Okay, so I'm leaving tomorrow for my study abroad trip. I'm pretty nervous that I've forgotten something or planned poorly about something or that my bag is too heavy or that I've brought too many pairs of socks, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Right now, the bag is packed, the plans are made, and I'm just killing time and trying to stay up all night so I can sleep on the plane (I realize it might not work out that way)

I've never been overseas and I've never lived out of a suitcase for longer than ten days and I've never had to worry quite so much about my budget (I'm on full scholarship but I have to cover some food and incidentals and I'm nearly broke and the exchange rate hurts).

I know some of you are experienced world travelers-- have you any travel advice/tips to give? I'd appreciate any ideas.

Also, if you can, buy an inflatable vinyl beach ball and take a pillow case. Blow the beach ball up a little and slip it in the pillow case. You can put it on the tray table, or if you have a window seat in the corner, and use it for a pillow. Works great!

Seriously, get down to Wal-Mart and buy the ball while you can. It takes up very little room or at the end of the trip give it to someone waiting at the gate or just chuck it.

You only need a weeks worth of clothes; there's usually somewhere to do laundry once a week.

Benadryl, check. And now, I'm totally going to the Wal-mart to get a beach ball. That is a really great idea!

Thank you!

I go to and fro from the west coast of Canada to the UK quite a bit... my only advice is to get into your destination's time zone as soon as you can. By that I mean, if you arrive in the morning, local time (but to you in your head it's still 2am), force yourself to stay up, get out in the sun and go to bed at your new destination's bedtime. I find that minimizes jet lag. I hope that makes sense.

Most importantly though... Have fun! :-)

I appreciate your tip. Thanks!

That's the hardest part and what's keeping me from having my luggage under the limit. I've got a pair of cowboy boots, a pair of running shoes for working out, two pair casual non-sneaker shoes for walking around town (I don't like wearing sneakers for anything but working out), and three pair heels (purple, red, black).

DH told me to ditch one of the walking shoes, and two of the heels, but I'm skeptical that I'll be able to be in a good mood if I'm stuck without robust footwear options. I can't be sure ahead of time what I'm going to be feeling.

I'll probably take his advice, but gawd, it is hard.

Been around -- done a lot --gone lots of places --

You have not stated --- from where -- to where -- you are travelling ..Makes a world of difference.

Find the local embassy in your new country as soon as you arrive and register with them and get them to keep a color photograph of your passport and Social Security Card.. Nothing like being stuck out in the middle of the African or Arabian plains with no nationality or photo/identification.

Just think worse case scenario like everything stolen or chronic sickness-- Think solving scenario -- do you have internet , cell phone usage, money availability, Health Insurance -- all before you go.

Some countries have everything and accept everything AMERICAN,--Some have nothing and accept nothing AMERICAN. Then make provisions and solve the problems BEFORE YOU GO !!

Best of Luck

JB

I'm going to Northern Ireland and Scotland. I've got travel insurance, and I've stressed about worst-case-scenarios as much as I can. I'll make sure that we contact the embassy. I hadn't thought of that. Seriously, thanks.

They have socks and underwear and toiletries and all that stuff. Sometimes it's even better than what we have here. And the people there are helpful (if a bit hard to understand sometimes). Relax. Enjoy.

I spent two weeks traveling alone on a motorcycle all over England and Scotland. Piece of cake. Well, except for the wet weather.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2011 09:16AM by Stray Mutt.

Oh Angsty !!! -- its only Scotland and Ireland. You are not dropping off the end of the world... They have every fast food place that any city in the U.S.A. would have .. They have Safeway Supermarkets and every mode of contact. You will recognize everything just by looking at the packets -- Heinz --Kellogs- Knorr-Macdonalds -Pizza - Kentucky Fried Chicken .

Angsty -- Nothing to worry yourself about. EXCEPT THEY DRIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD !!!

Now if it was Armenia , or Nigeria , or Malawi etc... then I would worry

JB

I used to live in Armenia in the mid 1990s. By the time I left in 1997, it was starting to get downright cushy!

find and study local bus routes and schedules. If you have accommodations at place of study,buy stuff to eat in room from local markets. I knew a fellow from Austria who claimed he could live on bananas and beer. peanut butter, crackers, and carrots work well also.
Librarian who has visited ten countries in Europe and three in Asia. china, Micronesia and Tibet

I'm definitely going to have to eat in. We have suites with shared kitchen facilities. I've been nervous about whether I'd be able to find things to eat or know what I'm getting at the grocery. It should be an adventure! I've got some food allergies, but from what I've heard Scotland is really great for allergen labels (I hope that's true!).

And I'm going to look up transit now. I had a few places I wanted to go that weren't on our itinerary-- I'm going to print up some maps and do as much in advance as I can.

Thank you!

Make a photocopy of the first couple pages of your passport as well as the page with your visa stamp. This will make it easier in case your passport is lost or stolen.

In general, eat what the locals eat, but be wary of eating anything uncooked (like salad). If there is a crowd of locals eating at a certain place, it is probably safe to eat.

Check with your local county health department for cheap immunizations. Salt Lake county, for example, has an excellent International Travel Clinic that can provide you with low cost vaccinations as well as lots of good travel info. Hepatitis A & B are essential.

Pay attention to the fear emotion. If you feel scared even for no apparent reason, get away from where ever you are. Walk with a attitude of confidence. Criminals look for people who are unlikely to put up a fight.

Learn the language. Even a pathetic attempt to speak a few words will open doors for you.

Avoid expressing any opinion about local politics. If a stranger asks, say you are Canadian, not American. Always be complimentary of the local culture, even if you don't feel that way.

You have actually put me at ease some. I'm not too worried about unsafe food, but maybe I should be? I'll have to consult google.

I'm all vaccinated, so I've done one thing right already :0)

I'm going to make those copies. I hadn't thought of that. I sent a scan of it with my trip paperwork to the school, but I hadn't thought of making a copy for myself just in case. Thank you.

Thank you also for the words on safety, much appreciated. And I will very much avoid politics and negativity about local culture.

:0)

angsty, you were going to Scotland, right? If so, I suggest taking lots and lots of pictures and keeping a travel diary. You'd be surprised by what you'll forget. And be sure to find at least one nice souvenir to bring home. Get out and see as much as you can... don't take your time for granted.

I'm booking a Scottish cruise soon. Can't wait.

Scotland? The Scots are wonderful people--friendly, helpful. Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities. As someone suggested, eat the local food. When I was on vacation there, I never had a bad meal at a pub. Be sure to try treacle. (If you're a Harry Potter fan, it's even better than the book suggests. If you're not, it's a very sweet dessert.) And go see the sights when you get a chance. Have fun!

and I'm very glad to know you've had good experiences with Scottish food. I've known a few Scots, and I've had the Burns night fare, but I've not had much experience beyond the stereotypical culinary items (haggis, scones, nips & tatties, etc.).

Someone told me that Coke is different-tasting there and I'll be honest, that thought kind of stressed me out. I like my Coke Zero. But then I thought, maybe they have something different and the point is to try different things so I might as well experiment. It would be a shame to go abroad and eat the same crap I can eat any day at home :0)

Thanks!

I don't know if you're a fan of lemonade, but if you order that in Scotland, you'll get Sprite or 7-Up. If you get a chance when you're in Edinburgh, a tour of Edinburgh Castle is well worth your time. If you like dogs, you'll probably enjoy the Greyfriar's Bobby story. lol Maybe I should go to work for the Scottish tourism industry.

And as an aside, when I was roaming around Edinburgh, I came across a store whose name was a combination of my last name and my dog's name. Yes, I got a picture.

Coke and other soft drinks in Europe are made with real sugar! Get yourself a deep fried Mars Bar. Mars Bars in Europe are like Milky Ways here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2011 09:05AM by knotheadusc.

I'm definitely going to be photographing everything and I'm required to do a travel diary for my schoolwork. I think I might start a travel blog. I'll have to give that some more thought though-- I don't want to be so obsessed with photos and blogging that I miss out on really experiencing my trip-- I could see myself doing that.

Yay for your cruise! That sounds amazing.

Take a deep breath, don't worry and bring an adapter if you're bringing a blow-dryer, computer etc. Oh, and if you're coming over to Scotland tomorrow - it's chilly here right now, so bring something warm to wear.

And in case you don't already know, if you'd like trying out a bit of traditional dancing: http://www.edinburghceilidhs.com/

Hope you have a lovely time! ;o)

I do need to take a few good deep breaths. :0)

I've got the adapter-- although it took a while for me to figure out what I needed and I've been so afraid of frying electronics. I tell ya, the Radio Shack here sold me one for continental Europe and it took some sleuthing before I realized it wasn't going to work anywhere I was actually going. I returned it today. Lord, there's a lot to consider.

Thanks for the weather tip-- I wasn't sure how cold it was going to be. Even with a conversion calculator, I'm having a hard time processing Celsius. I'm kind of a dumb American in that regard. We're spending some time in Orkney, and I've heard that I'll need to bundle up-- hat, gloves, whole nine yards.

I confess I'm delighted at the thought of being cold during the summer. I so dislike being hot.

I'll be in Edinburgh on June 15th-17, so I will be on the lookout for some dancing-- sounds like a great time.

I can't wait! Thank you for the advice :0)

I'm over here in Scotland - so if you have any questions etc, msg me and I'll give you my email addy and cell number. It's always good to have somebody local to lend a hand :)

apeirongnosis@gmail.com is my board email. If you shoot me a line, I'll give you my regular/personal email address.

Thank you so much!!

I've flown back and forth to Moscow, Russia a few times (10 hours from NY), as well as to Europe. Even though you want to sleep for most of your international flight, don't forget to stretch your legs and walk around the cabin periodically.

Travelers sitting in a cramped space, unmoving for hours, face a real danger of developing blood clots in their legs. You need to remember to move to keep circulation flowing well.

Good luck!! ;o)

I've never been on a plane longer than Nashville to SLC. I will now include walking breaks in my plane ride.

I'm getting a little nervous about being in the air for that long. I don't travel well. I hope they have liquor. Hah!

Angsty, I just want to wish you good luck. I know that you'll have a wonderful time. Enjoy every minute, take lots of pictures, and make some new friends "across the pond." Bon voyage!

I hope that you're awake as you fly over Ireland. It's quite a sight from the air.

I fully intend to make the most of this. I doubt that I'll ever have an opportunity like this again and I won't miss a thing if I can help it.

This kind of excitement before travelling is well known and all natural. Where I live we have a name for it, we call it travelling fever. Once you're on the plane it'll subside, and once you're through customs you'll feel well.

Most problems can be solved once you're there. Just remember your tickets and passport.

And enjoy it.

Watch out for the Black Plague...you could die!

Rats roaming the streets...so dirty!

Black Knights patrolling the countryside....you'll disappear and never be heard from again!

The Inquisition! Be sure you're up on the latest from Rome!

Avoid guillotines like the plague!

Always bow and grovel on the ground when nobility rides by!

Don't travel on ships! Filthy nasty disease-ridden wooden tubs that take months to cross the ocean, sink during storms, and no bathroom facilities!

Avoid community wells! They're full of vermin, insects, bird droppings and your neighbors' cooties!



Oh wait....that was a few hundred years ago...my bad.

Just trying to help you maintain perspective in an offbeat way! ;^)