• facebook
• twitter
• google+
• email
• pinterest
• linkedin

Tips for Traveling Abroad

Beware of the Scams!

One of the most prevalent scams that we came across was the “I want you to sign something and while you do my accomplice will steal your wallet.” Everywhere we went we saw these people. They stand around near famous monuments and tourist attractions with clipboards asking unsuspecting tourists to sign a paper or donate money. While you are either signing or trying to get them to go away, another person will be rummaging through your bag!

“When I arrived in Europe, I quickly noticed that much of the women's attire is simple, easy dresses which look seamlessly beautiful.”

Do Not Keep All of Your Money in One Place!

Again, because we were very aware of the frequency of pick pocketing, we wanted to ensure that we wouldn’t lose everything if we were to fall victim. Because of this, we did not keep all of our money in one place. Our solution was to keep a bank card and a little cash on us, while we kept everything else in our hotel room safe. If we were to have our bags/wallets stolen, we wouldn’t be completely helpless. In addition see tip # 3, keep records of all of your credit card information.

Keep Extra Copies of Documents and Credit Card Information.

Because we did so much research before heading off to Europe, we wanted to make sure that we had each other’s information, credit cards, driver’s license, etc. in case we fell victim to pick pockets. Chris took pictures of my credit cards, and vice versa. Fortunately for us, we did not; however if we had, we would have had each other’s information in order to cancel cards, etc.

The Currency in Europe Has Many More Coins the in the U.S.

This is something we learned along the way. There is a lot more coin currency in Europe than in the United States. Therefore, a change purse is a very handy item to have. We bought a little change purse in Paris which became not only practical, but a cute souvenir as well. On a side note, the paper money comes in differing sizes; the bigger the bill, the higher the monetary value!

Women - Pack More Dresses for a Summer Trip!

Packing clothes for our trip was the only thing that I wished I had done a little differently. Although I did a lot of research on packing for a summer European vacation, I still feel I could have done much better. Many articles you read will tell you to pack within a specific color scheme so that you can bring fewer clothes and have the ability to mix and match. Although I did that, my suitcase was still packed full. When I arrived in Europe, I quickly noticed that much of the women’s attire is simple, easy dresses which look seamlessly beautiful. I ended up purchasing several dresses while I was there which I then wore almost exclusively. Many of the items of clothing that I brought with me I never even wore.

Make Sure to Have the Right Bags!

This is another area in which I spent a lot of time trying to figure out. I wanted to make sure I had a bag that was big enough to carry my somewhat large camera, as well as any other necessities such as bottled water, souvenirs, pamphlets, etc. However, I didn’t want it to be so big that it was cumbersome and difficult to carry around all day while we walked the cities. I also didn’t want to carry a backpack since it is difficult to carry around in museums, and I also felt I wouldn’t be able to keep a close eye on it if it was on my back. I ended up purchasing what would turn out to be the perfect bag I found at a discount store for $22.99! This no name brand hobo style bag has a large zipper pocket inside, as well as two much smaller zipper pockets perfect for keeping a change purse, your bank cards, etc. It also came with a crossover strap. The regular shoulder strap is thick enough so that it can’t simply be cut, which is another common occurrence I read about before heading to Europe. It also comes in handy when your carry-on bag is full and you still need extra room to bring things on the plane!

Chris opted for a men’s messenger bag. Although he would normally carry a backpack, we learned from past experiences that some places frown upon bringing them in, specifically as stated previously, museums. He purchased a medium sized Fossil messenger bag which has since become his go-to travel bag!

Don’t Take Things for “Free.”

Many times we came across people who seemed friendly enough and seemed to just want to engage us in conversation. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. They try to connect with you in some way, for example asking you where you are from and then saying something like”Oh, I have a brother there.” Once they have gained your trust, they will try to give you something, some insignificant token or souvenir. Beware: If you take this item, they will turn around and then ask for money for it. If you refuse, they may call the cops, who may or may not be real cops.

Another scam is the “Here’s a rose for you!” Again, if you take the rose, they will then hassle you to pay for it.

Pack an Extra Bag for Souvenirs.

Trying to figure out how to pack for our trip was a bit frustrating until I finally figured out the best way to go about it, which proved to be perfect. Because we would be traveling to several different destinations, we did not want to be bogged down with a lot of luggage; therefore, it was our goal to get everything we would need for our eight day, multi-destination trip into one carry-on bag. However, I also knew I would by buying souvenirs while there and would need more luggage space on the return trip home. This is how I packed: I packed everything into my carry-on, including an extra canvas weekender bag that could easily be folded and added on top of all of my clothes. I knew that we were allowed free checked bags on international flights. On the return trip, I then carried on my weekender bag filled with souvenirs and checked my original carry-on bag!

“if you take the rose, they will then hassle you to pay for it”

Bring Extra Memory Cards.

One of the things I was very nervous about was having my camera stolen. Not necessarily the camera itself, although that would have been terrible as well, but I was really afraid of having my memories stolen by way of the memory cards filled with precious pictures of our trip. In order to lessen the chances that everything would be taken, I decided to bring several memory cards. That way I could change out my memory cards daily. Once we were safely back in the hotel, I would take out the memory card filled with pictures of that day’s events, place it in the room safe, and replace it with a new one.