Sidney's Travel Tips

Another post today- obviously I'm very excited about starting this blog, let's see if I'll be as excited about maintaining it.

My friend Sidney is a year ahead of me in school and recently travelled to China, India, and South Africa for her abroad program. Her blog of the experience is lovely: Telegrams from Sidney, and she has been a great support system in my last semester, offering advice and perspective from keeping relationships with friends to what brand of underwear holds up the best over months of travel. I recently asked her if she had any pre-departure tips, and being the gracious lady that she is, she ended up writing me a novel of advice that is so helpful I figured I'd share it for anyone else who might be travelling as well.

So without further delay, Sidney's travel tips:

1: Health

• Find a travel clinic (an actual one that knows what they're doing, probably at a large university hospital or something), get all required vaccinations, certifications, and proof of immunizations. 
• Figure out your prescriptions (if any). I was moving around a lot and didn't have access to standard western medical care, so I opted to get a semester-long supply and carry it with me. If you take this route, make sure to clearly label everything in your suitcase with a prescription label with your name and the quantity on it so it isn't confiscated at customs.
• I also opted to take a small supply of most American-brand over the counter stuff, as well as common remedies (ex. the travel clinic sent me with a course of antibiotics, antimalarials, etc.) Probably not necessary, but good to think about -- it's a lot harder to make sure you're getting the meds you want (even just for a cold) in another language.
• Figure out your health insurance. Make sure to print out your card.
• On the insurance note, it might be worth it to spring for belongings insurance (offered through school) for the year. Valid anywhere in the world.

2: Documents, money, and logistics

• Figure out what documentation you need and put it all in ONE place. Now make two copies and a scanned copy. Keep one hard copy in your checked luggage, one with your parents, and upload the scanned copies of all of your important documents, credit cards, ID, visas, insurance cards, etc. to a secure drive (I just used google drive, and shared the  link with my parents' account). 
• According to a friend who studied in Italy over a summer, "make sure to always get tickets validated in ticket machines when taking public transport - very important. I know, it sounds weird but when you buy a ticket in italy you have to validate it in a little machine that no one tells you about when you get on the bus/train and if you don't and they catch you, you'll get charged a couple hundred euros."
• If you haven't already, get an ISIC card. Except actually, I never ever used mine other than to have a form of ID to carry around other than my passport. So... up to you.
• Notify your bank that you will be abroad. Also, most banks can only manage to log 6 months of travel at a time, so you may have to call them again around Christmas. Don't assume they're on top of it, they're probably not.
• Check your bank's fees for overseas transactions. This becomes very, very expensive (think hundreds of dollars), very quickly. There are some that don't charge any (not sure which), might be worth setting up a new account.
• Set up a way to transfer back and forth from your parents' accounts while you're abroad for emergencies.
• Phones, phones phones... It will almost certainly be easier to buy a pay-as-you-go phone when you get there and use that for local calls. Since you'll be in an internet-friendly place, I'd just use your iPhone or even iPod for wifi/Skype calls to anyone international (far less expensive). Remember to put your U.S. phone plan on hold (I got charged like $5/mo. to hold my number for when I got back), and just set up Google Voice forwarding so if some bozo forgets you're across the world and calls you about something important, you'll get the voicemail in your email inbox. 

3: Travel Logistics and Luggage

• Luggage recommendation: fly out with one big suitcase and one smallish, ROLLING carry-on (I have a rolling duffel bag and love it) -- that is empty. Budget this space for all the things you buy abroad and will want to bring home, so you can feel free to stuff your big suitcase with things on the way there. Bonus: you can also use this carryon as your overnight/weekend trip bag. Sidenote: make sure you have identification on the outside and the inside of your checked bag.
• The little mesh, zip bags that are sold as laundry bags for lingerie (do you know what I'm talking about?) work GREAT as luggage organizers, and are basically the same thing but 1/10th the price as the luggage organizer bags they sell.
• My airport strategy: 
• Things you're protective of and want to keep an eye on/are fragile --> carryon. I don't open this in the airport.
• Things you want for the actual travel (travel pillow, wallet, etc.) --> small backpack (or I prefer tote bags so it's always in sight. my big yellow bag is a good size.)
• Everything else --> checked luggage.
• Things that can help you avoid being overweight on your luggage: move shoes, jeans, etc. to your wheeling carry-on. Pack single, heavier items on top of your big suitcase so if you have to do the airport shuffle, it's easy and painless.
• DO NOT FORGET NOISE-REDUCTION HEADPHONES. Also, bring a headphone splitter. Charge absolutely everything the night before, and find a good system for carrying cords in ONE thing in some way that they don't get tangled (binder clips work well).
• You will be disgusting by the end of one of those super long flights. Do all around you a favor and pack a mini toothbrush, a mini brush, and a mini deodorant in your carryon. I also recommend those little individually-wrapped hand wipes, security generally lets them through and they're great for birdy baths as necessary.
• Make your life a little easier: decide right now which pocket (secure but easy-access) of whatever you're carrying through bus/train/plane stations is going to hold our ID and boarding pass/tickets. Don't ever put them anywhere else, so you know exactly where they are. Always. Also, hide a bit of money in your checked bag and in a separate, super secret place in your carryon -- just in case.
• Be safe: this doesn't really belong in just one section, but remember that people around the world can spot a tourist/foreign student (no matter how good you are) in a heartbeat. 99% of locals will use this as an opportunity to be helpful and look out for you -- they want you to like their city. But some will not, and will make you a target. Don't let your guard down, and be smart about where/when/how you travel. Always keep enough cab money to get home tucked somewhere separate. Memorize the number for the American embassy.
• Uhh.... I think that's it. I know it sounds like a lot, but you'll be totally fine!! In the end, all you need is a your camera and your passport, and everything else will work out.
• So, with that said, here's my packing list:

4. Packing

Clothes

• 4-5 all-purpose shirts (casual but nice)
• 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 pair leggings, 1 pair tights
• 1 nice/professional outfit
• More (cheap) underwear & socks than you think you need
• 1-2 casual dresses that don't wrinkle
• 1-2 sets exercise clothes
• Shoes (1 pair flats that double as going out/professional/walking around; 1 pair sandals; 1 pair sneakers; 1 pair that does well in snow. Wear the heaviest on the plane)
• 1 jacket
• 1-2 cardigans
• 1 set coat/scarf/hat/gloves. Not sure how to deal with the coat in the luggage....

Toiletries

• Have ONE bag that holds all toiletry-related things: if it would be in your bathroom or medicine cabinet at home, it should be in one place in your luggage. Trust me.
• Also, don't forget to duct tape liquids shut/put saran wrap screwed between the bottle and the lid.. Duh. (I learned this the hard way).
• 1 tube toothpaste per semester, 1 stick deo per semester
• Any toiletries you're picky about (like I took a bottle of face wash)
• Otherwise, just bring a travel size of like shower stuff to tide you over when you first get there until you can buy some locally.
• No clue what feminine hygiene supply products are available in Italy. Find out, bring with if necessary.
• Think about taking a bar of laundry soap (like Fels Naptha -- works as a spot cleaner or just as bar soap for clothes). Lasts forever, is non-messy and works for any weird laundry pinch you get into. Maybe not as relevant in Italy, but saved my ass multiple times.

Travel

• A good travel pillow is invaluable
• iPod/other music source, good headphones
• Seriously consider a kindle. Worth every. single. penny. (and I can give you free ebooks :)
• Camera/extra memory cards/etc.
• Electronics cords (obv.)
• Good water bottle (**I had to have one to carry clean water, but probably not necessary for you and may actually brand you as a tourist).
• Consider a cheap sleep sack (like a sleeping bag liner) for any sketchy hostel situations (but actually, came in handy many times).
• Outlet converter!!!
• Buy an umbrella the first day you're there.
• ....I think that's it. Possibly. I'll let you know :)

5. Italy Advice (probably useful other places)

Last item of business is Italy-specific advice from Michael:

• At bars and cafes in touristy squares and such
• 1. avoid them whenever possible
• 2. they have two price ranges: inside and outside (you get charged more if you want to sit outside with the view)
• Don't get intimidated when you get way too hit on
• The concept of lines doesn't really exist in Italy so basically just crowd through to the front and be aggressive
• Never order a cocktail in Italy, Italians suck at cocktails
• Same goes for Chinese food: big mistake
• Sort of basic Italy stuff is that you should shop local and daily, go to the butcher, the greengrocer, the cheesemonger, etc. they'll give you good stuff if you get to know them
• Don't eat the pizza because that's not really gonna be that good in Bologna (she probably knows that)
• Be aware that traveling to other countries in the EU is relatively cheap and easy by train and there are no passport/visa issues so that's something to take advantage of
• Oh yeah, those stupid wallet necklace things are for chumps. Bologna is a modern goddamn city
• That's it! Have fun! :D

What would I do without this girl? And thanks to Michael too!