Know Before You Go

The following list is compiled of information I received from family, friends, travel websites and personal blogs prior to leaving on my trip. All the information I obtained was super-helpful and made me feel more comfortable before my departure.

1. Make sure your passport is current. Most countries will not let you enter if your passport will expire within the next 6 months. Be smart and renew in plenty of time before you depart on your grand adventure. 
2. Get a chip and pin card. Most credit card companies are now transitioning to this card anyway. I was advised to get this type of card as no one takes the magnetic strip kind.  It depends on where you go. Some places still do in fact take the old card but the chip and pin is becoming the new normal. Also, check what the foreign transaction fee is for using your card. I actually went ahead and got a new card for the trip. It has no foreign transaction fee and is a travel rewards card. Here is an article I found on Nerd Wallet to help inform you of your best options. 
3. Bring your debit card. It's always wise to have at least two cards with you in case one doesn't work or is lost or stolen. Only use your debit card for withdrawing cash at the ATM. Cash was actually my preferred way to pay for things abroad. Ticket machines at the airport or train station usually only take cards but eating out and and other small purchases were much easier using the local currency. *** Always remember to communicate to your bank and credit card company that you will be out of the country. Let them know the length of time you will be away and the country/countries you will be visiting.
4. Make copies of important documents. It's smart to make two copies of: your passport, health insurance, credit and debit cards. Take one set with you (keep it in a separate place from where you will keep your cards and cash in case of theft) and leave the other at home with someone. Also make sure you have the 1-800 number for your credit cards if anything were to happen to them.
5. Leave a copy of your itinerary at home with someone. If you are like me then you will have a typed out itinerary two months before you go. (I was really, really excited about this trip!) It's helpful to have this information written down in the event that anything were to happen to you. Important information: Airlines and flight numbers, where you will be staying and for how long, with the address and a phone number if possible.
6. Don't forget to pay your bills and rent. With the excitement of planning your trip this will be the last thing on your mind. It definitely was on mine and I'm so thankful I read this tip before leaving. If you make payments online you can schedule to have them be paid while you are away. As for rent and other utilities,  have your payments ready to be sent and have someone at home mail them for you. 
7. Pack light. I was told by numerous people to do this. I'm normally an over-packer so what I thought was "packing light" was still over-packing by a long shot. Check back for my Packing Essentials post as I will go into more detail and include items not to be forgotten.

Travel Tips & Planning

Make sure your passport is current and get out and explore!

For two and a half weeks this summer I was fortunate enough to travel around Europe. It was such a life enriching experience. I highly encourage anyone to get out and explore this vast world we live in. With the advice of a friend overseas, we planned our journey to tour diverse countries so each place offered something different. I'm so thankful for that advice because each country was in fact so diverse. The line-up was: Copenhagen, Stockholm, Uppsala, Amsterdam, Prague and London. This whole trip came about because my good friend, Ashley was invited to a wedding in Sweden. She mentioned she was going and planned on traveling for two weeks, hinting that I come along. Of course my obvious answer was YES! The summer months are crazy busy with work so I didn't entirely think it was possible to get away for that amount of time. Yet my boss was so encouraging when I asked. From that point on, the next five months were dedicated to travel research. I can't stress enough how important it is to do your research before hand. Read, read, read anything you can get your hands on. I still regret not reading more before I left. Researching beforehand helps tremendously with planning your days for what you want to do, see and most importantly eat!

Outlets for travel research:

• Local Library - My library had a decent selection of up to date travel guides. Most libraries can transfer books within their branch so inquire if you don't see what you are looking for. 
• Wikitravel - This site is awesome! They offer comprehensive guides including history, districts of the city (super helpful for deciding where to stay), climate, getting around (great tips for transferring to and from the airport), architecture, local cuisine, etc. 
• YouTube - another great outlet to familiarize yourself with the city. It was also a nice break from reading.
•  Pinterest - A great collection of articles from websites as well as travel and personal blogs.
• Social Media - Put it out there that you are going on a trip. Ask for advice on what to see and eat during your travels. I received two amazing guides from a girl in London I follow on Instagram and someone who lives in Amsterdam. It's a great way to get a locals perspective. 

 Accommodations:

• Hostels - I like my privacy and have to pee far too much to venture out into the halls at night. Hostels are not for me but I know so many people love them. They are great for the budget traveler and those who want to meet fellow visitors.
• Hotels - Hotel stays are generally comfortable and familiar. (It's always smart to read reviews on Trip Advisor or Yelp.) Hotel rooms may be tiny, but they provide many amenities that "Americans" want when traveling. The front desk staff was always kind and helpful when we called down for more pillows or any questions we had. It's also a plus when breakfast is included in the room rate. When breakfast is available at an additional cost, I suggest grabbing a coffee and pastry from the local bakery or cafe.
• Airbnb - This was my first experience using Airbnb. It's a great way to get a feel for what it's like to live in the city. Some apartments are smack in the city center while others are in more residential areas. This lends to a nice break from the bustle of the city. Having a kitchen allows you to cook meals yourself and save on the cost of food while traveling. We found that the local grocery stores offered a wide variety of foods at low prices. Overall, I found Airbnb's cheaper than a hotel stay, especially sharing the cost with your travel partner. They also offered more space than a tiny hotel room. 

  

  Our Airbnb in Amsterdam overlooked a canal.

• *Tips for booking your first Airbnb or if you are wondering why you keep getting declined. Unless the host offers instant book it's always best to message them prior to sending a request to book. I was continually getting declined and didn't understand why. Even though the selected days show availability, they are sometimes not. I read somewhere online that it's best to send a message asking if their apartment/home is available for your travel dates. Once I did this I received messages back with either, yes, and a pre-approval to book or no, and declined. 
• Friends or Family - Traveling is expensive and the cost of accommodations add up. If you have any friends or family where you will be traveling, politely ask if they have any extra room for you. Ashley's friend in Sweden was so thrilled we were traveling all that way to attend her wedding she arranged for us to stay in a family members apartment for a few nights while they were out of town.

 Book in advance

• Unless you are going to wing it upon arrival at your destination, it's wise to book as soon as you know when you will be traveling. We used Google Flights to compare airline prices. 
• Pre-book attractions you don't want to miss. What I thought was far enough in advance for the Anne Frank House (2 months) was not enough. All tickets were sold out. Luckily I found a walking tour through Get Your Guide. It was a 1.5 hour walking tour through Amsterdam with skip-the-line tickets to the House. Once we passed the mile long queue, I was so happy I purchased them in advance.

 Happy planning. Check back for more of my adventures through Europe this summer. I'll be posting guides for Stockholm/Uppsala, Amsterdam, and Prague.

Have any travel planning tips of your own? Leave them in the comments below. 

Awesome Etsy Find - Purpose Design.

Now that Christmas is over, I can safely post this without fear that I will be showing the gifts I was giving this year. I began most of my holiday shopping in mid November and scoured Etsy in hopes of  finding the most personalized gifts for the people in my life. I came across the shop, Purpose Design, during the search for a gift for my boss. Keyword search: gift for baker. The shop owner, Julie, uses all natural ingredients for her spice sets and salt kits which she blends herself.  I wanted to order everything as I browsed the different items in her shop. I decided on the Artisanal Baking and Dessert Salt Kit for my boss. It consists of six different salt blends with flavors such as Espresso Sea Salt, Orange Ginger, and Vanilla Cardamon. For my brother who loves cooking Thai food, I found a Thai spice set. It's hard to come by certain Thai spices in the area we live so this was perfect for him. I couldn't resist getting something for myself so I purchased the Organic DIY Chai tea kit.  I've already enjoyed a pot and it was lovely.

Happy New Year everyone!