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Macrame_God posted:Yeah, I've read somewhere that the best Mexican food in Europe is barely average compared to what you can get in America. That sucks. Still, I heard that there are some killer places to eat in Belgium, especially if you like Italian. There won't be anything nearly that size, but most towns have some sort of mega store usually on the outskirts that will do for one-stop-shopping convenience if that's what you're after. Small independent shops are much better developed here compared to most towns in the States. Local butchers for example are well worth checking out. Clothing/games/comics/bikes/just about all kinds of shops have been around for years and have developed a customer base and know their products very well. They might not all be in one place, and there might not be more than one good guitar shop, but that guy will be able to get you whatever you need.
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Aug 10, 2010 09:54
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I know there are lots of big megamarkets in France - the kind that have groceries and hardware on one huge shopfloor, so they aren't totally unheard of. You're still better off shopping in smaller shops though. One thing; do NOT buy "american-style bread" in a francophone country. We did once, in France - it was a normalish looking sliced pan loaf bought to make morning toast out of. It was unbelievably nasty, even the local sparrows wouldn't touch it. I think it is created as a sort of subtle pro-french propaganda - their bread may go stale in less than 6 hours but drat it's good until then. Also there are no Mexicans in Europe, so there is no Mexican food; sad but true 
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Aug 11, 2010 19:57
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I'm going to Europe in a week, and staying for 2 weeks and 2 days... It's me and a buddy and we plan on living out of backpacks and taking trains throughout the countries (Germany, France, Spain, England, Ireland, Netherlands in that order, pretty much) and staying in hostels or night trains. We don't plan on renting a car and are going to be using mainly public transportation, and possibly taxis. I've got a few basic questions. 1) Where is the best place to exchange money? My friend went to the bank and ordered Euros (took like two days or so) at a rate of 1.41 USD:EUR. Google said it was at 1.32. I didn't know if he got slightly screwed on the exchange rate and am assuming that there are places in Europe that will exchange currency at a better rate. 2) I have an iPhone 3GS, and would *like* to bring it to europe (to use as an ipod, apps, and the built in GPS/internet) but I hear (from my friend at an AT&T store, who said I needed to call AT&T international to even learn about it) it's ridiculously expensive. If anyone has knowledge offhand about it, it'd be great but this is something I need to research on my own and am fine doing that. If that's a retardedly expensive option, I planned on getting a pre-paid international phone. Does anyone have any recommendations for that? 3) I have a Garmin Nuvi 205. Research says that it does work in Europe, but who knows if I have the maps for it. Is there any place to figure this out? 4) Electrical outlets. Assuming I bring my GPS, my iPhone, or another portable mp3 player, how the hell do I charge things? Everyone tells me that *every* outlet in Europe is the crazy European style and I won't be able to charge things. However nobody I know has ever traveled to Europe. 5) What do I need to bring on the trip that I haven't thought of? I obviously know basic things like toiletries, clothes, etc. But I'm sure some of you with experience know things to bring that people wouldn't ordinarily think of. I've never been out of the country (Canada doesn't really count) so I'm really looking forward to making the most out of this trip. Edit: Also cash vs. credit. I have a Visa card and a TD debit card.. I've gotta talk to both and see if there's charges and such for using them outside of the country, but does anyone know offhand? SeamlessLink fucked around with this message at 23:11 on Aug 11, 2010 |
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Aug 11, 2010 22:31
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SeamlessLink posted:3) I have a Garmin Nuvi 205. Research says that it does work in Europe, but who knows if I have the maps for it. Is there any place to figure this out? 3) If you don't know then odds are you don't. I've looked into this - extra maps cost roughly the same as a whole GPS. 4) Buy an adapter for $5. I bought one in advance off Dealextreme.com. Note that they all use 240v, so if you use 120v at home then make sure you check stuff before plugging it in! If you're taking several things, take a multi-box so you can charge them all at the same time.
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Aug 12, 2010 08:05
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I'm moving to Germany from America for several years. What do I need to do regarding my driver's license? I don't plan on driving too much as I won't have a car, but I'd like the option to rent one and go on a cruise throughout the countryside and/or other countries. Edit: There's no local AAA office nearby where I'm at (parent's small town) and I only have 3 more weeks left so order by mail is most likely impossible.
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Aug 12, 2010 08:58
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SeamlessLink posted:1) Where is the best place to exchange money? My friend went to the bank and ordered Euros (took like two days or so) at a rate of 1.41 USD:EUR. Google said it was at 1.32. I didn't know if he got slightly screwed on the exchange rate and am assuming that there are places in Europe that will exchange currency at a better rate. Understand that there are different exchange rates. There's the rate that banks buy with, and there's the rate that banks sell with. What shows up on Google most likely isn't the rate that banks are selling at. Your best no hassle bet is to purchase some Euros from your local bank (a couple hundred), and then use your ATM card to pull out money at bank accounts (the charges are usually something like $5+1%, so pull out something like $300-$500 at a time) if you aren't comfortable walking around with all of your money. If you do this, you should also leave your ATM card locked in your hostel and only bring cash, that way if you get mugged or lose your wallet you'll still have a way to get money. I lost my ATM card one time in Switzerland and I had to wire myself money through Western Union because I had my card number memorized. Luckily, it was my last few days so I only had to do it once. SeamlessLink posted:2) I have an iPhone 3GS, and would *like* to bring it to europe (to use as an ipod, apps, and the built in GPS/internet) but I hear (from my friend at an AT&T store, who said I needed to call AT&T international to even learn about it) it's ridiculously expensive. If anyone has knowledge offhand about it, it'd be great but this is something I need to research on my own and am fine doing that. If that's a retardedly expensive option, I planned on getting a pre-paid international phone. Does anyone have any recommendations for that? Bring your iPhone and take out the SIM card. You're in Europe on vacation, why do you need to call your friends/family or check facebook all the time? Use the free wifi at the hostels your staying at and download Skype for your phone (and tell your family to download it for their computers) if you really need to call them. If you need to have a phone number, jailbreak your iPhone and unlock it (see iPhone jailbreaking thread). Then you can buy prepaid SIM cards at any country you go to and stick it in and use it. SeamlessLink posted:4) Electrical outlets. Assuming I bring my GPS, my iPhone, or another portable mp3 player, how the hell do I charge things? Everyone tells me that *every* outlet in Europe is the crazy European style and I won't be able to charge things. However nobody I know has ever traveled to Europe. Europeans use a 220V/50Hz system, whereas we use a 120V/60Hz system. It's okay though, because almost all of our electronics are rated for 120-220V/50-60Hz. Look at any charger you own and read the fine print, it should say something similar. All you'll need are these http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Plug-Europe-Universal-Polarized/dp/B000BMFHLE. SeamlessLink posted:5) What do I need to bring on the trip that I haven't thought of? I obviously know basic things like toiletries, clothes, etc. But I'm sure some of you with experience know things to bring that people wouldn't ordinarily think of. SeamlessLink posted:Edit: Also cash vs. credit. I have a Visa card and a TD debit card.. I've gotta talk to both and see if there's charges and such for using them outside of the country, but does anyone know offhand? Edit: Here's a tip for people who have never gone to Europe before: all those coins you've been throwing in your pockets are worth something. Since Europe is a largely cash based country, you'll be given a lot of change, and a lot of that change will be in the form of 1 and 2 Euro coins, and 20 and 50 cent coins. They add up! I always forget this for a day or two every time I first get to Europe and end up with a pocket full of change before I realize I have like 20 euros in various change. Ziir fucked around with this message at 09:24 on Aug 12, 2010 |
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Aug 12, 2010 09:16
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Ziir posted:I'm moving to Germany from America for several years. What do I need to do regarding my driver's license? I don't plan on driving too much as I won't have a car, but I'd like the option to rent one and go on a cruise throughout the countryside and/or other countries. edit: saw in another thread that you're from Phoenix. Assuming your licence was issued in Arizona, and is either class G, D or 2, you don't have to take any tests. Just go to the "Fahrerlaubnisbehörde" in your city and they will tell you what you need to get the swap done. schoenfelder fucked around with this message at 09:34 on Aug 12, 2010 |
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Aug 12, 2010 09:27
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Ziir posted:I'm moving to Germany from America for several years. What do I need to do regarding my driver's license? I don't plan on driving too much as I won't have a car, but I'd like the option to rent one and go on a cruise throughout the countryside and/or other countries. Just bring your valid driver's license and the swap will happen in Germany. Your US license will probably be valid for SeamlessLink posted:1) Where is the best place to exchange money? My friend went to the bank and ordered Euros (took like two days or so) at a rate of 1.41 USD:EUR. Google said it was at 1.32. I didn't know if he got slightly screwed on the exchange rate and am assuming that there are places in Europe that will exchange currency at a better rate. ATMs. You won't get the "official" rate anywhere, that's how banks trade with each other. You'll have ATM fees from your bank, so take out $200+ at a time and keep the spare cash in a money belt or shoe or something. quote:2) I have an iPhone 3GS, and would *like* to bring it to europe (to use as an ipod, apps, and the built in GPS/internet) but I hear (from my friend at an AT&T store, who said I needed to call AT&T international to even learn about it) it's ridiculously expensive. If anyone has knowledge offhand about it, it'd be great but this is something I need to research on my own and am fine doing that. If that's a retardedly expensive option, I planned on getting a pre-paid international phone. Does anyone have any recommendations for that? Data roaming rates are insane. If I leave Switzerland data is €13.80/MB (EU countries agreed lower roaming fees but the Swiss didn't). You're going to be traveling through so many countries you'll be roaming on whatever phone you get so if you turn data off and just send texts it'll probably be the cheapest option. quote:4) Electrical outlets. Assuming I bring my GPS, my iPhone, or another portable mp3 player, how the hell do I charge things? Everyone tells me that *every* outlet in Europe is the crazy European style and I won't be able to charge things. However nobody I know has ever traveled to Europe. Get a universal adapter because plugs in Britain and Ireland are different than the plugs on the continent. NoSpoon has a good tip about the power strip, then you only need one adapter for 4 devices. quote:Edit: Also cash vs. credit. I have a Visa card and a TD debit card.. I've gotta talk to both and see if there's charges and such for using them outside of the country, but does anyone know offhand? There are charges (check with your bank) but we use the chip and PIN system here. If you've got one of those old cards that you swipe and sign some places may not take them. Make sure your debit card has Cirrus or Maestro on the back if you want to use it here.
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Aug 12, 2010 09:32
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schoenfelder posted:For the first six months you can use your US licence. After that you have to get a German licence. Depending on which US state your licence was issued in you may have to take a theoretical and practical driving test, just the theoretical test or no test at all. http://germany.usembassy.gov/acs/drivers_license/ Neat, I live in a state with full reciprocity so no written or driving test for me. Since I won't have to take any tests and just need to fill out paperwork, how much will this cost me? Anyone know? Edit: I need to get my license translated into German, and I'm assuming I can't just have a friend do it for me?
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Aug 12, 2010 09:34
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Ziir posted:http://germany.usembassy.gov/acs/drivers_license/ To give you an idea, I got a new licence this year because I lost my old one: 14 EUR for photos, 12 EUR for some paperwork at the notary public stating that I really lost my licence, 35 EUR fee for the new licence. Re your edit: No. The "Fahrerlaubnisbehörde" in your German city can tell you where you can get a translation. schoenfelder fucked around with this message at 09:39 on Aug 12, 2010 |
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Aug 12, 2010 09:36
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schoenfelder posted:I'd guess about 50-100 EUR, depending on the city you'll be in (whether they want an official translation of your US licence). How long is a German license good for? It'd be a nice little novelty item too even if I don't get to use it much. My driver's license from Arizona doesn't expire until I'm 65...
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Aug 12, 2010 09:47
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Ziir posted:My driver's license from Arizona doesn't expire until I'm 65...  my picture looks nothing like me and it's falling apart but it's good for another 30 years!
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Aug 12, 2010 10:47
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Ziir posted:How long is a German license good for? It'd be a nice little novelty item too even if I don't get to use it much.
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Aug 12, 2010 11:15
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schoenfelder posted:German licences don't expire. However, once you leave Germany I guess you would have to return the German licence. Really? I guess I'll just say no if they ask if I have one  . Not like they'll even ask if I show them an American passport. Are licenses in Germany cards or just a piece of paper (like Italian ones)?
Ziir fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Aug 12, 2010 |
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Aug 12, 2010 18:39
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Ziir posted:Really? I guess I'll just say no if they ask if I have one It might not be as simple as that. Looking at the website of the Munich city administration, their process for swapping US licences is something like this: 1) Go to "Fahrerlaubnisbehörde", fill out the application form, hand in a photo, the fee, a confirmation that you are registered with the authorities where you live, your US licence and a translation thereof 2) Your US licence gets checked by the police to see if it's genuine 3) Wait 4 weeks 4) Retrieve your German licence and surrender your US licence The only way to get your US licence back is to swap it for the German licence before you leave the country for good. Might be different in other cities/administrational districts but I doubt it as it should be governed by federal law.
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Aug 12, 2010 20:53
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schoenfelder posted:Cards (same format as credit cards). Well, that's quite interesting. Unless stealing a German driver's license is grounds for not being let back into Germany ever in the future, I'll just keep it and if/when I'm ever back in the States, just order a license replacement for something like $20.
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Aug 12, 2010 21:16
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Ziir posted:Your bank is probably going to charge a $5 foreign access fee, plus 1% on top of that. It's not worth it to be paying via credit card. Not quite true. There are credit cards which market themselves as "specialist overseas cards". They offer 0% foreign exchange fees and you will always always always get a better exchange rate than changing physical cash or even using a debit card. This is only applicable when paying for things with your card though; pulling money out of an ATM (a "cash advance") is still going to gently caress you over. You do have to watch out for the interest rates - set up a direct debit with your bank so the card is paid off at the end of the month, AND get one which can be paid off online; you don't want to be spending $5 a minute on the phone trying to pay it off so you don't get a $20 late payment fee. These cards will also usually offer other little perks for travellers like air miles and travel insurance. The fraud protection on credit cards in Europe is also better than on debit cards. Even if you don't want one of these cards, check the small print on your existing credit card contract to see if they offer anything useful. Even if they don't, give them a call and ask if they can do anything.. you'll be surprised how pathetically desperate these people are for your custom! That advice is only for financially savvy people with excellent credit ratings! DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! Some sort-of-related advice for you - tell your bank you're going overseas!! They will cut off your card (it's an automatic thing, so it will happen) and it will happen at the most annoying time possible. Like after dinner. Or at a train station. Or when you're leaving a brothel.
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Aug 13, 2010 00:26
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duckmaster posted:Not quite true. How often do you use credit cards in Europe though? The times I've been there, the only times I could use a credit card was at the movie theaters and at stores like Ikea.
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Aug 13, 2010 01:52
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Ziir posted:How often do you use credit cards in Europe though? The times I've been there, the only times I could use a credit card was at the movie theaters and at stores like Ikea. I guess it depends where you go. In England you can use a credit card at all the same places you can in the US. In a little village in Croatia or somewhere, probably not.
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Aug 13, 2010 01:57
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In the Netherlands, supermarkets usually don't accept credit cards, but gas stations, restaurants, and larger/more expensive stores (clothing, furniture) usually will. Credit cards aren't really used for your daily purchases around here, we have chip-and-pin debit cards that are universally used. As for drivinglicensess, we have to replace them every ten years. Also, over here driving licenses, ID cards and passports require photographs that meet special requirements, like not smiling, leaving your ears visible, an evenly colored background, and other stuff like that. Maybe the Germans here know if that also applies over there, because that would be important if he applies for a license there.
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Aug 13, 2010 08:21
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John Dough posted:Also, over here driving licenses, ID cards and passports require photographs that meet special requirements, like not smiling, leaving your ears visible, an evenly colored background, and other stuff like that. Maybe the Germans here know if that also applies over there, because that would be important if he applies for a license there. As for credit cards: It's the same in Germany. Many places still do not accept them (e.g. most restaurants, bars, small stores). Petrol stations, department stores, electronics stores, hotels and most supermarkets do, however, accept VISA and MasterCard these days (though not American Express), but especially supermarkets often require a minimum purchase of 10 EUR (because of the CC fees they have to pay). Most Germans do not have a credit card (people try to avoid any kind of debt). I only have one because I travel quite often. schoenfelder fucked around with this message at 09:28 on Aug 13, 2010 |
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Aug 13, 2010 09:25
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Regarding minimizing transaction fees while in Europe, it's worth checking if your bank has some sort of uber-elite account with no foreign transaction fees that you can switch over to if you're on a particularly long trip. My bank had one for about $20 / month, still better than paying fees constantly, and on top of that even the fees were waived if you had more than $8000 in the account (which was true for a good chunk of the trip)
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Aug 13, 2010 14:43
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Yeah, I really wish I'd done my research on that before leaving the country. My mastercard debit card costs me a flat $5 fee, plus 2.5%. Given that I usually get out about two or three hundred dollars from ATMs at a time, that's $1000 of the $20,000 I have. Just on withdrawal fees. I loving hate my bank.
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Aug 15, 2010 14:24
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enki42 posted:Regarding minimizing transaction fees while in Europe, it's worth checking if your bank has some sort of uber-elite account with no foreign transaction fees that you can switch over to if you're on a particularly long trip. My bank had one for about $20 / month, still better than paying fees constantly, and on top of that even the fees were waived if you had more than $8000 in the account (which was true for a good chunk of the trip) TD Bank in Canada has this, it's 24.99/mo, so over 5 transactions/month and you've made it up - Worth it in cheaper/smaller countries where you won't be spending a lot of money/time and can afford to take out 30, 40, whatever dollars worth. Also is good piece of mind (especially in developing countries, doesn't really apply to europe) to not feel obligated to take out $300 at a time and then wander the night streets dodging vagrants with a pocket bulging with cash thanks to the largest bill being worth pennies. Anyway, my brother, myself, and a friend hit the road in eastern europe this summer, biking and camping and just generally being tramps (and taking lots of trains when it was too rainy, too hot, too hungover, too lazy, too far, too hilly etc etc etc) around. We spent probably as little as 60 Euro/wk for some legs of our journey (camping in forests/out of sight of people/out of sight of the authorities, eating wheels of cheese & cans of beans). It was utterly fantastic. I'll definitely plan another bike ride next summer (even if it's just the rockies). Countries cycled: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria. Countries visited but with no/only slight cycling: Sweden (Stockholm, flew in to), Finland (couple days cycling the turku archipelago), Germany, Serbia (Cycled belgrade-novi sad, for exit festival), Bosnia (regret immensely not cycling more, Mostar-Sarajevo is absolutely beautiful countryside and it broke my heart that my bike was taking a break in dubrovnik while we rode a bus through some of the most fantastic scenery of the trip. Photos slightly organized, not captioned 
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Aug 15, 2010 20:18
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freebooter posted:Yeah, I really wish I'd done my research on that before leaving the country. My mastercard debit card costs me a flat $5 fee, plus 2.5%. Given that I usually get out about two or three hundred dollars from ATMs at a time, that's $1000 of the $20,000 I have. Just on withdrawal fees. I loving hate my bank. enki42 posted:Regarding minimizing transaction fees while in Europe, it's worth checking if your bank has some sort of uber-elite account with no foreign transaction fees that you can switch over to if you're on a particularly long trip. My bank had one for about $20 / month, still better than paying fees constantly, and on top of that even the fees were waived if you had more than $8000 in the account (which was true for a good chunk of the trip) If you live in the USA and you're planning on going to Europe to either of these countries: UK, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy or Ukraine, sign up for a Bank of America checking account. More specifically, sign up for the eBanking account. It's completely free if you opt in for paperless billing and do all of your transactions online or through an ATM. Why? Because they are part of the Global ATM Alliance which means if you are in any of those countries, you can use ATMs from certain banks without a $5 foreign ATM fee. They are also partnered with banks in South America, Africa and Canada, but I left those out since this is the Europe megathread. The only catch is that they will charge a 1% fee on top of the USD amount pulled at ATMs. So if you pull $300 (which I think is the max), you're charged $3. This is going to be a better deal than those $20/month accounts if you're going to be pulling out less than $2000 a month. For Canadians, I think Scotiabank gets you in on this deal except that they don't charge the 1% fee that BoA does.
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Aug 15, 2010 20:31
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I've done most of Europe but not the Germanic countries, and figure I should address that shortcoming. Anyone have ideas for a 10-day trip? I was thinking of Oktoberfest but it sounds like it might be more trouble than it's worth (especially at this point) and that going to Munich afterwards would be preferable. Maybe Munich / Vienna / Salzburg by train in early October? Those are fairly close, so is it worth adding in someplace farther like Berlin or Prague?
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Aug 17, 2010 18:48
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Salzburg is boring as hell, unfortunately. Well, you could spend a day there and enjoy the sights, but after that you rapidly run out of things to do.
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Aug 17, 2010 20:08
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Honestly, even Vienna isn't really all that fantastic unless you have a specific reason for going there. It's nice, sure, but if you have 10 days I guarantee you'd have way more fun with Berlin - Prague - Munich.
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Aug 18, 2010 00:07
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smackfu posted:I've done most of Europe but not the Germanic countries, and figure I should address that shortcoming. Salzburg and the Saltzkammergut are pretty wild. Worth two days each, with a variety of things to do. In the city, Biergartens are great in Austria and different than what you'd find in Bavaria. Shoot, if you're in Europe in October, you have to hit the festival. If you don't want to spend more than a day in Munich-I don't think you'd need to anyway-you should head south to Füssen and 'Mad' King Ludwig's best castle, Neuschwanstein Castle. This region is worth at least a day if not two. Just to the south is Reutte in Austria and is famous with locals for the well-preserved atmosphere of a small town but still touristy. http://www.neuschwanstein.de/ In Vienna you can kill a day or two, while not personally my town it was nice. One day could be spent on monuments and the sight-seeing stuff that any TI (tourist information) or guide-book can and will recommend. The next, on the best konzerts in Europe. Vienna, is and has been the music capital of Europe for some time, even if you're not an art-fag you could appreciate the hell out of any of the konzerts. With that itinerary, by my count you're still looking at 4 days or so. If you haven't been to Switzerland-and especially after you've been to Füssen or the Saltzkammergut you won't resist- you simply have to go. Go to Interlaken or Mürren and plan trips to Jungfraujoch (top of Europe) or hiking adventures in the dozens of well-treaded paths. Besides necessities like food and sleep, I didn't spend a dime in Switzerland because its really expensive. Extra stuff that seems out of the way, or not really, is a daytrip to Rothenburg od der Tauber. this interesting little town is one of the most well-preserved medieval villages in Europe that i've or anyone has seen. Type the name into google or look on any guide-book's website for more information. Along the same path could be Venice (a must see, especially in the off-season if you haven't), or Köln (anywhere along the Rhine valley) and see the best parts of the Rhine. Berlin and Prague are like 5 hours from Munich. On such a small itinerary, I don't know if I'd do that to myself.
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Aug 18, 2010 00:17
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My girlfriend is spending the semester abroad in Barcelona this fall, and I've managed to find two weeks in my schedule to fly out and visit her. My planned travel dates are September 27 - October 8, which coincidentally includes the last weekend of Oktoberfest. We both want to go to Germany and check it out, at least for a day or two, but I'm a little concerned about the logistics of it. Right now I'm planning to go roundtrip LAX to BCN, but I looked at flight information and it's just as cheap to do LAX > MUC, BCN > LAX. My questions: -Is it worth it to go to Munich to Oktoberfest? Are hostels going to be completely booked / way too expensive? What other cities have good festivities without being a clusterfuck? -How easy is it to fly from Spain to Munich and back for the weekend? I'm seeing flights around $200, which isn't too much, but will we be wasting a day at the airport, or able to get to the city and start drinking relatively quickly? -How hosed am I going to be trying to meet up with my gf in a German airport, compared to flying together from Barcelona? She'll have a working international phone, but I don't think I'll be getting one until I arrive, if I get one at all.
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Aug 19, 2010 20:38
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plustwobonus posted:-Is it worth it to go to Munich to Oktoberfest? Are hostels going to be completely booked / way too expensive? What other cities have good festivities without being a clusterfuck? Whenever I ask about Oktoberfest here on the forums, I'm always told it is expensive, crowded, a tourist trap full of Australians. I'm also told hostels will be booked and expensive. That said, I think I'm still going to check it out just because why the gently caress not, I've never done anything like it. plustwobonus posted:-How easy is it to fly from Spain to Munich and back for the weekend? I'm seeing flights around $200, which isn't too much, but will we be wasting a day at the airport, or able to get to the city and start drinking relatively quickly? Flights within Europe are really fast and easy. You basically walk into the airport, walk through a metal detector and go find your gate. They aren't as super paranoid or strict as American airports are. There's virtually no hold up. You'll be able to get off your plane and walk right out and find a taxi or find the public transport (I hope you're not checking bags for a weekend trip). plustwobonus posted:-How hosed am I going to be trying to meet up with my gf in a German airport, compared to flying together from Barcelona? She'll have a working international phone, but I don't think I'll be getting one until I arrive, if I get one at all. I've done it before (met a friend at an airport the first time I flew to Europe) and it's not tough at all. She has a cellphone? Great, there are pay phones. Or you can just tell her to meet you at your exit terminal or vice versa.
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Aug 19, 2010 20:45
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Ziir posted:Whenever I ask about Oktoberfest here on the forums, I'm always told it is expensive, crowded, a tourist trap full of Australians. I'm also told hostels will be booked and expensive. That said, I think I'm still going to check it out just because why the gently caress not, I've never done anything like it. quote:Flights within Europe are really fast and easy. You basically walk into the airport, walk through a metal detector and go find your gate. They aren't as super paranoid or strict as American airports are. There's virtually no hold up. You'll be able to get off your plane and walk right out and find a taxi or find the public transport (I hope you're not checking bags for a weekend trip). quote:I've done it before (met a friend at an airport the first time I flew to Europe) and it's not tough at all. She has a cellphone? Great, there are pay phones. Or you can just tell her to meet you at your exit terminal or vice versa.
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Aug 19, 2010 21:11
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plustwobonus posted:I'm still really nervous about this. The potential for trip ruining disaster is just a little too high, especially since I won't be able to meet up with her at the hotel/hostel/her apartment if things go completely south. I don't really understand this one. If you both fly into Munich separately, who's going to get there first? If she's getting there first then tell her to come meet you at your gate. If you can't find her, go buy a bottle of water at the cafe to get some coins and go to a pay phone and call her. If you don't know how to dial her number ask someone for help. At the end of the day, I'm sure neither of you guys are going to leave the airport before you find each other.
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Aug 19, 2010 21:17
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Ziir posted:I don't really understand this one. If you both fly into Munich separately, who's going to get there first? If she's getting there first then tell her to come meet you at your gate. If you can't find her, go buy a bottle of water at the cafe to get some coins and go to a pay phone and call her. If you don't know how to dial her number ask someone for help. At the end of the day, I'm sure neither of you guys are going to leave the airport before you find each other.
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Aug 19, 2010 21:29
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Oktoberfest is totally worth it if you are in the area. I don't know that I would necessarily choose to go there if I had a free weekend just because it was going on at the time. If you like being social and drinking a shitton of beer then by all means go and have a blast. When you are lucky enough to find a place to put your asses you will be at a table with 6-8 other people getting shitfaced and having a good time. It was fun just meeting people from other places and shooting the poo poo. If you are lucky you will get a table with some drunk irishmen who will buy beer for the whole table all night just because you have a nice looking girl with you. The pretzels are pretty loving awesome as well. If that doesn't sound like your thing then fly straight into Barcelona and hang out there or meet at a more scenic destination along the French/Italian Riveria (personal preference, fly to Rome or Genoa and take a train to Cinque Terra for a few days).
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Aug 19, 2010 23:19
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If I'm traveling through small towns in Northern Italy, can I expect to find wireless connections readily available? Or at least connections at PC cafes to which I can hook up my laptop? The Lonely Planet guide suggests wireless connections are generally harder to come by than in the US. I was planning on mapping out GPS routes nightly on bikely.com so if that's true it looks like I'm going to need to rely on maps.
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Aug 21, 2010 22:29
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bitt3n posted:If I'm traveling through small towns in Northern Italy, can I expect to find wireless connections readily available? Or at least connections at PC cafes to which I can hook up my laptop? The Lonely Planet guide suggests wireless connections are generally harder to come by than in the US. I was planning on mapping out GPS routes nightly on bikely.com so if that's true it looks like I'm going to need to rely on maps.
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Aug 22, 2010 12:08
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OTOH, wireless connections in hostels are fairly ubiquitous. I wouldn't expect to find random open wireless connections during the day, but it shouldn't be too hard to find hostels with free wireless. If you go to hostelworld.com, they'll usually list what internet options they have.
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Aug 22, 2010 12:41
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plustwobonus posted:You speak with the voice of reason, sir. I still think that flying together will be easier, but at least I know that it's an option to meet up. My main worry was potential flight delays/cancellations/diversions due to weather in conjunction with hotel/hostel check-ins. If we fly together, then we can deal with any potential problems together. If we fly separately, and one of us is significantly delayed, then the other person is stuck in the airport with no place to sleep. Probably not a problem... but something I'd rather not have to think about. I don't mean to be rude, but if the two of you are this incapable of flying into a major international western European airport without the other one to assist then you should probably talk her out of going to Barcelona in the first place. If she does you are both going to die. Seriously, there are no "potential problems" here. Book the flights, book a hotel. Whoever gets there first goes to the hotel. Information about the other persons flight is available on the internet, the television and the telephone. Alternatively, they can wait in the airport. The chances of a significant flight delay, cancellation or diversion (a diversion?! It's 2010!) is so miniscule to be irrelevent.
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Aug 22, 2010 13:41
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duckmaster posted:then you should probably talk her out of going to Barcelona in the first place. If she does you are both going to die. No one dies in Barcelona.. you will just be robbed blind in your first night 
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Aug 22, 2010 19:26
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