I am leaving on my first trip to europe on fri (YEAH!). I am flying into Rome and out of London within a 4 week period. I plan on covering Italy, Switerland, France and England within that time by the trains. Does anybody have any last minute tips that would help? Anything would help. Thanks alot!!

Hi Sara!! Bon Voyage, sounds like a wonderful trip. My only tip is, and I am sure this will be seconded... pack light light light! Be polite, take vitamins and use hand sanitizer where ever you go (start on the plane). Nearly everyone catches some kind of cold the first time they are overseas.Strange food, lots of public transportation, odd hours.Try to be healthy and you will have a great trip, especially if you learn to say at least 4 words in the language of every country you are visiting (and this should be required, I believe before you get on the plan) "hello" "goodbye" "please" and "thank you" it doesn't hurt to know "where is the bathroom" and "how much does it cost?" either!!! Bon VOYAGE!

Sara <BR>I second the above, and add that for such a wonderfully long trip, try to keep a travel journal. Even if all you do is jot down a few words on what places you visited each day, it will help you organize your photos after you get home. The more you write, the more you will remember and cherish, and it won't seem like such a vague blur later. <BR>It will also help you pass along details to others, like people on this forum. <BR>Have a wonderful trip

1) View unfortunate experiences as a chance to create a funny anecdote for later retelling. <BR>2) Take pictures and don't worry about artistic content. <BR>3) Eat something weird at least once. <BR>4) Make a fuss over somebody's child or pet; even if you don't speak each other's language, you'll communicate just fine. <BR>5) Take a travel pack of baby wipes. You'll thank me. Take a handful of foil-wrapped handwipes (like the kind you get at rib joints; you can buy them in drugstores now). <BR>6) Do not promise postcards to anyone; if you don't have the time or money to meet the obligation, you'll fret. <BR>7) If you have extra room, pack more socks. <BR>8) Buy your heavy souvenirs at the end of your trip. <BR> <BR> <BR>

1) One pair of stylish black shoes will go with everything - but, make sure they're VERY comfy, for lots of walking! <BR> <BR>2) Definitely agree with the hand sanitizer (no water needed). <BR> <BR>3) Bring a day-pack. You'll be glad you did, when you pick up brochures from all the museums/other cool places you visit. Also, it will help keep your camera and water bottles handy at all times. <BR> <BR>4) Make sure you bring some starter currency for each country you'll visit. <BR> <BR>5) HAVE FUN, HAVE FUN, HAVE FUN!!!!!

Take your own facecloth!! You won't get one in most European hotels!! <BR> <BR>Have fun!

Thanks for the tips! What about money? What does everyone suggest?

money? ATM cards. if there are no strikes going on (France) you will get no better exchange rate than the ATMs. <BR> <BR>If you must carry travelers checks for security, don't change cash at train stations etc.

I always land with a little native cash in my pocket, make that money belt. Just enough to get a cab, make a call, buy a beverage/newspaper/munchie just in case you can't find an ATM. You can go to a Thomas Cook, or call them or American Express and they can deliver it to you, but if you leave Fri. it might be too late. You can get US dollars exchanged at the airport, you are flying out of, (I would assume).One time my best girlfriend and I landed in Paris late at night, no French money, no banks open.. ATM broken and got stranded at the airport until the next day not terribly fun.. But as Elvira the Wise mentioned in her post... it makes for a funny anectdote all these years later and it gets more dismall each time one of us tells it.

Find out about days open/times of sites/restaurants you really don't want to miss BEFORE your trip. <BR> <BR>Take a photocopy of your passport to carry with you each day. Leave your passport in the hotel vault where it can't get lost or stolen. <BR> <BR>Pack a copy of your itinerary in an outside unlocked compartment of your luggage in case it gets lost. (dates/hotels and their telephone numbers) <BR> <BR>Pack cosmetics and shoes in plastic zip lock bags and bring a bunch extra (big and small) <BR> <BR>Pack an extra foldable, checkable bag and lock to come home with extra purchases if you'll be shopping. <BR> <BR>Bring an ATM card with a 4 digit pincode to get local currency wherever you go. It's the best exchange rate and ATM machines are prevalent. <BR> <BR>Good walking shoes. Sunblock. Go off your diet while you're there. Have fun!!!!!

any time i go to a new place i try to jot a little note to myself about what i expect to see and experience. then, when i return, or sometime along the journey, i take a look at it. i always learn something new about myself and my preconceptions by doing this... a bit philisophical, but my advice, none-the-less. <BR> <BR>on a more practical note, atms and credit cards are my preferred methods of getting cash or paying. the last 2 trips i have not even touched my traveler's cheques, so i think i will stop carrying them altogether. <BR> <BR>have a wonderful trip.

Hi, <BR> <BR>You know, something else I do which has proved to be useful: <BR> <BR>I take notes of things I want to do or see (or buy, for that matter - as in, olive oil in Italy - where's the good shops, etc.), and include addresses or opening times or other vital stats... and put them all on one (computer printed) document - usually just one sheet of paper. this can even include websites of things I might want to look up before I leave... <BR> <BR>not exactly a "top ten" list, but something like that (it's usually just a bunch of rough ideas jumbled together one one sheet of paper - but at least it is typed and readable). <BR> <BR>It really can cut down on the amount of guidebooks you need to carry around with you - or need to thumb through to find that gem you really wanted to find but now can't find it because you put it in that other pack which is in the trunk as you hurtle down the road to your next destination. <BR> <BR>a lot of times I will take these notes from either library books, or a stack of books at Borders. I always buy a couple of guidebooks for myself to read (and notate from) but I kinda like relazing at Borders with ten guidebooks on the table... and culling the tidbits from them. gets me in the mood for traveling! <BR> <BR>plus, if you only have say one day in Dublin, and you have made a handy dandy list of ten things you'd like to try to fit in with phone numbers and addresses, it sure saves on time... (no, I can't fit in ten things in one day - but it is a memory jogger to say the least...) <BR> <BR>just thoughts. feel free to call me anal retentive at will! <BR> <BR <BR> <BR>Beth