i agree with Christina, "tourist talk" is worse than useless unless you know what you are saying and why. what is the point of knowing how to say "I want 2 apples" if what you want are 3 oranges?

That's why the Michel Thomas approach is so good - you know what you are saying and why, and you learn how to respond to answers you might hear, which is very useful.

We just finished a 20-day trip to Germany and I found the Pimsleur language course to be very helpful. Germany was so amazing and beautiful that I still cannot put together my trip report because I can't narrow it down enough!!