VERY OT International traveling???

Bronnie, I had already planned that one! Give me a few months of traveling
under my belt and I'll be ready! Thanks for the info and the invite!

Leslie- no sugar daddy, just great benefits with his job! & The
Soon-To-Be-Lonesome Furbabies in MO.

wrote in message
...
Lol Girls! And you too Kathyl, re me and travel tips. But I think
all the other respondents have got it covered. Lots of good ideas.
Nothing like personal experience to draw on.
Anyway, tell us, Leslie, have you found a Sugar Daddy? If so, he
could pay for me to come along as your personal tour director. Any
month from now is fine by me - I just checked the diary.
Trust me, you'll need me unless you are doing a fully escourted tour
or cruise.
Just keeping up the conversation with the 'tipsters', I often drink
local water - anywhere in Europe is usually fine, just ask the hotel
clerk. Third world and tropical islands (excl Hawaii) no.
Comfy shoes is a must. The advice is do a trial pack 2 weeks or so
earlier (I still do this after years of travelling). And for first
timers --- HALVE THE LUGGAGE AND DOUBLE THE $$$$).
There are books and books on advice - get the Lonely Planet guide or
similar for the country you are visiting - buy it, or go to the
library.
There are also online websites for planners, clothes and packing tips
etc.

Best Tip: Come Down Under for your best overseas experience for a
first timer --- we speak kinda the same language, you can drink the
water, and you can come visit me!

Hugs,
Bronnie


MB wrote:

If it is a long flight this neck pillow is invaluable...i noticed that
lots
of people had them.
I used mine kind of under my chin..and finally could sleep on a plane and
then in my lap to prop up a book.
They are always sold in airports.
http://www.magellans.com/store/In_Fl...sIF665?Args =





"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
How and where do you exchange USA money to get the proper 'local'
currency?
How do you know how much local money to get? How do you remember what
each
coin or bill represents and then know what the heck 10% or 20% is???
That
is a major worry for me! I don't want to hand out the equivalent of a
$50
tip for lunch! And I'll have to ask what coin the restrooms require- I
have
that little middle aged female problem.... I guess I'll have to spend
my
vacation time dehydrated! What do the locals do when the need
arises?????
LOL

I assumed jeans would be too heavy to pack- I had planned on cotton
knit
slacks/shorts and tops. But would a blend or synthetic pack better? I
guess I should have one basic simple dress to wear? And my artificial
hip
and all the extra metal hardware in there from the second replacement
make
the alarms go crazy at airports! Oh my......

Leslie

"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. wrote:

It seems I am going to have the opportunity to do some traveling-
I've
never been outside the USA except for a short way across the border
into
Mexico. And I've only flown about 5 times and never even had to
catch a
connecting flight. I've never ridden in a taxi or public
transportation.
I need to know what to do??? ...snipped....
Help!

Leslie- applied for my passport and now I'm lost! & The Furbabies in
MO.

I just got back from Berlin in mid-June so I have current info :-).
First off WHERE will you be going & when? That has a lot to do with
the
type of clothing to take. Don't worry about connecting flights. The
airline personnel should be waiting at the arrival door when you
deplane
to help you and answer any questions.
When I went to Ireland, I found that I could dress more like I do
here
at home (jeans and casual top) and not get looked at as if I was from
Mars -- LOL! When I was in the Czech Republic last year, you would
have
thought I was running around naked because I had on dressy jeans, a
nice
sweater and my walking sneakers! Older women in Europe do not dress
the
way we do this side of the pond and very rarely wear denim jeans.
The
young girls do but not us more mature women :-).
Most hotels now have irons & ironing boards available for their
guests.
Blow dryers are usually in the bathrooms so you don't need to worry
about
that. For other electrical stuff, get an electric plug converter --
now
available in even Target & Walmart at a pretty reasonable price where
the
luggage and travel stuff is displayed. WEAR your most comfy walking
shoes
on the plane and pack just one pair of nice shoes. I usually stuff
my
socks INSIDE my nice shoes to help keep them from getting squished
:-).
Regardless of what you pack in your checked luggage, ALWAYS carry
on
a
change of undies and basic toiletries like comb, brush, toothpaste,
tooth
brush & deodorant. In your checked baggage, you can pack any size
stuff
you want but you can only *carry on* small bottles (max 3 or 4 oz) of
liquids, cremes, gels, etc. like toothpaste and shampoo. These small
bottles must all fit in a clear 1 quart zip lock bag and be put
through
the security scanner separately, not inside your carry on bag. If
you
take hairspray, take a SMALL can and pack it in your checked luggage.
Technically, I'm fairly sure that you are never allowed to carry on
ANY
aerosol of ANY kind. Many airports in the States are getting less
restrictive about the zip lock baggie thing but I found that ALL the
European airports I went through in the last few years were VERY
strict.
When you go through security, you will need to remove your jacket
(if
you are wearing one) and your shoes and walk through in stocking
feet.
I
even have to put my cane through the scanner so it's a good thing I
can
walk through on my own. If you don't think you can manage this, just
ask
for a wheelchair when you get to the airport and use that -- there is
a
special scanner that they have wheelchairs, etc. go through and you
will
likely have to be "wanded" with the hand held device.
DO NOT carry on pointed end scissors of ANY length as they will be
confiscated in other countries. I take my Clover Cutter and have no
problem. Sewing needles and straight pins are OK.
**IF** you have knit tops, not the standard Stateside t-shirts,
take
those as opposed to woven fabric tops. The knits pack better and
wrinkles
usually come out once they are hung for a bit. This is what I take
along
with elastic waist knit slacks unless it's winter or I am going
somewhere
that I know is cold. Then I will pack NICE colored jeans (black,
burgundy, beige, dk. blue) which also get "unwrinkled" quickly once
hung
for a bit. Fold your clothing a neatly as possible, getting our all
the
wrinkles, then roll the folded items up. I fold my tops like they do
in
the stores with the sides folded to the back and then folded in half
lengthwise. Then I ROLL the garment up lengthwise. For some reason, I
get
fewer wrinkles doing this. I usually wear an outfit twice when I
travel
so I NEVER take anything white. I'm not often out getting all hot
and
sweaty and dirty like I did when I was young. When we went to Japan,
we
planned on wearing outfits three times if possible (not difficult
with
pants or shorts but a bit chancy with tops), if not we did wash in
the
bathtub!
Purses are a total P.I.T.A. and totally unnecessary when in
another
country. All the stuff you carry in your purse isn't as useful while
on
holiday. When I was less "fluffy" I would wear a fanny pack instead.
Now
that I am more ample, I have a small travel shoulder bag. It has a
long
strap that I wear ACROSS my body so it can't be pulled off my
shoulder.
I
keep coins, bills and a credit card in a small 2 compartment change
purse.
Speaking of which, the foreign airports take credit cards but very
few
of
the fun small shops anywhere outside the States take credit cards.
Make
sure that the card you take will give you access to foreign ATMs,
there
will likely be on in your hotel and for sure there will be one at
just
about every bank you should pass. Be sure to call your credit card
company and tell them you are going to be outside the USA on holiday
or
they might not honor charges or attempts to get cash from local
ATMs!!
I also carry my passport with me at all times and it fits into a
zippered section of my travel purse. I also take my drivers license
even
though I don't plan on driving. It's just handy to have that second
piece
of photo ID. Keep a piece of paper with your passport that has
emergency
info on it just in case something should happen.
HMMM, what else? OH -- free public rest rooms are almost
nonexistent
outside the States. There *might* be pay toilets here and there so
don't
drink a lot while you are out and about. If you use a free public
rest
room in a shopping area or museum, etc. there will likely be an
attendant
on duty. If so, be sure to leave a small "tip" --
watch to see what the local folks do and follow their example.
If you are unsure about tipping in restaurants, etc. be sure to
ask
at
your hotel front desk. Be honest and simply tell them you aren't
sure
what is accepted in that area. In our Berlin hotel, the menu stated
that
a 10% tip was automatically included in the cost of the food. In the
Czech Republic, we asked at the front desk and were told that it was
not
expected. The young man who was our server in the hotel restaurant
spoke
excellent English and really went out of his way so we left him a
nice
tip
on the last night we were there.
I could go on forever but this has gone on long enough -- LOL! If
you
have any specific questions, post them or e-mail me and I will try to
answer. Don't forget to tell us where you are going, etc. OK??
CiaoMeow
^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said
about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

..... and some of them take photos of their food. I think that is
really neat.
Taria

wrote:


Best Tip: Come Down Under for your best overseas experience for a
first timer --- we speak kinda the same language, you can drink the
water, and you can come visit me!

Hugs,
Bronnie

Plenty of free 'Restrooms' here, except we call them toilets or loos.
Also Bathrooms are where we have baths! Probably have to pay in London
(don't know, never go there). Also Restaurants, Cafes, etc have them and
in big cities big department stores are a good bet! Main difference is
that the doors go all the way down to the floor - couldn't get used to
your US ones where you can see feet under the door! Also scratchy toilet
paper hasn't been seen here for decades. Tourist Information Offices
always have maps or will point you in the right direction.

Also we don't have Euros here - good old Pounds - current exchange rate
approx 2 dollars to the Pound - nice and simple! Also sales tax (called
Value Added Tax - VAT) is automatically included in prices here (its
17.1/2% all over the country) so you don't have to work out what things
really cost. If you hire a car here get an economical one - petrol is so
expensive I don't even dare look what it costs anymore, and DH has given
me lessons in getting more miles per gallon. I'm getting quite obsessed
with the little computer read out of my consumption as I now never put
my accelerator more than 1/4 down and have given up any woosh!

We usually take Travellers Cheques abroad - easily changed and if you
lose them you don't lose all your money! Visa and Mastercard common with
cash machines outside every bank and large supermarket etc, but have a
friend who tried to use American Express in an airport and they didn't
take that. As I'm a worrier I have been known to take a little emergency
pile of travellers cheques in my own name hidden somewhere safe just in
case. Then I cash them back when I get home.

Imodium is a good idea from one who had to send DH out to get some in
Paris - really did test his French!

Most toiletries are the same or very similar.

Have a lovely trip - I always try to visit a Supermarket/large food
store when I'm in another country - fascinating to see what other
nationalities buy - The French seem to have every cereal covered in
chocolate!

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin



Tia Mary wrote:
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. wrote:

How and where do you exchange USA money to get the proper 'local'
currency? How do you know how much local money to get? How do you
remember what each coin or bill represents and then know what the heck
10% or 20% is??? That is a major worry for me! I don't want to hand
out the equivalent of a $50 tip for lunch! And I'll have to ask what
coin the restrooms require- I have that little middle aged female
problem.... I guess I'll have to spend my vacation time dehydrated!
What do the locals do when the need arises????? LOL

I assumed jeans would be too heavy to pack- I had planned on cotton
knit slacks/shorts and tops. But would a blend or synthetic pack
better? I guess I should have one basic simple dress to wear? And my
artificial hip and all the extra metal hardware in there from the
second replacement make the alarms go crazy at airports! Oh my......

Leslie

You can change money at the airp[ort but we don't do that unless we
know we need money right away -- like for a tazi or something. Then we
only change a small amount. Most of the time we change opur money once
we get to the hotel where you can usually get a better exchange rate and
there isn't a fee. Also you can change money at any bank with
absolutely no problems.
If you are going to a a EU(European Union) country, the money is
similar in size to US money and has the amount written on it just like
our does. EU countries are great because they all use the same
currency! Even in non-EU countries, the amount of the coin or bill is
printed on it. To figure 10%, just move the decimal one space to the
left -- 10% of 15.20 is 1.520. If you want 20%, simply find the 10% and
double it.
You only need to be a bit dehydrated during the day. When you get
back to your hotel or someplace where you know you have access, load up
on fluids. That's what I have to do and I have NO IDA what the local
middle aged women do. I have always just assumed they know where the
toilets are able to get to them in a timely fashion -- LOL! It's the
not knowing how to find the rest rooms that is the problem. I don't
mind paying but by the time I find one, I can barely make it to the
stall let alone figure out which coin to use to pay for the *$(%*&^$
thing -- LOLOL! OH don't forget that toilet paper is NOT nice and soft
once you get out of North America! I have used some nasty, rough,
scratchy stuff in my travels, the worst being in the Czech Republic last
year. They do not keep paper in the stalls -- I had to take what Ithink
you would need from a HUGE roll mounted on the wall at the entry to the
public rest room! another reason you don't want to drink the water and
chance a "lower intestinal" episode -- LOLOL!
As for clothing, yes one nice, simple dress or skirt outfit is pretty
much necessary, especially for dinner. Nice slacks are OK but there
will be a lot more women in dresses or skirts than slack. IIRC, my
pants are a cotton/poly blend. The poly keeps stuff from wrinkling too
much and the cotton makes it breathe better and be more comfy. I don't
do 100% poly as it makes me sweat like mad but a blend is OK. If you
are taking knits, the 100% cotton should be OK since the knits allow the
wrinkles to fall out better. Remember, once you sit down, bend over,
lean against something, etc., you're gonna be wrinkled anyway so no one
will care. As long as you pack neatly, and then hang as much stuff up
as possible, you should be OK. If there aren't eough hangers, rotate
your clothing and make sure the stuff you want to wear has at least a
day to hang so the wrinkles fall out a bit.
With the hip hardware, get a note from your doctor that outlines
EXACTLY what you have in you. DEFINATELY get a wheel chair at the
airport (you can arrange for one ahead of time -- tell the airline
people) and make sure you tell the security people that you have a hip
replacement. If you have connecting flights, make sure you ask for a
wheelchair to be there waiting for you. After sitting in a plane for
hours, your joints will likely stiffen and it will be total misery
trying to walk from one side of the airport to the other. I keep
threatening to use a wheel chair in the airports -- it's a bear dealing
with the cane AND the stitching bag that hangs across my chest ANd my
carry on case.....
You'll do OK. If you have specific concerns about the airport, phone
your airline and ask them for suggestions. They want your $$$ so they
are happy to assist you :-). CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

ahhh... that's not traveling for a few months- it's traveling- just about
each month.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
Bronnie, I had already planned that one! Give me a few months of
traveling under my belt and I'll be ready! Thanks for the info and the
invite!

Leslie- no sugar daddy, just great benefits with his job! & The
Soon-To-Be-Lonesome Furbabies in MO.

wrote in message
...
Lol Girls! And you too Kathyl, re me and travel tips. But I think
all the other respondents have got it covered. Lots of good ideas.
Nothing like personal experience to draw on.
Anyway, tell us, Leslie, have you found a Sugar Daddy? If so, he
could pay for me to come along as your personal tour director. Any
month from now is fine by me - I just checked the diary.
Trust me, you'll need me unless you are doing a fully escourted tour
or cruise.
Just keeping up the conversation with the 'tipsters', I often drink
local water - anywhere in Europe is usually fine, just ask the hotel
clerk. Third world and tropical islands (excl Hawaii) no.
Comfy shoes is a must. The advice is do a trial pack 2 weeks or so
earlier (I still do this after years of travelling). And for first
timers --- HALVE THE LUGGAGE AND DOUBLE THE $$$$).
There are books and books on advice - get the Lonely Planet guide or
similar for the country you are visiting - buy it, or go to the
library.
There are also online websites for planners, clothes and packing tips
etc.

Best Tip: Come Down Under for your best overseas experience for a
first timer --- we speak kinda the same language, you can drink the
water, and you can come visit me!

Hugs,
Bronnie


MB wrote:

If it is a long flight this neck pillow is invaluable...i noticed that
lots
of people had them.
I used mine kind of under my chin..and finally could sleep on a plane
and
then in my lap to prop up a book.
They are always sold in airports.
http://www.magellans.com/store/In_Fl...sIF665?Args =





"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
How and where do you exchange USA money to get the proper 'local'
currency?
How do you know how much local money to get? How do you remember what
each
coin or bill represents and then know what the heck 10% or 20% is???
That
is a major worry for me! I don't want to hand out the equivalent of a
$50
tip for lunch! And I'll have to ask what coin the restrooms require-
I
have
that little middle aged female problem.... I guess I'll have to spend
my
vacation time dehydrated! What do the locals do when the need
arises?????
LOL

I assumed jeans would be too heavy to pack- I had planned on cotton
knit
slacks/shorts and tops. But would a blend or synthetic pack better?
I
guess I should have one basic simple dress to wear? And my artificial
hip
and all the extra metal hardware in there from the second replacement
make
the alarms go crazy at airports! Oh my......

Leslie

"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. wrote:

It seems I am going to have the opportunity to do some traveling-
I've
never been outside the USA except for a short way across the border
into
Mexico. And I've only flown about 5 times and never even had to
catch a
connecting flight. I've never ridden in a taxi or public
transportation.
I need to know what to do??? ...snipped....
Help!

Leslie- applied for my passport and now I'm lost! & The Furbabies
in
MO.

I just got back from Berlin in mid-June so I have current info
:-).
First off WHERE will you be going & when? That has a lot to do with
the
type of clothing to take. Don't worry about connecting flights.
The
airline personnel should be waiting at the arrival door when you
deplane
to help you and answer any questions.
When I went to Ireland, I found that I could dress more like I do
here
at home (jeans and casual top) and not get looked at as if I was
from
Mars -- LOL! When I was in the Czech Republic last year, you would
have
thought I was running around naked because I had on dressy jeans, a
nice
sweater and my walking sneakers! Older women in Europe do not dress
the
way we do this side of the pond and very rarely wear denim jeans.
The
young girls do but not us more mature women :-).
Most hotels now have irons & ironing boards available for their
guests.
Blow dryers are usually in the bathrooms so you don't need to worry
about
that. For other electrical stuff, get an electric plug converter --
now
available in even Target & Walmart at a pretty reasonable price
where
the
luggage and travel stuff is displayed. WEAR your most comfy walking
shoes
on the plane and pack just one pair of nice shoes. I usually stuff
my
socks INSIDE my nice shoes to help keep them from getting squished
:-).
Regardless of what you pack in your checked luggage, ALWAYS carry
on
a
change of undies and basic toiletries like comb, brush, toothpaste,
tooth
brush & deodorant. In your checked baggage, you can pack any size
stuff
you want but you can only *carry on* small bottles (max 3 or 4 oz)
of
liquids, cremes, gels, etc. like toothpaste and shampoo. These
small
bottles must all fit in a clear 1 quart zip lock bag and be put
through
the security scanner separately, not inside your carry on bag. If
you
take hairspray, take a SMALL can and pack it in your checked
luggage.
Technically, I'm fairly sure that you are never allowed to carry on
ANY
aerosol of ANY kind. Many airports in the States are getting less
restrictive about the zip lock baggie thing but I found that ALL the
European airports I went through in the last few years were VERY
strict.
When you go through security, you will need to remove your jacket
(if
you are wearing one) and your shoes and walk through in stocking
feet.
I
even have to put my cane through the scanner so it's a good thing I
can
walk through on my own. If you don't think you can manage this,
just
ask
for a wheelchair when you get to the airport and use that -- there
is a
special scanner that they have wheelchairs, etc. go through and you
will
likely have to be "wanded" with the hand held device.
DO NOT carry on pointed end scissors of ANY length as they will
be
confiscated in other countries. I take my Clover Cutter and have no
problem. Sewing needles and straight pins are OK.
**IF** you have knit tops, not the standard Stateside t-shirts,
take
those as opposed to woven fabric tops. The knits pack better and
wrinkles
usually come out once they are hung for a bit. This is what I take
along
with elastic waist knit slacks unless it's winter or I am going
somewhere
that I know is cold. Then I will pack NICE colored jeans (black,
burgundy, beige, dk. blue) which also get "unwrinkled" quickly once
hung
for a bit. Fold your clothing a neatly as possible, getting our all
the
wrinkles, then roll the folded items up. I fold my tops like they
do in
the stores with the sides folded to the back and then folded in half
lengthwise. Then I ROLL the garment up lengthwise. For some reason,
I
get
fewer wrinkles doing this. I usually wear an outfit twice when I
travel
so I NEVER take anything white. I'm not often out getting all hot
and
sweaty and dirty like I did when I was young. When we went to
Japan, we
planned on wearing outfits three times if possible (not difficult
with
pants or shorts but a bit chancy with tops), if not we did wash in
the
bathtub!
Purses are a total P.I.T.A. and totally unnecessary when in
another
country. All the stuff you carry in your purse isn't as useful
while on
holiday. When I was less "fluffy" I would wear a fanny pack
instead.
Now
that I am more ample, I have a small travel shoulder bag. It has a
long
strap that I wear ACROSS my body so it can't be pulled off my
shoulder.
I
keep coins, bills and a credit card in a small 2 compartment change
purse.
Speaking of which, the foreign airports take credit cards but very
few
of
the fun small shops anywhere outside the States take credit cards.
Make
sure that the card you take will give you access to foreign ATMs,
there
will likely be on in your hotel and for sure there will be one at
just
about every bank you should pass. Be sure to call your credit card
company and tell them you are going to be outside the USA on holiday
or
they might not honor charges or attempts to get cash from local
ATMs!!
I also carry my passport with me at all times and it fits into a
zippered section of my travel purse. I also take my drivers license
even
though I don't plan on driving. It's just handy to have that second
piece
of photo ID. Keep a piece of paper with your passport that has
emergency
info on it just in case something should happen.
HMMM, what else? OH -- free public rest rooms are almost
nonexistent
outside the States. There *might* be pay toilets here and there so
don't
drink a lot while you are out and about. If you use a free public
rest
room in a shopping area or museum, etc. there will likely be an
attendant
on duty. If so, be sure to leave a small "tip" --
watch to see what the local folks do and follow their example.
If you are unsure about tipping in restaurants, etc. be sure to
ask
at
your hotel front desk. Be honest and simply tell them you aren't
sure
what is accepted in that area. In our Berlin hotel, the menu stated
that
a 10% tip was automatically included in the cost of the food. In
the
Czech Republic, we asked at the front desk and were told that it was
not
expected. The young man who was our server in the hotel restaurant
spoke
excellent English and really went out of his way so we left him a
nice
tip
on the last night we were there.
I could go on forever but this has gone on long enough -- LOL!
If
you
have any specific questions, post them or e-mail me and I will try
to
answer. Don't forget to tell us where you are going, etc. OK??
CiaoMeow
^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said
about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

"Tia Mary" wrote in message
...

HEY -- works for me as I obviously do love to travel -- LOL! Before we
moved to Magnoliaville (AKA Atlanta 8 1/2 yrs ago) DH and I had traveled
to Hawaii 12 times, Japan, Tahiti, Fiji, areas of the Caribbean and a bit
of Mexico and Canada. Since moving here we have been to more parts of
the Caribbean, Hawaii again, Winnipeg, Ireland, Austria, The Netherlands,
the Czech Republic, and twice to Germany! DH has gone to Germany at least
5 times, 4 times to Japan, Italy once, Sweden 4 or 5 times, Spain once and
probably some other places I have forgotten about. All without me, of
course -- LOL!

Tia Mary, how was Fiji? Marriott is opening up a new spa/resort in Fiji next
year in December so DH and I are saving up his Marriott points to go there.
We want to stay in one of the overwater bungalows. It doesn't seem like
there is really much to do though unless you're into scuba diving or
snorkeling, which we're not.


Hugs,
Mika

MB wrote:
....snipped....
I didn't have a travel alarm with me...and
twice set the alarm clock in the room wrong !...but several people
told me that they used their cell phone's alarm ...snipped....

This reminded me that Leslie asked about using a cell phone when in
another country. OK -- first off you need to have a cell phone that is
capable of working outside the USA. Next, you need to have a phone
service provider that offers that option and lastly you need to be able
to pay the VERY hefty charges. DH's company gave him an int'; cell
phone to use while we were in Berlin since it was a business trip we
were on. I *could* have opted to get an int'l card for my phone before
we left or once we got to Berlin but didn't feel that was necessary. If
you are going to Canada, your phone will work there just fine -- no need
for an int'l card but you WILL be charged very heavy roaming fees.
I'm not sure if a regular phone would even work in Europe if you
don't have the int'l card. You'd be best off phoning your service
provider and asking them these questions. I simply turned my phone
totally off when I got onto the plane at JFK and didn't turn it back on
until we got back to JFK. Then again, I have a small travel clock that
I keep in my toiletry case and I use that to set my alarm. You can get
these really cheap (less than $10 at the local WallyWorld or Target) and
makes it very easy to reset your alarm each day if you want.
I travel so much that I have slippers, cotton house coat & very
small folding umbrella that reside in each of my suitcases. I have a
fold up toiletry case that is packed with all of my necessary stuff and
is never unpacked AND it hangs up. I have duplicates of everything I
need on a routine daily basis that are ready to be picked up and packed
so that all I need to add are my clothes.
As Sandy said, you can get all of the basic toiletries as well as
just about anything else you might want in any store in just about any
country in the world. The problem is that if you have never traveled
like this before, you aren't going to want to try and negotiate having
to do this the minute you get to your hotel and find out that you have
either forgotten or lost something. On top of which, if you are
traveling to just about *anywhere* outside the continental US, you are
gonna be dog tired and not have the energy to do it! When traveling to
Europe (which takes at least 6 hours to most anywhere non-stop from
JFK), I get to my hotel (usually in late morning between 10 or 11 am
local time) and the ONLY thing I want to do is brush my teeth, wash my
face, get undressed and get prone for about 4 or 5 hours. This is a
nice loooong nap so I arise refreshed in the later afternoon or early
evening, ready for a bit of a walk, some easy sightseeing and then a
meal. By this time it is usually a reasonable local bedtime -- 9 or 10
PM -- I am tired again and ready for a nice night's sleep. This whole
scenario gets my body clock on local time quickly and relatively painlessly.
This last trip was the first time I actually slept on the plane. I
think the only reason I did so was because I had really good light
blocking eye covers and there was virtually no noise on the flight! Of
course, my sleep time was a whole HOUR long but it was a solid, unbroken
hour and that's a first for me! CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

Sally Swindells wrote:

....snipped.... Also scratchy toilet
paper hasn't been seen here for decades. Tourist Information Offices
always have maps or will point you in the right direction.

I dunno Sally -- those Tourist Info Office maps can be pretty
scratchy when used as toilet paper. SORRY -- couldn't resist. Even in
the Berlin hotel room, the t.p. was rough and scratchy -- we won't talk
about that available in the museum rest room -- LOLOL! The stuff in the
Czech rest room was little better than industrial strength paper towels
for use after washing your hands!!! Thank heavens it was thinner --
LOL. The part that really grossed me out was that you were asked NOT to
put the t.p.own the toilet but to throw it into a covered trash can
inside the stall. OH YUCK -- they had little line drawings for those
who couldn't read Czech which is how I know that's what they wanted!
Makes one wonder just what you were supposed to do with the t.p. when --
welllllll enough said -- I bet you can think of what I mean! CiaoMeow
^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

wrote:

....snipped..... I often drink
local water - anywhere in Europe is usually fine, just ask the hotel
clerk. Third world and tropical islands (excl Hawaii) no.
....snipped....

This might be OK for folks who are used to drinking water from all
over but the differences in minerals that are OK can cause problems.
That's why I recommend only drinking bottled water even in the
"civilized" places, especially for folks who have never really traveled
-- definitely a case of "better safe than sorry" time. Personally, I
would rather pay the $$ for bottled water than take a chance with my
"lower intestinal" tract :-). Actually, I don't buy much water, I just
fill up the ice bucket (assuming the ice is good) and let it melt then
drink THAT. I usually keep an empty water or soda bottle handy and pour
the melted ice water into it. I'm not too frugal, now am I -- LOLOL
?!?!? CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary ^;;^ (RCTQ Queen of Kitties)
Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about
their whiskers!
Visit my Photo albums at http://community.webshots.com/user/tiamary

You've been getting great info from everyone. Regarding the cell phone,
check, double-check & triple-check about either bringing one from home, with
an int'l chip in it or picking one up overseas. A lady I was talking to the
other day had a daughter travelling in Europe with a couple of girlfriends.
One of the friend's father's got her a cell phone so she could call home in
emergencies. Seems it was an emergency to call her boyfriend every chance
she got. Anyway, the bill, after 6 weeks was over $10,000.00. The dad said
the cell phone store told him she had free minutes or some crazy story.
(He's fighting with the cell phone company to get the bill reduced.)

One thing that DH & I found when we were in Germany a few years ago was that
most places accepted MasterCard & not Visa. We found this to be true with
the ATM machines as well, so that's one thing to ask about when you decide
where you are going. We also found that in some parts (if not all) of
Germany, if you have a car, you must pick up a cardboard clock (from
newsstands, pharmacies, etc.). When you park you are on the honor system &
you set your cardboard clock to the time you parked. We got a parking
ticket, before we figured this out.

Someone suggested Rick Steves - yes, yes, yes, yes!!!! We have travelled to
Europe with Rick's books as our guidebooks several times - he breaks it down
& makes it pretty simple.

When we went to Hungary a hundred years ago, I was the only woman wearing
shorts! That may have changed by now, but something else to look into. DH
always says - whatever you need you can buy there. (Not always true if you
are a 6' woman!)

Wherever you decide to go - have a wonderful time. (Oh yes, I've never
found public restrooms to be difficult to find - they aren't always as clean
as I would like, but usually can be found, wherever you are.)

Pauline
Northern California
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." wrote in message
...
It seems I am going to have the opportunity to do some traveling- I've
never been outside the USA except for a short way across the border into
Mexico. And I've only flown about 5 times and never even had to catch a
connecting flight. I've never ridden in a taxi or public transportation.
I need to know what to do??? How do I find a curling iron that will work
no matter where I go? Can I take an aerosol can of hairspray? How do
people pack what they need without going over the weight limits? Is
cotton clothing the best or too wrinkly? How do you pack clothing so it
doesn't look like you slept in it???

Help!

Leslie- applied for my passport and now I'm lost! & The Furbabies in MO.

There are dual-voltage hairdryers, so I imagine they make curling irons as
well. Buy an adaptor plug too. Lots depends on where you go and what your
accommodations are. Staying with friends? Hotel? Most hotels have
hairdryers, and most of my friends would lend me their curling irons.

You can get a lot into a suitcase, but less is more! Again, we need to know
your destination. Beach? City? Europe? (Come visit me!) I usually travel
with enough underwear for the trip, but I'm lazy and a good packer. If you
are in one place for a while, you can take just a few sets and hand wash. I
bring 2 pairs of lightweight wool trousers, several knit tops, a nice jacket
or 2, and usually a coordinating skirt or dress. 2 pairs of shoes. Bearing
in mind that if I really need anything, I can shop! Obviously, some of this
stuff will be worn on the journey.
I prefer to check my bag, and fly with just a handbag and a small tote for
my books, much more elegant.
Once we know where you're going, we can do public transportation.
Roberta in D
"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." schrieb im
Newsbeitrag ...
It seems I am going to have the opportunity to do some traveling- I've
never been outside the USA except for a short way across the border into
Mexico. And I've only flown about 5 times and never even had to catch a
connecting flight. I've never ridden in a taxi or public transportation.
I need to know what to do??? How do I find a curling iron that will work
no matter where I go? Can I take an aerosol can of hairspray? How do
people pack what they need without going over the weight limits? Is
cotton clothing the best or too wrinkly? How do you pack clothing so it
doesn't look like you slept in it???

Help!

Leslie- applied for my passport and now I'm lost! & The Furbabies in MO.