Paging International Travelers

trojangal · #1 03-26-2007, 07:38 PM

Ok, so just found out that DH and I will be going to Hamburg for Spring Break and for my birthday!!!

Needless to say, I'm really excited, but have tons of questions, so I thought I would go here.

Anyone here live/travel in Europe lately?

#2 03-26-2007, 08:54 PM

Was in France last year and going back in May. What are your questions? If you put them up we could all likely help you a bit better.

Buttonz · #3 03-26-2007, 09:03 PM

Enjoy.

I was over in Australia and New Zealand this past summer..not Europe but still an awesome time!

PeppyGPhiB · #4 03-27-2007, 01:05 AM

I was in Greece and London in May/June 2006.

mystikchick · #5 03-27-2007, 01:45 AM

i was in paris studying abroad this fall, and while there are differences there are also similarities, but questions would help

RU OX Alum · #6 03-28-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trojangal

Ok, so just found out that DH and I will be going to Hamburg for Spring Break and for my birthday!!!

Needless to say, I'm really excited, but have tons of questions, so I thought I would go here.

Anyone here live/travel in Europe lately?

yeah i just got back from Dortmund, etc. and so here is a tip:

take cash, keep in front pocket. Not many places let you pay with ATM cards, and there isn't always an ATM (called ein Geldautomat) around, so take what you will need for the whole day/night at one time. Also, Hammburg they might know more English, but none spoke that langauge in the part of Nordhein-Westfallen I was in, so some basic German will def. be a plus.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

ETA: here is something else re: money

In Europe, euro dollars come in 1E and 2E coins, so if you pay w/ a 5 and get coins, don't freak. But I do suggest keeping the euro coins seperate from the change coins. Um...oh yeah, unless you are back packing through the continent, it is generally wise to take very little stuff with you throughout your visit. You can always come back to where you're staying, but if you leave your bag, you left it. It's gone.

Sounds fun, you should have a blast!

PenguinTrax · #7 03-28-2007, 02:02 PM

Only take as much luggage as you can carry. Count on mixing/matching clothes and wearing more than once. Take a bodywash that can double as shampoo. Take undies and socks that can be tossed out when dirty. Eliminates laundry and makes room for shopping.

CutiePie2000 · #8 03-29-2007, 02:20 AM

I would buy shampoo / body wash when you get to Germany...they have AWESOME bath and shampoo products.

Try to bypass travellers cheques..they are a PITA to cash, as you have to do it at a bank and you MUST have your passport on you to do this.

Bring a few zip lock bags in different sizes...might be handy for storing money/coin, etc. also good for containing shampoo bottles (in case the contents leak or spill.).

Make sure that you have a coins on you, as public toilets usually incur a charge. Try to use the potty at the house/hotel where you are staying before you leave the house.

Guard your passport and keep it safe. Never leave it unattended in a purse or bag.
Take 2 photocopies of your passport's "picture page". Leave 1 at home and carry one with you. If you should lose or get your passport ripped off, this should help with getting your passport replaced. I would print off this page and take it with you. If you bring it with you, you will likely not need it! (PS I'm making the assumption that you are an American citizen and not Canadian, British and living in the US, etc.)
http://hamburg.usconsulate.gov/hambu..._services.html

Lastly, never forget that you are a "guest" in another country. Your rights and freedoms do not follow you around the world. As the saying goes, "if you want things to be like they are back home, stay home".

I lived in Kassel, Germany for 2 months one summer (with a family) and took German classes during the day...it was great.

Munchkin03 · #9 03-29-2007, 09:27 PM

I got back from Paris and London yesterday. Here are some pointers:

-Pack light, and make sure you can carry all of your bags (as opposed to wheeling them around). Many streets in Europe are cobblestone, which will make wheeled bags really annoying.

-Do not bring a ton of cash or traveller's cheques and expect to exchange them at the airport. The exchange rate is worse than at an ATM, and you get charged a commission. Foreign ATMs don't charge you a fee like domestic ones do, and most major banks (Citibank, HSBC, etc.) have branches in major foreign cities.

-Wear comfortable shoes.

-If you plan on doing a lot of shopping, bring a collapsible duffel bag. A few years ago, I got one from REI that folds up into a little 5 by 5 square, but it's a pretty big bag.

-Take travel-size toothpaste, etc. It takes up less space, and you can throw it away before you go home.

trojangal · #10 03-31-2007, 06:47 AM

What should I pack, climate wise?

How is the exchange rate overseas--where did you find to be the better place if you needed to get cash?

Places to see in Paris--also to avoid?

Right now it looks like 3 days in Hamburg, and 2 in Paris. We have one day with nothing scheduled the day before we leave. Any suggestions?

Recommendations of hotels in Paris?

Best places to shop? Eat?

DH is also wanting to get a language translator for his needs--any recommendations?

PeppyGPhiB · #11 03-31-2007, 09:04 PM

Check out Tripadvisor.com for suggestions on hotels and some activities, and Lonely Planet's Thorntree can be good too. I wouldn't even know where to start.

Suggestions regarding money: bring credit cards/debit card w/Mastercard or VISA logo, and some Euros that you've exchanged here in the states before your visit just to cover things like taxis. Get the rest of your cash there, from ATMs, and try to pay for major purchases with credit cards instead of cash. That way you won't have to carry a lot of cash around. I haven't been to Hamburg, but I can't imagine you would have trouble finding ATMs there since I didn't even have problems finding them in Greece. Don't bring travellers cheques. You won't have any problem finding ATMs when you need cash in Paris.

I would not carry money in your pockets, since pickpocketers seem particularly skilled in Europe. My friends and I use money belts when we travel in Europe, and none of us have ever had anything stollen from us. I got mine at REI. The money belts slip under your clothes and are totally hidden and comfortable. You just have to be subtle when taking money in and out of the belt.

Oh, and I wouldn't bother with the language translator. You won't use it.

Private I · #12 03-31-2007, 10:36 PM

i agree with whoever said to buy hygiene equipment in Germany. Fa makes the best body washes!

RU OX Alum · #13 04-02-2007, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trojangal

What should I pack, climate wise?

How is the exchange rate overseas--where did you find to be the better place if you needed to get cash?

Places to see in Paris--also to avoid?

Right now it looks like 3 days in Hamburg, and 2 in Paris. We have one day with nothing scheduled the day before we leave. Any suggestions?

Recommendations of hotels in Paris?

Best places to shop? Eat?

DH is also wanting to get a language translator for his needs--any recommendations?

Well, the exchange sucks, when I went it was E1,70 to US$1.00 plus the commision. So you pay almost 2 to 1. Just take your atm card and use it, you still get the sucky exchange rate (technically this varies day to day) but no commision fees and the ATM useage fee is usualy only E1 or E1,50 as opposed to US$2 or 3 or upwards.

xo_kathy · #14 04-02-2007, 02:19 PM

For climate - check weather.com for averages. We were in Paris in April 2006 - it was in the 60s mostly. I layered - usually a long sleeve shirt with a blazer with a scarf/pashmina. Don't think I wore an actual jacket much.

In Paris, you should sit in a cafe and people watch for a while. There are also hop-on/hop-off boats on the Seine. You can get an all day pass and it's a nice way to get from place to place not being on the metro - you can see things you might not have time to actually go visit. We used Batobus. We got our tickets right by the Eiffel Tower.

You must go see the Eiffel Tower. You don't have to go up (we didn't b/c I had a horrible head cold and was so congested I thought my head might explode on the elevator), but you should just go see it, stand under it, grab a crepe and sit in the park there and eat it.

For a wonderful, romantic view, go to the bar in Montparnasse Tower. It has a 360 view of Paris. Get there early enough (before dusk) to get a seat facing the Eiffel Tower. Then when it lights up you get the full glittery show! Beautiful. It costs to go up there, but get some champgane and gaze out at the view. http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/uk/

The Louvre takes a whole day, so I wouldn't go to it if I were you with only 2 days in the city. If you really want to go to a museum, we hit the Picasso museum. It was cool b/c it was in his old apartment/home but also small enough that you weren't there the whole day.

You'll have a wonderful time! Enjoy!