European Travel Necessities

[Barmaid]

OK, so neither of us have been abroad for donkey's years and now all of a sudden we are off to France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Belgium next week.

To save my last minute panics what else do I need (we are going by coach if that helps).

1. Passports
2. European Healthcard jobbies
3. Travel insurance
4. Euros
5. Electrical adaptor thingummy jigs.

What have I forgotten?!

[craft1948]

Going by coach...............wet wipes and inflatable neck pillow.

[Psybbo]

Bottled water
knickers

[sunny-dave]

Tell your Credit Card company that you are going - else they may block unexpected foreign transactions.

[grasscarp]

Something to read. Ear plugs.

[sunny-dave]

Photocopy all the important stuff (passports, insurance docs, front of bank cards) and keep a copy separate from the originals.

[Peter Pedant]

Toothbrush - clean pair of knickers ?

[gingejbee]

Lots of money....for Switzerland, especially! (Swiss francs, of course).

[grasscarp]

6 countries and only one pair of clean knickers Peter?

[Barmaid]

Some useful tips here guys. Keep em coming ta. Am going to need a bigger handbag.

But can someone please explain to me why oh why at least two of you think I might forget my knickers?!

If ANYONE mentions Birmingham......................

[sunny-dave]

Camera - take a spare card for it too.

[ck1]

Something to eat, I always take a couple of boxes of tracker bars with me in case I get ill or hungry in between stops. Travel sickness tablets. A blanket or something warm for any night time travel. A map so you can keep track of where you are, also nice to mark off the places you have been. Phrase book. Contact details of all the hotels your staying at...

[VHG]

Camera and CHARGER, and memory card (and spare) if it is digital

Phone and CHARGER (if you are taking one)

Neck wallet. I now wear a neck wallet all the time while I am away with passport in it, plus credit/debit cards. That way little chance of me being mugged or losing my wallet out of back pocket (or out of handbag if you are a lady)

Contact details for travel insurance company, also contact details for bank etc if you lose cards.

Pen and paper

Any medication.

[grasscarp]

Post details of relief Answerbank barrister to cover your absence

[friedgreentomato]

knickers, paperbags the odd bit of rubbish, phrase book, wet wipes, payg sim card, a black sack and a shovel for burying Mr BM

[sunny-dave]

Remember to turn off the mobile data access on your phone as you leave the UK - unless you've got a cheap deal for data roaming - it'll cost a fortune otherwise.

Just use wifi to connect to emails and interweb, when you get a chance in hotels/bars etc.

I usually turn off voicemail too (or set it to give out a message but not record any) - you can spend loads of pennies picking up messages you don't want/need.

[tamborine]

Union jack towel To reserve your seat
Binoculars for the mountains

[Prudie]

tea bags and travel wash - for the knickers

[sunny-dave]

Marmite ...

[FredPuli43]

Swiss francs ! Oh, someone has said that. All right, knickers (not that I'm expert on that need, though I did own a lingerie shop once, I was too shy to go in ). Oh, someone has said that. How's your German? And French? A Berlitz phrase book might be useful.

[geno500]

I would take as well as money ,passports travel insurance and electrical adaptors,some pills for a upset stomach and if you like biscuits a couple of packets of chocolate biscuits because the biscuits over there are awful,nothing like a day sightseeing to brew a cup of tea and have a couple of chocolate biscuits.