Travel Tips

"The wise traveler knows: on a journey a straw weighs a thousand pounds." I suggest a canvas carry-on bag, such as the Campmor Essential Carry-On, which has backpack straps that can be zipped up for easy storage, a removable shoulder strap, and a regular handle. The "Unclaimed Baggage" store in our community should serve as a friendly reminder that checking baggage is an "iffy" proposition, and traveling with only one carry-on saves you time at the baggage claim. Plus, maneuvering on and off of a bus or a train with lots of luggage is just impossible, and many of the European hotels that welcome students do not have elevators, so you'll be carrying all your luggage yourself. Even if you choose to carry a check-on bag, too, remember to take ONLY the amount of luggage that you feel comfortable carrying up several flights of stairs--we had seven flights at a B&B in Edinburgh. One EF hotel had an elevator but didn't let students on with their "large American luggage;" Ken and I have been told that we "don't pack like Americans."
If I'm on an organized tour, I have started taking Rick Steves carryon bag with wheels; it's 21x9x14. I've checked it in the "See if it fits" boxes at my local airport for Northwest and for Delta. It seems to fit the overhead space nicely. I still suspect that my bagpack-style luggage is better for any place with lots of stairs however!

You can obtain your passport paperwork at the Jackson County Courthouse. You will need to bring two passport size photographs--which you can have made at the local K-Mart or you can create yourself by having K-Mart cut two identical face-only pictures of you from a snapshot and its duplicate.
You will also need your birth certificate and a checkbook when you bring your materials to the courthouse. Get your passport as soon as possible, and make Mrs. Kesner two copies for the travel notebooks she and Mr. Kesner take on EF tours.

If you plan to travel with Mrs. Kesner, you must agree to carry your passport on your person in a security pouch under your clothes at all times; do NOT leave your passport in a purse, in a hotel room, or in a suitcase or backpack. If our tour director suggests, we may be able to leave passports in hotel safe boxes at times when we may be going to the beach, etc. At these times, Mrs. Kesner will take up all passports and deposit them with the hotel.
If your passport is lost or stolen during the trip you and/or your parents are responsible for all expenses related to obtaining a new passport, including all hotel stays, phone and fax charges, actual cost of replacement passport, photographs, all related transportation costs (train, airline, and taxi or bus travel), meals, etc.
Passport checks will be made each morning and at other times.

EF suggests $30-50 U.S. You'll need to pay for lunches and dinners on the 2008 tour, tips, souvenirs, optional excursions, theatre or concert tickets, and extra tours.

You can exchange money before you leave home with a local bank at which you have a checking or savings account, but you must do this ahead of time as most banks have to order foreign currency.

Many stores accept credit cards; however, for meals and small souvenirs, cash is best. Just keep out what you plan to spend that day; all other money should be kept in your security belt or neck pouch.

"Pack twice the money and half the clothes you think you'll need." :-)

A small bottle of Woolite or Travel Wash _____
1-2 Pair of COMFORTABLE Shoes -- no heels, no tight fits, no "but they're just so cute" shoes! A wise, though ungrammatical, man said, "If the shoes ain't right, don't nothin' else matter!" ______

3-4 Pair Underwear -- one to wear, one to wear the next day, and one to be drying (Try something with Coolmax.) ______

2-3 Pair of Pants -- I do NOT suggest jeans, because they are hot in the summer and cool in the winter, and they take up too much space in your suitcase. They are also impossible to wash and dry in a hotel room. But, many students have enjoyed bringing a few pair of jeans and several different shirts ______

1-2 Skirts _____

2-3 Pair of Socks (wash and quick-dry) _____

1-2 Pair of Shorts -- NOT short shorts; we're talking Bermuda length, here! (If they're fashionable, girls, they are TOO short for this trip.) _____

Quick-dry t-shirts that double as a PJ top and a pair of shorts that double as pj bottoms _____

3-4 Quick-dry t-shirts or blouses _____

1 jacket, "big shirt," or sweater _____

1 small folding umbrella, rain jacket, or poncho _____

Any dress clothing required for your trip--a jacket and tie for the opera in Australia, a tie for theatre in London, something festive for a special party, etc.

All liquids must fit into one quart-sized baggy for security purposes on airlines. In your liquids bag, you may wish to have travel-sized bottles--
_____ shampoo and conditioner and hair products you can't live without
_____ toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
_____ facial cleanser/make-up remover
_____ deoderant
_____ Base make-up with sunscreen
_____ lip stick / Chapstick
_____ moisterizer/sunscreen

_____ razor (Clever razers usually work okay in carry-on luggage.)
_____ handiwipes cut into squares for wash cloths or your Mary Kay
consultant can order some throw-aways for you
_____ what make-upyou wear DAILY
_____ small, enclosed travel mirror or compact with mirror
_____ brush, comb

MEDICINE
Any medicines you take in their original bottles.

GLASSES
Eye glasses, shades, dispoable lens cleaners, contact solution--airplanes dry out your skin and eyes

MEDICAL -- baggies
_____ any prescription medicines you take, in original RX containers
_____ headache remedies
_____ lots of chewable Pepto or Chewable Immodium
_____ allergy or cold medicine if necessary; you can't always buy this over-the-counter in Europe
_____ bandaids
_____ motion sickness tablets if necessary
_____ Tylenol PM (if you use these occassionally)

CLOTHING -- Snack-Size Bag
_____ a few safety pins
_____ a couple of buttons and a travel sewing kit (a needle and some black and white thread)
_____ lint remover or tape
_____ Shout Wipes, a Tide stick, or Oxy Clean Wipes
_____ Plastic hangers or a plastic clothes line with clips for drying clothes

ON THE AIRPLANE
You may wish to bring a few of these items in your purse or an outside pocket of your carry-on for your flights:
_____ antiseptic wipes and/or antibacterial lotion
_____ tissues
_____ toilet seat covers (Walmart and some grocery stores offer travel-size packages.)
_____ Dove disposable body freshener cloths--good for a quick "bath" in the tiny airplane bathroom.

CREATIVE EXTRAS
_____ Mailing addresses on stickers for postcards to family and friends. (Get full-page size sticker paper, type the addresses of anyone you plan to write, print the addresses onto sticker paper, and cut out the addresses before you leave home.)
_____ 1-2 Self-addressed envelopes for sending home pamphlets, booklets, small couvenirs you don't want to carry, etc.
_____ Travel-size bottle with Downy Wrinkle Release (Helps with wrinkles and smells good.)
_____ Travel-size bottle of Baby Powder -- for you, your shoes, your bed sheets, etc.
_____ Light-weight journal for nightly writing
_____ Mini-Flashlight / Credit Card-Size Flashlight
______ SMALL travel alarm -- I swear by my cheap Timex alarm from Walmart, under $10
_____ International Phone Cards (I can not recommend the EF phone cards, since several students had trouble using their EF cards last year.)
______Ballpoint pen or Mechanical pencils

CAMERA
______ Inexpensive camera OR one that won't ruin your day to loose
______ Lots of film--It will be less expensive in the US
______ Extra batteries