Hi Everyone
We are getting excited about our trip. I have a few questions for Kevin and/or the folks from last years trip.
How much should I plan on bringing in Pounds/Euros? I plan on putting everything I can on my credit card, however I know some places might not take them, so I didnt know if anyone had an amount they were comfortable with. I know the Pounds are very large so I dont want to have too much!
Speaking of Credit Cards, which ones are best for international travel? I have Capital One and Chase and am going to call them.
Would anyone mind sharing the expenses they incurred while on the trip on food/souvenirs/taxis/tips/etc.? I am a big budgeter so just trying to plan.
What is the reccomended tip amount for our ABD guides?
We got our passports last year but have not used them. Is there anything we should know or have to do before using them?
Cell phone - how does Verizon do international billing?
Sorry for all the questions, just want to be prepared. We have never traveled out of the country before so I want to make sure there are no (bad) surprises!
Thanks
How much money you should bring will depend on many things.
What do you intend to purchase? Where do you intend to go? What do you intend to eat? What do you intend to do on during your free time?
The answers to those questions will greatly impact the answers given.
It's suggested that you have some of the local money upon landing. US dollars will not be accepted and you will feel funny buying a bottle of water with a credit card.
ATMS are available everywhere and offer a competitive exchange rate plus the bank fee. Most folks found that to be the easiest.
Visa, MasterCard and American Express were accepted widely. Discover was not. They hadn't heard of it.
From the ABD website on gratuities:
Adventure Guide Gratuities: Gratuities for your Adventures Guides are not included. If you feel that your Adventure Guides have provided excellent service, we suggest the following discretionary gratuity: Per Guest/Per Adventure Guide/Per Day - $6-$9 USD. For example:
For an 8-day adventure, the Adventure Guide gratuity per guest, per Adventure Guide: $48-$72 USD.
For a family of 4 for a 8-day adventure: $192-$288 USD per Adventure Guide. For 2 Guides, this is a total of: $384-$576 USD.
As long as your passport is valid, there is nothing special you have to do with it other than bring it with you and have it handy when moving from one country to the next. Do you put it in your luggage.
Cell phone usage in Europe is pricey. Your best bet is to call Verizon and get your information from them....and then dont use your phone. While calls are expensive, data is ridiculous. I would make sure that everyone knows that phones are for "emergencies only".