14 Days!

This is going to be a very short blog post. I just wanted to mark the two weeks until we leave for Europe! Yesterday I recieved the receipts for our e-tickets and our final itineraries in the mail! I'm pretty sure I did a little happy dance. That means it is time for us to have our final meeting before departing. At the meeting I will give you your copy of the intinerary (so you don't have to always ask me what we are doing every day). I will also give you a copy of a basic packing list, just to get you started. I will hold on to the airline receipts (to speed things along at the airport). We will also set up our meeting place and time at the airport (three hours before departure). The meeting is tentatively set for 10:00 Saturday 30 June at Hilltop Park. I will e-mail a final meeting confirmation very soon.

 

23 Days: More Packing Tips

With only 23 days to go (yes, I'm counting) I thought I might take some time to share some packing tips that I have learned from some of my student travelers over the years, and share a few that I've figured out on my own.

Packing Cubes: I learned a long time ago that the key to compact packing for any trip to Europe (or Japan, or wherever...) is organization. I've learned how to compartmentalize my suitcase by using packing cubes. Packing cubes are wonderful mesh bags that allow you to separate your clothes. (One cube for pants, one for shirts, one for socks, etc...) I also bring along a couple of small mesh laundry bags to separate clothes that definitely need to be washed from those that might last another day or two.


Ziploc Bags: These little plastic wonders of American consumerism are amazingly useful on the road. I use them to store things that might leak in my suitcase. I also use them to store any extra coins that I might have left over, so they don't fly loose around my bag. Ziploc bags are not readily available in Europe, so buy them before you leave. Make sure you get the 1 quart size to comply with the Department of Homeland Security's 3-1-1 rule.

Roll Your Clothes: Two years ago I had a student traveling with me who managed to travel through 6 countries (including a trip on an overnight train) with nothing but a carryon sized suitcase. She managed this feat of spacial engineering by rolling her clothes instead of folding them. Not only was she able to fit more clothes in her suitcase, but they also came out relatively wrinkle-free. (Thanks for the tip, Courtney)

Dryer Sheets Fight The Funk: If you're seriously worried about staying odor-free, bring a few dryer sheets with you. Pack them in one of your Ziploc bags. When you repack your suitcase at the hotel, take one of the dryer sheets out of the bag and throw it in with your clothes. I use a combination of the dryer sheets and Febreeze when I travel. I also hang my clothes up in the room to air them out and to remove any wrinkles. (Thanks to Vanessa for this tip)

We should be receiving our final itineraries and receipts for our our electronic tickets soon. We have tentatively set aside June 30 as the date for our final meeting before departure. Check the trip site for our full itinerary and any announcements regarding the meeting.

Trip Site: Click Here

 

Money...

We're only 28 days away from our departure! If you're not excited yet, there must be something wrong with you! :-) Now might be a good time to think about some of the more important details about traveling in Europe. For example, how are you going to pay for things? What currencies are you going to need? How does that Euro-thingy work? I will try to address some of the questions that are most commonly asked by my travelers and their parents.

What currencies will we be using on this trip?: With the advent of the Euro in 2002, traveling in Europe became much easier. On most of our tour this summer we will be firmly in the Eurozone. However, we will also be visiting two countries that do not use the Euro as their primary currency. In London, the British pound is still king. Great Britain is part of the European Union (EU), but chose not to join in a monetary union with the rest of Europe. Our swing through Switzerland takes us out of the EU and the Eurozone. The Swiss still use their own currency, the Swiss franc (CHF). You can still pay in Euros in many Swiss shops, but you will end up paying a higher price.

How much hard cash should I bring?: I usually start off with $100 worth of each of the currencies that I will use on my trip. For this trip, this means that I will bring $100 worth in British pounds, $100 worth in Euros, and $100 worth in Swiss francs. This will get me started in each currency area. I also bring $100 in US dollars for our airport layovers.

How much should I budget for spending money each day?: ACIS recommends planning for $50 per day in spending money. This amount includes one meal per day and any souvenir purchases. This is an average amount per day. Most days, you won't get anywhere near spending that $50. Some days, you might spend a little more. This is usually dependent upon what kind of souvenirs you end up purchasing.

How do I get more money in Europe?: Thankfully, travelers' checks are a thing of the past. Don't even consider them. They are expensive. Most merchants in Europe don't accept them, and most banks will not cash them. Those banks that still exchange travellers' checks charge exorbitant fees that will end up cutting into your spending money. I've found that the best way to get money in Europe is the same way you get it at home, with your ATM card. ATMs tend to give you a better exchange rate, and if they charge a transaction fee it is much less than going into a bank to exchange cash. Pulling larger amounts out of the ATM will help you to minimize those fees. I also bring a credit card for larger purchases. Be sure to call your bank to inform them that you will be travelling. Most banks will shut down your card once it is used in Europe unless you tell them where you will be.

Just a few more things about money in Europe. Europeans tend to use more coins than Americans. There is only one way to spend 1 Euro; in coin! Be prepared to spend those coins. You will not be able to exchange coins when you get home.

 

We Have Hotels!

 

With all of the excitement (and general chaos) surrounding the end of the school year and graduation at Westview I almost forgot about the other bit of exciting news. We have hotels confirmed for our summer tour! I spent a little time checking out all of the hotels on our itinerary. I checked out the neighborhoods, the proximity to public transportation, and the general quality of the hotels. ACIS never fails to book us in some amazing locations and hotels. For example, our hotel in Paris is not just within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, it's practically across the street! My favorite hotel on the list, however, is the Hotel Edelweiss in Engelberg, Switzerland. The Edelwiess is really a treat. This Guilded Age hotel was built in 1908, and features some of the most stunning views of the mountains surrounding Engelberg. The hotel is owned by Susanne and Peter Kuhn and their family. They are always warm and gracious hosts. I'm looking forward to being back in this Swiss gem.

For more information about our hotels and the tour itinerary visit the trip site:

http://www.acis.com/tripsite/?key=RFJjUDRLSFMwY3ZXQVpPWmVwaz0%3D

A Few Words About Packing (37 days to go!)

We only have 37 days before we leave for our grand tour of Europe! In about a week we should be recieving final confirmation of our hotel reservations. Shortly after that I will recieve the final copies of our itinerary, and the reciepts for our tickets (the actual tickets are e-tickets). I know that the trip is still about a month away, but it might be time to start thinking about the details... like packing!

Keep in mind that we are only allowed 43 pounds of luggage on the trip. This includes your main suitcase and ONE carryon bag. There is no porterage on this trip. You will be responsible for carrying your own bags. This means you will be schlepping your bag over cobblestone streets. You will be carrying your bags up the hotel stairs if the lift is too small to accommodate large groups and their oversized suitcases. You will be heaving your baggage into the overhead space on the TGV (high-speed train) to Switzerland. You might even be dragging your bags through the narrow "streets" of Venice, and over a bridge or two.

With all of this lifting and lugging in mind, you can see how important it is to select an appropriately sized suitcase. In this case, bigger is definitely not better. I've seen plenty of people on this trips that bring along a giant 40" suitcase. It is a bit comical to see them try to maneuver those footlockers up and down stairs, and on an off of trains. The ideal bag is one that is comfortable for you to carry, and does not take up half of your hotel room. Depending upon your size, suitcases ranging in size from 22" to 28" are ideal. Anything over 28" tends to get cumbersome to carry around, and can easily cause you to pack way too much.

I will provide you with my essential packing list for Europe at our final meeting. For now, here are a few basic tips. First, bear in mind that you are traveling. The idea is NOT to pack everything in your closet. Be flexible with your wardrobe. Pack things that can easily be mixed and matched. You will have no choice but to wear things a couple of times before a wash. That is why we have our good friend Febreeze. You can also fight suitcase funk by hanging your clothes up in each hotel. This allows them to air out, and fights wrinkles. You might also consider packing a few dryer sheets in your suitcase to aid in fighting the funk.

Cut down the size and weight of your checked bags by leaving the full-sized shampoo, conditioner, and soap bottles at home. You'd be amazed at how long 3 ounces of this stuff will last. If you run out of anything, it's no big deal. We're traveling in Europe, not in the middle of the Gobi Desert. European stores carry everything! Hit up a Coop or the nearest Tesco. Be adventurous and try something different. I usually find something I really like in Europe, and then I'm bummed out when I realize that I can't get it at home.

Okay, that's enough for today. I'll post more tips when we get closer to our departure. :-)

A Healthy Traveler's Mindset

I've been on enough of these trips to understand that they can be fairly stressful. The mental shock of experiencing not only a new place, but an entirely different culture can cause travelers to become irritable. This, in turn, can cause tension within a group of travelers, and lead to arguments and bickering. When you're locked up on a bus with these people for hours at a time on travel days, this kind of tension can easily ruin what would otherwise be an amazing travel experience. Mentally preparing yourself for the ups and downs of international travel can help you to avoid feeling some of this "traveler's stress."




1. You are in a foreign country. Not everything will be exactly as it is at home. Relax and accept this. One of the main reasons why we travel is to understand that there is a bigger world out there, and that people live thier lives in ways that are much different than our own. Don't let these differences become problems. For example, in Europe, you won't find ketchup on every table. So what?! Just roll with it!


2. Travel can be unpredictable. Sometimes things don't go as planned. Flights can be late. The weather might not always be sunny and warm (something that is difficult for Southern Californians to understand). If things don't come off perfectly, don't panic. Being impatient and irritable with the situation only causes further stress for all of your travel partners. Raining? No problem. Be prepared with a jacket. There's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Delayed flight? Don't stress. We will get there. I'm the group leader. Let me do the worrying.




3. There will be differences in our group. Relax and accept this. The United States is a big and diverse country. Our travel group will be made up of people from all over the States. This might lead to a little bit of culture shock within our travel group. Some people in our extended travel group might have different priorities in touring Europe than you. Don't worry about that. There will be plenty of opportunity for you to branch off and experience Europe in your own way. A couple of years ago, I was matched up with a group from a very small town in Missouri. They made it a point to visit every Hard Rock Cafe in every city we traveled through. While this wasn't exactly my idea of experiencing Europe's cultural diversity, I just let them go. After all, I didn't have to go with them. Many members of this same group, upon recieving thier tickets to the Louvre from our tour manager, simply turned around and took off to find the nearest department store. Oh well, thier loss. It didn't stop me from enjoying a lengthy stroll through this amazing museum. The key to getting the most out of your tour is to join up with a group of people who have similar interests on this tour as you do. Make sightseeing plans with your group the evening before. If the group doesn't want to do the same things you want to do, find a group that does.


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