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Garden and Hearth>
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Europe>Checklist
Europe Vacation-A Month to Go
 Early bird planners will enjoy working through the early stages of the
vacation checklist. But for those of
us who enjoy last minute family trips, it’s never too late to swing into
action for a European family holiday to remember. Cram in the necessary
passport, ticket, medical and insurance checks then…
One month ahead
- Check out baggage allowances. At least one member of the family will be
tempted to return with a heavy load of souvenirs so look up the charges
for overweight baggage too. If you can’t afford it, take less initially
or carry things you don’t mind leaving behind when you come home.
- Start checking out exchange rates for any foreign currency you need.
You will probably get a better exchange rate for your money in the
country you are visiting. Only carry enough for initial expenses when
you first arrive.
- Carry paper money in small denominations. Taxis, restaurants, shops
won’t –and in some countries can’t –change large notes. Another plus
point is that if anyone tries to cheat you, you won’t lose so much.
- Make sure all the family tickets and papers are in order, that your
vaccinations are up to date and that you have sorted out someone to
visit your home and update you on everything going on in your absence.
- Make a minimum checklist of everything you will need on the journey.
From the Internet download a map of your destination airport and
transport to your first night’s accommodation. Transfer buses have been
known not to turn up. Taxis can charge exorbitant rates for stranded
travelers. Find a forum where you can ask the questions about
emergencies and costs. Lurk about there reading the correspondence and
gathering information on the possible downsides of your journey.
- Start learning useful words and phrases. What does it cost? Where is
the pharmacy? Lots of useful language learning sites on the web with
basic phrases for travelers and sound clips.
One week ahead:
- Check size and weight of personal baggage. Does it comply with airline
requirements? Is it underweight to allow for those last minute additions
that children consider vital to well being – that favorite toy, those
worn out jeans.
- Check that everyone’s passports, tickets, insurances, travel itinerary,
money are all in order and that you know where to find them when in
panic mode.
- Check that your travel insurance meets your needs. Will it cover stolen
property? Will you have to pay for medical attention then wait for it to
be reimbursed? Will it pay for you to be brought home for treatment in
case of emergency? The best deal is not necessarily the cheapest. It is
the one that will cover any emergency.
- Book taxi to the airport, station or other departure point if
necessary. Phone again the evening before to reconfirm the booking. You
may also want to make a booking to be met on your return journey if you
can’t arrange for family or friends at home to collect you.
- Buy snacks and plan children’s activities to while away the journey.
It’s always expensive to buy food en route.
- Do you know what’s on the forbidden list if you’re traveling by air or
what the regulations are for the country you’re visiting? Find out if
you want an easy journey through Customs.
Last minute checklist
- Passport
- Tickets
- Insurances-–you can always do this at airports but it’s costly
- Euros—you can also do this at airports but again it’s costly
- Itinerary--maps to your initial destination. Unless you have booked in
to a well-known hotel or holiday destination, these will save a lot of
time and fractured explanations.
Traveling in Europe is exciting enough without causing any extra
problems for yourself by lack of forward planning. Bon voyage!
Useful links
It’s hard to beat
Travlang if you’re looking for an excellent resource for basic
language learning or finding our how much foreign currency you get for
your dollar.
For the language phrases, there is a box on the right of the page where
you can input your native language and the language you with to learn.
You can also scroll down and link to the flag of the country or
countries you are visiting.
You'll find useful common travel phrases with sound clips and a fun quiz
to test your knowledge.
The money exchange calculator can be found on the home page of the same
site.
~Anne Duguid
Anne Duguid, a Scottish freelance lecturer
and writer, loves traveling in Europe. A true believer in budget travel
as the best way to learn about a country, its people and its culture,
she's looking forward to finding you that dream holiday in Europe. Join
her on the
European Travel Forum.
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