Strongverb - Mr Buchanan's Site for Hastings-on-Hudson HS Checklist
- Where do you want to go?
- How long do you want to stay there (overall and in each place)?
- What do you need to take with you?
- What do you have to do before you get there?
- How much is this going to cost?
- What do you do once you're there?
- How to stay in touch?
Getting Ideas about Where to Go, How long to Stay
- Where to Go
- Travelogues
| Travel Sites
- STA Travel
- Let's Go Europe
- Fodors
- Rough Guide Special: First-time Europe
- GoAbroad.com
- City Sites
- Paris, France
- London
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Dublin, Ireland
- Budapest, Hungary
- Vienna, Austria
- Salzburg, Austria
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Rome, Italy
- Athens, Greece
- Brussels, Belgium
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Krakow, Poland
- Berlin, Germany
- Munich, Germany
- Leipzig, Germany
- Aix-en-Provence, France
- Madrid, Spain
- Bilbao, Spain
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Florence, Italy
- Venice, Italy
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Oslo, Norway
- Helsinki, Finland
- St. Petersburg, Russia
- World History Textbook
- Coffee table books
- Word of Mouth: family, friends, relatives.
- Organize your trip by geography or topic
- > Ireland and UK: Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, London, Canterbury, Stonehenge, Bath
- > Central Europe: Munich, Salzburg, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow
- > Eastern Europe: Warsaw, Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest
- > Balkan: Ljubljana, Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Sofia, Istanbul
- Travelogues
| Travel Sites
- How Long to Stay
- Short term (2 to 4 weeks):
- Easiest way to travel: no special permissions or visas.
- You get a sense of many different places.
- You see a lot of Europe.
- But very little.
- Long term (5 weeks to several months):
- Little more difficult: need to register with the police and get a long term visa/permission.
- You learn about one place and culture.
- You might pick up the language or improve your knowledge.
- Language institutes
- Language study: studyabroad.com
- Goethe Institut
- Alliance Francaise
- Language institutes
- Short term (2 to 4 weeks):
Bare Basics
- What to pack: Travel EXTREMELY light
- Clothes
- 2 pants (1 you wear; 1 you pack)
- Shorts
- Shirts (1 "nice" shirt...not too many)
- Wind breaker
- Sweat shirt
- Basic underwear
- Really GOOD walking shoes
- Personal care
- Get the small versions (small toothpaste, shaving cream, etc.) or better yet, buy it over there.
- Basic medicine: Tylenol/Advil, aspirin (small packs),
- Small foldable sewing kit
- Hiking Backpack
- eBags
- > Recommendation: Rick Steves Travel Gear: Convertible Carry-On
- (Get a color other than BLACK!)
- > Recommendation: Rick Steves Travel Gear: Convertible Carry-On
- Rocky Mountain Trail
- USoutdoor
- eBags
- Money belt
- Clothes
- Need to haves
- Travelogue
- Rough Guide Special: First-time Europe
- Let's Go Europe
- Transportation schedules
- [Get these at train stations.]
- Documentation
- Travel insurance
- Money
- Travelers checks, ok. But why...pain to go cash them
- Bank card REALLY convenient.
- Withdraws from account in US and changes money at same time.
- Credit cards: watch out.
- > Can't always use them in restaurants, grocery stores...most of Europe uses a SmartCard (has a chip)
- BEST OF ALL: mix of all
- Cash (100 Euro or 50 Pounds before you go), Travelers Checks, ATM card, and credit card.
- But before you go, make sure you have receipts and documentation for all of them in case your stuff gets stolen.
- ***Call your Bank Card and Credit Card companies IN ADVANCE OF YOUR TRIP!!!! Otherwise, they may think someone stole your cards....
- Travelogue
- Nice to haves
- Language dictionaries.
- Camera (digital or otherwise). Better, camera in phone.
- Small calculator
- Phone
- > Need adapters for charging!
- > Look at your current adapter: 110/220?
- > Plug adapters
- * UK
- * Continental Europe
- * Apple Mac or iPhone adapters
- Think twice!
- Laptop computer...really? Do you REALLY need to take it?
- > Need adapter for charging!
- > Apple Mac adapters
- Laptop computer...really? Do you REALLY need to take it?
In advance
- Passport
- IDs (good for discounts)
- International Student ID
- Youth Travel
- Train pass
- Plane tickets
- Traveling: UK to Continental Europe (EuroStar)
- London, St. Pancras Station to Brussels or Paris
- Book in advance! Reserved seats
- Hostel / hotel reservations
- Don't generally HAVE to do that in advance.
- But a good idea...however, it keeps you on a schedule.
- Recommendation: Plot out destinations in Google Earth
- For you and family members
Budgeting
- Human necessities: food and shelter
- Transportation
- Spread sheet for calculations
- Currency exchange rate calculator
When You Get There
- Local student travel places
- Where: train stations, center of city -
- What you can get there:
- updates on museums, special events going on
- free maps
- discounts
- listings for lodgings
- Lodging (if you didn't get reservations in advance)
- Checking in at the hostel.
- Turn over passport / show passport.
- Fill out registry.
- Checking in at the hostel.
- Local transportation
- City transportation - discount cards
- For example:
- Paris Metro Pass
- Vienna
- London Oyster Card
- City transportation - discount cards
Boring Stuff
- Washing your clothes: public laundromats, hostels
- Eating
- Stretch your money!
- Shop at grocery stores for sandwich stuff.
- Bargain with yourself: I'll go light on breakfast, and splurge on dinner.
Home Away From Home: Staying in Touch with Home
- Internet cafes
- American Embassy / Consulates
- Phone
- Carrier special plans
- iPhone users! Shut off DATA ROAMING!
- Mail: nice for jettisoning gifts and other stuff
NOT Home Away From Home (resist as much as you can)
- McDonald's (any fast food place)
- Proselytizing religious groups
Online Resources [At a Glance]
- STA Travel
- Let's Go
- Rick Steves
- Fodors
- State Department: Passport Info
- State Department: International Travel Info
