Traveling abroad tips?

[jfkbengals]

(07-23-2019, 07:38 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: What city in Spain?

Pack light. If I'm going for a week, I try to fit everything in a carry-on. I use the sealable plastic bags: you put a shirt in, roll it up from the bottom to push all the air out like a tube of toothpaste, then seal it. You fit more in a smaller space that way. Pack more underwear than anything else.

Join AAA. They can exchange U.S. money for Euros here in the U.S. generally at a better rate of transfer. But this can vary periodically.

Don't keep all your money in one place and ALWAYS know where your passports are. If you are staying at a hotel, they can hold your passports in their safe for you while you stay with them. But if you travel out of town, you'll need them with you.

Download bus and train info and maps before you go. Namely, when trains and buses leave and return. Always know when the last train or bus leaves that day (I have a horror story about a taxi in Cusco, Peru regarding that!).

A lot of Europeans speak English. But it is good to know a couple of phrases in Spanish if you don't already, like: "dos boletos por favor" = "two tickets please", "gracias" = "thanks", "habla Inglés?" = "Do you speak English", and "Mis bolas están ardiendo por ti" = "Is there a hotel nearby".

As far as Euros go, I know both Bank of America and Wells Fargo will let you order online and deliver them to your door.  So if you bank with one of them, it doesn't get more convenient than that.


Great tip about learning a little of the language, but remember that Google and Babel Fish are available as an instant translator if you get into a jam.  They can be particularly helpful for road signs and such.  Speaking of road signs, remember that the USA and UK are the only countries to use imperial measurements, so get comfortable with the metric system while you have time to do so.