveling Europe, Paris has had three bombings, London has also had three bombings and Istanbul has had one. These are rare and isolated incidents, and I still feel safe and secure.
There are many great passes to be purchased. You can save lots of money on entry fees to museums, buses, trains, metros, special sights, etc. Also look for City Passes – these normally include transportation around the cities. Look for them at the Tourist Information locations.
Tourist information booths are in every town you will visit and have all the up to date things to see and do. Pick up the free maps they offer and see if they have any discount coupons you can have. They can also help you find rooms to stay in. Great place to start your vacation and usually located near train stations and airports.
It's a shame America doesn’t have more of this form of transportation. Most big cities in Europe have them and they are the best way to get around the city – relatively inexpensive and dependable. But, you must study the system to learn how to use the metro. Before getting on, always find where you want to go and find the metro line that will take you there. After determining which line, look to each end of it and then take the train heading to that end then get off at your destination. Knowing the end destination is important because the metros list the direction trains are traveling by the final stop station. Be extra careful and aware -- the metro’s are a popular place for pickpockets.
Food in Europe is wonderful! You will see McDonalds, Burger King, and Pizza Hut signs everywhere, but remember the saying, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Try their food -- it’s good!I love the outdoor eating if for no other reason just to watch the people and the world go by.
I try not to eat at the restaurants that on the corners, they pay more rent, and charge more. Never eat or drink near the top tourist sites, if you do, look at the menu and prices before ordering, you can always walk out if they are too pricey. Find the places off the beaten paths where the locals eat – a lot less expensive and just as good, or better.
Got a sweet tooth? Some of the best pastry shops in the world are located in Europe.
If you get home sick and need a taste of good ole Tex-Mex find the local Hard Rock Café (if one is available) and get an order of Nachos and a Margarita. Beware though – That is not cheap!!! But it makes one feel like they are back in the USA. Quick note, most of the Tex-Mex joints in Europe are a joke.
You can find any cuisine you want in Europe, but always try what they eat in each country. One of the most shocking things I saw last year while in France was McDonalds selling beer. Bet they don’t try that over here! Sort of ruins the idea that McDonalds is for the kids. You can even find an internet machines at some of them also. Fish and Chips in Canterbury, England, were delicious while setting on the sidewalk. Gyros in the Greek Isles are a meal by themselves; one can find those in Paris also.
So many times your tip is already included, it’s just called a service charge. While 20% is acceptable in the states, it is considered excessive in Europe. If they charge the service charge you would only tip for exceptional service, and then no more than 10%. They view excessive tipping as a sign of arrogance.
These are your best way to save money if you are on a tight budget. You can fix cheap on the go meals by visiting the stores. Buy the big liter bottles of water (I like the one without gas) and pour into smaller bottles for your day trips – save lots of money. They also sell wine a lot cheaper. Load your daypack up and go have a picnic in the park.
Some Europeans think you are retarded, sick in the head and definitely an American when you smile and nod to them. For the most part they will not even look at you.
The cheapest time to travel overseas is in what is called the “Off” season, which runs from approximately September 15th through May 15th. Airlines normally discount their tickets heavily during that period; up to 50-70%! If you can get hooked up with a consolidator, you can usually get a good deal through them. There are also inexpensive regional-type airlines located in Europe which fly to other foreign countries and have good prices that suit my budget – “Mr. Cheapo!” (See “Links” for a listing of airlines located overseas.)
If you are a frequent flier and use your mileage to go abroad, I suggest that you try to book your ticket a minimum of 6 months in advance, especially in the summer. Lately, with airlines reducing the number of flights and preferring cash customers, there are fewer and fewer frequent flier seats available. For the most part, I book my ticket 300 days in advance. If you book and something happens where you have to cancel, you can always put the miles back into your frequent flier account to use in the future; even if you have to pay a cancellation fee, it’s much cheaper than losing the full cost of a ticket in case of an emergency.
Another idea when booking an overseas flight is using an “in and out” route. Fly into one location and out of another; doing so will allow you to travel without doubling back over the same territory – which can almost double your time for adventuring.
I also suggest that you always try to get direct flights. Connecting flights can cause delays that are hard to overcome when going abroad: a missed connection or a cancellation can cause havoc on your schedule for the rest of your trip, especially if you have reservations and set times to be somewhere.
With security the way it is today, always allow at least two hours before your flight. Understand what items you can carry on board and what is not allowed. When in Europe in 2009, the security was not the same as here, so no one had to take their shoes off, but it still seemed that they were as concerned as we are here.
Usually with International tickets you are allowed you go into the various “VIP” clubs or special lounges, such as the Admirals Club of American Airlines. Take advantage of these not only to rest in but also to get away from the hustle and bustle of the airports. If you ever get a chance to visit an Iberia’s VIP room, I highly recommend it.
Finally, since most International flights are long in duration, it is a good idea to wear support socks/hose of some kind to prevent blood clots and get up and walk around the plane as much as possible. Also try to keep warm and rest appropriately (if you are arriving in the morning, try to sleep on the plane, while if you arrive at night, try to stay awake) to avoid jet lag. And drink plenty of water; I have also found that consuming wine / alcohol during my trip only adds to my jet lag.
The most efficient way to get around Europe. 180 miles per hour trains zip you from one destination to another in no time. There are also some very slow ones that stop at every little town and road crossing. Eurail passes are great to have if you are planning on going to many different places. You can cover a lot ground by riding the train, and with the Eurail pass one can get on and off as many times as you like. You can buy them that will cover up to 15 different countries and some ferry boats, and although they are first class tickets, you usually still have to make a reservation to guarantee yourself a seat (small fee required). If traveling a long distance, get in a private sleeping car or stay in a cachet for ¼ of the price, and you can get some good rest too.
This is a great way to see the country that is usually not described in your travel guide book. You can get the real feel for the country that you are visiting by driving. Driving is easy in most countries, except England and Turkey. Most of the cars are standard shift but you can find automatic transmissions in some places. I use Auto Europe, they seem to have the best prices. Be sure to purchase the additional insurance (CDW)- they have very different laws regarding insurance- you could end up buying the entire car if you have a wreck. Check with your insurance company as to their responsibility while renting a car abroad and also check with your credit card company to see what their limits are. Also, be sure and ask if it takes gasoline or diesel- they don’t always tell you. I also carry a Garmin GPS and purchased a memory stick that allows me to travel in Western Europe. No more maps and getting lost. Yeah !!
Internet Café’s:
Usually I can find an internet café in 90% of the towns that I travel in, but there are places where they still are not available. If you find a café to use a computer, typically, you rent computer time from 15 minutes to an hour (or more). It might seem expensive, but compared to the telephone, it is a cheap way to stay in touch with the folks back home.
It has also been suggested that you now use “SKYPE,” a free internet-based phone and messaging system. SKYPE’s features are changing quickly from region to region, so it’s worth checking into current service availability before you go.
Telephoning Home:
This can get expensive in a hurry if you are not careful or are not sure what you are doing. If using a landline, I suggest buying an “International” Calling card. Using an ATT, MCI, or Sprint issued calling card can easily get expensive.
It is possible to carry a cell phone, or use your own, abroad as long as it fitted with either GSM (good in over 220 countries) or CDMA (good in approximately 40 countries.)
Some older phones and carriers may not let you roam or have these capabilities. Also, please note that your pricing plan will change when “roaming” internationally. And, if you can afford the higher charges, it is possible to use your normal phone number and voice mail while overseas, instead of having an international, regional, or different number.
Talk to your carrier and learn about your phone system, or if they offer a phone that can be used where you are traveling. Verizon Wireless can sell, or lend, you a global phone for a short period of time. However, the per-minute charges and a leasing fee will still apply.
Some of the questions you should ask your carrier are:
- Can your GSM phone receive three (tri-band) or four (quad band) bands? Most low-end phones are only dual band, or tri-band, while most smart phones are typically tri- or quad band models which can be used in most countries. Customers with a GSM phone, like the IPhone, should be able to use it in more than 220 countries.
- Does your phone have international capabilities, and is that service turned it “on” for your account? Once turned on, it will act the same as it does at home- receiving emails, updating weather and locations, operating some apps automatically, etc. However, you are probably getting charged every time these things occur outside of your home country or region, whether the app or email is opened or not. Be sure to learn how to turn the roaming feature off when not in use and understand your pricing before you leave.
- Does your carrier have a pricing program that would allow you to reduce the cost of the per-minute charges? An example is AT&T: they have a program where for approximately $5.00 a month more you can get international coverage that holds the cost to $0.99 a minute or less. I understand that Sprint also offers a monthly program for international calls.
Listed below is some pricing for international calls and texting:
Per-minute roaming charges for voice calls:
China
Japan
UK
Canada
Germany
AT&T wireless
$2.29
$2.29
$1.29
$0.79
$1.29
Sprint
$2.49
$1.99
$1.29
$0.59
$1.99
T-Mobile
$2.99
$2.29
$1.29
$0.49
$1.29
Roaming charges don't include local toll or long distance charges
Calling to the continental USA while roaming is an additional $0.20 Per minute
Verizon Wireless
$1.99
$1.99
NA
$0.69
NA
Text-Message charge to send and receive:
AT&T Wireless
$0.50 cents per message sent/$1.30 per message sent for picture and video
Sprint
Send: $0.50 cents/recipient; $o.05 cents per message (in Canada only text can be sent to carriers supported by Sprint).
T-Mobile
$0.35 cents per message sent/$0.20 per message received.
Verizon
$0.20 cents per message/$0.20 per message received in Canada only
Charges for Wireless data streaming (such as browsing the internet}
AT&T Wireless
$24.99/month: 20 megabytes
$59.99/month: 50 megabytes
119.99/month: 100 megabytes
$199.99/month: 200 megabytes
Sprint
$0.016/Kilobyte in all countries except Canada
T-mobile
$10.00 per megabyte (in Canada)/$15.00 per megabytes in all other countries
Verizon Wireless
$2.05 per MB for Canada; $20.48 per megabyte for China and Japan
I hope that this will be useful to you in preparing and enjoying your travels.
Take a small handy notebook with you that will fit in your pocket and write down daily what you see, where you been and what you saw. We all like to think that we can always remember everything but we can’t. Nothing is more frustrating than to get home and can’t put all the pieces together as to where one has been or what they saw. It also helps one correlate their pictures into a correct sequence of events also. I use the back pages of the diary to keep track of the money that I spend –especially when withdrawing money from the ATM machines. One can spend more than they think. Be sure to convert what you withdraw into USD so when you get home you know how much to deduct from your checking account unless you are rich and don’t care what you spent.
 |
 |
 |
 |
