Europe in 3 weeks..any last minute travel advice/tips?
 

Hi,
I wil be going to London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam in a few weeks. The only thing i have left to do is book a hotel or BandB in Brussels and the overnight ferry/dutch flyer, from Amsterdam to London.

My husband and I are going to start our packing soon. Any advice on things to bring that we might not have thought of?

I am going to get world wide service on my blackberry so that I can have the internet and mapquest. Getting a converter for the outlets, to plug in camera and phone, some rain boots, an umbrella. I also have a currency converter on my phone and a translater as well.

Thanks! Courtney

Be careful with the converters. I have used one with success. Another converter had flames shooting out the blow dryer and last summers converter knocked out the power in our room.
Be comfortable...DO NOT worry how you dress or what shoes you wear....you will see everything from fashionable to fuddy duddy to freaky. Have a great trip!!!

Don't know if you'll need a converter, but you will definitely need adapters -- the more, the merrier! You'll need two sorts -- one for London (the heaviest of the two), and one that will work collectively in the other cities.

I like to take tiny little language books -- that just provide the basics. Except in France, where I just bring a tiny dictionary when my memory fails me for a word.

If you wear glasses or contacts, bring an extra pair, but it's also a good idea to bring the prescription -- you never know.

There's a few other weird things I like to bring, like a decent swiss army knife with a corkscrew. Can't tell you how often I've had to use that thing, especially for train travel -- good to cut up baguettes, cheese, sausages, and open a bottle of wine. Also little kleenex packets -- the one item the Europeans still don't have right (not soft enough imo) and these come in really handy popped in a purse when you're, as my friend says, "stuck in a loo without bog roll." Third thing -- benydryl tablets, since it can be used for a variety of things like ear pressure when landing, sudden allergy flare ups, or a sinus infection or headache.

Yeah, don't bother with a converter. Just get adapters. Most devices now will work on both European or American voltages and frequencies. Just check the fine print on the adapter of each device. If it the input is rated between 110v and 240v, it will work fine. The adapter just physically lets it plug into a different form factor.

On my past trips, my laptop and camera battery chargers all worked fine without converters. I had a cheap "white noise" box once that was NOT rated for 240v though and I forgot to check - and I zapped the power adapter by plugging it in - oops. Just check the Input voltage and you'll be fine.

Oh, here are a few things (random) I do before going on a trip overseas:

- notify my credit card companies and credit union that I will be traveling - when and where, so they don't flag one of my cards for fraud.
- write down list of all credit/debit cards I will be taking with me including the customer service PHONE NUMBERS (international, probably collect call number from overseas) in case something is stolen/lost and I can call and cancel or order replacements.
- take a photo copy of my passport with me; put a scan of it on my computer at home that I can access electronically (or email it to myself).
- check prescriptions (if you have any). Have enough medicine for three weeks? If not, contact doc or pharmacy now, order a refill.

I only need an adaptor for my Blackberry. When I move from country to country (and sometimes city to city), I have to have the BB search for an available network. The newer models may do this automatically, so just FYI.

We always take a small pair of binoculars to look at ceiling detail and rural scenery.

Send yourself an email with scanned copies of all pertinent documents (doesn't hurt to have a copy of the passports with you, too).
A package of moleskin for your feet should you get blisters or your 'usually comfortable' shoes start rubbing.
Saline spray, small bottle. One of the liquids I'll take on the plane, helps to keep my nose from drying out on the flight and just generally useful. This was recommended by a friend who doesn't travel without it.
Small package of assorted sizes of safety pins. If you don't need them, they didn' take up much room. If you do need them--priceless.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

I bought this on ebay. I think it is what I need as far as an adapter..or at least i hope so!


As far as money goes..what should I do there? Get some cash? Travelers checks, use a credit card? I know there are a couple of places that we are staying at that excepts Euros only. How do i get the best exchange rate?

Thanks!
(this forum has been a lifesaver!!!)

Use your card in the ATM. No one uses travellers cheques in Europe

Ive never even used a travelers check so thats good! lol. So use a credit card or Atm card? Where can I get the best rate? (I have heard to get some Euros and some pounds before we arrive so that we have some cash...

thanks

Aiports have ATMs, soo you should be OK getting it when yo0u arrive, however if you feel more comfortable getting some before you leave then do that.
As for packing; Ive never packed for a trip earlier than the night before!

And when we are there should we use cash (euros and pounds) or credit card or atm. sorry..confused again! I heard that the atms have higher exchange rates there..true?

Thanks for your help alihutch.

In general, you encounter more situations which require cash in Europe than in USA - many shops, bars, restaurants, taxi drivers, museums do not accept plastic. The exchange rate of the atm depends on your bank. Generally, the rates are better than for bills.

If you plan to take digital photos, have a way to store/backup all the pics. This may mean just more memory cards or some way to download pics to a laptop or....Anyway, be aware of how many pics you might typically take and be sure you provide yourself with a way to store them all (and have an extra battery and keep it charged and with you).

I find it helpful to have an accordian file folder to organize the needed papers/info day by day (any tickets, maps, itineraries, contact numbers, addresses, etc.). Then each night I would throw away anything I definitely didn't need and put into the file any paraphenalia we gathered that day. It's a help when organizing pics/blogs/travel reports/scrapbooks later, plus of course being a help along the way.

Don't have new shoes. (And not sure why you're packing rain boots--won't they take up lots of space? Just a thought. We carry lightweight rain jackets with hoods which also serve as an extra layer rather than use even the smallest but still bulkier umbrella. Just a thought.)

Do make sure you understand about your BB service, which it sounds like you're addressing.

Getting pounds or euros here will probably be much more expensive (it has been for us) than using ATM's upon arrival, but if you'd be more comfortable, do that now; depending on your bank, it might take a couple or more days. Or not--depends on where you live.

Definitely follow the other advice above (esp. about contacting finanicial intities, adapters, and using ATM's).

I meant get cash out of the ATM. The rain boots had escaped my notice....an ordinary shoes will do fine! (acutally I donb't know what you mean by rain boots) Buy a brollie locally...they are very cheap.

half as much clothes, twice as much money.

seriously ? take less clothes than you think you'll need. You'll still have too much. Wear things twice, wash them in the sink, etc. Life is sooooooo much easier when packing light!

Unless you are planning muddy walks in the countryside forget the rain boots. Ordinary shoes will be fine.

I'd maybe buy a second adapter so you can charge more than one thing at a time. You can get them at the airport too.

Memory cards are pretty cheap nowadays, so if you do fill up all the ones you bring with you then you can buy a couple more for not a lot of money. Just make sure when you swap them you flip the little write protect tab to protect so you don't accidentally delete photos.

Not sure what you mean when you say ATMs there have high exchange rates. The very BEST rates you'll get are by using ATM machines. Your own card company may charge you a nominal fee, but the ATMs in Europe charge you nothing. It's the best and cheapest way of getting cash while there.

I can't imagine you'll need rain boots. I've made way more than 100 trips to Europe and never took rain boots. They'd be heavy and take up too much space.

Use your ATM card to get euros and your credit cards for non-cash purchases. Most ATM machines have menus in english. Be sure you notify your card companies a few days prior to your trip! Also, as someone else mentioned, document ATM and credit card numbers and international phone numbers (found on the back of the cards) on a separate piece of paper (or scan and keep in your email mailbox), kept separate from the cards. The USA phone number will not work in Europe, so make sure you have the international number.

Take a journal and set aside some time each day to write.

Enjoy your trip!

A thin fleece which can be worn underneath a rain jacket and thin gloves. My old raincoat had a rubbery feel to it (LLBean) and it took forever to dry. The one I've used on several recent trips is a thin black (absorbs the sun and doesn't show dirt)Columbia windproof jacket. It dries incredibly fast and doesn't take up space or feel bulky.