The Flight...

So today I thought we could go back in time and talk a little bit about international travel. For those of you who have never ventured far from home, let me fill you in on some of the finer points. Let me be upfront and tell you I am by no means an expert, but I can share with you what little I have learned so far.

As some of you may know, I have made the flight over to Italy twice in a few short months. Rest assured, it is a fairly simple and straightforward process, much like traveling domestically with a few exceptions. Here are some things to keep in mind:

1) January (after the holidays) seems to be the best (i.e. Cheapest) time to purchase plane tickets. I was able to go round trip in March for less than $800.
2) You only need a tourist passport to come here unless you plan on being in the country for more than 90 days. If you are visiting me, trust me when I say you won't need that visa because your free room and board will not last that long-89 days, maybe, but definitely not 90 ;-) I do not know if this is the same everywhere in Europe, but this is the case in Italy.
3) Arriving at the airport at least three hours before your scheduled flight seems to be excessive. I traveled in June with 7 checked bags and two carry-ons and did not need this much time. That being said, the busier the airport, the earlier you should be there. Also, triple check to make sure you have all of your necessary ID, passport, etc., before you leave home. I, thankfully, did not have an issue with this but I know people who have. Finally, allow for time to do whatever it is you need to do in the airport (e.g. eat lunch, buy a book, find your gate, etc.) One thing to pay attention to-they put boarding times on your boarding passes...they mean it! I was the last one on the plane at Lambert Int'l because I was lolly gagging-this is not necessarily a bad thing (no point in sitting on the plane longer than necessary)-but two minutes later to the gate and I would have missed the flight entirely.
4) When connecting in an unfamiliar airport: find your gate first before you do anything else. This gives you peace of mind and enables you to know how much time you have to do other things. I found this to be especially true in the major airports that have trams, multiple terminals, and tons of gates.
5) While on a long flight such as the one from the States to Europe you may want to do several things: a) keep your shoes on if you have problems with foot swelling-you may have trouble getting your shoes back on otherwise (I did), b) drink lots of water, and c) stand up, stretch, and walk as much as you can to help prevent foot/leg swelling and potential blood clots in the legs.
6) Be aware that once you hit Europe, the much-loved American practice of "personal space" ceases to exist. Along with this, the American practice of standing in line (queue) also goes out the window. If you want a coffee and croissant in France, for example, you may find that standing in line for it doesn't really work. You may also discover that while they will stand in line for boarding, many travelers don't really mean it. They will shove in front of you, behind you, and smack into you with all their bags and other carry on items. The best way to avoid being frustrated, I've found, is to just wait. You'll get your seat on the plane, I promise...I also promise that it will be a lot more pleasant for you if you wait until the bulk of the passengers have already boarded before you attempt to do so (unless you don't mind being banged around and cut off).
7) While the policies are forever changing, as of right now, many of the countries in the European Union have "open" borders. In the most recent days, several countries including Germany have "closed" their borders. What does this mean? When I came over in March (and June), I flew in to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Once I landed, I made my way to the appropriate terminal, and then had to go through security again (as of right now you still keep your shoes on unlike in America) and then had to stand in a very long line for France's Border Control. They stamp your passport (yay-stamps are always fun to get!), and off you go to your gate. What I didn't know back in March is that once you land in Venice, due to the EU open borders, you do not stand in another line to have your passport checked/stamped in Italy. I spent much of my two weeks here in March fearing that I was in Italy illegally and that I would get thrown into jail when I tried to get back home. I wouldn't be surprised if this policy/practice gradually changes, though, due to security and immigration issues.
8) Check with your banking/credit/financial institutions befor leaving on their policies for international transactions. Some places charge big fees for th pleasure of accessing your funds from overseas. Additionally, find out if you need to let them know that you will be using your cards from another location (notify them of travel plans) so you don't have your card(s) shut off mid-trip. You may be better off using the ATM once when you get here and pulling out a bunch of euro all in one shot. Finally, if you want to use your phone from overseas, you may need to contact your provider to have your phone unlocked for international use and/or to find out how much it will cost for you to use said phone. You may find it cheaper to get a burner, pay as you go phone while you are over here if you are planning on staying for a while!

I know that this was a lengthy blog post, but these little travel tips have been floating around in my brain for a while, and I wanted to share them before I forget everything I learned via advice and experience! Until next time...happy, safe journeys & ciao!