Seeking Advice

[ladysprite]

So I promised myself someday I would go to Italy. Except that, when I put things in abstract terms like that, I never actually get around to doing them - I come up with excuses to postpone, and not to waste money on frivolities, and reasons it's not practical, until it's too late. So I promised myself last year that in 2012 I would go to Italy, because when I set concrete dates like that, it's harder to back out.

And now, with umbran anticipating gainful employment, it looks like this is actually going to be feasible. Which is both awesome and scary.

Here's the deal - I've never traveled outside the country before, with the exception of one (awesome) week in England when I was 22. I've never been somewhere that I don't speak the language, I've never had to navigate foreign cities, and I have precious little idea of what to expect.

So I'm taking this opportunity to pick the brains of my friends - any advice for traveling the world, and Italy in particular? We're looking at going sometime in October, both for our anniversary and because I've been told that's a decent time of year to head there, and I'd like to go to Venice, if only because that's where a huge chunk of my SCA efforts have been focused. Rome would be awesome too, if it's feasible to hit both. A coworker has recommended this tour company, which *seems* pretty cool, but I'm not sure whether that would fall into the category of 'making things incredibly easier' versus 'spending a lot of money to make the experience pre-processed and cheesy.'

Any hints, advice, or experiences in general would be welcome!

Comments

My $0.02

[kittyblue.livejournal.com]

Our experience in Italy - admittedly, we went a few days before a cruise and did only a brief jaunt around Rome. I recommend hopping on the city tour buses for a brief orientation, then everything else by foot or cab. (The driving looks INSANE but they will stop for you. Mom and I learned to cross the street right behind old women, who seemed to automatically get the right-of-way from all sides.) In Rome, at least, we found that the bulk of the 'big' sites were more-or-less walking distance, and the hotel we stayed at had a shuttle service to and from the center of town, about a mile from the Coliseum. INVEST in really good walking shoes. Cannot stress that enough - shoes you can wear ALL day in all temperatures, and at least a few spare pair of padded socks. Your feet will thank you.

English is pretty common - tourism is a major enough industry you'll find most places manage at least one other language.

Pickpocketing - Mom and I didn't have a problem, BUT we did invest in the Magellan travel purses, which are designed to deter theft (wires in the purse straps, mesh in the bottom and sides, zippers that clip and tuck under other flaps, etc). Durable as heck, full of handy pockets and niches, and about $60-100. Room for water bottles and a small umbrella, even! I really do recommend them. We also locked our passports in the hotel safe and carried laminated, 2/3-scale color copies in our wallets. (On the ship, they confiscate your passports once you're on board. A little nerve-wracking, to hand over your only way home, but it's a well-oiled machine.) We also locked photocopies of our cards and IDs in the safe with the passport - backup plan, in case something was stolen and we had to call, we had the numbers handy. ATMs are everywhere. Check with your bank about fees and exchange rates; some places also offer international debit cards that you can pre-load with a certain amount, if you're wary of linking to your home banking information. We used those in Spain and Portugal with no difficulties.
One trick we did hear about when it came to pickpockets was a woman with a baby and other children - she'll try to hand you the baby - don't accept!!! - while the kids rifle through your bags/pockets during the distraction. We were told to keep our purses in front, our arm across them firmly, and to never feel guilty for telling these folks no with as much conviction as we could muster. (I'm not exactly tender-hearted, so this wasn't a problem for me. I guess I don't look cuddly, either - no one approached us. ;P )
Leave copies of important documents and your itinerary with someone at home (we had a folder by the phone for the house/dog sitter) and be sure all of your banks know you will be traveling. Also handy - type up your hotels and the dates you will be there and tuck it into the luggage tag of your suitcase. If your luggage is delayed, whoever is forwarding it will know where to send it. (Also add an emergency number to the bottom of that list so someone back home can help direct your orphaned suitcase to it's necessary destination.) Magellan makes bright yellow luggage tags labeled in several languages that indicate there's an itinerary inside for lost luggage. (Handy site, they are! Lots of ideas, gadgets, etc.)

Re: My $0.02 (part 2)

[kittyblue.livejournal.com]

I recommend the travel pouches of Woolite - they take no space, the stuff rinses clean with minimal effort, and you never know when you're going to need to clean clothes or have to clean undies/layers after a sweaty day. (Rule of thumb for any traveling - pack layers, and pack essential pieces that you can mix-and-match. Pashmina-style scarves take no weight or space and they're really nice on a breezy day if it's not too cold. They also look elegant as a dress-up option for dinner out. )

Food/drink - A lot of places have small meals, etc, but there is quite often a dine-in charge. If it's on the table, it's an a la carte charge (bread, butter, etc) - this was true for Spain and Portugal, too. [In Spain/Portugal, you simply declined it when it reached the table, such as goat cheese or olives. Also, wine and beer were significantly cheaper than Coca Cola or other soft drinks - drink the local stuff and save a little money. :) ] In Rome, Mom and I had a nice lunch in a little alley near the Pantheon (carbonara! yum!) and while the pasta was only about 5 Euros, the eat-in charge was 2, and the water was another 2, etc. Just be aware that those little numbers may add up. We had better luck finding small sandwich shops and whatnot for quick takeaway meals, and budgeted our largest meal expenses on dinner at a nice restaurant. (I don't honestly recall the etiquette on tipping, but I've only heard that it's actually NOT a good idea if you're in Japan [it's taken as an insult], but I'd leave that to a guidebook check.)

Oh, Italians are very forward people. (I found that the men often flirt.) If you have the same need for strong personal space boundaries that I do, it's best to mentally prepare yourself beforehand. FYI.

Jet lag: My mom's yoga teacher said to find a park or other grassy area when you arrive and spent a few minutes with your shoes off, just barefoot on the grass. She swears that it helps with jet lag and time changes. I think staying hydrated and breathing deep to avoid anxiety do plenty towards avoiding jet lag, too. ;)