In just a few short weeks (or long weeks, I guess) I will be embarking on an international adventure. And although I'm somewhat excited to leave the country for the first time in my life, I'm mostly freaking out. I'd say I'm about 21% excited and 79% freaking out. Aside from the fact that I'm a complete germ-a-phobe, I have to pack almost a month's worth of living supplies into a small-ish backpack that can weigh no more than 40 pounds. I need to prepare for all types of weather, activity, and terrain. If you have any suggestions from lessons you've learned while traveling, please comment here! Maybe there's something you'd wished you would have known, wished you would have taken, wished you wouldn't have taken, etc. Please let me know! I am notorious for over-packing. This will be a truly humbling experience for me. Wish me luck!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Hits & Help
So I put a counter on my blog almost two weeks ago. And the last time I checked I had 415 views... no, hits. I like hits better. I had 415 hits. That either means a) I need to rack my brain to come up with some entertaining banter to post on here or b) 415 people have too much time on their hands. At any rate, I'm really writing this post to enlist your help.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
1) A light-weight rain jacket, something that weighs less than a pound. It will give you an extra layer when it gets chilly and let you keep trucking if it rains.
http://www.backcountry.com/store/ODR0447/Outdoor-Research-Synapse-Jacket-Womens.html
2) Drugs, as in medicine. Traveling and new foods can be notoriously hard on the immune and digestive systems for the new traveler. Bring whichever pain-killers, antacids, antidiarrheals, allergy and cold medicines work for you. I usually put everything in the same bottle and then write on the outside what each tablet is if it's something I can't remember.
3. Lay off the shoes. One pair of comfortable walking/hiking shoes, something that can handle getting wet, and one pair of flip flops for beaches and scary showers.
4. Comfy socks for aforementioned shoes.
I think more importantky you should leave a list of what to do in case the "UNTHINKABLE" should happen. I mean who gets your laptop, IPOD, and hoddie collection? There now you are 95% scared and only 5% excited. I'm totally joking you are going to have a great time. I'm not sure how you are going to only pack 1-40 pound bag?
I call dibs on the Wii and accessories. Marcie can have the rest.
Sneakers, your first comment was VERY helpful. Your second comment- not so much.
Sneakers, you already have a Wii, don't you? And Marcie has children. Would you deny the children a Wii, Sneakers? Really, would you?
Video games rot the brain. Even Wii. I was mostly interested in your drum kit for Guitar Hero...but I just found one on Amazon... so I relinquish my claim to the Wii.
As for traveling, I find myself to be a particularly nervous traveler, as it's hard to be prepared without become over-anxious. To a certain extent, you have to accept that you may not be prepared for every eventuality, but you'll certainly be able to handle whatever may crop up. With that kind of attitude, the inevitable travel hiccups end up being non-issues.
Along those lines, the one thing that's probably most important is to be in the best health you can be when you travel. Make sure that you're nice and rested, in particular.
Ha! In my best health... you tell that to the girl with no immune system. Now I'm really nervous :) Looks like I'd better get myself some Flintstones!
Oh sheesh, you know what I'm talking about...
A lot of people get all worked up before they leave on vacation. They work furiously and exhaust themselves before they go. Just don't do that, that's all I'm saying. Take the before you leave off of work. Maybe even two days.
Traveling is my addiction. I've been to Europe 4 times now and I've loved it every time. Hostels are great to sleep in cause they are so inexpensive (although if you are a germaphobe you might want to be careful about that).
Take some semi-sturdy silverware...knife, fork, and spoon. Buying food at a grocery store is great and saves food. I particularly love the the yogurt...the muller brand in Britain or Germany is great and Yop is wonderful in France.
Rent bikes...it's awesome. I loved munich and Brussels and Versailles on bikes. There are bikes to rent in lots of places.
I love skirts a ton for dressing. You fit in, it's lightweight and very versatile.
I did flip flops every time I've been there. I usually bring flip flops, tennis shoes and a pair of nice shoes if I know I might be going somewhere nice.
You can ask for tap water or water in a glass...they aren't fans of it, but it's way way cheaper. Buy all your other water that you need from a grocery store.
If you show up at a place from a train station and have your baggage they often have a luggage check where you can check your baggage for a fee and don't have to carry it around. It's well worth the fee.
Buy good food. I didn't the first two times I went. The third time I splurged. And I loved every min of it. Sometimes you guess wrong and what you think will be a good meal will end up being much like a tv dinner.
I love wagamama's if you are going to London. It's probably my favorite food ever. Get gelato somewhere. Gelato is best in Italy, but if you aren't going there they usually still have it.
Take a ton of pictures...cause really why not? And I love to take pictures of the ways they interpret things into English.
Greek men want you..be cautious...I had like a 55-70 year old man try and make out with me and grab my chest...not cool.
I've carried a purse around every time I've gone. It has a zipper and it's close to my body and I hold it so the zipper is close to me. I wear the body belt passport thing when I'm in a hostel and I don't want my stuff stolen or on a train sleeping. If you can put it in a safe great. If not ehh...
I like cards rather than carrying tons of cash, but if you are going to barter take cash.
Expect to fork over some unexpected money. It happens every time and is always frustrating, but then again you are in Europe.
Don't EVER go over on your weight for baggage. It's way too expensive. I usually take a slightly bigger bag and don't fill it up all the way and stash another bag in there so I can bring an extra one home.
Don't get stupid souveniers...I doubt you would, but you'd be surprised what people do. My favorite are clothes, art and a culturally unique thing.
If you can't get a good picture or you love something in an art museum get post cards of them.
Church's will say it's a donation, but you are pretty much guilt tripped into giving money...they stand there with a box in some...not all, but some bigger ones.
Go up to the top of whatever building you are at. I love views of the city and those are some of my favorite things...plus the stairs kill whatever fat your getting.
Crepes in france are amazing and Belgium waffles are a million times better. Oh and get chocolate...it's so good. Try bakeries. We don't have good ones in the u.s. Pastries are so yummy.
Pret a manger is really good and cheap in Britain.
If you are seeing any shows look for standing seats or some restricted view seats (not phantom though). They are tons cheaper and you can usually see mostly well. There are standing seats and those aren't too bad. I saw a ballet for 12 bucks for standing. See a comedy at the globe theatre. I've stood every time but I go early so I can lean on the stage. I've laughed so hard there. Oh and shakespeare's grave was by far one of the most anti-climatic moments of my life.
Look at the elevators...they are a joke and crack me up.
There are no water fountains anywhere. I found two in London and One in Paris. Italy has fountains and random pipes you can get water from. It's free and amazingly refreshing.
Go to H&M. It's my favorite store and I swear to you half my wardrobe is from there. And if you see one and then another a few blocks away they will most likely have different things in them...so go look anyways.
Intimissi has some awesome tank tops that I love if you are a tank top person.
I love art from visiting museums. I have never donated money to a museum if asked for. I'll donate later when I'm rich. If you want to know what ones I love let me know where you are going and I'll tell you my suggestions.
there's not much to do after 8 if you don't drink. You can eat dinner in some places, but I've usually already had dinner by that point. I find sleep to be great or looking at what I want to do next.
Most people speak enough English to get you wherever you need. I've had few problems with any language barrier.
I don't bring many shirts cause I usually find enough that I love that I end up buying and wearing them there.
If your pin number for your debit card has a letter (which is weird) change it cause it won't work in Europe.
Check with your bank to see what they will charge every time you pull out money. I know people who got charge $5 or more every time they went to the ATM machine.
Go to parks. They keep their parks up really nice and they have amazing flowers.
Take your cell phone. I don't care what people say or what phone card you have or don't have. I've done it both ways and I'll always take my cell phone. Sometimes you just need a phone and you can't find one or you can't find a place to buy a card for the pay phone and cell phone charges are much cheaper than many other options. Inform everyone not to text you cause even if you don't open it up it'll cost you (at least for AT&T).
Take your ipod it's life saving. I get the wall charger and just use an adapter. It's dual voltage so you don't need to use a converter.
I think that's most things that I've learned on my trips. I realize that was really long, but you asked and I'm a little passionate about traveling. So there you have it.
Have fun. And be careful because it becomes addicting. I scheme all the time to where I should go next and how to get there as cheap as possible.
Ohh...and this is Kristen Bishop...you probably can't tell from my login..just so you know
Post a Comment