First Overseas Vacation- tips?

[Soror]

We are going to London, Rome, and Ireland at the end of May/June for 10 days. It is our first overseas vacation. We're doing all the research we can but if you have anything to pass on that will be great.

Our flight into London is a redeye but I've booked an apt. with an extremely early check-in so we can go for a nap to help us adjust to the time change. We only have 1 layover, 4 hrs in JFK on the way over but it doesn't look like that is enough time to do anything (we had hope if we were stuck there we'd at least go check out the Statue of Liberty but google says it is a solid hour away) it will be mid-day.

We're planning on packing as lightly as we can, the apartments we have booked in Rome and London both have washers and we are accustomed to making do. I was planning athletic quick dry clothes for the most part as they will wash and dry easily, be light to carry, and not wrinkle. I have some but think we will probably be buying a few things. If you have clothing rec's good for travel and lots of walking that's great. 

It will just be dh and I. It is our 20th anniversary this summer and my 40th bday, everyone will want souvenirs, I've got no clue what to get them, we're of course limited in space and weight for luggage.

Has anyone just went with a big backpack? We thought that might easier and we have a several packs of various sizes and know 2 fit in the baggage size by the airlines. We're also looking for packs(or something else) to wear on our bodies for our personal items to protect against pick-pocketing.

Our Rome and London apartments also have full kitchens as we plan on cooking most of our food. Any tips on overseas food markets? 

We'll be getting bus/subway passes in London. In Rome, we're walking distance from everything and have mapped it out, we'll only need a cab for going to and from the airport. In Ireland, we're renting a car which is evidently this big thing but dh is thoroughly researching all of that. We're currently researching hrs of operation and ticket costs for everything we want to see (disappointed to find out Big Ben is being worked on right now).

We have purchased travel insurance and/or bought things that allow cancellations and have a travel CC. Still not sure what we are doing for phones. I know we'll need adapters but think we have a relative with some to borrow. 

TIA! We are very excited!

[gardenmom5]

we brought a bigger suitcase than we needed - so we'd have room for souvenirs.  

if you plan on driving - be sure to get an international driver's license, and remember most rental cars are sticks.  (dd is still sniggering her boss had to go two hours out of her way to find an automatic)

cities are great for transit - but if you're outside the city in rural areas, you have more flexibility with a car.  tour buses and transit just don't go everywhere, and you have to wait for them.   we did that last summer in Austria (relied entirely on walking or transit in Vienna. we also used transit within Innsbruck - but we drove to Neuschwanstein from there as a day trip.)  we never would have gotten to piber (one of my favorites) if we'd entirely relied upon tour buses/transit.  it was one of my favorite places.  we also had the option to stop when and where we wanted. and we could take the scenic routes instead of staying on the autobahn.

and remember - it's not all or nothing with transit/cars.  

for phones - it needs to be unlocked, and make sure you can use it in Europe before you go.  airport kiosks sell European cards (or individual country cards) - and are very overpriced. I would suggest buy a cheap country card so you have data access to find a phone store in the city - where you can buy a European data card with much better prices.  especially if you're driving - navigation is really helpful.  (though the time it told us to veer left...straight into a row of buildings.  we turned right instead. we were on a bus that veered left at that spot.  we felt like we were on the Knight Bus from harry potter, when it got really skinny going between the two double decker buses.  the one lane was so narrow it was a miracle the bus even fit.)

if you go to rome - try to get to Pompeii or Herculaneum.  (dd's favorite, but she's a classics major.)

[Laura Corin]

Yes, try to get chip and pin for the UK. All our cards are set up that way. Layers of clothing, as UK weather can be unpredictable. I recommend Gore-Tex walking shoes as there's nothing fun about wet feet. These self guided walks look like funhttp://www.walklondon.com.

If you need to cross London by Tube with your luggage, a backpack would be good, as many stations are old and have lots of stairs.

[SKL]

We bought combination backpacks on wheels, with a detachable smaller backpack for short treks / carry-on.  (The whole shebang qualified as a carry-on on some flights, but unfortunately one did not allow it so we got socked for extra fees.)

Our trip was longer, like 2.5 weeks, and we did wash clothes once along the way.  We traveled mostly via train between the European countries (we visited 12 or 13 countries), which was much nicer than air travel.

For souvenirs, I would suggest buying small stuff.  For yourselves, under-pack and buy souvenir clothes/accessories as you find what you like.  Bring a couple of fold-up bags that you can use toward the end of your trip to pack extra stuff and carry on.  Another idea is to mail yourself a box of souvenirs toward the end of the trip - but I don't know how much that would cost.

Another space saver - I bought cheap disposable underwear and shear socks (like stockings,) which I could throw out as I used them.  They took up very little space going out, and none coming home.  😛  This also eliminates the ick factor of having security go through your dirty clothes on the way back.  😛

Word to the wise - the longest security line I ever stood in was coming home from Dublin.  It was 2 hours just in the security line.  Make sure you allow extra time, and go to the bathroom before you get in that line.  Also, immigration can be long on the US side.  My longest was 2.5 hours in Ft. Lauderdale, but I think that was because their passport reader machines were on the blink.  Definitely go to the bathroom before hitting any airport line.  😛

Edited March 17, 2019 by SKL

[PeppermintPattie]

Your plans sound good to me! I would study (if you haven't already) the Rick Steves' website and buy his books for everywhere you're going. They are an invaluable resource that will help you capitalize on sightseeing opportunities.

In London, I've used a cross body purse where I keep the cash I'll need for that day. I put everything else in an around-the-neck-under-the-shirt pouch. But I wouldn't use a purse at all in Rome, so maybe a money belt would be better? See what people recommend on the RS website, and read all the stories about safety while travelling.

When I have traveled with  just a carry-on sized bag, I pack a super lightweight bag that I can check so that I can still shop. 🙂 Also, I save up old underwear for trips like this so that I can throw as I go. It only helps a little, but it helps.

Edited March 17, 2019 by PeppermintPattie

[Soror]

Thank you guys, so many good ideas already! 

Does anyone know about the London Pass and Oyster Travel Card? We're trying to figure out if that is worthwhile. 

 

46 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Yes, try to get chip and pin for the UK. All our cards are set up that way. Layers of clothing, as UK weather can be unpredictable. I recommend Gore-Tex walking shoes as there's nothing fun about wet feet. These self guided walks look like funhttp://www.walklondon.com.

If you need to cross London by Tube with your luggage, a backpack would be good, as many stations are old and have lots of stairs.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the card, we'll make sure they are ready to go. Good point on the shoes, dh has water proof shoes and I need to get some.

59 minutes ago, HeighHo said:

Make sure your travel CC works for the countries you are visiting as far as chip/pin or chip/sig...if you have chip/sig there may be times when you need to see a staff member to get your transaction completed, depending on country.

A 4 hour layover is not enough time to do anything, as you have to allow time to go back thru security.  Even with TSA precheck, at JFK that can be slow.

The app Mobile Passport might be helpful on your return.  I found the kiosks just as fast, but it really depends on time of day.

 

Thank you for confirming our suspicions about our layover time. Thanks for the heads up on the app, checking that out now.

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

we brought a bigger suitcase than we needed - so we'd have room for souvenirs.  

if you plan on driving - be sure to get an international driver's license, and remember most rental cars are sticks.  (dd is still sniggering her boss had to go two hours out of her way to find an automatic)

cities are great for transit - but if you're outside the city in rural areas, you have more flexibility with a car.  tour buses and transit just don't go everywhere, and you have to wait for them.   we did that last summer in Austria (relied entirely on walking or transit in Vienna. we also used transit within Innsbruck - but we drove to Neuschwanstein from there as a day trip.)  we never would have gotten to piber (one of my favorites) if we'd entirely relied upon tour buses/transit.  it was one of my favorite places.  we also had the option to stop when and where we wanted. and we could take the scenic routes instead of staying on the autobahn.

and remember - it's not all or nothing with transit/cars.  

for phones - it needs to be unlocked, and make sure you can use it in Europe before you go.  airport kiosks sell European cards (or individual country cards) - and are very overpriced. I would suggest buy a cheap country card so you have data access to find a phone store in the city - where you can buy a European data card with much better prices.  especially if you're driving - navigation is really helpful.  (though the time it told us to veer left...straight into a row of buildings.  we turned right instead. we were on a bus that veered left at that spot.  we felt like we were on the Knight Bus from harry potter, when it got really skinny going between the two double decker buses.  the one lane was so narrow it was a miracle the bus even fit.)

if you go to rome - try to get to Pompeii or Herculaneum.  (dd's favorite, but she's a classics major.)

 

We are only driving in Ireland and it does not require an international license. Yep, we're prepared to drive a manual, we both used to have stick shifts and are good with that! We just won't be able to do everything b/c we have limited time- 3 days each in London and Rome and 2 days in Ireland so we are picking and choosing what to do. We'd love to go to Pompeii too but I think we've already got our time planned out, but we'll keep it in mind. 

44 minutes ago, SKL said:

We bought combination backpacks on wheels, with a detachable smaller backpack for short treks / carry-on.  (The whole shebang qualified as a carry-on on some flights, but unfortunately one did not allow it so we got socked for extra fees.)

Our trip was longer, like 2.5 weeks, and we did wash clothes once along the way.  We traveled mostly via train between the European countries (we visited 12 or 13 countries), which was much nicer than air travel.

For souvenirs, I would suggest buying small stuff.  For yourselves, under-pack and buy souvenir clothes/accessories as you find what you like.  Bring a couple of fold-up bags that you can use toward the end of your trip to pack extra stuff and carry on.  Another idea is to mail yourself a box of souvenirs toward the end of the trip - but I don't know how much that would cost.

Another space saver - I bought cheap disposable underwear and shear socks (like stockings,) which I could throw out as I used them.  They took up very little space going out, and none coming home.  😛  This also eliminates the ick factor of having security go through your dirty clothes on the way back.  😛

Word to the wise - the longest security line I ever stood in was coming home from Dublin.  It was 2 hours just in the security line.  Make sure you allow extra time, and go to the bathroom before you get in that line.  Also, immigration can be long on the US side.  My longest was 2.5 hours in Ft. Lauderdale, but I think that was because their passport reader machines were on the blink.  Definitely go to the bathroom before hitting any airport line.  😛

3

Good info about security and great reminder about the bathroom. I'm LOL'ing at the disposable undies, I'll consider it though, that's worth considering.

38 minutes ago, PeppermintPattie said:

Your plans sound good to me! I would study (if you haven't already) the Rick Steves' website and buy his books for everywhere you're going. They are an invaluable resource that will help you capitalize on sightseeing opportunities.

In London, I've used a cross body purse where I keep the cash I'll need for that day. I put everything else in an around-the-neck-under-the-shirt pouch. But I wouldn't use a purse at all in Rome, so maybe a money belt would be better? See what people recommend on the RS website, and read all the stories about safety while travelling.

When I have traveled with  just a carry-on sized bag, I pack a super lightweight bag that I can check so that I can still shop. 🙂 

2

Thank you for the rec. I do have a smallish cross body purse but didn't think it would be good to bring. I'll check out his site and books.

[Tree Frog]

1 hour ago, gardenmom5 said:

we brought a bigger suitcase than we needed - so we'd have room for souvenirs.  

if you plan on driving - be sure to get an international driver's license, and remember most rental cars are sticks.  (dd is still sniggering her boss had to go two hours out of her way to find an automatic)

cities are great for transit - but if you're outside the city in rural areas, you have more flexibility with a car.  tour buses and transit just don't go everywhere, and you have to wait for them.   we did that last summer in Austria (relied entirely on walking or transit in Vienna. we also used transit within Innsbruck - but we drove to Neuschwanstein from there as a day trip.)  we never would have gotten to piber (one of my favorites) if we'd entirely relied upon tour buses/transit.  it was one of my favorite places.  we also had the option to stop when and where we wanted. and we could take the scenic routes instead of staying on the autobahn.

and remember - it's not all or nothing with transit/cars.  

for phones - it needs to be unlocked, and make sure you can use it in Europe before you go.  airport kiosks sell European cards (or individual country cards) - and are very overpriced. I would suggest buy a cheap country card so you have data access to find a phone store in the city - where you can buy a European data card with much better prices.  especially if you're driving - navigation is really helpful.  (though the time it told us to veer left...straight into a row of buildings.  we turned right instead. we were on a bus that veered left at that spot.  we felt like we were on the Knight Bus from harry potter, when it got really skinny going between the two double decker buses.  the one lane was so narrow it was a miracle the bus even fit.)

if you go to rome - try to get to Pompeii or Herculaneum.  (dd's favorite, but she's a classics major.)

I had problems with Verizon because I had an unlocked phone. I'd called Verizon a couple of months in advance of our travels to London to confirm my phone could be used in Europe and was told it wouldn't be a problem. I called the night before to confirm again (because Verizon doesn't often give accurate or complete information the first couple of times I call) and was told that because it was unlocked, I couldn't use my Verizon account. Had it been locked, there wouldn't have been a problem. I guess I could've changed out the sim card once we arrived in London, but had planned on paying the extra $ and using our regular account. I ended up taking an older phone I'd used on my previous travels to Europe, which worked fine.

[Miss Tick]

I used a cross-body bag in Rome last summer with no problems. I kept cash and credit card in a zipper pouch in my pocket, but I never had any trouble. We used the bus in Rome - Google was great, although buses did not cling tightly to published schedules!

My phone worked fine in Rome. Actual phone calls would have been pricey, but texting was fine. Check with your carrier, I had to do a software update before i left to allow it to work internationally. Same for dh, my mom and two of my dc -all on the same plan, no problems.

Our credit card charges a modest exchange fee on each transaction. Our credit union charges a somewhat smaller fee on each withdrawal. That makes it slightly cheaper to use an atm to withdraw 2 or 3 days worth of cash at a time, then divvy it up between the adults. I would put most of the cash zippered away and keep a small amount handy in my pocket. There are occasionally things we had to pay for that worked better with cash - accommodation tax at the bnb, street vendors, small museums. Our cards have chips but no pin, signing was never an issue.

I got a plug converter for my phone and computer from the hardware store. The back of the package will tell you which countries they work for. Phones and laptops just need to be converted from three prongs to the correct shape of two prongs for the country you are in. Make sure you have enough converters so that everything that needs it can charge up over night. If you buy a portable battery, get one that will "pass-through" charge, so that your phone can be plugged into it and be charging while the battery is charging. You are unlikely to need a battery, though.

Our best souvenirs tend to be clothing just because it sparks the memory and gets regular use - regular clothing, not necessarily the "I went to Rome and bought this t-shirt!!" kind. I often buy postcards as my souvenir, small, easy to pack, visual reminder, better than the photos I take! Once in a while I go through my stack and put up a few on the bulletin board in the kitchen.

In Rome, the grocery chain we saw the most near our place was "Pam", but groceries weren't hard to find. I brought a compact, reusable shopping bag with me, although they would give/sell grocery bags if needed. Grocery bags would make an easy souvenir...

[HomeAgain]

No advice on the London Pass, but we loved the access the Roma Pass gave us.  For the major attractions we bypassed the long lines and went to the much shorter entry for Roma Pass holders.  And while everything *was* walkable, being able to take the metro was a plus in the afternoon and when a drizzle went to a heavy downpour.

Overseas markets are easy.  Rome has several small Coop stores for basic necessities or packaged items, and delis/bakeries/etc. for anything fresher you may want.  Do bring a bag - most markets won't give them out and a nylon sack takes up little to no room in your luggage.  I'll also say that I preferred my backpack with a waterpouch compartment.  Not for the water, but because it was an inaccessible pocket up against my back for money, identification, or anything else I didn't want pickpockets to get to easily.

[Tree Frog]

3 minutes ago, soror said:

Thank you guys, so many good ideas already! 

Does anyone know about the London Pass and Oyster Travel Card? We're trying to figure out if that is worthwhile. 

 

Thanks for the heads up on the card, we'll make sure they are ready to go. Good point on the shoes, dh has water proof shoes and I need to get some.

Thank you for confirming our suspicions about our layover time. Thanks for the heads up on the app, checking that out now.

We are only driving in Ireland and it does not require an international license. Yep, we're prepared to drive a manual, we both used to have stick shifts and are good with that! We just won't be able to do everything b/c we have limited time- 3 days each in London and Rome and 2 days in Ireland so we are picking and choosing what to do. We'd love to go to Pompeii too but I think we've already got our time planned out, but we'll keep it in mind. 

Good info about security and great reminder about the bathroom. I'm LOL'ing at the disposable undies, I'll consider it though, that's worth considering.

Thank you for the rec. I do have a smallish cross body purse but didn't think it would be good to bring. I'll check out his site and books.

We used the London Pass and Oyster Card and would totally do it again! Make sure the free/reduced entrance sites on the London Pass are ones you'd like to visit. We ended up visiting Windsor Castle because we had the London Pass (and saw the Royal Family leaving!) Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have gone. We stayed at an Airbnb right off Pimlico and had to add $ to the Oyster cards a couple of times, but whatever you don't use can be refunded when you leave. The Oyster Card was nice because we could take the tube from the airport to our airbnb without needing to purchase additional tube fare immediately. (We opted not to take the train.) We stayed 8 days and purchased the 6 day Pass; we didn't use the Pass the first or last day.

[Laura Corin]

This page is good on Oyster cards

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card#on-this-page-1

Let me know roughly where you will be staying and what you want to see. Most sights are fairly central and you may find you mostly walk. Be aware that the Tube map is stylised so it doesn't represent distance on the ground. For example, Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations are only 4 minutes walk apart. It would take longer to take the train by the time you have trekked through the stations. Most Tube stations used to have vending machines that sold useful folding street maps. I hope they still do.

[Miss Tick]

The Rome airport is far from downtown Rome, but the train from the airport to the central train/bus station was easy, and cheaper than taxi if you are up for the adventure, even if you still get a taxi from the train stain to where you are staying.

[Soror]

10 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

This page is good on Oyster cards

https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/visiting-london/visitor-oyster-card#on-this-page-1

Let me know roughly where you will be staying and what you want to see. Most sights are fairly central and you may find you mostly walk. Be aware that the Tube map is stylised so it doesn't represent distance on the ground. For example, Covent Garden and Leicester Square stations are only 4 minutes walk apart. It would take longer to take the train by the time you have trekked through the stations. Most Tube stations used to have vending machines that sold useful folding street maps. I hope they still do.

Thanks Laura, we are staying around Putney near a tube station. The plan so far was to do a day for Stonehenge and Bath tour. Then the other 2 1/2 days for walking tours. We were thinking we would take the tube to our first attraction walk around from here to there and a tube back to our apartment. I think we mapped it out it was around 6 miles total, which didn't seem bad to us, especially spread over a couple of days. So far on our list- Kensington Gardens, Buckingham Palace, London Eye (not sure that we wanted to go up in it), Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Picadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey. 

 

4 minutes ago, SusanC said:

The Rome airport is far from downtown Rome, but the train from the airport to the central train/bus station was easy, and cheaper than taxi if you are up for the adventure, even if you still get a taxi from the train stain to where you are staying.

1

Hmmm, we'd planned to just do a taxi, coming to and from the airport to save time but we'll see how the time works out.

Edited March 17, 2019 by soror

[Miss Tick]

9 minutes ago, soror said:

13 minutes ago, SusanC said:

The Rome airport is far from downtown Rome, but the train from the airport to the central train/bus station was easy, and cheaper than taxi if you are up for the adventure, even if you still get a taxi from the train stain to where you are staying.

1

Hmmm, we'd planned to just do a taxi, coming to and from the airport to save time but we'll see how the time works out

My parents did that. It is vacation, so definitely go with whatever combination of easy and affordable works best for you!

[TheReader]

We are just back from Italy, and Google worked great on finding bus directions, train directions, etc. if you do any of that while touring. 

I didn't, but will before we ever go back, look up lists on Wiki of any artists whose work you'd like to see. Lo & behold, Wiki has lists of every work by the various masters with info and location of where they're each located. We'd have made more of an effort to hit one particular museum (it was packed when we got there) had we checked ahead of time......could have seen so.much.more.  Also could have diverted to some out of the way places, that wouldn't have had lines like that, and seen stuff by the same people. So, that's my current tip. 

We did fine with a chip/sign card, and DH got a pack of adapters on Amazon for the electronics. His phone is AT&T and he didn't have to do anything; mine is Sprint and I just had to do an update; they gave me a code when I called that would start the update. Worked for data & text, calls also but more costly. We used FaceTime over the wifi to talk to the boys (you could use that, or Skype, or something similar if you don't have iPhones). 

I would do a money belt probably, I've always used a cross-body bag for my stuff, but under a sweater or jacket; that won't be practical for you in May/June, though. 

Do check and be sure not to do shorts and things, not sure when you say athletic wear, many of the cathedrals will have dress codes so no shorts, no sleeveless, and no sandals/flip flops. 

Have fun!! 

[Laura Corin]

An Oyster sounds good. You'll be tired at the end of the day, and queuing for tickets isn't fun.

Any special reason to go to London Bridge? The Tower of London is my favourite place.

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Laura Corin

[Soror]

7 minutes ago, TheReader said:

We are just back from Italy, and Google worked great on finding bus directions, train directions, etc. if you do any of that while touring. 

I didn't, but will before we ever go back, look up lists on Wiki of any artists whose work you'd like to see. Lo & behold, Wiki has lists of every work by the various masters with info and location of where they're each located. We'd have made more of an effort to hit one particular museum (it was packed when we got there) had we checked ahead of time......could have seen so.much.more.  Also could have diverted to some out of the way places, that wouldn't have had lines like that, and seen stuff by the same people. So, that's my current tip. 

We did fine with a chip/sign card, and DH got a pack of adapters on Amazon for the electronics. His phone is AT&T and he didn't have to do anything; mine is Sprint and I just had to do an update; they gave me a code when I called that would start the update. Worked for data & text, calls also but more costly. We used FaceTime over the wifi to talk to the boys (you could use that, or Skype, or something similar if you don't have iPhones). 

I would do a money belt probably, I've always used a cross-body bag for my stuff, but under a sweater or jacket; that won't be practical for you in May/June, though. 

Do check and be sure not to do shorts and things, not sure when you say athletic wear, many of the cathedrals will have dress codes so no shorts, no sleeveless, and no sandals/flip flops. 

Have fun!! 

 

Thanks for the info! No, I was not planning on packing shorts for Rome, I was thinking I needed elbows and knees covered for there (and from what I can see it doesn't look like Ireland or London will be warm enough for shorts), certainly no flip flops, we're doing too much walking for that anyway. Dh thought about talking to the kids over Skype or something, I believe places we are staying have wifi. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by soror

[TheReader]

19 minutes ago, soror said:

Thanks Laura, we are staying around Putney near a tube station. The plan so far was to do a day for Stonehenge and Bath tour. Then the other 2 1/2 days for walking tours. We were thinking we would take the tube to our first attraction walk around from here to there and a tube back to our apartment. I think we mapped it out it was around 6 miles total, which didn't seem bad to us, especially spread over a couple of days. So far on our list- Kensington Gardens, Buckingham Palace, London Eye (not sure that we wanted to go up in it), Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Picadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey. 

 

Hmmm, we'd planned to just do a taxi, coming to and from the airport to save time but we'll see how the time works out.

Oh, and on this, check at the airport baggage claim area (you'll likely have to pass through it to get to an exit anyway) as the airport in Milan had signs on each baggage carousel telling where to find the taxis, trains, buses, etc, and how much the taxi would be to each common destination; they had flat-rate for a few different places. Take enough Euros to pay it; DH had one that took card, but none of the others we took ever did. It was $65 euros to the small city we were staying, $95 euros to the larger (farther) city, etc. So, maybe see if you can find that online, or on travel boards, TripAdvisor, etc, and be sure and have enough cash in hand (in Euros) to cover at least that first one. 

Also maybe take 2 credit cards &/or a cc and a debit card so that if one has trouble, you have back-up. And call and let your bank/cc company know well in advance your dates so they don't block it in a fraud alert. 

If your children at home are minors, leave a note (you can find forms online to print) giving permission for whoever to take them to the doctor, just in case. And have a back-up plan and another back-up; the day after I left to join DH (he was there for work), middle DS had a sore throat and had to go to the doctor. He's 18, but doesn't drive yet, and didn't have his passport with him, so our friend he was staying with had to bring him to the house (luckily we'd given him the house key), get his passport, take him to the clinic (because the one near us insists on 18+ showing their own ID), etc. and then he was dx'ed with strep, so we had to scramble to find replacement care b/c my MIL who was supposed to be the next round of care is immunocompromised and couldn't come after all, in that case. So, have a back-up to the back-up. 

as for souvenirs, we went to a grocery store and got coffee, local cookies, stuff like that. Fridge magnets for MIL and for us. And I bought shoes ❤️ And we bought the boys Italian copies of books/board games. But the grocery store stuff is good; like, I brought a friend who loves to bake some spice that was used in a bread we had there. We brought everyone else coffee. Brought our kids Italian cookies. That sort of thing. 

[Kareni]

As regards souvenirs ~

If you celebrate with a Christmas tree, you might look for ornaments.  Sometimes I have converted key rings or cell phone charms into unique ornaments.

I also enjoy finding tea towels on our travels.

Regards,

Kareni

[Soror]

5 minutes ago, TheReader said:

Oh, and on this, check at the airport baggage claim area (you'll likely have to pass through it to get to an exit anyway) as the airport in Milan had signs on each baggage carousel telling where to find the taxis, trains, buses, etc, and how much the taxi would be to each common destination; they had flat-rate for a few different places. Take enough Euros to pay it; DH had one that took card, but none of the others we took ever did. It was $65 euros to the small city we were staying, $95 euros to the larger (farther) city, etc. So, maybe see if you can find that online, or on travel boards, TripAdvisor, etc, and be sure and have enough cash in hand (in Euros) to cover at least that first one. 

Also maybe take 2 credit cards &/or a cc and a debit card so that if one has trouble, you have back-up. And call and let your bank/cc company know well in advance your dates so they don't block it in a fraud alert. 

If your children at home are minors, leave a note (you can find forms online to print) giving permission for whoever to take them to the doctor, just in case. And have a back-up plan and another back-up; the day after I left to join DH (he was there for work), middle DS had a sore throat and had to go to the doctor. He's 18, but doesn't drive yet, and didn't have his passport with him, so our friend he was staying with had to bring him to the house (luckily we'd given him the house key), get his passport, take him to the clinic (because the one near us insists on 18+ showing their own ID), etc. and then he was dx'ed with strep, so we had to scramble to find replacement care b/c my MIL who was supposed to be the next round of care is immunocompromised and couldn't come after all, in that case. So, have a back-up to the back-up. 

as for souvenirs, we went to a grocery store and got coffee, local cookies, stuff like that. Fridge magnets for MIL and for us. And I bought shoes ❤️ And we bought the boys Italian copies of books/board games. But the grocery store stuff is good; like, I brought a friend who loves to bake some spice that was used in a bread we had there. We brought everyone else coffee. Brought our kids Italian cookies. That sort of thing. 

Very good point about medical care for the kids, that is something we'll have to make sure is settled, we do have back-up care!!!! I bet that was a bit scary. We were planning 2 CC's just in case, we planned on getting some Euros and pounds for London but no clue how much we need. WE're going to pay for most stuff ahead of time but some things, like a taxi that won't work.  Dd3 did ask for some Brittish candy! 

[Soror]

Just now, Kareni said:

As regards souvenirs ~

If you celebrate with a Christmas tree, you might look for ornaments.  Sometimes I have converted key rings or cell phone charms into unique ornaments.

I also enjoy finding tea towels on our travels.

Regards,

Kareni

I do love the idea of a some Christmas ornaments, that would be simple and something to be used for years.

[livetoread]

There were disposable plastic gloves by the produce in the grocery stores we went into in Rome, and if they are there, the expectation is you will use them to handle produce, even if you are only touching the produce you are buying. 

[Corraleno]

I think fears of being pickpocketed in Europe are greatly overblown. I lived in Europe for 10 years and have travelled all over, and I wear the same crossbody bag whether I'm here or there. Just keep it zipped and keep it in front of you. As long as you're not carrying a big bag that's flopping open and hanging behind you while walking through crowds on a busy street, it's not an issue.

I have an unlocked iPhone and have been able to use it everywhere in Europe, including UK, France, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Turkey. I just have to turn on "international roaming" with my provider, and it works as well as it does in the States. I once got a call from my bank while hiking up a waterfall in a remote part of Iceland, lol.

If you have an REI store near you, they are great for wash-&-go travel clothes as well as light-weight versions of lots of travel accessories. I highly recommend packing cubes, they save space and make it much easier to keep your stuff organized when you are moving a lot from hotel to hotel.

 

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, wilrunner said:

I had problems with Verizon because I had an unlocked phone. I'd called Verizon a couple of months in advance of our travels to London to confirm my phone could be used in Europe and was told it wouldn't be a problem. I called the night before to confirm again (because Verizon doesn't often give accurate or complete information the first couple of times I call) and was told that because it was unlocked, I couldn't use my Verizon account. Had it been locked, there wouldn't have been a problem. I guess I could've changed out the sim card once we arrived in London, but had planned on paying the extra $ and using our regular account. I ended up taking an older phone I'd used on my previous travels to Europe, which worked fine.

I brought my daughter's unlocked phone,  (dh had a flip phone) and my locked Verizon phone.

so, no - not true.  changing out the sim card - my locked Verizon phone still didn't work in Europe (I had a European sim card.)

we made due with one phone.

[gardenmom5]

25 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I think fears of being pickpocketed in Europe are greatly overblown. I lived in Europe for 10 years and have travelled all over, and I wear the same crossbody bag whether I'm here or there. Just keep it zipped and keep it in front of you. As long as you're not carrying a big bag that's flopping open and hanging behind you while walking through crowds on a busy street, it's not an issue.

I have an unlocked iPhone and have been able to use it everywhere in Europe, including UK, France, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Turkey. I just have to turn on "international roaming" with my provider, and it works as well as it does in the States. I once got a call from my bank while hiking up a waterfall in a remote part of Iceland, lol.

If you have an REI store near you, they are great for wash-&-go travel clothes as well as light-weight versions of lots of travel accessories. I highly recommend packing cubes, they save space and make it much easier to keep your stuff organized when you are moving a lot from hotel to hotel.

 

it really depends upon area.  some friends were pick pocketed in paris.   they sat down on a bench - the pickpocket sat down right next to them. friends wallet was gone - and he realized it before the pickpocket even left.

if you're wearing a "pass" (we had them in Vienna) for transit and other venues, people will not you're not a local.   and rick steves didn't think pick pocketing was a problem - he was pickpocketed.  he has said he has seen changes in some areas and they're more active than they used to be.

we used a travel wallet on a neck.  there's a wire through it so it can't be cut.  

 

 

[PinkTulip]

Who is your cell phone carrier? Verizon has a thing where you can pay $10 per day and your phone works exactly like it would as if you were home as far as internet use, making calls, etc. We have found it worthwhile to have on at least one phone. 

[TechWife]

3 minutes ago, PinkTulip said:

Who is your cell phone carrier? Verizon has a thing where you can pay $10 per day and your phone works exactly like it would as if you were home as far as internet use, making calls, etc. We have found it worthwhile to have on at least one phone. 

AT&T has the same thing - it’s called the international plan, IIRC. We didn’t have to do anything special to get our iPhones to work in any European countries. My husband regularly uses his around the world and never does anything special. The $10 is charged the first time the phone is used on a particular day. If the phone isn’t used on a day, it isn’t charged. 

[TechWife]

2 hours ago, soror said:

Thanks Laura, we are staying around Putney near a tube station. The plan so far was to do a day for Stonehenge and Bath tour. Then the other 2 1/2 days for walking tours. We were thinking we would take the tube to our first attraction walk around from here to there and a tube back to our apartment. I think we mapped it out it was around 6 miles total, which didn't seem bad to us, especially spread over a couple of days. So far on our list- Kensington Gardens, Buckingham Palace, London Eye (not sure that we wanted to go up in it), Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Picadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey. 

 

Hmmm, we'd planned to just do a taxi, coming to and from the airport to save time but we'll see how the time works out.

Please, please, please add the Tower of London to your list. It’s a marvelous experience, my favorite thing to do when we go to London. 

[gardenmom5]

12 minutes ago, PinkTulip said:

Who is your cell phone carrier? Verizon has a thing where you can pay $10 per day and your phone works exactly like it would as if you were home as far as internet use, making calls, etc. We have found it worthwhile to have on at least one phone. 

that adds up really fast.  we were gone for two weeks - that would have been $140 vs paying $60 for a European sim card with data and minutes that could be used anywhere in Europe.

and it didn't work anyway.  Europe doesn't use the same system that we use here.  so that also has to be changed over.  everything I found beforehand said my phone should work.  well, it didn't.

Edited March 17, 2019 by gardenmom5

[theelfqueen]

We have done London, New York and Paris city passes and loved them. The hop on hop off bus tours can be great. All three of those included a river cruise. We checked the attractions we most wanted to see against the pass and found it to be a good deal, plus at some places you get a skip the line privilege.  The London one... there's some limitations on the oyster cards (not using them during rush hour times) and we just paid for those extra trips. 

[theelfqueen]

Definitely go to the Tower. And at Buckingham Palace - visit the Royal Mews! The state carriages and cars are really cool! 

[theelfqueen]

My DH got pickpocjeted our first morning in Paris. We had to talk our credit card company into NOT deactivating our cards til we got the new ones (back in Germany) (pickpockets are generally only after your cash and dispose of the rest of your wallet) and he had to go replace his CAC card on base (major pain). But otherwise it turned out not to be too big a hassle. 

[TechWife]

4 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

that adds up really fast.  we were gone for two weeks - that would have been $140 vs paying $60 for a European sim card with data and minutes that could be used anywhere in Europe.

and it didn't work anyway.  Europe doesn't use the same system that we use here.  so that also has to be changed over.  everything I found beforehand said my phone should work.  well, it didn't.

Yes, but those minutes cannot be used to call outside the EU. Changing your SIM card is also changing your phone number, so keep that in mind for emergency contacts. 

[theelfqueen]

If you have multiple credit cards ... check with the companies which have international transaction fees. We ended up using a card that is our 'super emergency never ever use this card' card at home ... because it had no fees. And our regular card did have fees. 

[TechWife]

Put your phone ringer on mute while you are asleep - unless you want to talk to your friends and coworkers that live elsewhere in the middle of the night.

[Corraleno]

RE: pickpocketing, I wouldn't carry a wallet loose in my back pocket or jacket pocket in any crowded city, whether the US or Europe. DS always carries his wallet and phone in his front pants pocket, no matter where he is. My ex is British and traveled a lot in Europe, and the only times he ever had his wallet stolen were in Los Angeles and Washington DC. I've been in tightly packed crowds even in high-tourist areas in Rome, Athens, London, Paris, Istanbul, and many other cities, and have never had any problem carrying a small crossbody bag.

[Soror]

17 minutes ago, TechWife said:

Please, please, please add the Tower of London to your list. It’s a marvelous experience, my favorite thing to do when we go to London. 

LOL, actually it is on the list, just forgot to list it and Buckingham Palace. We just have Tracfone, quick googling says we can use it but no clue if that is actually true or the details, we have to research that. 

re: transaction fees- We've already checked our primary card and it does not have any, we've not checked our secondary card yet. 

8 minutes ago, TechWife said:

Put your phone ringer on mute while you are asleep - unless you want to talk to your friends and coworkers that live elsewhere in the middle of the night.

LOL, yes very good point!!! I know we'll have to think about when to arrange for phone calls, it will be hard with the time difference!

[Pawz4me]

3 hours ago, PinkTulip said:

Who is your cell phone carrier? Verizon has a thing where you can pay $10 per day and your phone works exactly like it would as if you were home as far as internet use, making calls, etc. We have found it worthwhile to have on at least one phone. 

This is what DS23 does when he travels. In the past couple of years he's been to Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Latvia, England, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Mexico and his phone has worked in all those locations just as well as it does here in the U.S. The convenience and reliability are very well worth the cost.

Edited March 18, 2019 by Pawz4me

[Tree Frog]

17 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

I brought my daughter's unlocked phone,  (dh had a flip phone) and my locked Verizon phone.

so, no - not true.  changing out the sim card - my locked Verizon phone still didn't work in Europe (I had a European sim card.)

we made due with one phone.

I was referring to using my US Verizon plan in London, not changing out the SIM card. I didn't want to change cards if I didn't need to. Verizon had a plan that if I paid a certain amount of money, $100 maybe for the month, I could use the same plan I used domestically, including texts, calls, and data, in London. That was where I was given incorrect info from Verizon. I was told my phone would work for that specific Verizon plan, but when I called back just before I left, I was told the phone wouldn't work with their plan because it was unlocked. I agree with you: If one is going to use a new SIM card, the phone needs to be unlocked.

Edited March 18, 2019 by wilrunner
ETA: This plan is different than the one another poster mentioned. I used the $10/day plan when I went to Europe before and wasn't able to access data at all. The plan I'm referring to here, though it cost a bit more, worked much better.

[JIN MOUSA]

5 hours ago, soror said:

Very good point about medical care for the kids, that is something we'll have to make sure is settled, we do have back-up care!!!! I bet that was a bit scary. We were planning 2 CC's just in case, we planned on getting some Euros and pounds for London but no clue how much we need. WE're going to pay for most stuff ahead of time but some things, like a taxi that won't work.  Dd3 did ask for some Brittish candy! 

In the CCs, you should carry one and DH the other, that way if something happens to either of y'all's wallet/bag/whatever, y'all will still have an uncompromised cc with you. 

[PeppermintPattie]

4 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

If you have multiple credit cards ... check with the companies which have international transaction fees. We ended up using a card that is our 'super emergency never ever use this card' card at home ... because it had no fees. And our regular card did have fees. 

Our Costco Visa card charges no international transaction fees.

[Sweets]

Hello!  This is my first time to post on this wonderful site! I have been a long time lurker but now I am a retired homeschooler. I homeschooled two of my kids from K-12. I have a 28, 22, and 21 y/o and one absolutely beautiful granddaughter with gray eyes. Right now, we also have three college loans although we pay off the 28 y/o college loan this year.  

I am so excited to read this thread as my DH and I are going to Rome, Paris, and London in October this year for our wedding anniversary also!! We have traveled a lot through Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean and the USA but never to Europe. I have a whole folder for planning for our trip, and I really appreciate the tips and suggestions that everyone has provided. We have been wanting to do a trip like this for such a long time. It will be for our 41st wedding anniversary!! (We got married at 18 and 19 so won't tell how old we are now!)  We are going on a tour group holiday for two weeks. We spent a couple of years looking at the differences in costs of a tour group vs going on our own, and we decided to go with the tour group. It is a modified travel group in that you spend four days in each city but two days are all on your own, so we can do what we want.

Our very favorite vacation was to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary (Oahu and the Big Island). Our kids went with us on that trip. I hope we enjoy this vacation to Europe just as much, and I honestly am happy that we will be on our own this time. Just my DH and me. Our next bucket list vacation is a Mediterranean cruise.  

[TechWife]

Make two copies of your passport. Leave one at home with a trusted person that you can contact if you have an emergency. Leave the other one in your luggage. Keep your original passport with you. If it is lost, it is much easier to get a replacement if you have a copy of it to get the passport number, date of issue, etc. and it also acts as proof of US citizenship under this particular circumstance. You would go to the US Embassy to report it lost and then apply for a replacement, which can also be issued there. Your copies, if lost or stolen, cannot be used to make a fake passport - you'll see why once you put it through the copy machine - it has some safety features.

 

 

[TechWife]

8 hours ago, soror said:

Very good point about medical care for the kids, that is something we'll have to make sure is settled, we do have back-up care!!!! I bet that was a bit scary. We were planning 2 CC's just in case, we planned on getting some Euros and pounds for London but no clue how much we need. WE're going to pay for most stuff ahead of time but some things, like a taxi that won't work.  Dd3 did ask for some Brittish candy! 

Many taxi's take credit cards. I'd have enough cash on hand for one taxi ride in case you end up in one of the taxi's that doesn't. Also, the best place to buy candy for kids in London is at the airport (duty free). You can get a mixed bag of Cadbury that has five or six different types of single size candy bars in it - I love the Eclairs (chocolate filled with caramel), my son loves Dairy Milk. Nestle has a mixed bag, too. I don't remember what is in it, though. Even if the candy you see has the same name as a candy here (Kit Kat, for example), the European version will taste different because the amount of cocoa required to call candy "chocolate" is regulated, and it's a lot more than we use in candy produced in the US. Kit Kat also comes in different flavors - he might find that fun.

You can order and pay for your duty free purchases ahead of time if you are buying in Heathrow - so keep that in mind.

 

[Chris in VA]

What a fun trip!

Another vote for Tower of London. The British Museum is a good indoor idea if you need something more. There's lots of nice Paddington Bear items for soucenirs in London. The picture book, Paddington at the Tower is one of our favorites. 

Rosaries and religious jewelry is a lovely idea as a souvenir from Rome. Top things in Rome we enjoyed--The Forum, The Coliseum, The Vatican (tip--go straight to the Sistene Chapel. Much like going to Space Mountain first lol--you avoid some of the crowd). We also thought the Pantheon and the plaza right outside it were worth visiting and being there for gelato at night to people watch was very nice. Lastly, it is easy to take a bus to the catacombs, and if you are Christian,  especially, these are very affecting. 

Oh, and fold your tops and pants twice lengthwish then tightly roll. You won't believe the difference it will make on saving space. 

And for us, Messenger is better than Skype for calling, unless the number you call to is a landline. Then Skype is worth the small charge (Messenger is free and we get excellent phone quality when we call home). 

[El...]

Caddy-corner to the Tower of London is a church called All-Hallows. It's where John Quincy Adams was married, and William Penn was associated with it.  You can walk through underneath and see remains of the original Roman era floors and other artifacts.

It's really neat! It's free, though they ask you to drop a little money in the box at the end. 

[saw]

2 hours ago, elroisees said:

Caddy-corner to the Tower of London is a church called All-Hallows. It's where John Quincy Adams was married, and William Penn was associated with it.  You can walk through underneath and see remains of the original Roman era floors and other artifacts.

 It's really neat! It's free, though they ask you to drop a little money in the box at the end. 

Here's a bit more info about All Hallows by the Tower: http://www.americanhistoryinlondon.com/baptism-of-william-penn-marriage-of-john-adams.html Disclaimer: the website is DS17's pet project, so I'm shamelessly promoting it. He does have some interesting information about places in London you might be interested in seeing if you're in the neighbourhood, such as the site where the Liberty Bell was cast. 

[saw]

Just a thought on cooking for yourself -- depending on how long you'll be in London, you could consider placing a food order with Ocado. They deliver in one-hour slots and require 40 pounds minimum for delivery. If you're staying near central London, you may not have access to large grocery stores and may be limited to smaller stores with a smaller selection. The three you'll likely encounter are Waitrose (nicest and pricier), Sainsbury's (middle) and Tesco (cheaper). Ocado delivers their own stuff as well as Waitrose I believe. 

[CAJinBE]

Rick Steve's has great videos about traveling all over Europe and tips for traveling light. If you go with him on a tour, you can only bring a carry-on. You've gotten a lot of good tips already. Good walking shoes and a cross-body bag are my travel musts. A scarf is very good for Rome even if it is warm to cover up when you go into a church or the Vatican. I wouldn't miss the Tower of London. Shopping won't be a problem, but the food in Rome is amazing and you should try to have some dinners out. They eat after 8pm. And budget for at least one gelato a day unless you have an allergy or something. 

[Soror]

4 hours ago, CAJinBE said:

Rick Steve's has great videos about traveling all over Europe and tips for traveling light. If you go with him on a tour, you can only bring a carry-on. You've gotten a lot of good tips already. Good walking shoes and a cross-body bag are my travel musts. A scarf is very good for Rome even if it is warm to cover up when you go into a church or the Vatican. I wouldn't miss the Tower of London. Shopping won't be a problem, but the food in Rome is amazing and you should try to have some dinners out. They eat after 8pm. And budget for at least one gelato a day unless you have an allergy or something. 

2

LOL, a cousin that has been to Rome also said we needed to get a gelato every time we could. We plan to eat out once or so every country. I do have a small crossbody bag. I'm looking for shoes, I'd like one pair more stylish for things like church and visiting nicer places but also good for walking and another pair for days when we're hiking out of cities that are more waterproof. I have some shoes now obviously, but I don't know that any will be exactly right for the traveling, either too nice and not comfy enough for walking or not waterproof. I've been checking out Rick Steve's info since it was posted here, hopefully I can get some of his books from the library.

5 hours ago, saw said:

Just a thought on cooking for yourself -- depending on how long you'll be in London, you could consider placing a food order with Ocado. They deliver in one-hour slots and require 40 pounds minimum for delivery. If you're staying near central London, you may not have access to large grocery stores and may be limited to smaller stores with a smaller selection. The three you'll likely encounter are Waitrose (nicest and pricier), Sainsbury's (middle) and Tesco (cheaper). Ocado delivers their own stuff as well as Waitrose I believe. 

 

 

Thanks for the heads up on Ocado and the grocery stores, that is a huge help. It looks like their will be grocery stores at least somewhat close to our apartment but I will certainly consider food delivery it might work out for the best. Dh noticed a ton of Aldi's when looking at maps of Ireland so that is one less thing to worry about there (although we likely won't have kitchen access in places we're staying there since we are hopping around to different places.

12 hours ago, elroisees said:

Caddy-corner to the Tower of London is a church called All-Hallows. It's where John Quincy Adams was married, and William Penn was associated with it.  You can walk through underneath and see remains of the original Roman era floors and other artifacts.

It's really neat! It's free, though they ask you to drop a little money in the box at the end. 

 

 

Thank you for the heads up, that is cool, we'll pop in if we have time.

14 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

What a fun trip!

Another vote for Tower of London. The British Museum is a good indoor idea if you need something more. There's lots of nice Paddington Bear items for soucenirs in London. The picture book, Paddington at the Tower is one of our favorites. 

Rosaries and religious jewelry is a lovely idea as a souvenir from Rome. Top things in Rome we enjoyed--The Forum, The Coliseum, The Vatican (tip--go straight to the Sistene Chapel. Much like going to Space Mountain first lol--you avoid some of the crowd). We also thought the Pantheon and the plaza right outside it were worth visiting and being there for gelato at night to people watch was very nice. Lastly, it is easy to take a bus to the catacombs, and if you are Christian,  especially, these are very affecting. 

Oh, and fold your tops and pants twice lengthwish then tightly roll. You won't believe the difference it will make on saving space. 

And for us, Messenger is better than Skype for calling, unless the number you call to is a landline. Then Skype is worth the small charge (Messenger is free and we get excellent phone quality when we call home). 

5

5

I did look some at the British Museum, it sounds really cool, it's on our back-up list. This is our current Rome list we have- (some of these are rather small but so close to other things we thought it would be silly to not at least checkout. We've been going through and looking at admittance times/days and cost, we're hoping to bet some of the crowds with the 2 biggies by hitting them in off times. I think just about everyone we would call would be on a landline. 

Roman Forum

Palatine Hill

Arch of Constantine

Colosseum

Pantheon

Piazza Novana

Trevi Fountain

Spanish Steps St. Peter's Sistene Chapel

14 hours ago, TechWife said:

Many taxi's take credit cards. I'd have enough cash on hand for one taxi ride in case you end up in one of the taxi's that doesn't. Also, the best place to buy candy for kids in London is at the airport (duty free). You can get a mixed bag of Cadbury that has five or six different types of single size candy bars in it - I love the Eclairs (chocolate filled with caramel), my son loves Dairy Milk. Nestle has a mixed bag, too. I don't remember what is in it, though. Even if the candy you see has the same name as a candy here (Kit Kat, for example), the European version will taste different because the amount of cocoa required to call candy "chocolate" is regulated, and it's a lot more than we use in candy produced in the US. Kit Kat also comes in different flavors - he might find that fun.

You can order and pay for your duty free purchases ahead of time if you are buying in Heathrow - so keep that in mind.

 

3

3

Thanks for the heads-up about candy at the airport, that didn't occur to me, we have to bring home some for sure. Thanks for the info about the taxis too.

15 hours ago, Sweets said:

Hello!  This is my first time to post on this wonderful site! I have been a long time lurker but now I am a retired homeschooler. I homeschooled two of my kids from K-12. I have a 28, 22, and 21 y/o and one absolutely beautiful granddaughter with gray eyes. Right now, we also have three college loans although we pay off the 28 y/o college loan this year.  

I am so excited to read this thread as my DH and I are going to Rome, Paris, and London in October this year for our wedding anniversary also!! We have traveled a lot through Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean and the USA but never to Europe. I have a whole folder for planning for our trip, and I really appreciate the tips and suggestions that everyone has provided. We have been wanting to do a trip like this for such a long time. It will be for our 41st wedding anniversary!! (We got married at 18 and 19 so won't tell how old we are now!)  We are going on a tour group holiday for two weeks. We spent a couple of years looking at the differences in costs of a tour group vs going on our own, and we decided to go with the tour group. It is a modified travel group in that you spend four days in each city but two days are all on your own, so we can do what we want.

Our very favorite vacation was to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary (Oahu and the Big Island). Our kids went with us on that trip. I hope we enjoy this vacation to Europe just as much, and I honestly am happy that we will be on our own this time. Just my DH and me. Our next bucket list vacation is a Mediterranean cruise.  

2

2

I hope you have a wonderful time on your tour! You'll have to update when you are done. When is your trip? I told dh I want our next trip to be to Asia, probably China (since I work with Chinese kids via VIPKID and would love to visit some students but that might be better to do on my own someday) but there are so many Asian countries I'd like to visit. We're hoping/planning to take the kids on a family vaca overseas in a few years, we'll see if we can pull this off. We started with a trip through Groupon, not a tour group but it was all planned hotels and flights BUT once we went to finalize our plans then they added on 36%, so that's when we just decided to plan it all on our own. So, at least we get to pick exactly where we want to go and for us it is at least $2k in savings, here's hoping we pull it off, it is very nervewracking doing it all on our own but after that fell through we thought the h*ll with it, we'll just do it on our own and there happened to be good prices on London tickets at the time.

15 hours ago, TechWife said:

Make two copies of your passport. Leave one at home with a trusted person that you can contact if you have an emergency. Leave the other one in your luggage. Keep your original passport with you. If it is lost, it is much easier to get a replacement if you have a copy of it to get the passport number, date of issue, etc. and it also acts as proof of US citizenship under this particular circumstance. You would go to the US Embassy to report it lost and then apply for a replacement, which can also be issued there. Your copies, if lost or stolen, cannot be used to make a fake passport - you'll see why once you put it through the copy machine - it has some safety features.

 

 

Thanks for the info, I hadn't thought of photocopying my passport but have now read this elsewhere as well!! 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by soror