Let's try this again-Europe 2022

[abraham]

Bumping this thread rather than a new one (live2ski the trip must be close!). I've NEVER been to europe and don't know shit. period. I also struggle with english a bit, but I can speak redneck pretty damn well.

Truthfully I can be a little bit high strung traveling (understatement), tend to worry about connections schedules etc. but that's mostly been because for 20+ years I've been scalping around the 4 other MTs. Mrs. MT has been spoiling for a big Europe trip since forever. So I'm thinking next summer. We have a couple friend outside Nuremburg so we'd like to get to that city but absolutely open beyond that. I don't mind paying a bit. What advice does the collective have for a first trip? Eyeing a Uniworld River Cruise that is Nuremberg-Vienna with a sidebar to Prague; more so since I wouldn't have to drive (much) or fuck with a schedule.

Seriously, appreciate the collective's opinions / smart ass comments / etc. on this. Thanks Kindly MT

You scalp the kids??

What does your wife want to see from Europe? What do you care about seeing? What kind of things do you want to do? Focus on eating, hit the big museums, see Roman ruins, or old churches and towns?

[highangle]

England has all the above. ^^^

[Marshall Tucker]

How long you planning to visit?

flexlible, but at least a week and less than a month -

[Marshall Tucker]

You scalp the kids??

What does your wife want to see from Europe? What do you care about seeing? What kind of things do you want to do? Focus on eating, hit the big museums, see Roman ruins, or old churches and towns?

meant schralp. Seriously, I'd much druther be diving in the carribean, and I really do not find the above very appealing, but I suppose seeing "history" the least unapealing. Roman ruins would be kinda cool.

[dunfree]

There are Roman ruins from England to Tunisia and Spain to Turkey, the question is more what do you want to do? There’s beaches to sun yourself on cafes to eat at many places.

[The AD]

Truthfully I can be a little bit high strung traveling (understatement), tend to worry about connections schedules etc.

If that's the case then I think you'd enjoy cruising. Very low stress. Everything is served to you.

[Falcon3]

If only Bun were around to make European suggestions. I hear he’s a local.

[subtle plague]

Bumping this thread rather than a new one (live2ski the trip must be close!). I've NEVER been to europe and don't know shit. period. I also struggle with english a bit, but I can speak redneck pretty damn well.

Truthfully I can be a little bit high strung traveling (understatement), tend to worry about connections schedules etc. but that's mostly been because for 20+ years I've been scalping around the 4 other MTs. Mrs. MT has been spoiling for a big Europe trip since forever. So I'm thinking next summer. We have a couple friend outside Nuremburg so we'd like to get to that city but absolutely open beyond that. I don't mind paying a bit. What advice does the collective have for a first trip? Eyeing a Uniworld River Cruise that is Nuremberg-Vienna with a sidebar to Prague; more so since I wouldn't have to drive (much) or fuck with a schedule.

Seriously, appreciate the collective's opinions / smart ass comments / etc. on this. Thanks Kindly MT

If you are in Nürnberg, head over to
Rothenburg ob der Tauber for your Medieval fix. It looks like a 500 year old Disney princess village.

Danube cruise is actually not bad, if you're lazy.

Vienna, Prague Budapest etc. Are supposed to be cool .but I've never been east.

[liv2ski]

Well we are a week from flying off to Yurp. Stoked to start the trip on 05/20 getting to see Nightwish in LA, then we fly out 05/21 with a short layover in Heathrow before getting to AMS for 4 nights. I need to score some good sleepy bread while there, as I will not be bringing my gummies and drops
We then will take a high speed train to Paris (check off bucket list). Three nights there. Needless to say we are stoked as we loved that city last time we were there and have some cool adventures scheduled.
Next we fly to Venice. Hopefully that works out ok, as I hate Charles DG airport. We have a bunch of fun adventures scheduled for the 2 nights we are there and then it is another high speed train to Florence. (I like trains) Three nights there and then a car trip through some of Tuscany for two nights before getting to Siena for two nights.
Then the long slow train to Cinque Terre where we stay two nights in a gorgeous villa overlooking the sea. I hope to get some rest there as I will likely be tired. Then off to Bergamo by train for two nights. Again, another couple of days for me to rest and check out the town in person, as I told Mrs. L2S I want to live there for a period of time once the doggies cross the Rainbow Bridge.
From there, fly back to Amsterdam for the night before flying home.
I know we have a lot planned, but having a mild ADD, I like to stay busy. Photos to follow.

[Iowagriz]

Suggestions for learning 20 common phrases or 50 words in Italian before end of Sept ?

Three week trip and I'd like to at least have some basics for common courtesy. Duolingo or similar? YouTube?

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[liv2ski]

Duolingo or similar?

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Yup, great idea.

[54-46]

Suggestions for learning 20 common phrases or 50 words in Italian before end of Sept ?

Three week trip and I'd like to at least have some basics for common courtesy. Duolingo or similar? YouTube?

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Fun thing to do - Rent a Vespa and cruise around

AM - Buon giorno (say this whenever you walk in somewhere or you’ll be rude)
PM - Buona sera
Alt- Salve
Informal - Ciao
See you Later - Arrivederci or Ci vediamo

Please - Per favore (say this before most any request)
Thank you - Grazie (say this all the time, too)
Thanks a lot - Grazie tanto or Grazie mille
It’s nothing - Niente

I would like a beer - Vorrei una birra

Do you speak English? - Parla lei l’inglese?

How do you say…? Come se dice…

Where is …? - Dov’è…
Left - Sinistra
Right - Destra
Straight - diritto

Where is the bathroom (toilet)?- Dov’è il gabinetto? (Or bagno for a bath or doccia for a shower)

How much is this (or that)? - Quanto costa questo (or quello)? (Make ending conform if plural - Questi o Queste)

The check please = Il conto, per favore

Where is the station? - Dov’è lo stazione?

Which bus line? - Quale linea per l’autobus?

I’d like 2 tickets for … = Vorrei due biglietti per…

Andata - outgoing
Ritorno - return
Andata/Ritorno = round trip
Solo andata = one way

Also - you pay more at most bars/cafes to sit. Pay 1/2 by standing at the bar to watch pastry and drink a caffe

Caffe (normale) = espresso
Caffè americano = larger cup like drip coffee
Cappuccino - foamed milk on top. Not usually had after about Noon
Macchiato - a little milk on espresso
Zucchero = sugar
Latte = milk (if you order a latte you’ll get milk)

Really? = davvero?
Come on! (Like no way) = Dai
All good = Tutto bene
All set = Tutto posto

Tipping - I just leave the small change. Excellent service = like maybe 10% more somewhere fancy. Tip housemaids 1 euro a day.

Use a credit card with no intl charge

Use debit card to get euros from ATM

Tax free - if you buy over about $154 Euros worth of stuff you may be able to get VAT tax back. Ask at the store. Sometimes they’ll give you a discount to avoid the hassle of the forms.





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[schindlerpiste]

I would stay away from all those big cities in summer. Head to Norway and check out the fjords and mountains. Great diving in the Canary Islands. Chill out in Sicily, or on the beaches in the Italian boot heel. Go caving in the Basque region of Spain. Cool off near the lakes and mountains of the Bernese Oberland. Mountain bike and eat great food in Süd Tirol. Relax, ride bikes, Snorkel, drink local wine and eat fresh seafood on Sardinia.

[Buster Highmen]

After all this counsel and support, no TR?

tsk tsk lv.

[Iowagriz]

(snip)

Good stuff 54! Thanks for the starters. This is the first of a bucket list for me (us). Almost 3 weeks, so I want to make the most of it.

Flying into Rome (late Sept) - Train to Vernazza for a few nights, then train to Venice to meet friends who have spent 20yrs of summers in Italy. 3 nights there, then they will drive us south hitting Florence for a night. Eventually to Spoletto, where they lived (he worked the summer opera festival there), probably stay another 3-4 nights, eventually they fly our of Rome and we have an additional 3 nights or so there.

[54-46]

Good stuff 54! Thanks for the starters. This is the first of a bucket list for me (us). Almost 3 weeks, so I want to make the most of it.

Flying into Rome (late Sept) - Train to Vernazza for a few nights, then train to Venice to meet friends who have spent 20yrs of summers in Italy. 3 nights there, then they will drive us south hitting Florence for a night. Eventually to Spoletto, where they lived (he worked the summer opera festival there), probably stay another 3-4 nights, eventually they fly our of Rome and we have an additional 3 nights or so there.

You have places to stay in Rome and Florence?

If you like Italian Majolica pottery, Deruta isn’t far from Spoleto/Perugia


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[Iowagriz]

Only have Vernazza room booked. Friends are supposed to be on point for the others, but wife is nervous as they like to arrange at last minute and go with the flow. She wants confirmed locations.

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[Iowagriz]

Now 2 weeks out from departure, any tips on battling jet lag?

Depart 11:30 to SLC, then 10hr flight to Degalle and into Rome which is 8hrs ahead of Missoula.

My current plan is to wake earlier and earlier the week prior, trying to get close to their time zone.

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[liv2ski]

I have accepted jet lag happens regardless of me sleeping 5-6 hours on the plane. I always try to land between 10am-noon destination time, so I can check in, take a 2 hour nap and stay up as long as possible that first night, so I sleep a solid 7 hours (hopefully) night 1 and hopefully make the transition in a couple of days.
Enjoy your trip.

[skaredshtles]

I have accepted jet lag happens regardless of me sleeping 5-6 hours on the plane. I always try to land between 10am-noon destination time, so I can check in, take a 2 hour nap and stay up as long as possible that first night, so I sleep a solid 7 hours (hopefully) night 1 and hopefully make the transition in a couple of days.
Enjoy your trip.

Similar approach - though I can't sleep on planes so that first day is pretty brutal. I try to stay awake until 8/9pm that first evening and then hopefully get a solid 8-10 hours and sorta get on Euro schedule.

[Buster Highmen]

Now 2 weeks out from departure, any tips on battling jet lag?

Power through that first sleepy day and the first few nights dose 2x with melotinin+5HTP (available @ Trader Joes)

[SB]

https://alt-market.us/europe-is-faci...r-into-the-us/

[SB]

https://www.tiredoflyme.com/alka-sel...reactions.html

[zion zig zag]

Similar approach - though I can't sleep on planes so that first day is pretty brutal. I try to stay awake until 8/9pm that first evening and then hopefully get a solid 8-10 hours and sorta get on Euro schedule.

Same, can't sleep on the plane but usually feel pretty groggy from alcohol and whatever I took to try and sit still for 10 hours plus. So yeah, arrive in Europe in the AM, have coffee, and get as much daylight as possible and stay up till at least 8/9pm. I don't think I could do a quick nap, I'd stay down and be ruined. Next morning, try to get that big dose of daylight again to help reset.

I've never had much luck trying to adjust sleep before travel.

[liv2ski]

I am old, so a nap is easy for me. Before 50, not really. I also learned that by traveling with just my carry on suit case, which has a very obscure side pocket, so tough to see with the x ray machine, my sleepy time THC/CBN gummies fit flat and are really hard to see. Take that on the plane, put in the ear plugs, eye mask and I am out for at least 5 hours.