Hello,
I am going on my first RS tour to Italy in April. I haven't been out of the U.S. in 25 years and am not very tech savvy.
My question regards the use of the Internet (I won't be using a cellphone, either):
(1) Will an Android tablet such as Nexus 7 function normally without caveats to surf the Internet and to send email?
(2) Is wireless available in most places, including Varenna, the Cinque Terra, etc.?
Thanks!
Denny
You'll find adequate WiFi most anywhere. I really depends on how tech savvy the managers of your accommodations are.
Don't expect a good signal in your room. But if you need to download a file or send some email...
As long as you're willing to hang out in the hallway near the front desk (preferably within view of the router) you'll get your stuff done with only a dash of frustration.
Denny, all of the hotels I have stayed in on Rick Steves' tours in Italy had wireless. Sometimes they restricted you to a certain amount of time (I'm thinking Albergho Pasquale in Monterosso al Mare) or sometimes the wireless signal might not be good in your room so you might have to access in the lobby area (hotel in Rome).
I'm glad you are going on a tour!
Italy is pretty modern and Internet WiFi access is commonly available at the hotels. I had WiFi access in Asiago, a town not even listed in Lonely Planet Italy. That said, you may be limited to common areas such as the hotel lobby and may not have wifi in your room.
Wifi in Italy is getting better all the time, places I've stayed that only had lobby Internet before now have wifi in rooms as well. Still spotty or slow sometimes, though.
Yes, I finally had to, figuratively speaking, "push myself out the door" (buy a plane ticket, send a deposit, and finally pay the balance to RS). Now the even harder work begins: preparing my one carry-on (travel light!). Someone told me about Google Drive, which makes storing important documents easier so that one doesn't have to download those same documents to one's tablet (in my case, a Nexus 7). Of course, that assumes Internet wireless.
Once you have scanned all your documents and you have them on Google Drive, why do not transfer them to your tablet? You may have to check them at times or places where internet access is not available (for example, in the middle of a street).
Air travel documents. Good idea to have printed copies and if possible, check in online and print boarding passes. You may need a printed pass to get through airport security and at the check in machines (Passport and or ticket code) has a big line.
Denny,
Regarding your questions......
Do you know yet which hotel you'll be using in the Cinque Terre? If you're in Monterosso and at Hotel Villa Steno (a sister property to Pasquale), I've found that their internet seems to work well just about anywhere in the building.
It doesn't sound like the Internet wireless will be too much a problem, but as everyone suggests, it will still be a good idea to download important documents (such as passwords and usernames, of which I have maybe around two dozen!) to the tablet itself rather than rely on Drive (which requires wireless) and its "cloud."
I'm somewhat agoraphobic myself, which means that I'm definitely a homebody. This is a big step for me, away from my two adorable cats, books, DVD's, etc. So my Osprey backpack and my tablet will be my "home away from home."
I've already bought recently some thermoball clothing from REI/North Face. It's such a challenge to travel lightly.
No, Ken, I don't know which hotel the RS people have reserved in the Cinqueterre....
It's odd that even though I've been down to S.F. at least five times in the past three years, even travelling there from Seattle, I still feel unsettled each time, losing, misplacing, or forgetting to bring something or another.
I don't have any I-phone, I-pad, or I-pod. I wonder whether having one on a trip to
Europe would be advantageous. Or whether buying one would not make much of a difference (as compared to the Android device I use now, a Nexus 7). I've never really used a Mac, either.
Denny,
"No, Ken, I don't know which hotel the RS people have reserved in the Cinqueterre...."
You'll receive a list of all your hotels about a month prior to your tour. You'll receive your first and last hotels prior to that (at least, that's been my experience).
Hi Denny, it's great that you've decided to travel with an RS group in Italy this spring! I know you made a thoughtful decision. Is it the Best of Italy tour, or a different one? Will you have a camera with a rechargeable battery with you? I travel with one, and was sure to charge the battery every night, as I didn't want it to quit on me by late afternoon any day. About leaving on a trip and then finding you haven't taken something important with you, here is one strategy I use myself. Some weeks before my trip, I start a written list of every single thing I will be taking with me. I use a single piece of paper, with clothing items on one side, and non-clothing on the other, including things like passport, credit and debit cards, toiletries, spare glasses, charger and adaptor, and on and on. During those weeks I will always think of additional things to add to the list, and will usually drop a few things, or reduce their number, to make my baggage smaller and lighter. Then, when I actually prepare to pack, as I put each item out to pack, I circle it on my list. Then when I finally put it into my baggage, I cross the item off. Easy to see that everything is packed. I imagine everyone has their own system, but that one works for me. I'm sure you will have a wonderful trip, and hope the planning time will be fun for you too!
Denny,
I don't have any I-phone, I-pad, or I-pod. I wonder whether having one
on a trip to Europe would be advantageous. Or whether buying one would
not make much of a difference (as compared to the Android device I use
now, a Nexus 7). I've never really used a Mac, either.
I wouldn't worry about buying any devices mentioned above... besides, you don't need to be, "tech savvy" to travel and enjoy your trip.
SInce you will be an a tour, pretty much everything will be taken care of for you.
You don't have to worry about hotel reservations, scheduling transportation, searching for restaurants & such.
Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks for the pointers, everyone. I'm going to have to really pack it light as I will be carrying only one piece on board the plane and all over Italy, an Osprey backpack designed to fit as a carry-on. So I need to keep everything bare bone essentials but still have, at the same time, everything I will need.
Larry, I'm doing the Best of Italy 17-days. My Nexus 7 has a built-in camera and I'm not much of a camera person anyway, so when it recharges, so does the camera. I will need at least two adapters. And have printed copies of all documents...assuming that my Nexus 7 has "an accident" or something.
And of course, the money-belt. I've still got to figure out where I will stash that passport (money-belt?).
Thanks, Priscilla, for advising me against going out and buying an Iphone or Ipad, doesn't sound necessary and would maybe even detract from the experience.
Some hotels may have a computer available for guests if you need one.
Once I am through Immigration in my first European city (are you flying the SEA -> AMS flight and then on to Italy?) my passport goes in a snacksize ziplock bag and in my money belt where it stays for the duration. Just make sure that wherever you put it, it goes in the same place every time!
I am a little OCD so I print out all my documents/itinerary/directions to the first hotel etc. I got a kind of hard-sided plastic zip-sided folder from Staples that I use to carry my documents. It keeps them from getting crumpled in my bag but is light enough it doesn't add more than an ounce or 2 in weight. I also tab them with sticky notes and then throw things away as I go as long as it does not have identifying info on it. Since I carry a purse as well, I got another plastic envelope that I put the current day stuff in, so on my departure day I have my airplane itinerary, boarding passes and directions to my first hotel.
Do NOT buy any new tech devices just for the trip. They will just be an added source of stress - something new to learn, to carry, and to worry about. Just bring the product you know how to use already (the Nexus 7, which does everything you need it for).
Connecting to WiFi is the same everywhere. Sometimes when you connect, you enter the password; sometimes, you are directed to a website to log in or accept certain conditions. If you had to use a website to log in, you often have to do this every time you want to use the device (even if you just used it 5 minutes ago). This is the only "problem" I've encountered. Remember, almost everyone these days is traveling with devices that they want to connect to the hotel's WiFi, so the front desk can help you if you are having any difficulty - as can other hotel guests!
Denny,
And of course, the money-belt. I've still got to figure out where I
will stash that passport (money-belt?).
The money belt is a good place for your passport, ID, credit card(s), debit card(s) & extra money.
Make sure you wear the money belt under your clothes.
Only keep enough money for daily expenses in a front pocket.
Do not carry a wallet in you back pocket because that's the easiest place for pickpockets.
You also don't want to carry any valuables in a backpack--just in case.
Edit: You may want to read RS article: http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/theft-scams/travel-moneybelt
Denny,
Also, DO NOT access the Money Belt where others can see. Money Belts are intended for "deep storage" and not for frequent access. However, if you're going to be travelling from one hotel to another, it's a good idea to keep the Passport accessible in a secure shirt pocket or whatever, as you'll have to present it when you check-into each hotel. In some cases, the desk clerk will keep it for a short time while he records the details.
Keep your daily operating cash in a separate location (pocket or cheap wallet), and if that gets "pinched", you won't lose much.
Remember NOT to use your money belt when you go through airport security. It can be a little embarrassing to have to dig that sucker out in front of everyone.
Personally I prefer a neck wallet to a money belt. I can discreetly access it through the front of my shirt while sitting at a table in a restaurant, if needed. The purpose of a money belt/neck wallet is to make certain items impossible for a pickpocket to get to.
Like Michael, I also prefer a neck wallet to a money belt. I wear mine cross-body, though, so it sits right on the side of my abdomen. I always wear a tank or a t-shirt under my main shirt, and wear the wallet in between those layers so it isn't embarrassing to quickly pull aside my shirt and get into it if absolutely necessary. For men, though, I see the benefit of being able to access through a button-down shirt by wearing it just around your neck.
I also want to second Larry's suggestion of starting your packing list early. I personally love the planning process, so I start with my last trip's packing list as a base as soon as I start planning a new trip, and make changes as I go along based on the weather, the itinerary, etc. Any time I think "oh, I should remember to take that" I add the item to the list, and then I cull as necessary based on how out of control the list got. :) (I do prefer to pack light!) As a person who is also a bit anxious about forgetting things and often travels alone, this eases my mind tremendously.
Have fun! What an exciting adventure.
At the risk of appearing dense, I am going to ask what the difference, for men, in wearing a neck wallet versus a waist wallet (or money belt) is in terms of getting to it, whether at airport security or a hotel, or even the street.
It seems to me that whether around the waist or around one's neck, a man will have to unbutton his shirt either at the top or the bottom to pull the thing out. It seems like half a dozen of one OR the other...in other words, with the neck wallet, one is going to have to practically take one's shirt off to access the neck wallet, i.e., pull it out and/or get it off one's neck.
I have used the same travel neck wallet for decades now, Eagle Creek I think. I have never had to "undress" to get at it. Depending what I am wearing, pullover or button down, I can usually just slide it out as needed, or just unbutton one or at most two buttons. When I don't need it with me, I usually just keep it buried amidst clothes inside my locked suitcase in my room. Just in case, I do have a couple paper copies of the key pages of my passport, and front and back sides of my credit and debit cards, drivers license, etc.
Denny,
I'm not a man, obviously...
If you choose a neck wallet, you shouldn't have to take your shirt off to have access to it because it's like wearing a necklace!
I always travel with a money belt, however, I keep my passport in my jacket pocket while at the airport.
Once I'm in the plane, I go to the washroom & place my passport in the money belt or keep it in a jacket pocket as long as
it won't fall out in the plane. My jacket has zippered pockets.
You will only need to have access to you passport at the airport and when you check-in at hotels.
Since you will be traveling as part of a group(on a tour) , I'm sure they will explain all the details to you prior to your trip.
If you choose a neck wallet, you shouldn't have to take your shirt off to have access to it because it's like wearing a necklace!
Priscilla,
Does this mean that one can wear it outside one's shirt (or blouse, if one is a woman) rather than having it underneath?
Larry,
I am often most happy at home wearing a T-shirt and a pullover. It sounds like the neck wallet would be strung over one's neck and across one's shoulder and then hanging down one's side, but still between the undershirt and the pullover, the latter of which at airport security could be easily taken off. I'm definitely one of those buttoned-down types, especially since I stopped working. I feel "weird" wearing a shirt with buttons.
Denny
I also want to second Larry's suggestion of starting your packing list early. I personally love the planning process, so I start with my last trip's packing list as a base as soon as I start planning a new trip.
Yes, I am also revving up two months in advance to prepare for the 17-day trip. And I need to be making up that list and adding to it day by day. RS had a thin brochure on preparing for one of his tours but I seem to have misplaced it.
I am terribly forgetful, so planning and organization are a big must for me.
You will want any method of deep storage of valuables to be under your clothing whether it is a money belt, a neck pouch or a belt loop pouch. The point is that it cannot be accessed by anyone other than you insuring the safety of your extra cash, your extra credit cards and your passport. You will not access this during the day. You will keep your daily walking around money in another place.
You will not have it on when you are going thru airport security and you will not put it on until you get thru Immigration. Then you can duck into a bathroom and get yourself organized.
Denny,
You ask this: "Does this mean that one can wear it outside one's shirt (or blouse, if one is a woman) rather than having it underneath?"
I've actually seen some tourist wearing the neck wallet outside of their shirts or tops, however, the whole point of wearing a
money belt or a neck wallet is to keep your valuables concealed, so you don't become a victim of pickpockets!
You may want to review this RS article: http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light
It sounds like the neck wallet would be strung over one's neck and across one's shoulder and then hanging down one's side, but still between the undershirt and the pullover, the latter of which at airport security could be easily taken off.
This is exactly how I wear mine. Over the undershirt, under whatever shirt I'm wearing that day. Then, if absolutely necessary, I can get into it without exposing myself. ;) But the idea of the secure storage is that you shouldn't really be getting in and out of it. And keep the strap short -- it should sit above your waist, otherwise it would be too easy to access.
That sounds sensible: between the undershirt and the pullover, shirt, etc.. In other words, not hanging outside one's outermost layer, but not next to the skin, either, so that one doesn't have to disrobe everything "on top" (expose one's chest).
Trip planning changes a bit with the times. I too have a Nexus 7 and am putting documents on it. I think it's good to have redundancy here. I'm planning on paper copies of really important things. Also copies on Dropbox which we can access from another electronic device or even a hotel computer in a pinch. Don't forget the passwords too, maybe a cheatsheet is in order.
Doesn't Overdrive do basically the same thing as Dropbox? Yes, paper copies of the really important things sounds like a good idea. I'll have to start drawing up a list of what those things might be, soon.
I haven't used Overdrive but imagine it is fine too. I guess the idea is to have redundancy. So I have (1) a device loaded document, (2) a cloud based storage alternate, (3) paper. The cloud based alternate could be your email as that is where a lot of confirmations arrive. Not everything has to be in paper but if you are a worrier like me then it is reassuring.
BTW, I'm now using Lastpass to keep passwords. It's pretty neat as you can enter your Lastpass password offline before getting online with those insecure networks. Then Lastpass will automatically enter your destination personal passwords. Takes the worry out of forgetting passwords too.
