London Vacation Packages -
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London Vacation Packages - Mexico in Kentucky at Respond Vacations A business referral community with over 2.5 million members My Account | Advertise directory.respond.com | matching.respond.com | referrals.respond.com London Vacation Packages - Mexico Secure Form Get Matched to Top Local Travel Agents in London Complete these questions and get a customized, timely response from prescreened and member referred Travel Agents serving London that are interested in working with you. You choose the Travel Agent that best meets your needs. No Cost. 1) Which region or city in Mexico would you like to visit? [required] -- Select One -- No Preference Acapulco Baja California Basaseachic Falls Cabo San Lucas Cancun Chihuahua Copper Canyon Cozumel Guadalajara Ixtapa Mazatlan Mexico City Oaxaca Palenque Puerto Vallarta Santa Rosala Tijuana Yucatan Coast Yucatan Peninsula Other (See Details Field) Unsure 2) What city and state or airport will you be departing from? [required] 3) What is the city and region or airport of your destination? [required] 4) What type of transportation do you require? [required] None Airline Car Rental Other: 5) What type of accomodations would you like? [required] -- Select One -- Deluxe First Class Moderate Budget Hostel Campground Other (See Details Field) 6) Would you like a guided tour? [required] Yes No 7) Have you traveled to this area before? [required] Yes No 8) Which city and state or airport will you be returning to, if different from your departure point? 9) Date of departure: [required] -- Select One -- January February March April May June July August September October November December -- Select One -- 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 -- Select One -- 2005 2006 2007 10) For how many nights? [required] -- Select One -- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Other (See Details Field) 11) When do you intend to reserve your travel plans? [required] -- Select One -- This Week Within Two Weeks Within One Month 12) Would you like to purchase travel insurance? [required] Yes No 13) Approximate budget per person: [required] -- Select One -- $500 - $750 $750 - $1000 $1000 - $1500 $1500 - $2500 $2500 and above 14) Age of traveler(s) at time of travel: [required] -- Select One -- Up to 12 Months 13 - 23 Months 2 Years 3 Years 4 Years 5 Years 6 Years 7 Years 8 Years 9 Years 10 Years 11 Years 12 Years 13 Years 14 Years 15 Years 16 Years 17 Years Adult (18-20) Adult (21-24) Adult (25-30) Adult (31-35) Adult (36-40) Adult (41-45) Adult (46-50) Adult (51-55) Senior (56-60) Senior (61-65) Senior (66 & Older) Other (See Details Field) 15) Details: [required] I want responses from Travel Agents that serve or ship to: [required] 16) ZIP/Postal Code: -- OR -- City/State/Province -- Select One -- Alabama Alaska Alberta American Somoa Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Caroline Islands Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Mariana Islands Marshall Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Brunswick New Foundland New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota NorthWest Territories Nova Scotia Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Prince Edward Island Puerto Rico Palau Quebec Rhode Island Saskatchewan South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Yukon Territory Your Contact Information 17) I would like to receive responses at this email address: [required] 18) First Name: [required] Last Name: [required] 19) Phone Number: [required] ( ) Cell Phone: ( ) Best Time: [required] -- Select One -- Morning Afternoon Evening Weekend No Preference By submitting your request you acknowledge your acceptance of Respond Vacations's Terms of Use . NEED ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT THIS FORM? Speak with our Customer Service department by calling 1-866-638-5323 (703-259-4457) (Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm EST) ........................................................................................................................................................... Consumer Channels: B2B | Handyman | Cosmetic Surgery | Events | Health | Home Services | Insurance | Investments | Landscaping Lasik Eye Surgery | Legal | Lending | Moving | Photography | Remodeling | Real Estate | Vacations | Weddings Business Channels: Business Insurance | Business Services | Commercial Construction | Facilities | Human Resources | Internet Marketing | Office Furniture | Office Products | Printing | Technology | Telecom Respond Vacations 2005 | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Help | Contact | Advertise | Affiliate Program | Link To Us travel , vacation packages , mexico , respond , respond travel
Mexico Travel Essential Mexico
Travel Mexico | GORP United States Canada Europe Top Adventures Message Boards Wallpapers Travel Screensavers Slide Show -- Contests Search: from Away.com Related Guides Mexico Vacations Popular Cities in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Monterrey Mazatlan Cancun Cabo San Lucas Mexico City Acapulco Locations US States Around the Globe City Weekends Regional Guides Parks & Preserves Discussion Boards Winter Olympics 2006 Classic World Hikes Best Winter Parks Off-Beach Caribbean Ski Guide 2005-06 from Outside Online -- DESTINATIONS Mexico Travel Essential Mexico Mexico Top Twenty GORP's picks for the best African safaris -- National Parks and Reserves Ecotouring Mexico World of the Ancient Indians Features by Activity Select Activity Paddling Hiking Scuba Fishing Camping _________________ Travel Highlights & Resources Baja & Northern Mexico Island Paddling in Southern Baja Southeastern Baja paddling around La Paz and Isla Espiritu Santo. Birding and wildlife descriptions, too. 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Sponsored Results _default.adp -- RELATED TRIPS [Mexico Trips] Hiking/Trekking Cultural Immersion [North America Trips] United States Mexico Ski Guide 2005-06 Top North American Resorts // Best Family Skiing // Top Resorts for Beginners // Top Resorts for Experts // Best for Nightlife // Best Snowboarding // Lack of Crowds // Top Scenic Resorts // See All Resorts OUTDOOR GEAR REVIEWS [From Outside magazine] Tents // Sleeping Bags // Backpacks // Hiking Boots // Hydration Systems // Camp Stoves // Road Bikes // Mountain Bikes // Kayaks // Running Shoes // Jackets // Soft Shells // Luggage // Sunglasses // Cameras // Binoculars // Audio Players // GPS Devices [from GORP.com] GORP's full gear guide THE GEAR GUY Is there one boot to hike and climb the Americas? How can I take my two-year-old cross-country skiing? ( Outside ) What runners will keep me upright on muddy trails? ( Outside ) SEARCH THE GEAR GUY (Example: hiking boots, backpacks, tents, skis) [+] Advanced Search BUY GEAR FROM REI.com Hiking Gear Cycling Gear Paddling Gear Snow Sports Gear Alpine Ski Gear Cross Country Skiing Gear Snowboarding Gear Snowshoeing Gear Luggage & Travel Gear Women's Specific Gear Shop all Men's Outerwear Shop all Women's Outerwear Shop all Kid's Outerwear All Gear on Sale REI.com [+] Hot Topics Why do you care? Have outfitted Everest trips ruined the world's ultimate high? -- Interview with Gary Ferguson: Will the Wolf Survive? -- Mexico Deals • Acapulco Hotels • Cabo San Lucas Hotels • Mexico City Hotels • Puerto Vallarta Hotels • More Mexico Hotels Aguascalientes Hotels Cancun Hotels Ensenada Hotels Mazatlan Hotels Mexicali Hotels Monterrey Hotels Rosarito Hotels San Felipe Hotels Tecate Hotels Tijuana Hotels The Ultimate Beach Guide—$99 Vegas: 3rd Night Free Celebrate 50 Years of Disney Magic with Special Deals All-Inclusive Vacations—Leave Your Wallet Behind United Airlines Spring Travel Sale—from $85+ AirTran: All Destinations Are on Sale—from $94+ R/T Summertime Deals are Here—$112 R/T TACA: Central America Sale $179 Paris R/T from $296 -- Mexico, Your Way: Air + Hotel from $451 All-Inclusive Vacations—Leave Your Wallet Behind 5-Day Rome Super Saver—from $499 Air France Fare Sale to Europe! $309 Save an Extra $100 Now with Flight + Hotel Last-Minute Flights—Cheap! $83 Win the Trip of Your Choice! 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Cheap Travel
Cheap Flights - Compare prices on cheap flights Price comparison for cheap flights & travel from the UK & Ireland Cheap flights home | Site tour Flights Holidays Short Breaks Hotels and more Help | Feedback | International Cheap flights Last minute flights Weekend deals Low cost airlines Business & 1st Search flights by date Travel extras Weekly newsletter Get the UK's leading weekly travel price comparison email Find out more | view email Compare prices on cheap flights and travel Welcome to Cheapflights.co.uk, the UK's leading price comparison site for bargain flights and travel. Compare over a million deals from more than 700 travel companies on flights, short breaks, holidays and accommodation for all the most popular destinations, including Spain, USA, Australia, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, France and many more. Compare flight prices Choose the first letter of your destination (city or country): A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Europe Worldwide Alicante Amsterdam Barcelona Brussels Budapest Dalaman Dublin Dubrovnik Edinburgh Faro Fuerteventura Geneva Lanzarote Larnaca Lisbon Majorca - Palma Malaga Menorca Paris Prague Rome Sofia Tenerife Venice Auckland Bangkok Cape Town Dubai Hong Kong Johannesburg Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami New York Orlando San Francisco Sydney Toronto Vancouver More Compare prices to more flight destinations >> Travel Tips: Cheapflights' experts have produced a series of guides to help you get the most out of your getaway... Finding cheap flights Check out our top tips for finding the cheapest flights on the market... Airline Information An essential guide to airlines with low-cost tickets Skiing Airports The easiest ways to fly to the slopes More travel tips >> Cheapflights' experts have produced a series of guides to help you... Compare more than cheap flights: Cheap Hotels and Accommodation | Cheap Holidays | Short Breaks Travel extras: Travel Guides | Travel insurance | Car hire | Airport transfer | Airport parking | Agents & airlines | Useful links | Flight news Help | Site map | About us | Contact us | Careers | Email newsletter © 1996 - 2005 Cheapflights Ltd all rights reserved Bookmark us | Privacy policy | Terms & conditions Cheap Flights | Cheap Hotels | Cheap Holidays | Short Breaks | Cheap Airfares (USA) | International
Austria Travel
Austria Travel Guide and Destination Overview on Concierge.com Destinations USA + Canada > Europe > Caribbean > Latin America > Asia > Australia + Pacific > Middle East + Africa > See All > Ideas Beach + Island > Cruise > Culinary Travel > Global Style > Luxury > Romantic > Ski + Adventure > See All > Best Of Gold List > Readers' Choice Awards > Hot List Hotels > Hot List Tables > Hot List Nights > Ski Resorts > Top Spas > Gourmet Guide > See All > Tools Destination Finder > Hotel Finder > Forums > Travel Tips > Currency Converter > Maps > Photos > Weather > See All > Deals Booking > Travel Deals > See All > Destinations | Europe | Europe Condé Nast Traveler Read Condé Nast Traveler Subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler Articles > Lists > Travel Tips > Great Drives > Room With a View > Where Are You? Contest > Word Trips Contest > Subscribe > See All > forums austria Vienna Imperial Danube city: baroque palaces,... more Salzburg Chic, cosmopolitan Alpine city with Medieval... more Intro Map Fact Sheet Photos Why Go? Old Vienna, suddenly hot again Salzburg Festspiele-top summer music fest with great restaurants attached Coffee and cake at a Kaffeehaus All austria Guides Salzburg Vienna Vienna Salzburg Deals Book your 2006 cruise now and get 2-for-1 fares, free airfare, and more Save on Scandinavia and Europe with Icelandair Get a $600 in shipboard credit on a Crystal Cruise More Related Articles January 2005 Great Hotel Chefs For G. Y. Dryansky's article, "The Chef... January 2005 The Chef Comes With the Room G. Y. Dryansky ties on his bib in four of... April 2004 The Next Seven Wonders Municipalities are the new Medicis, erecting... March 2004 Night Moves: From Paris to the moon Only half the story of a place is told during the... October 2003 The Real Deal There's more to a travel bargain than price.... October 2003 Europe: 20 Money-Saving Tips Shopping & Service October 2003 Vienna: The Real Deal There's more to a travel bargain than price.... October 2003 Great Drives Germany: Going to Extremes Stephan Wilkinson takes an up-tempo tour of... July 2003 Ombudsman: Clothes Call My wife and I booked a Flight from New York t from CondéNast Traveler December 2005 Concierges, A User's Manual A mystery to many but a friend to all, the hotel... November 2005 Hotel Imperial Room 506, Hotel Imperial, Vienna; 43-1-501100; Pick a Card City cards promise savings and convenience at top... November 2005 Peak Experiences Hitting the slopes in the Alps can cost less than... November 2005 A Hotel Too Far? What do you get when you transform the Nazis'... September 2005 Around the World in 50 Films They don't call them motion pictures for nothing:... 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Europe Travel 101 -
Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the First Time You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses Search Europe for Visitors Europe Travel 101 - Before you take that first trip to Europe Here's a suggested timeline for things an independent traveler needs to do before heading off to that European destination. Thinking about taking an independent trip to Europe? Below you'll find topics to consider before you take off. The recommended time before departure that you should be taking action is found in the colored bar on the left. In the gray box on the right you'll find links leading to more detailed information on any of the topics. Like most planning guides, this is a tool meant to simply remind you what you need to do when to make the standard vacation go as smoothly as possible. Although the list may seem daunting to you, you'll find that many of the tasks are optional. Unless otherwise noted, most of the planning tasks can be done earlier than recommended. A shorter, unannotated list with resources can be found here . A printable checklist can be found here . Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute What You Need to Do Resources 6 months before you go - Choose Your Destination! Now (or even sooner) is the time to choose your general destination. There are lots of resources on the right to help you. Remember that while Europe is quite compact compared to the US, the travel times between countries may be longer than you think. Once you've chosen your primary destination, you'll be able to go on to the next things on the list. Language Let's say you've chosen France as your destination and you'd really like to get to know the country and its people. Well, now is the time to start thinking of learning a bit of the language. A single beginner's course in spoken French at your local community college will teach you the basics cheaply enough. We also have extensive resources for learning European languages here on the About network. Please, at least think about learning the "politeness" words--natives will thank you for trying and will likely be more receptive to your questions. See Languages for the Tourist on the right to find out how easy it is. Renting a House or Apartment Now is the time to think about reserving that perfect apartment for the week (or month). You can wait until later to do this, but the best go fast. Living in the country you're visiting gets you into the swing of daily life: you'll be able to go to the open air markets and cook the food you buy, you won't have to think about maids (unless you want to) or checking in, and things can be as secure as you make them. Guidebooks Once you've figured out where you'd like to spend most of your time, it may be time to pick out a guidebook. You can purchase guidebooks that cover all of Western Europe, just a single country, or even a province or region like Tuscany. Choosing a Destination: Travel Planning Europe Planning Map Clickable Europe map with links to Country maps and Travel Essentials. How I Travel Europe Europe and Fading Traditions: Go Soon! Weather -Climate - When to Go Language: Languages for the Tourist Rentals Unusual Lodging Lodging Links Guidebooks Top European Guidebooks 3-4 months before you go - Start Checking Airfares You can start checking sooner--although we've found searching 3-4 months before your flight is a pretty good bet; the airlines are starting to discount in order to reward early bookers and yet there's still time to wait if prices aren't to your liking. The airline computers are constantly revising the pricing based on the latest demand, so the cheapest prices might turn up anytime--but you might not want to wait that long. Use the Finding Bargain Airfares link if you're unfamiliar with the bargain hunting process. Apply for a Passport if you don't already have one If you don't have a passport, this is the time to start thinking of applying. While the literature says it takes 6 weeks to procure a US passport, you don't want to leave it to the last possible moment--it's a vacation killer if something goes wrong. And despite what you may have heard or read in the past, a separate passport is required for each and every family member traveling with you. First-time applicants 13 years of age and over must appear in person at a U.S. passport office, a designated courthouse or the Post Office. You'll need a birth certificate or proof of citizenship, a photo identification, two recent 2" x 2" photos of your face, and a bundle of money. You'll find the latest requirements and downloadable application form by clicking Passport Links there on the right. (You don't need a health certificate in Western Europe and you won't need to worry about a visa as long as you're staying fewer than 90 days and aren't going to Turkey.) Shoes and Walking Now is a good time to pick up some walking shoes and start getting them broken in. You'll walk a lot in Europe, even if you have a car; much of the city centers in Europe are pedestrian only zones. Be prepared. Airfares Finding Bargain Airfares Passports Passport Links Where to go to apply, a downloadable application form, and how to make it as easy as possible. 6 weeks to 2 months before you go - Reserve Lodging - Hotel If you haven't already reserved the hotels you've seen on the web and fallen in love with, now is the time to do so. But do you need to reserve in every city you're planning to visit? Here's what I do: I reserve a hotel for my arrival and departure days as well as any long-term apartment rentals I've selected. The rest I leave to chance. You may feel uncomfortable with this arrangement, but, with a few exceptions, it's worked just fine for me. When traveling by train, I prefer to arrive at my destination early, take a hotel by the train station and just drop my bags there and explore the city on foot. You can read the whole strategy in my Footloose Travel article. Car or Train? If you haven't already chosen, now would be a good time to select your primary mode of transportation. Select Train or Car? from the links on the right if you just can't seem to decide which is best for what you want to see. Rail Pass Do you need one? Here are some tips: Trains in the south-Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece--are pretty cheap. If you're going to one or several of these places you might find that a pass isn't necessary. Just go to the station and buy a ticket. EurRail passes offer great savings if you plan right. For a saver pass you'll need to plan to take several long trips so that you can spend the travel days mostly on the train. Save money by going overnight; you'll save on hotel costs and make maximum use of your pass. Check the types of passes available carefully, to use them to an advantage, you may have to juggle some travel plans. Car Rental or Leasing and an International Driver's License Leasing a car is sometimes better than renting, especially if you're staying in Europe for more than 17 days. Leasing gets you a brand new car without rental company stickers on it and the pricing includes everything you need. When you turn it in at the end of your trip a lucky European will get to purchase that almost-new car for much less than a completely new one (This comes about because taxes on a new car are much higher than the taxes on even a slightly used one, so both parties benefit from this arrangement). If you've chosen driving as your primary mode of transport in Europe, you should get an International Driver's License . Available at Auto Clubs, they're just a translation of your License into European languages. Sometimes police won't demand them, accepting your original license instead. But still, it doesn't hurt to get one, and they're pretty cheap. A couple of passport-sized pictures are required. Even though you can usually just walk into your auto club and come out with an International Driver's License, I recommend not putting this off: the paperwork needed is often "out of stock." Lodging Accommodation Links You can also find lodging in specific countries or cities by going to a specific destination page. Footloose Travel Striking a balance between travel freedom and overplanning. Hotel Star Ratings Do you know what they mean? How I Travel in Europe Just in case you want to know. Transportation within Europe Rent or Lease? Train or Car? Driving in Europe Links Transportation Links European Train Travel Links 1 Month before you go - Travel Insurance Now is the time to think about insurance. If your health insurance doesn't cover you overseas, or your homeowners insurance doesn't cover loss of material goods, then there are some temporary plans that might set your mind at ease. Check our Insurance Links for more. Luggage How's your luggage? Is it easy to carry? Got more than a foot and a half of duct tape holding it together? If you want to be mobile, maybe you want to see if you can fit everything into a carry-on. It's not all that hard to do in the summer when you probably won't be needing heavy clothes. Rick Steves recommends walking around with all the stuff you think you'll need, then discarding half of it. I like the method I learned in Boy Scouts. Separate everything into three piles: stuff you absolutely need and use often, stuff you'll use occasionally, and stuff you probably won't use at all. Then eliminate the last two piles. Remember: Europe isn't lacking material goods. If you need a heavy sweater because it's unusually cold in August, chances are you won't be more then 50 feet from someone who'll sell you a great one. Don't forget, laundries are pretty easy to find (but usually expensive) and laundromats are are starting to show up in most popular tourist areas. Besides, if you rent a house or apartment it may include a clothes washer and possibly a dryer (but more probably a clothesline). Cameras If you've bought one for this trip, learn how to use it. If you need one, now is the time to purchase--don't put it off until the last minute and then end up standing in front of the Louvre all befuddled because you can't figure the danged thing out. Film If you're going to use film (how so very 90's!) you might consider purchasing one of those lead-lined bags to take it in. These reduce (but don't eliminate) the radiation from airport x-ray machines and thus the chance of film fogging. What I do to bypass this possibility is to buy and process my film in Europe. Sure, guidebooks say film and processing is more expensive overseas (but not much these days), but I look at it this way: are you gonna worry about fogging or are you willing to spend a buck and a half more per roll for peace of mind out of the thousands you're gonna spend on your vacation in total. Seems like false economy to me. Plus I get to show my pictures around to other travelers while I'm in Europe. Cell Phones If you need to be in constant touch with the office or someone special, you can rent cell phones that work throughout Europe. Often your car rental company can handle this, or you can check our Cell Phone Rental links for companies that'll rent phones for the short term. Email It's time to think about how you're going to handle your email in Europe, if that's important to you. If you have several accounts you want to check, you'll need to set up an online system for getting all your email. I use webbox , but other options are explained in the article Staying Connected . Money Yeah, it's time to get the long green together. I take some traveler's checks as a back-up, but mostly use the plentiful ATM machines in Europe to get cash. You need to have a 4-digit pin number to use many European ATMs. Watch one thing though: plan to have enough money to last through weekends--some people are reporting that certain banks in Europe don't update the customer's daily limit on Saturdays and Sundays and so if you've maxed out your daily allowance on Friday, you might find that you can't get more until Monday. You might also think about getting some Euros (or local currency for countries that don't use Euros) for the first day or two, if only to get used to them and assure yourself that you'll be able to afford a coffee in the airport. How much Money? Well, that varies, of course. A couple like Martha and I can get by on on $150 a day in most Mediterranean countries, although it's becoming a stretch these days. That'll get you a two or three star hotel with breakfast and two other meals taken in a restaurant with wine, plus entrance fees to museums and such. It's an average over the whole period of vacation--some days you'll get soaked, some days you'll find bargains. Students and the young-at-heart set willing to stay in hostels and eat street food or make their own grub in the Hostel kitchen will be able to do it for much less, of course. Keeping your money and documents secure You'll need a way to keep your passport and important items away from thieves. While Europe is still safer from violent crimes than the US, high tourist volumes in major cities tend to attract the slash and run crowd. Use a money belt or pouch that goes inside your clothing like seasoned travelers do. Keep your passport and important documents together in it. Don't wear a fanny pack with the pack turned around to actually ride on your fanny. It looks stupid and is a magnet for thieves. Women should avoid big purses with shoulder straps as those straps can be cut easily and the purse removed by a well-trained thief in seconds. Whatever can be said about European petty thieves and pickpockets one thing stands out when you talk to people who've been hit: they're good at what they do. Find recommended security stuff and other indispensable items under Travel Accessories . Voltage and Plugs European voltage is twice that of the wimpy American 110. The wall plugs are different as well. If you plan on using electrical appliances you may need to purchase adapters and power converters now. Check out my article European Electricity and the Connected Tourist for the skinny on what you'll need to make your stuff work in Europe. Me? I don't carry much more than the battery charger I bought in Italy to recharge my digital camera's batteries. Maps You should be far enough along in your travel planning to think about what maps you'll need.If you're in a car and like to get off the main highways, you'll need to purchase good maps. We use Michelin country and regional maps when we drive, purchasing the regional maps for areas we're staying in for a week or longer. You can get European driving maps from your auto club, but they're often not detailed enough to get you to the back roads. Keeping in Touch If you're the postcard-writing type, you'll need to have a means of keeping all those addresses where you can find them. Before the era of PDAs and email, I made sheets of labels for everyone who'd want a postcard so I could just slap one on and be done with it. Now I email friends and keep all their addresses on my Palm Pilot. Check for Travel Dangers The US government doesn't just meddle in overseas affairs, it also alerts travelers to dangers and uprisings in other countries. You might want to check conditions now and right before you leave. Travel Insurance Insurance Links Luggage Top Carry-On Luggage Packing Tips Cameras Before you buy a digital camera for travel Top Compact Digital Cameras for Travel Top Semi-pro Cameras for Travel Olympus D40 Review Oneof the best compact digitals I've come across. Cell Phone Rentals Cell Phone Rental Companies Purchase a Cell Phone Email Staying Connected Cybercafe Links Staying Connected Links Money/Currency Money Matters ATM Finder Travel Accessories Top Travel Accessories Clip-on Security Wallet (review) Voltage and Plugs European Electricity and the Connected Tourist Maps Michelin Maps (compare prices) It's easier to buy the maps over the web--distribution to many stores seems spotty at best, and many times they're unsorted, making finding what you want a miserable experience. Keeping in Touch The Travel Writer's Toolkit Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Last minute - Oops, Forgot the Passport. Help! Well, you can get one expedited, especially if you already have tickets. See our Passport Expediting Company links for more. Make Copies Now is the time to think about keeping back-ups of your travel documents. Make at least two photocopies of your itinerary, your passport information page (the one with your picture and passport number) and copies of your credit cards showing the cc numbers. Give one copy to your mother, or someone else you trust and can get a hold of any time of day or night. Keep a copy of your passport and credit card info with you but in a different place than the original items. Final Check The basic stuff you need to carry are these: Passport, tickets, car rental agreements, hotel reservation receipts, credit cards, medications (and prescriptions, if required), addresses/password information and an open mind with a sense of wonder. Check them twice. Then go have fun in Europe. Passport Problems Passport Expediting Companies Travel Dangers Department of State Travel Warnings Jump to: 6 Months 3-4 Months 6 Weeks - 2 Months 1 Month Last Minute From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! 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