Getting Prepared to Travel Abroad - Tips Advice and Gear For Your Journey

View from the Tegelberg Cable Car in Schwangau, Germany

Paris Flea Market Shopping

Leaving your home country to experience a different landscape and culture can be one of the most rewarding experiences in your life, but it's also very stressful.  In 2018 Marina and I traveled to Europe, which was our first trip abroad together!  We love traveling efficiently and saving money on unnecessary expenses, but also appreciate the value of being comfortable and able to relax as much as possible.  We've traveled around the USA together, so flying and adapting to new environments isn't anything new for us together--but knowing what you'll need to pack and how to get around in another country can be tricky to anticipate.  In some ways, traveling is a lot easier with today's technology, especially smartphones that allow easy access to maps, email etc. However, there are lots of quirks to using your phones abroad, not to mention how different things can look on online versus in person.  So here are some tips we've learned in our travels, and we hope that this information will be useful to novice and experienced travelers who, like us, enjoy being prepared.  (okay, slightly over-prepared)

Building Your Itinerary

This seems easy--but if this is your first time abroad and you don't have a huge disposable income, it can actually be pretty challenging.  One way to potentially save yourself time and money is to use a local travel agency, or find a predetermined vacation online.  We love the website TravelZoo, which finds airline and hotel deals, and vacation packages for trips all over the world.  Even if you don't think you'll ever go on a group or guided tour across another country, sign up for their weekly e-mails to get some great ideas of where to go AND a starting point for your budget.  Our style of travel is pretty loose day-to-day, meaning we like to go at our own speed and visit a mix of shops, galleries, and attractions that we find interesting, while skipping some more touristy experiences with long lines and steep admission fees, so we don't personally use tour guides when visiting a city.  In other words, we like to be in control! 😎

Eat like a local!

It's also important to consider your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as your pet peeves, and how they may be a factor in certain locations.  If you have a lot of allergies, do some research of the seasons and times of year when pollen and debris are more or less prevalent.  If you hate being very hot or cold, look up the average temperatures during the year where you're going--we found sites like Holiday-Weather.com and Intellicast to be very useful when trying to get an idea of what weather to expect (and ultimately, what to pack).  If you are wanting a super relaxing vacation, maybe don't spend a lot of time in a busy city like Paris or London, nor should you plan long hiking excursions.  Or if you get bored easily and like to stay moving, a big city or a cluster of small cities may be your style.  And, most importantly, if you aren't willing to experience different cultures and overcome linguistic barriers, you might avoid countries where English isn't spoken widely (though stepping outside of your 'comfort zone' is a huge part of traveling!). 

So how did we decide where to go for our trip this year?   Our trip began in Paris for a few days, then to Munich for a few days, then two days in the Schwangau region of Germany to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, then back to Paris for a few more days.  This trip was partly our personal bucket-list to visit Paris together, and to experience the region of Germany from where our ancestors came.  Paris and Munich both have great public transportation systems, and there are lots of day-trips you can take from either city to surrounding areas using public transit, while keeping a "home base" so you don't have to keep changing hotels and hauling all your luggage everywhere.  Additionally, we spent a lot of time on YouTube researching things like "Top Places to Visit in Europe", "Things You'll Love and Hate About Paris," "Most Beautiful/Unique Vacation Spots in the World," etc.  This is a great way to get ideas of where to go and what to see and do, but unfortunately it gives you very little info on how much time you might want to spend in each city.   Still, we learned a lot from some of the lovely folks on YouTube, and here's a few of our favorite channels:  Wolters World   The Vaga Brothers   Rick Steeves  Exposa Travel

Versailles is a must-see!

Using some online and physical travel guides for Paris and Munich, we created a prioritized list of everything we wanted to see and do in each city.  We always take additional time to map out the locations of our top picks, in order to see which ones are near each other and could be done in the same day.  If you do this in advance, you'll be surprised how much you can squeeze into each day!  If you want somebody else to guide you around a city or at an attraction, the site Viator can be helpful, though you'll obviously pay more than you would doing it on your own.  For our upcoming trip, I printed out a few blank calendars for the month we plan to travel, and sketched out all the possible itineraries for our trip--again this takes a while, but it helped me re-organize the trip in a way that minimized the amount of time spent in transit and the number of times we would have to change hotels.

We even go so far as to think about what metro lines and stops are closest to our planned spots to visit.  This can save you a lot of time and stress--but don't think your plans are foolproof!  Expect the unexpected because metro lines close unexpectedly for maintenance or you may miss the train/bus you needed, and you may have to think quickly to ensure you make your train/flight on time.  Familiarizing yourself with the transit systems in advance is highly recommended--you should also download digital copies (images or PDFs) of maps to your phone in advance, so that if you cannot access cell service you'll still have a way to navigate. Of course most stations also have printed maps for free, but handling these giant maps is a pain and makes it clear to pick-pockets you are a tourist.

Paris Metro System

Zurich Metro System

The Munich S-Bahn System

When you've finally got a rough outline of where you'd like to go, it's time to start actually shopping for airfare, which can be pretty stressful in itself.  Of course it's good to check for special deals first, using TravelZoo or another site; then, it's good to use a site like Kayak or GoEuro to see the price differences for your flights on different days and at different airports (being flexible can save you hundreds of dollars!).  Online you can see some flights are "operated by" an airline different than the one selling the ticket--the operating airline is with whom you'll be flying.  If you're concerned about the quality of the airline or aircraft, the websites Skytrax and SeatGuru compile ratings and reviews on airlines and their planes, respectively.  Just remember, for every negative experience that gets posted online, there are hundreds of positive experiences that people don't bother to post, so don't let the reviews scare you out of traveling!  If you research all the policies in advance and try to adhere to them, you can greatly decrease the chances of having a negative experience.  Airlines have different policies for the number and size of bags that are approved for carry-on, so be sure to check the airline's website for information and avoid extra fees.  In general, the cheaper the flight, the more restrictions there will be on your carry-on items--airlines like EasyJet and RyanAir may look miraculously cheap, but be sure to read all the fine print.

If you're going to a few different countries, try changing the order in which you visit them (e.g. France-Italy-Germany versus Italy-Germany-France), as this can save you hundreds of dollars as well.  After lots of research we bought our tickets directly through Norwegian Air (to and from Paris) and AirFrance (Paris --> Munich round-trip)--you'll usually get the same prices this way, plus you can check their carry-on baggage limits, prices for in-flight meals, and other policies.
Sometimes, high-speed trains are an easier method of traveling between cities and neighboring countries, and you can check prices and transit times on the mass-transit website typically for the country you are starting in (the official sites for public transit in your departure city will have the most complete and accurate times and prices for available routes).  In many cases a four-hour train ride will take up just as much of your time as a two-hour flight, when you factor how long it takes getting to the airport, going through security checks, plus getting to the airport early--and the prices are often pretty similar.  As with flights, train ticket prices can vary widely depending on the departure date and time--buying your tickets a couple months early and being flexible in your travel days can save you hundreds of dollars!


TIP:  Resist the urge to visit lots of different countries in a short amount of time (e.g. 5 countries in a week).  Remember that at least half of each of your arrival and departure days from the USA will be taken up by the flight, getting to and from the airport or train station, buying transit tickets or renting a car, checking in to your lodging (usually after 3pm for hotels), unloading luggage, etc.  And you can count on a few curveballs too, like train/flight delays, subway line closures, or your hotel room not being ready--leave plenty of time between your connecting flights/trains, expect the unexpected and stay flexible!

Once you've got your itinerary and your flights booked, the next step is to secure your lodging.  We use the internet to book our hotels also, usually referencing TripAdvisor, and ultimately using Expedia or Booking.com to make the reservation.  Depending on when you're traveling, and how much you want to handle on your own while abroad, things like in-room climate control, on-site breakfast (free or usually paid), laundry machines/services, and proximity to transit stops/stations should just as important as the overall quality of the hotel.  If you are traveling to a city where the hotels are all either very expensive or very poor quality, check AirBnB as well.  Generally speaking, you can find clean and comfortable lodging in most large cities between $90-$125/night very easily. 

Pack Your Bags!

Marina wore a great vintage pack that her dad used in his travels, plus a rugged NorthFace fanny pack, and I bought a 50Litre capacity backpack that was a steal on Amazon--and of course, our passports and credit cards were always in our travel belts.  Here are some other suggestions for packing, based on our international trips with just our backpacks.

- Lightweight, versatile breathable waterproof jacket

- Waterproof covering for your main backpack/bag (poncho or large plastic bag are cheap options)

- Packing Cubes  (Efficient and keep your clothes organized)
- 1-qt. Ziploc bag & spares  (One for your liquids, one in case the first one rips, and one for snacks etc)
- Plastic grocery bags for dirty laundry
- Re-usable Packable bag (Most airlines allow a carry-on 'personal item' which can be a shopping bag)
- Lightweight Backpack/Day-Bag  (Something easy to pack that is comfortable to wear all day)
- 5-7 Days worth of clothing  (Don't bring 14 outfits for a two-week trip!  Think ahead about when you'll have time to do laundry, based on your itinerary)
- Extra Shoes/Sandals?  If you have the space, and are worried about your feet in the hotel showers or need a nicer pair of shoes for business meetings.  Otherwise, just bring a comfortable pair of walking/running/hiking shoes that you've already worn in
- Travel-size tissues (In case a public toilet has no toilet paper!)
- Shampoo that can be bodywash (Why bring both?  Most hotels will provide them anyways)
- Neosporin (Serves many purposes)
- Small Cologne/Perfume (You stink, and so does your dirty laundry!)
- Travel-size sunscreen (Unless you are naturally tan)
- Shaving Cream & Razor (Normal or disposable razor like Gillette Mach 3 etc. are OK for carry-on!)
- 100% Poly/Nylon or Blend clothing (Dries much faster than 100% cotton, important if you will wash clothes in the sink--pants and shorts can be tricky to find, but check labels on your current wardrobe before buying all new stuff!)
- Travel-size laundry detergent  (Crucial if you are doing your laundry in the sink--you can also buy some once you arrive, but the cost will be much greater.  You can find small Tide packets at Target/CVS, or more natural products online)
- Electrical Outlet Adapter w/ USB  (Not all hotels/trains will have a USB outlet for you--check the plug-type for each country--Swiss is different than UK, for example)
- Backup phone power-supply (VERY useful if you're using your phone to take photos and navigate!)

You should also take a photo of your passport on your phone, and also email it to yourself and a family member, in case you lose all your possessions and need help at the Embassy.  Also make sure that your debit/credit card have a chip, and an associated pin-number--if you need to add a pin to a card, call your provider, or else it probably won't work overseas.



Leaving on a Jet Plane...

We have flown with Norwegian Airlines non-stop between Orlando, FL and Paris twice now, on their 787 Dreamliner.  The economy seats and entertainment options were pretty good, but we are both light sleepers so the long overnight flight without a break was pretty miserable after midway.  The staff was nice but because we hadn't ordered a meal, they didn't really acknowledge our existence for most of the flight.  TIP: Bring a simple but filling meal with you on-board long flights, and a drink.  You can save money by bringing an empty bottle of water through security, then fill it up at the airport's water fountain.  Jet-lag is pretty much unavoidable on an international flight, and we don't recommend taking any drugs to try and combat it--simply staying well hydrated and taking a multi-vitamin the day before and after your flight can go a long way to minimize the effects.  Over-night flights are tricky and some people try to adjust their sleep schedule BEFORE the flight, but we like to be fully alert when leaving our home and navigating the airport.  Another option is to instead stay awake as long as you can on your flight and get a small amount of sleep, then take a one-hour nap when you arrive at your hotel--by the time night rolls around again, you'll be exhausted and ready to sleep at the new time (although your first day will be a bit of a blur).

 

Finally, You've Arrived!
Every airport is different, and thankfully most foreign airports and transit hubs have translated their directional signs into English, but don't be surprised or embarrassed if you have to ask for help.  Also airport and train station architecture can be very cool--if you have time, take a casual stroll and relax a little by enjoying the shops or artwork on display.  Make use of the free wi-fi to make sure all your phone apps are up to date and you've downloaded all your travel info to your phone, for offline access.

 

Arriving in a foreign airport can be disorienting and stressful for many reasons.  Stay level-headed and take your time, make sure your phone connects to the local satellites and use the airport's free wifi to let your family know you're alive.  Plan ahead what method you want to use to get from the airport to your next stop--and even with English being available at train ticket kiosks, and doing research in advance, don't be embarrassed to ask for help, especially on your first attempt!  Take advantage of the helpful locals available at airports and the larger train stations, because they often won't be at the smaller stations in-town.

Out on the Town

Be ready to desperately search for bathrooms in a panic, and for some odd fixtures (or lack thereof)...  Paris had public toilets spread around, though mostly in areas with lots of tourist traffic, and they were pretty disgusting (we found a used condom in one).  We had the best luck with shopping malls, museums, large metro stations, and large/chain restaurants--but keep in mind that malls and touristy restaurants will probably charge you (50c-1 euro) and there may be a line of people.  But, it sure beats those gross public ones!

If you pack light, be prepared to do laundry!  Research whether your hotel/AirBnB has laundry facilities, and plan accordingly (one of our hotel's was out of order, and at another it was 20euro, so we did ours by hand).  Polyester and nylon (full or blended with cotton) fabrics will dry faster than 100% cotton and denim, and places like Target and CVS should have travel-size packets of laundry detergent.  You may want to bring a 5-foot length of string or light rope, so you can hang some items easily.  TIP: Don't hand-wash your clothes the day before you have to re-pack to change hotels--they'll probably not be dry yet when you pack your bags again.  If you need to speed up the drying, check if your lodging has an iron, or try to find a spot where the sun will hit your clothes for a while.f

Be Smart, Use Your Phone
Check with your service provider well before your travel begins to find out what sort of international coverage is offered.  Verizon's TravelPass worked great for us, because we are familiar with finding wifi hotspots on the go, and had all of our travel info stored on our phones for offline use.  In other countries you won't be connecting to Verizon or Sprint for cellular service--assuming your phone has an international SIM card, you'll be jumping onto networks you've never seen before like Orange or Bouygues, and paying your USA provider some sort of fee for making phone calls and using data.

Hands-down the best TIP we got before leaving was that even with cellular data and roaming turned off (leave voice roaming ON), our iPhones (6s) could still use GPS through Google Maps if you download the maps you need in advance!  You can also add shops and attractions to your Favorites in the app, which makes it easy to see what's nearby.  Similarly, in the Google Translate app you'll want to download the languages you may need help with, and basic features of the app can be used offline.  We recommend you print out your itinerary, email it to yourself, and take a photo of it on your phone--we found the latter to be the especially useful.  And finally, most major airlines offer apps that often can be used to check-in and print your boarding pass, a lifesaver if you lose your papers (or worse)--they may also offer email or texting of your boarding pass.

There are so many great apps available for travel, but keep in mind that they all take up some of your phone's storage space, and some can only be used with an active cellular or wifi connection.  So, test out the apps before you leave your home country and make sure they're worth bringing along.  Using your phone constantly for apps and taking photos will obviously drain the battery, too--we highly recommend bringing a backup battery charger, which totally saved us several times.  And as scary as it is, let your phone replace most of your travel books--your bags will be lighter, and you'll be less visible as a tourist.  The one book you may want to bring is a simple phrase book for travelers, in case your phone isn't working--alternatively, there are some great apps to help you learn the language used where you're traveling.  You won't become fluent in a month, but knowing simple greetings, #1-10, hot/cold, foods you love/hate, and "do you speak English?" are extremely helpful.

More Money, More Problems
It's a good idea to research the currency of the country(s) you're visiting, both what they use (not all European countries use the Euro!) and the current average conversion rate for US dollars.  Most large banks can quickly change a few hundred US dollars to Euros or British pounds, so you have some cash before you depart on your journey.  TIP:  There's no sense in taking a LOT of cash as long as your debit/credit card has a pin number and a chip in it, and you are comfortable with the service fees associated with using your card(s) internationally.  For example, we primarily used our bank debit card and the fees were at most $1 for each transaction (we never spent more than about $50 at a time, though)--most banks have a flat % fee rate per transaction, but check before you go on your trip!  The two of us used a total of about 350euros cash during our two-week trip to Paris and Germany, mostly at small eateries or a couple times when the metro-ticket machines weren't accepting cards, and the rest of our spending was all on debit/credit card. 

One final word on safety--ideally nothing bad at all will happen on your trip, but if you want to cover all your bases it's a good idea to let the government (as well as your closest family) know about your travel plans in advance (STEP program) and to review current safety information for countries around the world plus providing your emergency contacts.  If you travel a lot you can also sign up for certain programs that get you through security faster, though they are mostly geared toward folks traveling frequently to Canada and Mexico.  Be sure to keep an eye on changes to requirements for visiting European Union countries in 2021--you'll need to register through the ETIAS system.  And don't forget to make copies (digital and/or physical) of your passport and travel documents.

Thank you for reading and feel free to ask questions here, we will do our best to answer.  We are adding more blog posts soon with more specific information about our trips, as well.  Safe travels everybody!