There are a lot of things that I wish I had known before I first travelled across the ocean when I was fifteen. I've made the trip a few times since, and I learn more every time. Some of lessons I have learned really cannot be stressed enough, so I've made a list of them. Study it. Memorise it. At some point, there will be a test.
Seriously, though; these tips will make your trip far less stressful and, consequently, that much more enjoyable.
The Top Ten (in no particular order)
10. Don't just tell your family that you're going away; call your credit card company, too.
There is nothing more awkward than attempting to make your first fabulous purchase on Visa or MasterCard, only to have it declined. Especially if you don't speak enough of the country's language to stammer an embarrassed explanation. If you attempt to make purchases across the ocean from your billing address, your credit card company has no way of knowing that you're the one swiping the card. Unless you tell them. They may choose to block your card, in case of fraud. (That's not a bad thing; you would want your card blocked if someone other than you were trying to use it.) So, to avoid making long and expensive international calls to clear up the situation, just give your credit card company a quick call before you leave. Let them know where you're going, and how long you'll be there, and you should have a worry-free shopping experience.
9. Travellers' cheques are virtually useless.
They have their perks, granted. Unlike cash, you can replace them if they are lost or stolen. However, they are difficult- sometimes almost impossible- to cash. Most stores don't accept them as a form of payment. You can take them to a bank or currency exchange, but, unless you have a bank account in Europe, you will most likely be subject to cheque-cashing fees. Or simply turned away all-together. Your best bet is to take some cash, along with your debit and credit cards. As long as you use them at a point-of-sale machine and don't go over your monthly limit, those cards shouldn't charge additional overseas fees.
8. Travel during the off-season.
The list of reasons to travel at non-peak times is almost endless. Airfares are cheaper. Accommodations are cheaper. For those reasons alone, the off-season is ideal for a budget traveller. Moreover, public transport is less crowded. Lines are shorter. Most attractions are open all year, aside from a few theme parks (Parc Astérix in France, for example, is only open April to November.) If you have your heart set on seeing something specific, just make sure to investigate before you leave. Western European countries have relatively mild weather year-round, making sight-seeing just as pleasant in January as it is in July. It's easier to see those sights in January, though, because the crowds of people clamouring to look at them are a great deal smaller at that time of year.
7. Skip the hotel; rent a vacation apartment.
If you plan to stay in any given place for more than two nights, a vacation apartment is the way to go. Although hotels do come in many price brackets, apartments offer even more convenience- generally for less money. There are countless websites offering vacation rental apartments; vrbo.com is particularly good as they offer apartments world-wide. I have also used ahparis.com and had wonderful experiences with them. Some apartments start at as little as 50 Euros a night. Compared to a budget room at an Etap or Formule 1 hotel, which, depending on the city, could cost anywhere from 40 to 90 Euros a night, a furnished room with an equipped kitchen is a steal. If you're staying in Europe for a few weeks, or even a few months, the cost savings over hotels is astounding. Math is not my forte, so I haven't worked it out exactly, but for a stay of several months, some apartments could cost less than hostels. And nothing beats the convenience of having a home-away-from-home to go to after a long day of sight-seeing. You can cook your own meals in an apartment. And if you have your "own" place, you will have a certain amount of storage. That means you don't have to drag your whole suitcase, new clothes and all, every time you visit a new city.
6. Avoid bargain-basement airlines.
It is, sadly, both cheaper and faster to travel between most European cities by plane than by train. Unless the cities in question are less than two hours apart, you're almost invariably better off in the air than on land, even with the time wasted going through airport security checkpoints. I recommend experiencing train travel once. But if you're moving from country to country regularly, the train just isn't efficient or cost-effective. However, not all airlines are created equal. Even if you're trying to see Europe on a minimal budget, avoid airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet. Do not book with either of these airlines unless you have absolutely no other option. Ryanair only flies out of the most inconveniently located airports in Europe. For example, they fly out of Paris-Beauvais, an airport located over an hour outside of the city limits that can only be reached by car or by taking a special chartered bus that costs 13 Euros each direction. By the time you add that amount to the cost of your flight, you could have flown on a better airline. To add insult to injury, these airlines leave themselves only 40 minutes between flights, so they are constantly running behind.
I highly recommend both Air Berlin and Fly Niki. If you book in advance they have excellent prices, often comparable to those of Ryanair, and their service is phenomenal.
5. Eat street food. Lots of it.
Beyond the obvious fact that a lemon crêpe in Paris or a paper box of stir fry prepared in a open-air tent in Berlin will blow your average North American hotdog cart hotdog right out of the water, street food is economical. If you're near a tourist attraction and starving, all of your food options will be more costly than if you were further afield. But as long as you're not married to the idea of sitting on a chair at a table, you can have good food for a relatively low price. It costs a lot less to rent a cart than it does to rent a whole restaurant, and your bill will reflect that cost. Street vendors tend to do paninis better than restauranteurs, anyway.
4. Money-belts are not a necessity; common sense is.
There is nothing I find more uncomfortable than walking around all day wearing what basically amounts to a flattened fanny pack under my pants. Even more awkward than that is having to reach into my pants to retrieve money when paying for a purchase. People do get mugged when travelling. But they also get mugged when they're walking down the street in their hometown. That's life. It's as safe to carry a purse with a wallet in it in Europe as it is in North America. That said, do not, under any circumstances, carry your wallet in your back pocket. Most jackets have inner pockets that are perfect for holding wallets. Furthermore, don't do things you wouldn't do at home. Be aware of people around you, especially if you're somewhere crowded. If possible, do not carry your passport everywhere you go. (If you are staying in an apartment this is easy; otherwise, try to book a hotel with a safe.) Don't carry all of your cash on your person. Ever. Finally, try to blend in. If you are less conspicuous, you will be a more difficult target for pickpockets.
3. There is no such thing as too many pairs of shoes.
You will be doing a lot of walking. In fact, you will walk exponentially more than you normally do, especially if you own a car. That does not mean you need to buy a new pair of shiny white cross trainers. You will look ridiculous. And your feet will still hurt. If you walk more than you're used to walking, that's what happens. In my experience, the best thing to do is pack several pairs of reasonably comfortable shoes. If you try to wear the same ones every day, you will get blisters. Theoretically, a regular rotation of three or four pairs should spare you from that. Of course, in an ideal situation, you would pack three or four pairs of shoes and buy six or eight more along the way...
2. Even if you don't speak the language, try. Please.
I know that all of my readers are intelligent, practical people and would never assume that everyone in the world speaks English simply because they do. I have encountered many people who entertain that assumption, but I know that none of you are among them, so I will not mention it further. What I will mention is something that I have learned from experience. First of all, before you leave, jot down basic words in the languages you'll encounter on your travels; phrases like please, thank-you and where is the bathroom are essential. Secondly, please, please do not be like me and leave your notes in your hotel room. Being able to read the Cyrillic alphabet and being able to speak Bulgarian are two very different things, and I am certain that my pastry purchasing adventures in Sofia would have gone infinitely more smoothly if I brought along the cheat notes that I had so diligently prepared.
1. Maps offer suggestions, not rules.
I would never recommend that you simply wander through a country aimlessly, thereby missing out on many of the architectural marvels and stunning gallery pieces. But be sure to do some wandering. Put your map away. Don't worry about getting lost; as long as you can find a bus or subway station, you'll be able to find a way back to your hotel. I don't advocate skipping the Eiffel Tower simply because you've seen it in pictures. Or even if you've seen it before. But there is so much more to every city than the few landmarks that made it famous.You'll find real gems through unmarked doors and on back streets. For example, there is a museum beneath the floors of Sofia's Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This crypt houses Bulgarian religious icons. No sign marks the door, though; it's simply to the left of the main cathedral entrance. There is also rue Saint-André-des-Arts in Paris, a tiny alcove street with pocked cobbles that haven't been replaced for centuries, that can only be reached through two tiny doorways in the narrow, snaking streets near Place-Saint-Michel. One wrong turn, and you'll miss it.
Unexpected things are easy to find if you open your eyes. But it's hard to do that if you're constantly studying a map, searching for street names.
Oh, and one more thing; enjoy yourself! Your memories will last for the rest of your life, so make them good ones!
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