Make sure to pack only what is necessary- think about where you are going and what the weather will be like and pack accordingly. Your pack will be heavy and bulky and you will be carrying it a lot so make sure you use your space wisely. A capsule wardrobe is a great idea-3 bottoms, 3 cardigans, 4 tops that all mix and match along with a couple of scarves and a skirt or dress will get you though most of your days.
Make room in your pack for these important items- first aid kit, sewing repair kit, ziplock bags, tissues, and handiwipes. We have used all of these items, wether you have a blister, lose a button, need to waterproof important documents, or end up in a sketchy bathroom, it is nice to be prepared. Also make sure to have all the chargers and adapters you need for the countries you are traveling to.
Be sure to carry water with you. All across Europe you have to pay for water. In most restaurants it costs almost the same as beer or wine. And I am not talking about some special exotic water, just plain old regular water. They do not give it to you for free at your table for dinner. It's important to stay hydrated on your travels. You want to stay healthy for the adventures ahead of you.
Make sure to get used to drinking water before your trip. Pop in Europe is a novelty and is extremely expensive, the same price as beer and wine and milk is none existent. It is just something they don't seem to drink here. I drink milk everyday so this was hard for me. They do have some none refrigerated stuff but it's warm and you can't drink it on the go. I finally found some cold strawberry milk in a supermarket.
Bathrooms- use every one you can possibly find. Take advantage of the ones that are free, buying gelato- use the bathroom, touring a museum- use the bathroom, riding a train- use the bathroom. They are very hard to find otherwise and if you do find a public washroom there is typically a charge.
And speaking of bathrooms who knew there was some many different ways to flush?!? You can pull a chain, twist a lever, push a button either on the toilet or on the wall or step on a button in the floor. We have been in unisex washrooms and ones with basically see through doors. The toilets in Italy don't have seats either.
Smoking is still pretty prevalent in Europe so be prepared for that. People will smoke beside you in restaurants and on the street but not on trains.
Watch out for unexpected costs. There is a cover charge per person in a lot of restaurants. It may only be €2 or €3 but it adds up. There is also a city tax per person for staying in the hotels. This can range fron €1-€4 a night, so even if you have paid in full for your hotel with an online reservation you will still need some cash when you check out. You will also need to pay reservation costs for some of your trains, this cost is over and above your Eurail pass cost.
Everyone says that Canadians are known as polite people. I have never really given this much thought. We say please, thank you,and take turns -doesn't everyone? The answer is NO. A lot of the places we have visited it is every man for himself, there is pushing and shoving to get onto busses, boats and trains, there is no order, no caring who was there first, it's just people looking out for number one.
People over here are very loud, very passionate. There is a lot of raised voices, yelling and gesturing. It is actually very fun to watch.
Make sure you have enough cash to get by. You don't want to carry too much because pickpocketing is a large problem here but also bans can be hard to find. You will want cash for markets and such, for bigger purchases a credit card is easily used.
Keep in mind that over here they eat much later in the day and in the smaller towns a lot of things close down for a few hours in the afternoons. Stores have shortened hours on Sundays or are not open at all. Make sure you have enough snacks to get you through those hungry times. Food in restaurants can be very expensive, we have had a lot of success with markets and picnics as well as staying in hotels that offer breakfast. Also make sure you try some of the local dishes. We always watch and see where the locals line up at the market and check it out.
We have had a fantastic time touring around France and Italy so far. We have seen some of the most amazing things, and meet some of the nicest people. It is astonishing to me how well the transportation systems work over here, Canada could certainly learn a few things in that department. We hope that these few pointers will help any future travellers on their journey.
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