Tips for a European Trip
So you want to tour Europe? You’ll have a ball! Here are some basic tips to help ensure your trip goes smoothly:
Getting around
To travel from city to city, you have three options: Planes, trains, or automobiles!
Flying seems an obvious choice, given the wide range of cheap fares. However, to get those cheap fares, you’ll have to book well in advance, and conditions are strict (you may lose your money if you need to change the date). Also, be aware that budget airlines often fly out of small airports, a long way out of town. By the time you have traveled for an hour or more to get to the airport (and arrived at least an hour before your flight), then waited at the baggage claim at the other end, then traveled for another hour or more to get to your destination, a one-hour flight can easily eat up five or six hours of your time.
Finally, bear in mind that cheap airlines are no frills: read the small print (for instance, if you get stranded because a flight is delayed or miss your connection, most won’t help with accommodation, and if they lose your luggage, they won’t compensate you).
If you’re considering driving, remember that road rules and signs (and driver behaviour) will be unfamiliar, so you’re going to get stressed and tired more quickly than at home and also that petrol in Europe is horrendously expensive. Car rental is not cheap, and it is often more economical to buy a car and sell it again when you leave. There are several schemes that offer this service, which includes a guaranteed buy-back price.
Travelling by train in Europe is clean, efficient and so inexpensive these days that most Eurail passes just aren’t worth buying. You can cover long distances while you sleep for about the same cost as a hotel room. Of course, they are slower than flying so you have to factor in that extra time but the train stations are usually in the middle of town, you don’t have to get there hours beforehand, and you get to see the countryside as you travel! You do have to book a seat on most trains, but in most cases you can book up to a few minutes before the train leaves, either at the ticket office or at automated ticket machines in the station.
Once you’re at your destination, you’ll find you can book day or half-day coach tours in most European cities. The “hop on, hop off” city sightseeing tours are usually the best option, because you choose how long you want to stay at each sight, instead of being herded on and off the bus according to someone else’s timetable!
Accommodation
In most European cities, there is a tourist office or accommodation bureau where you can simply rock up and book a hotel for the night however, you’ll pay a high price for the privilege! In the past, booking at the last minute would get you a discount deal: nowadays, all the discounts for European hotels are on the internet, and must be booked at least a day in advance.
If you know where you are going, get on the net and book all your hotels before you go. If you don’t have a fixed itinerary, you’ll need to make regular stops at internet cafes during your trip, to book hotels a day or two ahead.
Money
These days, you could travel all over Europe with just a credit card. But what happens if the card gets lost or stolen? It doesn’t always get replaced as fast as the ads claim! To be safe, take some travellers’ cheques and some Euros as well. If you are going to Turkey or Egypt, take US dollars you’ll be very popular! Buy a money belt that you wear under your clothes, but keep it for spare cash only (you don’t want to give the whole game away by reaching into your undies to pay a bill!).
Documents
Some countries refuse entry to people whose passports are due to expire within six months even if you are only planning to stay for a week or two. Illogical though it may seem, it’s a fact of life so make sure your passport has at least another six months to run, and if it doesn’t, renew it before you go. Take a photocopy of your passport, airline ticket, insurance policy, travellers’ cheques etc before you go, and leave the copies with friends or family, in case they get lost or stolen.
Health
Do you take regular medication? You may have trouble getting the medication overseas, so make sure you have enough to last your trip. Always take a copy of your prescription with you: it will be useful if you lose your luggage and need to get emergency supplies, and it will also prove you have a right to hold the medical supplies in your luggage ( and are not a drug smuggler!).
Insurance
As the old saying goes, “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel”. Don’t leave home without it, and make sure you tell the truth on the application. If you withhold any information (such as a pre-existing condition, or the fact that you intend to go bungy-jumping), the whole policy could be invalid.
Packing
If you’re moving around a lot, a suitcase that seemed light at the start of the trip can soon weigh a ton! A backpack is a good option but it can still weigh heavy: unless you’re going to be doing a lot of walking, a suitcase on wheels may be the best bet, perhaps with a backpack as your carry-on bag (you can use it for day trips, too). Or choose a backpack with wheels, so you can switch according to the situation.
Whatever you choose, give careful thought to what you pack. Most people pack too much – you want to travel light.
Photo with thanks to Adam Sporka on Flickr