| Dear Adventurers,
These notes are intended as guidelines for upcoming adventures
outside of the US. Additional details for your specific trip will
be provided regarding climate, security, currency, and any other
pertinent details for our specific destination. My recommendation
is to print out the pages, or visit the web site on several occasions.
It's a lot to digest in one setting, and you want to give this your
full attention. You’ll most certainly have additional questions.
My recommendation: write them down (so you don’t forget.)
Then send them via e-mail if you like. I’ll compile them and
answer them for you and everyone in the group.
(Nearly) EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO
KNOW
1. THE COMPLETE PACKING LIST
What to Wear
You should dress comfortably for an active week. Pants with zippered,
velcro or buttoned pockets are very functional and add to your security
too. Likewise shirts/blouses that have some pockets with long sleeves
that can be rolled up will work if the temperatures change from
the expected. I will inform you of the climate considerations for
our specific journey well in advance of departure so that you can
bring the appropriate outerwear. Additionally, some trips involve
one or two occasions that may require more formal attire and I will
advise you on those specifics.
Footwear
Most important, as Forrest Gump might say, is comfortable footwear.
Go for strong, sturdy and supportive walking shoes. It is up to
you if you’d like to bring nicer pairs of shoes for other
times, but the truth is, restaurants in Tuscany are quite used to
“Traveler Fashion.”
Consider my friends at Sedona Sports, an outstanding outfitter
that has just about everything listed here, and lots of experience
in setting up travelers heading around the world. They are at 928-282-1317,
or online at www.SedonaSports.com,
although their clothing collection is more extensive than is listed
on the website.
Other Items To Remember
Sun block, a hat, and sunglasses. I usually bring a small stash
of tissues in the odd case of finding a toilet without toilet paper.
A little bug spray is not a bad idea, but it shouldn’t be
extremely buggy. We’ll be staying in nice places throughout
our stay, and with the exception of a bathroom break at some out-of-the-way
spot, conditions will be fine.
Reducing Packing Weight
A. On the "Don't Pack" list is any thick book. You'll
never read it! If you’d like to bring a guide book, consider
tearing out the sections for which you are interested, or photocopy
them.
B. For the committed minimalist, don't bring large bottles for shampoo,
toiletries or vitamins. Repack what you need in smaller bottles
(for sale at pharmacies or outdoor stores) or in plastic bags. For
pills, I recommend a headache/cold tablet, anti-diarrheals, a multi-vitamin,
a digestive enzyme, and echinacea, a naturopathic immune booster
to be taken as much for the airplane flight as for Italy.
C. To know how much of these items to bring (i.e., How long will
the travel size deodorant I bought at the pharmacy really last?
Can my electric razor last that long without a re-charge?), practice!
Buy the little travel-size items now, start using them, and record
how long they hold out. These are ideal, even if you have to buy
more than one, because you can toss them along the way.
D. Again, practice packing. Keep this rule in mind: EVERY ITEM I
BRING WILL FEEL 3 TIMES HEAVIER OVER THERE. Even though I’ll
do my best to ensure you never have to lift your luggage, it may
be inevitable. Security checks, etc. may require it. This helps
you realize that although the big tube of toothpaste isn't hugely
weighty itself, it will be when you have to lift it and the rest
of the suitcase onto the rack at check-in. Find a small tube, and
thank yourself in advance. One approach used by light packers is
to place everything they want to bring on their bed...and then systematically
put half of it away, bringing the half that remains.
Luggage
Airlines expect any straps for your luggage to zip up or be tucked
away. If you find a piece of luggage you really like, and another
you sort-of-like with wheels, buy the first and get a little luggage
cart for it if you want roll-ability.
Packing for the Flight
It's worth thinking about what you pack for your long plane flight
too. A smart traveler brings (a) toilet paper (always the first
thing cut in a foreign government's annual budgets: t.p. at the
airport); (b) travel documents (NOT packed in your checked luggage,
but in your carry-on, or better, on your person); (c) a shirt or
change of clothes and (d) small toiletry kit including some skin
moisturizer and/or chapstick to help you survive 10 hours of dry-as-toast
airplane air. Items b & c will help if there are any delay problems
with luggage along the way. And the number 1eed upon anti-jeg lag
remedy: water. Don’t settle for what the airline offers: bring
more on your own.
2. AIRPORTS & ARRIVAL
Please send your flight information to me so that I can meet you
upon arrival. (Flight info should include your departure times too.)
In most airports around the world now, the earliest point at which
to greet travelers is after they have claimed baggage. That means
plunging into a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers who you’ve
never seen before. Don’t worry. Once among the crowd, no matter
what the destination, simply look for the sign with your name or
Meta Adventures written on it. If you can’t find us, we’ll
find you.
3. HEALTH ISSUES
Prevention
Of course, the best approach to staying healthy is to start the
trip that way. If you are not involved in regular exercise, consider
walking a bit each day, beginning a few weeks before the trip. (Now
would be a good time to start, actually!)
The biggest threats to your health comes at the start, when the
long plane flight, radical time change and altered diet will jolt
your system. Fortunately, all can be handled with some conscious
thought and attention.
Handling Jet Lag
There seem to be as many remedies for jet lag offered as there are
flights to Europe. What’s in common about those that work?
First, everyone agrees on the importance of water. Before, during
and after you’re flight, drink as much as you are able. Unless
you’re in first class, assume the attendants won’t be
bringing you as much as you’ll need, and bring your own bottle.
Second, avoid caffeine. Eat lightly: some people even eat before
the flight and skip the dinner meal on the plane. Third, get some
sleep during the flight. People disagree about how much to sleep
on the first day in the new country, but everyone agrees it is better
to arrive well-rested. Melatonin and sleeping pills may be an option,
but it is best to use small doses, and to test these in advance.
Getting sleep but waking up feeling drugged does no good.After You’ve
Arrived
I recommend that you continue to drink bottled water. Water is different
everywhere in the world, and even “healthy” water elsewhere
is something your system may not be used to.
Light, healthy eating is a good idea for the first few days too.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and sleeping pills. Many people avoid
eating beef or other typically heavy foods on the first day, to
give the digestive system a rest.
After that, the challenge is to ensure that Italian food and your
system can get along. If you have trouble handling dairy products,
consider bringing lactaid pills. The cheese, gelato, pizza, etc.
will be hard to resist. Likewise, know how your system handles oils,
especially olive oil, which is used widely. Wine is the final ingredient
to take in moderation, for obvious reasons.
Immunizations
Special immunizations or vaccinations can be required for some trips--but
not to Europe. If you happen to have a vaccination booklet (a kind
of passport for shots), consider bringing it. In some cases, countries
undergoing sudden epidemics will demand proof of vaccinations from
visiting tourists. It may be only a transit stop for you, but it
comes in handy to avoid being kept at the airport.
4. PERSONAL SAFETY & CRIME
Statisticians tell us that human being tend to overweight dramatic
fears (terrorism, disasters, etc.) and underweight more likely problems.
For this reason, let me make a few recommendations about more mundane
issues such as pickpocketing and petty theft. A few smart choices
can avoid these issues entirely.My first recommendation is not to
bring anything that you couldn’t bear to lose. This is always
the best policy: don’t bring it at all. Expensive jewelry
is not necessary in the places we’ll be going.
The next best policy is to leave items at the hotel. After that,
use a money belt for essential items such as passports and large
dollar denominations when you have no chance but to bring them with
you. A fanny pack is better than nothing, but not as effective as
something inside the waist of your pants or underneath your shirt.
Clothing with pockets that can close with velcro, a zipper or a
button mean you can walk without having to worry about valuables
falling out or being snatched.
If you’re camera is small enough, you may have one such pocket
to secure it in. (An open pocket, however, would not do.) For a
bigger camera, place it over your shoulder and across your chest.
Being Out at Night
We will be out at night in all of the places we visit, because it
is nice to see them once the sun goes down. In all cases, I will
be with you. In the event that we are in cities, and if you’d
like to walk alone, please check with us on places to go, and those
to avoid.
5. MONEY ISSUES
How Much Money Should I Bring?
Remember that your chief expenses will be (a) some meals(b) gifts
you buy, and minor expenses will be (c) tips, and (d) misc. items
from batteries to books to having your laundry done.
Your breakfasts during the trip are included. As for gifts...well,
of course there's no limit to what you can spend.
By the way, you can check Visa's web site to find out about ATM's
worldwide. Even if you can't draw directly out of your checking
account with an ATM card, you can certainly get cash through a Visa
or American Express card.Consider asking your bank which affiliate
banks they have in Italy so that you can avoid huge withdrawal fees.
6. VISAS / PASSPORTS / CUSTOMS
All trips outside the U.S. require a valid U.S. or Canadian passport.
Some countries require visas and we will inform you of this for
your specific trip. If you do not have one, please begin on this
immediately. In America, you can often begin the process at your
local post office.
I strongly recommend making three photocopies of your passport.
Keep one here at home when you leave. Mail the second to me. Bring
the third to Italy. You need only copy the main, two-page spread
which includes your photo. Having a copy can allow you to safely
store the passport at the hotel, and use only the copy for identification,
in some cases. It also helps expedite processing in the result of
a lost passport.
7. LANGUAGE
For Those Who Do Not Speak Foreign Languages
The wrong question to ask when traveling to a country where another
language is spoken is, “Is it worth it to start studying a
language when I know I won’t be fluent?” The RIGHT question
to ask is, “How much pleasure will I get out of each word
I use or understand?” The answer is, “Plenty!”
for there is much enjoyment and satisfaction that begins with the
first word you successfully utilize.
Having studied several languages around the world, here are a few
of my tips to quickly learning to speak a language. These are not
tips to speaking a language beautifully or fluently, but are helpful
to inspiring you to speak well enough, fast enough.
1) Yes, Yes, Yes! Research suggests that more than 85% of the time,
answering in the affirmative will be considered appropriate in a
conversation.
2) The Fab 500. Although the passive vocabulary of most people is
more than 5,000 words, we used 500 words an overwhelming majority
of the time. If you can identify the words you use most often, find
their equivalent in Italian, and learn 10 of them per day, you’ll
be amazed how much you’ll be able to communicate in just 50
days!
3) Verb Power. As with general vocabulary, 25 basic verbs give us
tremendous versatility. Find the basic verbs you use in English
(verbs of motion, for a start) and focus on these.
4) What He Said! Listening closely is as important as speaking well
in communicating in a foreign language. If you are in a conversation,
you’ll find that the words asked in a question are the same
words you’ll require in an answer. Use the words to respond,
and by time you finish them, you may have had time to figure out
what to put at the end of them.
5) Timing is Everything. There is no law that says to speak another
language well, you have to speak it quickly. Instead, take your
time, pronouncing clearly each word you know. This will give you
more time to think about what you want to say. Although most foreign
languages will sound as if they speak fast (because they speak faster
than you), they do of course each speak differently. In short, you’ll
get just as much credit for a well pronounced phrase that comes
out slowly will sound just as effective as one that comes out quickly.
So take your time.
6) Learn What People Say When They Have Nothing To Say. The single
most commonly used word in any language is not found in a dictionary.
That’s because in every language, people have a word to say
when they don’t know what to say. In English, it is, “um.”
Listen and see if you can tell what it is in our destination country.
Then, insert the word as you speak (which will sound a lot better
than saying “um” between Italian words), and your Italian
will sound much better.
7) If It Doesn’t Feel Funny, It Isn’t Right. You use
different muscles in your mouth when you speak a new language. That
means you’ll feel uncomfortable speaking in Italian, at least
at first. If the words you pronounce don’t feel funny, then
you’re probably not saying them right. Your goal is not feeling
comfortable: it is communicating well. And that feels best of all.
8) Use Big Words. There is any irony among languages that the bigger
the word, the better the chance of languages looking alike. The
word for “Fork” varies widely, but “Thermonuclear
missile” looks remarkably similar in various languages. When
in doubt, use a bigger word, and odds are you’ll be more likely
to be right.
9) Remember the Children. The fastest known language-learners in
the world are kids. Hands down. What are they doing right? First,
they take corrections in small doses, and don’t take them
personally. Second, they are motivated to speak. They have a lot
they want to express, and so speak consistently and persistently.
Third, they have a supportive environment. Parents don’t yell
at each new word a child speaks, they applaud it!
10) Set Your Goal. How well would you like to speak Italian? Well
enough to find a bathroom in an emergency? Well enough to compliment
the chef? To thank someone? To tell a joke? To read a headline?
Set a goal for yourself now and it will help focus your efforts
and bring you success.
Try to learn the following phrases in the language of the country
we will be visiting (Italian is provided as an example):
Please per favore
Thank you Grazie
You’re welcome prego
Sorry (excuse me) Scusi
Pardon me (may I pass) permesso
Good morning/Good day Buon giorno
Good evening Buona sera
Hello Salve Goodbye Arrivederci
[Both hello and goodbye can be expressed informally as Ciao (chow)]
See you soon A presto See you later A piu tardi
Sir Signore
Madam Signora
Miss/Ms. Signorina
Yes Si
No No
I’m sorry Mi dispiace
Do you speak English? Parla inglese?
I don’t speak Italian Non parlo italiano I understand a little
Capisco un po.
And the ever essential, “Where is the bathroom?” Dov’e
la toletta?
Who = Chi What = Che cosa Why = Perche When= Quando
Where = Dove How = Come? How much = Quanto
Numbers: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 are uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque,
sei, sette, otto, nove, dieci
Finally, if in trouble, yell “Help!” which would be,
“Aiuto!” (ay-yoot-o)
8. ELECTRICITY
To use a North American purchased appliance (hair-dryer, etc.),
bring a converter and adapter. The electrical current in Italy is
220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC). You’ll find
that wall outlets are designed to take plugs with two widely spaced
round prongs.
Most laptops were on either 110 or 220 volts, so usually only an
adapter is required. Occasionally you may see in Italy outlets marked
“For Shavers Only.” Don’t use these 110 volt outlets
for items such as blow dryers.
9. INSURANCE
There are two kinds of insurance worth reviewing for your trip.
Travel Insurance allows you to pay a certain amount that will cover
any changes that should cancel the trip. This insurance is not sold
by Meta Adventures, but by outside insurors. Generally speaking,
I do not recommend such insurance, because we make all attempts
to refund money for unutilized portions of a trip. However, in a
situation in 2002, a client family missed their connecting flight
to Peru, and arrived a day late. Their travel insurance did cover
the lost expense of accommodations in Peru (for the missed night),
which Meta Adventures could not recoup from the hotel.
Health Insurance can come into play if you are somehow involved
in a major accident in a developing country. In such a case, there
are situations where “med-evac” (medical evacuation)
is an important provision when the proper treatment is not available
in that country. This situation, however, is difficult if not impossible
to imagine in Europe. Not only does Italy have a well-developed
medical system, but also we will be close to major medical centers
throughout the journey.
10. SUMMARY: WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Here's the checklist of what I need from you:
1) Please send a copy of your complete flight itinerary.
2) Please send our office a photocopy of your passport (cover and
back on one page; inside page with key info and photo on another,
or the back). Mailing address is: Meta Adventures, 583 Circle Drive,
Sedona, AZ 86336
3) Get in shape! The better health you are in before arriving, the
more energy you’ll have for enjoying Tuscany.
4) Practice packing! As you’ve heard a dozen times, less is
more. Especially in Tuscany, where there are lots of interesting
things to buy, you’ll want room for things to bring back.
Leave behind things that are so valuable that you couldn’t
stand to lose them.
5) Take note of your diet. Few of us think we’re picky eaters,
until we’re placed in a new country where our old stand-by
foods are unavailable. Consider multi-vitamins, digestive enzymes
and other supplements to compensate. Also consider buying Immodium
or other anti-diarrheals, available over-the-counter.
6) Begin visualizing yourself having fun in Tuscany!
A few weeks before our trip, we’ll call to arrange a final
telephone conversation with my last minute updates, and your last-minute
questions.
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