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GETTING READY 

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Benjamin studying a map before we hike in the Alpi di Suissi (Dolomites, Italy). While maps are often available in hotels or at gondola stations, Google Maps is a solid alternative. 

the steps 

Traveling to Europe--especially as a family--felt a little overwhelming. Packing the right clothes, finding which museum tickets you have to book in advance, and discovering the complexities of currency conversion was fun, but a lot! (FYI, make sure you carry cash in Switzerland!) Here's some tips that helped make preparing for our trip simple and straightforward: â€‹

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  1. Have pets? Make sure you book a reputable house/pet sitter at least a month or two before you jet off. Having that organized ahead of time ensures peace of mind and allows you and the sitter to communicate any questions before you're overseas and munching on frites in a different time zone. 
     

  2. Use Rick's packing list! There's a great, minimalist packing list on Rick Steve's website. The trick is to pack really light--then get rid of stuff and make it even lighter. The cities that you'll be visiting in the Alps have great grocery stores and malls. If you forget something, you can always get it there! (Just remember your passport, phone chargers, and prescription medications, of course).
     

  3. Make a list of the museums and attractions you want to visit, then check which ones require prebooked tickets. For the MyWay Alps tour, it's important that you order tickets for the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles beforehand if you want to visit. (And that you show up on time . . . German punctuality is real!) Ditto if you're interested in joining a Sound of Music tour in Salzburg from private companies. Other reservations, like bike rentals or tickets to the top of Mt. Blanc, are weather-dependent and better suited to booking on the spot or the day-of. 
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4. Go digital! While not essential, investing in an eSIM that provides roaming data can greatly improve your ability to navigate. Also very helpful is downloading maps of the cities you'll be in so you can use it offline. Google Maps has this feature, and I used it a lot when trying to navigate, especially if I lost wifi!

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5. Get a secure travel bag/purse. While Rick Steve's provide sturdy theft-resistant money belts and passport lanyards, my mom, sister, and I decided to also invest in a cross-body travel purse. Our mom got us all clips that connected our phones to our bags so that we wouldn't accidentally drop them while taking pictures leaning against bridges and hiking sheer cliffs. Also (while it does perhaps showcase you as an American), bringing a water bottle holder is an easy way to keep hydrated on long hikes, especially on the more remote trails adjacent to the Lauterbrunnen Valley. 

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6. Make sure that your photos are being backed up automatically to a cloud server using apps like Google Photos, OneDrive, or iCloud so if you lose your phone, you'll still be able to recover memories of your trip! And, of course, take lots of pictures. You'll be happy you did!  

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7. Pack (and wear) sunscreen. Just trust me on this one. 😅

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Mitzi showcasing her theft-resistant travel purse and water bottle holder in Kastelrotto 
(Dolomites, Italy). Other helpful items include suncreen, sunglasses, and a safety clip to keep
your phone connected to your wrist or purse. 

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most importantly  ... 

This trip, we found that keeping our plans flexible was key! If we couldn't find that out-of-the-way pizza place we'd been anticipating for months or if it rained out our hiking day, we had the most fun by saying "oh well," and finding another way to make the day memorable. 

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Sounds corny, but this is the key to enjoying your trip! Be okay with back-up ideas, unexpectedly rainy or crowded days, and last-minute changes to afternoon plans. And if you can locate some high-quality gelato, that doesn't hurt, either. 

One last thing . . .

Don't worry about being fluent, but practicing some phrases before you go on your trip can be a fun way to connect with local folks in the area. Even just saying "hi," "good-bye," or "thanks very much" in a different language can show that you care and are trying to respect the culture. :) Also, if nothing else, you can probably make someone laugh/brighten their day if you accidentally pronounce something wrong, and that's not nothing! 

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Try learning these phrases in French, German, and Italian: 

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  • Hello!

  • Good morning

  • Good evening

  • Good bye 

  • Thank you / thank you very much 

  • How much is this? 

  • This is beautiful/interesting/delicious 

  • Nice to meet you 

  • Your store/place is very nice 

  • See you later! 

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Fun fact: once in a pet shop in France, I tried to ask, "Do you have cat toys?" (Avez-vous des jouets pour chat ?).Instead I asked, "Avez-vous la joie des chats?" (Do you have the joy of cats?) . . . But was I wrong? 😂 

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