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my euro trip is coming up...

HybridSquirrel

HybridSquirrel

Diamond Member
any precautions i should know about? anything been going around in the news lately? im pretty excited i just havent realy been keeping up on current events as of late. still trying to decide if i should take a smaller backpack and a small samsonite. or a big backpack and a small backpack
 
If you are doing lots of walking and moving around you will like using a backpack better. It will be much easier to deal with stairs.

Events...Euro at historic highs, Pound at 30 yr highs, many political rifts between US and the EU......
Originally posted by: sandorski
Keep your money where you won't get pick pocketed. Have fun!
Click to expand...

Great point! Had cousins that lots their money belts on a train! I've heard the neck things are the best and be descrete when getting money out.
 
Originally posted by: HybridSquirrel
any precautions i should know about? anything been going around in the news lately? im pretty excited i just havent realy been keeping up on current events as of late. still trying to decide if i should take a smaller backpack and a small samsonite. or a big backpack and a small backpack
Click to expand...

Take a big backpack (for your main stuff) and a small backpack (to keep accessible things and day touring). The big backpack will allow you to get around obstacles a suitcase won't allow. People know this.....this is why Euro travelers are called backpackers! 😉

Sign up for an online bank like USAA (best), Charles Schwab (best), American Bank, etc. They'll refund any ATM fees you incur while still paying you interest. Never use an FX counter. Only use the ATM for your cash needs as you'll get the best rates. Also sign up for a Capitol One Visa card, since they have no foreign fees on charges (one of the only banks still left that do this).

Keep your backpack in sight of you at all times. Pickpocketers/thieves abound....don't take them for granted!! Use a money belt.

For photos, use a Panasonic TZ3. It's the most flexible tourist camera built today...a WIDE 28mm to capture buildings/side streets and landscapes while offering a long zoom of 280mm on the other end for focusing on far away things! Buy LOTS of memory (which is CHEAP nowadays) for this trip so you can take video clips of special things.

Take advantage of internet cafes (which are everywhere) to communicate and book events/stuff cheaply.

And TRY to learn a couple of handy phrases in their language. They most likely will speak some English but you'll get waaaay farther with them if you initiate the conversation FIRST in their language.


Have fun! It'll be the time of your life! 😀
 
dont forget to have fun!!

<---jealous

whats your itinerary like? or is it more of a spontaneous thing ?

where are you flying into? how much was your ticket? how long are you going ?
 
Originally posted by: dr150
Originally posted by: HybridSquirrel
any precautions i should know about? anything been going around in the news lately? im pretty excited i just havent realy been keeping up on current events as of late. still trying to decide if i should take a smaller backpack and a small samsonite. or a big backpack and a small backpack
Click to expand...

Take a big backpack (for your main stuff) and a small backpack (to keep accessible things and day touring). The big backpack will allow you to get around obstacles a suitcase won't allow. People know this.....this is why Euro travelers are called backpackers! 😉
Click to expand...

Yup. The big backpack/small backpack has served me well

Sign up for an online bank like USAA (best)... They'll refund any ATM fees you incur while still paying you interest.
Click to expand...

USAA will only refund up to $15/month 🙁

Keep your backpack in sight of you at all times. Pickpocketers/thieves abound....don't take them for granted!! Use a money belt.
Click to expand...

Front pants pockets work pretty well too.

For photos, use a Panasonic TZ3. It's the most flexible tourist camera built today...a WIDE 28mm to capture buildings/side streets and landscapes while offering a long zoom of 280mm on the other end for focusing on far away things!
Click to expand...

More tourist camera talk here - Text 🙂

And TRY to learn a couple of handy phrases in their language. They most likely will speak some English but you'll get waaaay farther with them if you initiate the conversation FIRST in their language.
Click to expand...

It's ridiculous how true this is. Have fun 🙂

 
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
dont forget to have fun!!

<---jealous

whats your itinerary like? or is it more of a spontaneous thing ?

where are you flying into? how much was your ticket? how long are you going ?
Click to expand...

flying in to frankfurt on the 4th. 7th ->france paris/dijon/somewhere else? 10th vienna 15th austria

coming back the 28th we are also going to hit up berlin before we come back to frankfurt


EDIT:

sry meant to type france xD

i did sign up for a captiol one visa, but my bank 1 gets free atms world wide(so they say)

we are going to get disposable phones while we are there so we can communicate...something like a pay as you go phone
 
Been to Europe twice doing the backpacking thing. All the other tips thus far are good.

I'd suggest getting a couple of small combination locks (the really small ones) and put one on zipper-ends of any pack that you are carrying around with you. It well help deter potential pickpocketers.

My 2nd day of the very first time I was in Europe, I caught a pickpocketer going into my backpack from behind. I was super-paranoid after that but if you get those little locks it will put you at ease and you can spend more time looking at the sites instead of watching your back.

If you want some other suggestions on what to do, PM me. I've been all the countries you've listed except Austria.
 
avoid france 😉

j/k

My GF comes soon over, shes never been to EU either...excited for her 😉

Berlin should be a blast (going out, zoo (!), etc..etc..)..and of course Austria...although i personally would PROBABLY be bored in vienna. Depends what you do. Of course alps etc. is all extremely beautiful there. You might wanna check out southern Germany, Munich etc.. ?!


 
we were thinking about munich but we didnt rent a car in germany. we only rented in paris and salzburg to get to places the train didnt take us... i was gonna put twist ties that i use on my computer on my backpack and just carry a pocket knife around to cut them off when needed...those seem to be great
 
My euro trip just got postponed due to recently having to drop 2k on car repairs. If you are worried about theft, travelers insurance is very inexpensive. Have fun, I wish I were in your shoes.
 
Originally posted by: flexy
avoid france 😉

j/k

My GF comes soon over, shes never been to EU either...excited for her 😉

Berlin should be a blast (going out, zoo (!), etc..etc..)..and of course Austria...although i personally would PROBABLY be bored in vienna. Depends what you do. Of course alps etc. is all extremely beautiful there. You might wanna check out southern Germany, Munich etc.. ?!
Click to expand...


Among the multitude of Euro choices, I'd agree to skip Vienna.

Heck, then go "crosstown" into Switzerland for some EXTREME BEAUTY like the Berner Oberland region! :thumbsup: It's jaw droppingly beautiful. Watch Rick Steve's show of this region....that's all it'll take to convince you (as it did for me and my wife).


On the issue of twisty-ties, those things can be broken easily with a knife. Not a very good deterrent. The small locks suggestion is better advice for sure!

The disposable phone idea is a good idea. You can get a card in any store for your GSM band mobile and save money that way. You can even initiate a two way call from an internet cafe computer using Talkloop.com's feature to your GSM mobile when you want to speak to your parents, etc for CHEAP!

 
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