Pre-Tour - Getting Ready to Go!
This might get a little "wordy", but this stuff can really affect your trip!
...We'll start with, what did we bring with us?
Ah, the great debate of what, and how much do I bring to Europe?! By now you've watched the shows, read the books, read the articles, scoured through other scrapbook pages, listened to your friends tell you "how crazy" you are for thinking you could go for so long with so little....and you still might be on the fence regarding what the best way to go is. Well we did the backpack only method and we recommend it! Each one of us picked up one of the Rick Steves' Convertible Carry On backpacks, a set of packing cubes, stuffed it full and away we went. We started a little unsure we made the right choice, but by the end of the trip, I think we could have taken much less! We were able to do basic laundry in the sink or tub, visit a laundromat with some down-time in Munich and overall..we still had too much stuff with us. The packing cubes and backpacks worked out very well for us, they were easy to get through the airport inspections, stops on the bus, walks between locations, you name it. The small things help make your trip so you can focus on getting out and exploring Europe! |
Bring that money belt!
[ sorry, no interesting pick-pocket story behind that! :) ] All of the printed and supplied advice regarding money belts is spot-on! Sure, you won't be parading around any fashion shows in Paris while wearing your money belt, but you will certainly feel safe. It is one of the many small things you can do to ease your mind on things that you really shouldn't be "worried" about the entire trip. As Rick mentions, putting a printed list of contacts, credit card phone numbers [international], all of your hotels, etc will certainly help you if the unexpected occurs. We also placed the contact information of our Guides and all the hotels we would be staying out in each of our money belts! This way if we got separated, we would know where to go next! The weather in May was brisk for a decent portion of the trip. Mike wore a jacket that had a front zipper on his chest. Not knowing until he needed it, it was very handy for the stuff you do need while you're out and about. He kept his wallet there, cell phone and maps. A location "out of the normal" with just his hands on his backpack straps through crowds kept those things well tucked away! |
Thinking about bringing a smart phone?
Yes, you are going on vacation and you don't "need" a phone...and we agree! But....we brought one! We didn't use it to call anyone, but we were able to hop on the WiFi [usually at the hotel] and Skype with friends and family back home. It was a bit interesting to mesh time-zones, but it was nice to keep our loved ones up-to-date with how we were and what we were doing.
If you are worried about "roaming" or extra fees, our AT&T iPhone didn't accrue any additional fees while it was on in Europe with - Airplane Mode - enabled the entire time. Even with Airplane mode on, you can enable WiFi use [Settings > WiFi > On] and enjoy being able to send photos, update your FaceBook, or even look up walking routes before you leave the WiFi spot. Perfect for those spur-of-the-moment decisions to adventure! Bringing a phone was definitely not a necessity, but a handy tool to have.
Having a phone on you is also handy for recording things you may need to refer to. Every morning Colleen would post our daily agenda; where we were heading, contact numbers, hotel address, etc, etc. Sure we could write it all down, but snapping a picture of it and moving on was pretty handy!
If you are worried about "roaming" or extra fees, our AT&T iPhone didn't accrue any additional fees while it was on in Europe with - Airplane Mode - enabled the entire time. Even with Airplane mode on, you can enable WiFi use [Settings > WiFi > On] and enjoy being able to send photos, update your FaceBook, or even look up walking routes before you leave the WiFi spot. Perfect for those spur-of-the-moment decisions to adventure! Bringing a phone was definitely not a necessity, but a handy tool to have.
Having a phone on you is also handy for recording things you may need to refer to. Every morning Colleen would post our daily agenda; where we were heading, contact numbers, hotel address, etc, etc. Sure we could write it all down, but snapping a picture of it and moving on was pretty handy!