International travel: odds-and-ends info

I agree with CJean. Get yourself a copy of ""Europe Through the Back Door." It will answer many of your questions.

CJean and Frank II, thank you both for the recommendations! I also suspect I could have been more precise in my post: I'm certainly not expecting anyone here to provide me with information I can and will easily obtain elsewhere, but rather I'm looking for those bits of wisdom from lived experience, that no guide book or other formal resource would really include. I'm an attorney, and research and attention to detail are a couple of my strengths, so I'll definitely have the basics diligently covered!

Wolter's World is a great YouTube channel to start with.

For me after understanding each country's border formalities, I have a personal rule that I won't fly within Europe and I fully rely on the many facets of public transportation. Understanding that makes for smooth hiccup free travel. Plus I always try to maintain reasonable expectations.

Edit to add -
I usually land in a major city early in the morning. So, I usually plan for a train journey out to a smaller "starter" town. That way I'm actively moving and occupying that time between arrival and hotel check-in. It's also cheaper, can average out food & accommodation expenses, and then splurge in the larger more expensive cities. And I always plan train journeys when changing locations to be in those hours between check-out and check-in.

Even if you’re a light packer, bring hair conditioner if you like to use it!
And also a washcloth if that’s part of your routine.
Both are rare in European hotels, in my experience.

I'm looking for those bits of wisdom from lived experience, that no
guide book or other formal resource would really include. I'm an
attorney, and research and attention to detail are a couple of my
strengths, so I'll definitely have the basics diligently covered!

I appreciate your curiosity and interest in researching, but your lived experience is going to be different than my lived experience - different people, different travel styles, different locations, different eras (my overseas travels started 20+ years ago). "Europe" is 40+ countries and many surprises/delights/frustrations are just waiting to be discovered - that is the fun of travel. No checklist will ever cover every single scenario or preparatory step unfortunately (and I do love a good checklist).

As noted there are some good background primers offered by this site's host that answer many of the general level questions and there are quite a few helpful tips in the subforums here (packing, technology, etc). The forum folk are quite helpful responding to specific questions on logistics, destinations, etc. so I encourage you to bring those questions back when you're starting to prep your first trip so you can get relevant and timely advice.

VAP, thank you! Your strategy for the gaps in time is so smart. Also, public transit is a bit of a personal obsession of mine and I'm so excited about the robust options we'll have!

Barbara G, excellent tip on the reality of European hotels, thank you!

since you already have all of the basics of international travel thoroughly covered

CJean, tone can definitely be tricky in a written medium, but I sense a distinct sense of snark in your follow-up response. That, plus your initial replies to both my threads simply pointing me elsewhere, is not lost on me. Every online community certainly has its own culture to be sure, and perhaps I've misjudged this one (though everyone else's replies to me indicate that I've not), but I created an account here with the expectation that 1) new members to the forum, including those new to European travel, are welcome and 2) that the forum is meant to be a place to give, and gather, information in conversation with one another, rather than serving as an index simply directing users to information elsewhere.

To everyone who's engaged in a welcoming manner, I truly appreciate it.

"Europe" is 40+ countries and many surprises/delights/frustrations are just waiting to be discovered - that is the fun of travel. No checklist will ever cover every single scenario or preparatory step unfortunately (and I do love a good checklist).

CL, your fellow checklist-loving planner appreciates this reminder! That said, even if it may not be of practical use to me, I'm curious what, if anything, might have surprised you the most in your earlier years that your own planning couldn't account for. (For a friend of mine, for example, it was train strikes!)

Here are a few tips that i hope help. You may already know but anyway here they are:

1. You won’t need to carry much cash….cards are accepted just about everywhere. When you do need cash I’ve found using my debit card at a bank ATM provides the best exchange rate.

2. If traveling in France, ALWAYS say “bon jour” first when walking into any store or restaurant.

3. If staying in hotels, don't go for the breakfast option if it’s not included. You can usually get a better experience at a local bakery…coffee/pastry.

4. Restaurants won’t rush you out the door like we do here in the U.S. You’re perfectly fine staying a couple of hours or more.

5. When planning a daily itinerary, i always planned way too much my first trip to Europe. It’s more fun to slow down, stroll the streets…sit at outdoor cafes. Trying to cram too many sites and museums into a single day is exhausting.

6. You’ll be very tired on your arrival day due to the time difference. I’ve found it’s best to push through it that first day without a nap and get my body adjusted to the time difference.

Hope this helps! Going to Europe for the first time is so exciting. I hope your trip is wonderful!

• Some major attractions sell-out weeks in advance. Plan accordingly so you don't miss them. Common rookie mistake.
• Have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees
• Figure-out what the tipping norms are. This is not easy to do, you'll get conflicting info
• On arrival day, do a guided walking tour, it's easy to do and helps get your bearings