What to Bring

 
Cruising
 
River Cruising
 
Cruise Reviews
 
Medical & Emergency
 
Insurance
 
Passports & Visas
 
Customs
 
Visas
 
Using Eurail
 
Using the Metro
 
Photography
 

 

WHAT TO BRING ALONG

Money

  • Bring cash and keep it in a money belt when traveling in foreign destinations.  Convert it to local currencies before you leave for a better exchange rate or convert it at airports along the way.

  • Bring a charge card or bank card for replenishing funds along the way.

  • Let your bank and charge card company know when you will be away.  Many companies block international transactions unless they know you are abroad. 

  • Change the PIN on your bank card to 4 digits for travel in Europe, as many banking systems throughout the world do not accept more than 4 digits.

  • Ensure the account you will withdraw from is under "Chequing", as many machines outside Canada don't recognize "Savings". 

  • Check your accommodation arrangements carefully, as smaller establishments in Europe often don't accept anything but cash for your room.

Electronics - For international travel, cell phones are problematic.  You must obtain a new SIM card for the country you are in, which may be difficult.  Also, not all SIM cards work in all cell phones.  We recommend the iPod Touch to keep in touch:

  • iPod Touch - the iPod Touch works on wireless internet.  Free wireless is becoming more and more common at coffee shops and B&Bs.  It's also frequently available for a fee at hotels.  In addition to it's email and internet access, you can set up the SKYPE application and buy minutes to your home country.  You can call anyone in your home country for a few cents a minute and the connection quality is reasonable.  Even without the internet, you can still have access to books, music, games, contacts and a calendar. Add a noise canceling headphone for use while in transit.

  • iPad - bring along even more readability with an iPad.  You can still make SKYPE calls, plus you have the advantage of word processing, spreadsheets and a larger reading surface better suited to more web sites than a mobile device.  The Camera Adapter allows you to back up your photos from an SD card onto the iPad.  There is no camera in the iPad yet though and you don't gain any functionality over an iPod Touch, so the iPod Touch gets our vote as a better alternative.

  • Battery Charging - there are inexpensive adapters available for Britain and for Europe, so it's easy to use your portable devices in other countries.  You can also purchase inexpensive, yet reliable camera batteries and battery chargers from places such as eBay and Amazon.  Try to ensure you've got backup power with the least amount of wiring to transport.

  • SD cards can provide substantial space for your pictures without the need to save these to computer or disk.  Try Dell for some low priced, high GB cards.

Clothing - The secret to easy travel is packing lightly.  You will be amazed at how many weeks you can travel with nothing more than a 20 inch suit case and a small back pack.  Make sure the suit case has rollers. Put your liquids and small metallic souvenirs in a clear plastic bag and stow this in the back pack, so you have easy access at airport security.  Carry your luggage with you on and off airplanes, trains, hotels and cruise ships.  You'll wonder why you ever used to check your bags.

Some space saving ideas:

  • Small bottles of shampoo, sun tan lotion and tooth paste take up less space and don't cause problems at airport security either.

  • Pack the toiletries on top where you don't have to dig them out each night.  A separate see through container is easy to hang in a bathroom and makes it easy to access the contents.

  • Buy quick dry clothing such as socks, undergarments, pants and shirts from tilley.com  Wash these in the evening with hand soap and warm water.  In the morning they will be dry and ready to wear or pack.  You can reduce the amount of clothing you bring by more than 50%.

  • For cruises, a man can get by with one dress shirt, one tie and a good pair of casual pants.  Leave the suit at home.  For women, mix and match a couple tops and skirts for formal situations.  Leave that good dress at home.

  • For those with fair skin, buy a broad rimmed hat such as those sold by tilley.com  They aren't the most stylish, but they protect the face and neck.  Plus they fold away easily when not needed, such as on flight days.

  • Make your clothing multi purpose.  Pajamas, a long sleeved T shirt and a nylon shell can help you survive freezing temperatures in Chamonix and downpours in Rome.  Mix and match layers of clothing to the weather conditions and leave your heavy coat at home.

  • Get a good quality walking shoe that will also work for the formal night on a cruise.  Avoiding the need for extra shoes saves a tremendous amount of space.  A good pair of SAS walking shoes will still be comfortable and functional after wearing them everyday for weeks of trekking.

  • Get a money belt for cash and documents.  It may be difficult to get used to, but this allows you to stop worrying about pick pockets and move easily through the crowds.  It's very awkward in a foreign country to accuse a stranger of stealing.  It's a lot better situation to end up telling a friend that someone reached into your pocket and found out it was empty.  Leave the wallet and the purse at home.

Locking Your Luggage

Comment by Tracie - I usually tell people not to lock their bags at the airport check in, because if staff don't have a proper lock cutter they will get into your bag however they want and could end up damaging the bag. Twist ties and no valuables in the suitcase is my suggestion, then lock up after baggage claim. Hope that helps. I've never heard anyone paged to come and open their locked suitcase.

 

What to Bring

Cruising

River Cruising

Cruise Reviews

 Medical & Emergency

Insurance

Passports & Visas

Using Eurail

Using the Metro

Photography