aduren

well there's a difference b/t being overly planned and being prepared - what if you go to Italy and you lose/someone steals all your credit cards? you can't dial a 1-800 number so it's good to have the international number of your CC companies just in case. What if someone steals your passport? Have copies elsewhere makes it a lot easier. Not only that, but this is only the second time I've gone to Europe to travel, so I'm not as seasoned as some of you. I'd rather take the extra precautions before leaving so that if by some random chance something bad DOES happen, at least I'm prepared and it doens't ruin my trip. Oh, should I mention that we are completely "winging" the whole trip? so no fun is taken out

craisin

thanks for the post, aduren. I completely forgot to call my credit card company...this post was a great reminder. I leave in less than a week!!! yay! enjoy your trip.

degas

I think some of the "why bother" crowd are just acting out or been very lucky with adverse travel events.

Being prepared gives me peace of mind and has actually saved my big behind on several occasions. After you develop a checklist, most of the things on your list take very little time or effort.

Dave_

Wow, you all impress me with your planning! I thought I was organised and covered most angles but passport, money (or facility to draw money abroad) and tickets are the essentials that I worry about and that's about it.

About whether to call the credit card company or not, I think if you have a new card or one that you haven't used abroad before, it's good practice to call the company and tell of your trip. I had a friend I was travelling in Canada with (from the UK) and one of his (new) credit cards was continually rejected because the credit card company thought it an "unusual transaction".

Robespierre

Okay, sounds like you're ready.

But I'd lose the batteries, film, and anything else that adds weight for no reason. Having been overseas several hundred times, I can do two weeks with one rollaround and one carryon. I never check luggage, and get along fine. When I had regular business in Taipei, I used to leave my clothes with Mr. Huang at the laundry next to my hotel and pick them up on the next trip.

aduren

I have to bring a few rolls of film and a couple extra batteries... but I'm not bringing any insane amounts. I'm also just taking a backpack.

In case some of you don't know, when you use an ATM over there the machine won't charge you anything but some banks charge as much as $4 (like mine, Bank of America/Fleet) for a transaction to I also got a list of banks that are partnered w/BOA so I don't get charged around Europe. If you don't have a BOA card, I'd get one b/c they have a ton of banks that won't charge you a fee at their ATMs.

I didn't know this the first time I went to Europe and couldn't figure out why my checking account was getting so low!

SuzieC

Oh do call your credit card companies. An acquaintance with platinum, no-limit cards was JUST in Ireland and the castle where he was staying "ahemed...sir... you're credit card is not valid!" Well! What a terrible hassle it was to get it to work for him over there! Of course, he had others but he hadn't called about those either!
So MKingdom or Tullulah when you come west over the sea, you're credit cards don't give you problems?

cmeyer54

If you're going to be using an ATM card in europe, make sure you have adequate funds in your checking account. unlike most machines here that allow you to choose where the withdrawal is coming from, we've found the machines over there default to checking so we transfer $$$ from savings to cover it in advance.

m_kingdom2

My card is designed to be accepted globally, so I assume that when I go abroad it will work, and so far I haven't been proved wrong.

cmeyer54

and yes, do call the credit card companies. Visa will routinely deny charges if they think they are suspicious and charges from overseas seem to fall into that category. its embarrassing to say the least and a hassle to call them from the castle,restaurant, etc and explain that the charges are valid and you are standing right there. seems to not matter if the card is swiped or the number punched in.

mamc

With increased credit card fraud and identity theft, credit card companies are getting more and more watchful. We have travelled with the same old credit cards year in and year out and on our last trip to Paris, after we had been there 4 days, our card was rejected. They told us it was because of unusual spending patterns. We had another card and were able to contact the credit card company and get the card restored but it takes only a minute to call them before you leave - and saves a hassle.

kaudrey

On the flip side of the credit card question, do I really want to tell strangers in advance that my house will be empty?

Although I do have a neighbor get the mail, photocopy my passport, have credit card phone numbers in a separate place, etc, I have never told my card companies that I will be traveling abroad, and I have never had a problem yet.

But, I can understand why others do it, it's just not something I have found necessary.

Have a great trip, aduren!

Karen

aduren

It's funny, my first trip to Europe I didn't do ANY of this prep work - I also didn't use any sort of hidden wallet or anything, I just pranced around in my jewlery and fun purses and never had a problem! Didn't call my CC company either. Now that I'm doing all this prep work for this trip, I'll pro'ly get mugged, everything stolen, and credit cards declined oh well, c'est la vie

dln

Aduren, has anyone told you about the trip report requirement on Fodors?

FainaAgain

I just came from the bank, and a tourist was crying in there, a young girl needed cash, and her ATM card didn't work for some reason, the teller said she can help her if she has 2 pieces of ID, she had only one. So be prepared...

jonesie

And just to chime in one more time, the credit card companies are a lot more watchful about fraud these days, and frankly, I am glad. And most only accept changes/information if you are calling from your home phone (I have tried to call from work and they won't accept the information). Heck, I was called two months ago just because the purchase of plane tickets was a large amount and not my "usual spending pattern". Yes, it can be a pain, but much less of a pain that identity theft!!!

aduren

dln - no.... am I 'required' to give my trip plans before I go? I was planning to give one when I return (it's sure to be interesting!)

sheila

Chill, guys. Diff'rent strokes. I could NEVER do all that (my husband will tell you, doing ANY of it would be a major step forward

I've arrived in Cyprus with £9 Sterling when the banks were closed and I needed £25 Sterling for my hire car deposit.

I got to Barcelona one night at 10 o'clock to discover I'd left my driving licence behind.

I made it all the way to central London from Aberdeen once, without a bean or a card.

And I'm still here to tell the tale.

I've never had a credit card charge challenged whilst on holiday, Europe or the Caribbean (I don't think I owned a card, the last time I was in the US,

but I did once buy pizza for lunch in Aberdeen and champagne for some Fodorite friends who dining in New York, and the credit card company couldn't quite fathom how I could be in both places at once. LOL!

Sod it! What's the worst that could happen.

suze

Go Sheila! I like your style!! I can't imagine doing half the things listed above. I'm certainly not spending my day looking for a specific ATM. My earliest trips into the Caribbean I didn't even own a credit card. We thought we were fine with a couple hundred bucks in our pockets, that trip my boyfriend and I had 57 cents between us when we flew home.

One piece of advice I do follow was from Weadles... something about a huge glass of wine.

Patrick

Lots of good advice above. From personal experience the only thing I can think of to add is: if you're going to be gone for 5 months, remove the head of lettuce from your refrigerator before you go.