To take or not to take…..

This is where most people stumble. They always think they have to have their complete matchy-matchy wardrobe with them when in reality you can easily get by with very little. It can even be refreshing not to have so many choices and you will enjoy not carrying all that weight. I once made a 5 week trip to 4 different countries at opposite ends of the globe, all with a small carry-on bag. Yes I went to the opera in Sydney in my jeans, but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of The Magic Flute!

Start by making a list of everything which is absolutely necessary then if there’s room you can add a few extras. Stick to a couple of basic colors and change the look with a few splashes of color; scarves, jewelry, fun t-shirts. Just make sure you have at least one outfit for cold weather in case the weather gods are not with you. Every day might not be hot and sunny, and there is nothing worse than feeling cold and wet when you are trying to enjoy yourself. Remember you can always be warm by wearing layers.

Think about your feet and keep them happy! A good pair of sneakers, some comfortable walking sandals and a pair of pretty strappy sandals will get you through the trip. If you plan to hike a lot, exchange the sneakers for a pair of good all-terrain hiking shoes.

Don’t forget the little things; tiny travel sewing kit, a compass, a small flashlight, a small first aid kit, a tiny umbrella and a few teabags for that evening cup of tea.

Last but not least, check that you have the items you cannot purchase when you get there. Without your passport, drivers license, credit cards and money you are going nowhere.

Purchases for trip

Being able to easily get on and off trains made my decision to travel with a backpack an easy one. I found a great pack at Eagle Creek, The Maiden Voyage 70L which is framed for a female, goes as carry-on on the plane, has an extra day-pack which can attach to the exterior, and holds enough gear to satisfy me for 6 weeks with a laundry stop. It is now discontinued – replaced by the Thrive 75L - but can still be found at Amazon.com. I made a 2 week trip dry run recently to test the pack, and it passed with flying colors. I did not even completely fill it, and still came back with items I had not worn.

I resolved the ‘How do I stay in touch and what if I have an emergency?’ situation with a Mobal phone which works most anywhere in the world and does not require a monthly fee. You buy the phone, own it forever, and pay for minutes as you use them. A great investment for any traveler! A smaller purchase was a Spork - a spoon, fork and knife in one - (Walmart has them) which makes eating a picnic lunch easier and cheaper than stopping for a restaurant meal.

Decisions, decisions!

Ever wanted or needed to travel alone but were afraid to try? Don’t know how to make arrangements and what to take? Over the next couple of months I’ll walk you through my upcoming 6 week travel experience.

My plan is to leave on August 19th and spend 6 weeks in Europe, commencing in Sweden and moving south through Germany, France, Spain and Portugal. Being in my sixties, I have decided I am too old for hostels or hitch-hiking so am going to use a Eurail Pass for transportation, and stay in small hotels or with friends along the way.

Luckily, my airline ticket to Stockholm and returning from Lisbon was a freebee thanks to frequent-flyer miles - I always save my miles for the big trips instead of using them on short hops - and after plotting my route it was time to order my train pass and make some seat reservations. Using DB Bahn (a train timetable for Europe), I was able to check that there actually were train connections between the stopovers I had chosen, and if not, make adjustments to my plans. Eurail passes come in a variety of types and the people at All Europe Rail made choosing the right one easy. They then took care of arranging the pass and all the train reservations, and were extremely helpful.

I decided to rent a car for the week I am spending in Provence, as traveling between villages would be otherwise difficult. In major cities I prefer to use the Metro or buses, and find the best way to see the sights and enjoy the atmosphere, is by walking.

My criteria for choosing a hotel from the myriad available on the web were, safe location, level of comfort, and price. I don’t need five-star luxury and in fact prefer charm, cleanliness and a friendly atmosphere, but I do want my own bathroom. I checked out most of them on Trip Advisor and the prices of the hotels I chose range from $76 to $124 per night for a double room as singles were generally non-existent. I will let you know how each one worked out as I travel.