Health and Safety in Europe: Travel in Confidence but with Caution.

Good health is a prerequisite to a bon voyage.

ON GUARD

Injuries and illnesses while overseas can ruin not only your vacation and your bank account, but maybe your life. Knowledge is your best means of prevention.

Prevention

Thanks to the unfamiliar surroundings, your likelihood of requiring medical help is greater while traveling. Don't take chances on the streets and highways. Stay rested and don't overextend your body's defenses against disease. Guard against catching something from a sneezing passenger on a train or in other confined spaces. Find another place to sit. If you are on a plane it is bad luck, as I learned on a recent flight from London to Detroit. A nearby passenger with a cough from hell let it out every half hour and some of those microbes landed in my throat.

Flush toilets before you sit down, and then decorate the seat with strips of TP if there is no seat cover available. Many men overseas do not believe in lifting the seat to take a piss. Protect yourself against whatever they are spreading around. Use a paper towel when opening doors of washrooms because it doesn't do you any good to wash your hands if the last person left his pathogenic critters on the door handle.

Peel or thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables to remove insecticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Drink beverages only from sealed bottles.

Blow Your Nose

That might sound silly, or rudimentary, but it is something to keep in mind. Upper respiratory stuff like colds, flu, runny nose, and sinus infection are among the most common, contagious, and uncomfortable nasties going around. Your nose is designed to clean the air before it gets into your body. You must keep your nose clean for it to work effectively. I suggest that you give it a good blow every morning and every evening. Get the crap out before it can harm you. Heck, you've been told since you could tie your shoe laces to brush your teeth. Just blow your nose at the same time. If you have a runny nose that won't quit give it a super blow. Lean over your sink and plug one nostril with a finger on the side. Blow out the other one. Repeat on the other side. You'll be good to go for hours.

Get in Shape

Couch potatoes should consider the fact that they will be doing a lot of walking in Europe, a LOT of walking. Visiting the museums, shopping, strolling the streets, and climbing steps in castles all require a lot of foot work. Not only should you be wearing a well broken-in pair of shoes as discussed earlier, it would be a good idea to do a little bit of walking exercise starting a couple of weeks before flying to Europe. If you don't, you'll have discomfort and muscle pain for the first few days of your travels. Even if you do regular exercise, there is a potential problem. I bicycle a lot, but bicycle muscles are not the same as walking muscles. I normally get aches in my first week over there. Combined with the effects of jet lag you can find yourself in misery for a couple of days. So, since you'll be getting in shape anyway, you might as well start it at home. Hurt before you go, not while you're over there. About six weeks before a recent trip I joined a health club and used their treadmills every other day. That really helped my desk jock body get in shape for walking London. I resigned from the exercise club just before flying to Europe.

If you do get muscle ache buy a jar of dill pickles and drink a glass of the juice. The pain should be gone in a short while. Don't ask me why but this works.

Speaking of hurting, if you're heading for the beaches get a little sun before going so you don't get scorched on your first day in Europe. A bad sunburn will mess you up for a few days, and probably leave you peeling for another week. How pretty is that?

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATES OF VACCINATION

The International Certificates of Vaccination (ICV) is a fold out booklet published by the United States Government Printing Office. It is used to record vaccinations and have them certified by your state or county health department. Your doctor can provide you with an ICV. The instructions to travelers in the ICV say:

"International Certificates of Vaccination or Revaccination are official statements verifying that proper procedures have been followed to immunize you against a disease which could be a threat to the United States and other countries. The Certificates are second in importance only to your passport in permitting uninterrupted international travel. They must be complete and accurate in every detail, or you may be detained at ports of entry."

Having an ICV is hardly neccessary if you are only traveling between the USA and Europe. I have an ICV because I've traveled to some countries with disease problems. I got the shots and had them recorded. It is a handy document whether you need it or not. I wish my parents had obtained one for me when they started giving me the childhood shots for measels, mumps, polio, smallpox, and whatever. That is something which comes up once in a while and I have no permanent record of it.

Vaccinations

There are no vaccinations which are required for travel between North America and Europe.

However, if your travels include stops in less advanced countries, inoculation or orally administered drugs against yellow fever, typhoid, malaria, or cholera may be required before continuing to Europe or home. Ask your doctor or public health department to see what shots, if any, are advised. Do this a month or more before departure because some shots need time to be effective, and for some diseases multiple shots over several weeks are required.

A brochure distributed by local health departments warns that typhoid fever, caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi, is possible in some of the former communist countries in eastern Europe. It can be passed on by contaminated water, ice cubes, fruits, undercooked fish, and poultry. It mentions that even watermelon can be a typhoid carrier — some merchants inject water to increase the weight! This reminds me of a story I heard when I moved to Holland. An older Dutch colleague told me about a pre-WWII street vendor in Haarlem who would hold up his grapefruits, cut them open, and squeeze them to prove how juicy they were. After the invasion of the German army and the Gestapo regulations started to come into force, and since he was Jewish, he abandoned his cart and fled to England. Someone took over his cart and took up the business when he left. The new vendor discovered a tube, water bottle, small foot pump, and hypodermic needle in the cart.

It is a good idea to get a tetanus booster if you have not had one in ten years, and have it recorded on the International Certificates of Vaccination. List drugs to which you are allergic, your blood type, and other pertinent medical information. Don't forget your eyeglass prescription, if any. If you use them, an extra set of hearing aids is something else you might consider.

The ICV is in English et en Français, and should serve you well in case of special difficulties.

Medical Examination

Whether or not you are getting inoculations, it would be a good idea to have your doctor perform a routine medical examination if you are getting on in years. Your doctor can make a note of anything unusual on the ICV in the section for remarks concerning state of health, medical treatments, or known sensitivities.

If you are allergic to any drug, make sure that is written here as well.

Prescriptions

If your doctor has prescribed any drugs for one of your problems, carry a letter from your doctor to that effect. An official seal or stamp on the doctor's letter wouldn't hurt. It is rare that a customs inspector will search the luggage of an American tourist, but when they search, drugs are what they are usually looking for. Even with your doctor's letter, you may be delayed or inconvenienced. The doctor's letter may help get replacement drugs if your luggage goes astray with your drugs inside.

MEDICAL HELP IN EUROPE

If you need medical assistance, the nearest pharmacist or doctor will probably speak English. Virtually every educated person in Europe knows at least one foreign language, and luckily that one is usually ours.

But Americans may have trouble communicating with drugstore clerks and doctor's assistants. Even after living in Germany for two years I had a problem getting a simple over the counter drug for Elizabeth. I came home with moth repellent!

Unless you are fluent in the local language, it will be impossible to read the labels and instructions on the medicine they sell you. Ask the person selling it to read it to you in English. If they appear unsure, or if the instruction sounds unusual, question them or have the label read by someone else.

Drugstores

Pharmacies are very easy to find in most cities. They usually have a large green cross outlined in neon hanging above the door. In some of the Mediterranean countries, it is a red cross rather than a green one.

If you need a pharmacy after normal business hours, ask your hotel manager or desk clerk. Drugstores in almost every city operate on some sort of a swing shift so that one is always open or on call 24/7. Often, the name and location of the one on night duty will be posted in the windows of the others.

Drugstores in Europe sell medicines and medical supplies of all kinds. You'll see wheelchairs, medical instruments, and devices you won't recognize. But don't expect to find the usual items like toothpaste, nail polish, and lawn chairs in the European pharmacies and apothecaries. On the other hand, I found a farmacia in a small Portuguese town pumping gasoline, which proves the rule that every rule has its exceptions.

Doctors

The quality of medical service in Europe is reported to be equal to that in the United States in most countries, but less than par in others. We have had good experience with doctors in Holland and Germany. We even had a home visit in Germany when Elizabeth was too ill to get out of bed. When was the last time you had that in the United States?

If need be, the nearest American embassy or consulate can provide you with a list of doctors. These doctors are not endorsed by our government. It is only a list. Your hotel should also be able to direct you to a doctor or dentist.

Doctor's offices are not easy to find. At best they will have a small brass plaque bolted to the front of the building. They can be located in business or residential districts. Medical centers are not common. Sometimes you will see a NO PARKING sign by the curb with the caduceus on it. That symbol with the wings and snakes is the emblem of the medical profession so there should be a doctor's office nearby.

Doctor is called an Artz in Germany, medico in Italy, lege in Norway, and other similar words in other countries.

FIRST AID

Travelers should carry a few items for personal first aid. Depending on the season and destination, my list includes:

Aspirin
Band-Aids
Neosporin, A+D, or First Aid Cream
Vodka
Bug off
Lip balm
Lanacane

Aspirin

Aspirin or a substitute should always be handy. Instead of aspirin, paracetamol is recommended by doctors as a pain killer with no gastric side effects. Paracetamol (a.k.a. acetaminophen) is sold at home as Tylenol, Datril, and Tempra. It goes by other trade names in Europe. I had to resort to Ibuprofen® for a severly inflamed left foot on one of my trips. But I got into the habit of taking Ibuprofen® nightly as a sleep aid. That was a big mistake. One night I woke up sweating and shaking so bad that I almost called 911. I decided it was better to flush it out and stay under the covers than sit in the ER for four hours. Be careful with that stuff.

You can buy aspirin in Europe — if you like to pay about ten times what it costs at home. Bring a bottle with you.

Cuts

The other major items to carry are Band-Aids® and an antiseptic cream. Something like Neosporin® or A+D® should be kept in your toiletries kit for when you get a scratch. Left to itself without treatment almost any scratch can become infected leading to a week of pain. Vodka or whiskey are also great antiseptics, though initially painful on an open wound. The general and medicinal value of vodka was discussed previously in chapter 6 part 2, Personal Care Items: Pack Your Toothbrush for Europe.

Bug Off

If you are going to southern Europe in the summer, Off®, 6-12®, or some other bug repellent will be a relief. The mosquitos can be unconscionable savages. Bug repellent is also handy on the beaches anywhere in Europe to ward off sand flies and other nasty critters.

Lip Balm

Lip balm, e.g. Chap Stick®, can save you the discomfort of cracked lips in northern Europe during the winter. On the other hand, a dab of olive oil seems to work just as well. You can also use Italian dressing. In addition to olive oil Italian dressing has vinegar which is very good for softening the skin.

Cold Sore Ointment

Several products for relief of pain from cold sores and fever blisters are available. Examples are Anbesol® and Oral-B®. These also make great pain relievers for bug bites and other minor irritations that make you want to scratch the itch. The key ingredient in these ointments is benzocaine, usually at a strength of 20%. If you let yourself be poked by a mosquito a dab of benzocaine ointment gives immediate relief.

I also carry a tube of Lanacane® for itchy hot spots anywhere on my skin. This has the same active ingredient, 20% benzocaine, and gives instant relief.

Other Recommendations

Mole Skin® was recommended to me as a cure for foot blisters. At the first sign of a hot spot, put on a patch of this stuff and let it wear itself off. The labels say not to use it after the blister has formed or broken. Then you need antiseptic and a Band Aid®.

For treating cases of the traveler's trots, some travelers recommend Pepto-Bismol®, and others won't leave home without a prescription of Lomotil®. It appears that Pepto-Bismol® is not available in Europe so you might want to bring some along. I can't recall ever having diarrhea while traveling in Europe, but I have often had it soon after returning to Los Angeles.

A friend told me about a trip she made with several other people a few years ago. Each caught diarrhea except the one who ate yogurt. Coincidentally, part of my travel routine in Europe used to be to stop in a grocery store and buy a cup of yogurt and a couple of oranges every day. My doctor says that once diarrhea starts, oranges and yogurt are the wrong things to eat. Then Pepto-Bismol® or Lomotil® can come to the rescue.

Lately though, to save time, I request yogurt at breakfast in the hotel and carry a supply of vitamin C. Redoxon® by Roche is available all over Europe. At home in Germany and Holland I used a form of vitamin C which dissolves in water like Alka-Selzer®. My favorite is the Blutorange flavor dissolved in a glass of apple juice. Buy a 20 unit tube of 1,000 mg tablets in a drug store or vitamin store.

Some spicy foods can make a quick run through your system, and some fatty sauces can bring on stomach cramps. Before rushing out to a doctor, eat some black burnt toast. It tastes terrible but is an effective cure for severe stomach ache.

Travelers should be aware of the virtues of chicken soup, or if it's not available, roast chicken which is usually on the menu. Unusual fatigue, muscle ache, or fever can normally be chased with a big bowl of soup and a good night's rest. Chicken soup really works.

"Dr. H" is my preferred cure for colds and flu. When I lived in Holland the cool damp weather and my wild life style brought me down with an aching body and stuffed sinus on a regular basis. None of the standard cold remedies worked. Then I discovered Dr. H. Actually there is no such thing as Dr. H. That is my name for Hennessy cognac. It works. See the Vodka section of chapter 6 again, Personal Care Items: Pack Your Toothbrush for Europe for more information.

TRAFFIC

As discussed earlier, pedestrians should be especially careful crossing streets in Rome, Athens, and Amsterdam. In England and Ireland, with right hand drive, be careful because traffic will be coming from all over the place and very fast.

Sidewalks can also be hazards. With potholes and raised obstructions in some cities, you have to watch the ground to avoid twisting an ankle.

CIVIL DISTURBANCES

Big Crowds

Just about anywhere, large crowds can spawn unruly and dangerous behavior. Guys get drunk and do stupid things. When you attend events with large turnouts be on guard. For example, fireworks are set off by participants at some events. New Years Eve is the big night for fireworks in Europe, and it is strictly an amateur laissez faire affair. Sky rockets and mini bombs seem to be most interesting for the pyroheads. At midnight on New Years Eve in Haarlem neighbors start shooting off the sky rockets in every direction. We had a beautiful view of the skyline of Haarlem for a half hour semi-professional display. It looked like a movie battle scene. Meanwhile, teenagers walk around throwing firecrackers at each other. Watch out.

Bastille Day in Paris is another a day for free-lance fireworks. Some teeners drop cherry bombs onto the crowds ascending the Metro access stairs. What fun! There is also an official show. The fireworks display at the Tour Eiffel is stunning. The French sure do know how to put on a good show.

Breaking Windows

Demonstrations, political and otherwise, can sometimes get out of control. Fashionable shops around the Opera in Paris have been destroyed more than once when groups started voting with bricks. Soccer matches have spawned senseless riots in a number of European cities. The police in Luxembourg once asked the German army to come in to help quash a riot by some British fans. The British "fans" returned and rioted in Paris a few months later. The "ugly American" has surely been out done by these Limey hooligans.

Yankee Go Home

US embassies and consulates are virtual forts in the capital cities of Europe. The State Department has done what it can to defend them against attack, except in Libya. Consequently it is usually very difficult to get in for legitimate business. Maybe a phone call will take care of your situation. It is often necessary to make an appointment anyway so phone ahead.

Bombs

Within a few countries, groups which have failed to win their way with ballots and negotiation have turned to bullets and bombs. Civilians, rather than government officials, are often the victims.

Spain has frequent attacks from the Basque separatists. I saw a fire they set in San Sebastian, an otherwise pleasant and beautiful city on the north coast of Spain.

Northern Ireland, politically part of Britain, has had decades of medieval style butchery between Catholics and Protestants. The struggle by the Irish Republican Army to unite all of Ireland again goes on, but in a more peaceful mode. The sides have smoked the peace pipe but there is a public murder now and then by a radical on one side or the other.

Some of my more personal experiences in the vicinity of bombs are briefly described in chapter 1, What's It All About? Travel Like a Native in Europe.

Middle East

The Middle East hatreds are often exported to Europe. France, with a long history of welcome to all, has found itself the victim of these ethnic and religious conflicts. Throughout Europe, offices of the airlines of Israel and Iran usually have a guard out in front with a machine gun in his hand and his finger on the trigger. El Al jets are guarded by a platoon and an armored vehicle in many airports.

The Worldwide Terror campaign by so-called Islamic militants is a well organized and well financed operation. I wish that these people would stick to their prayers and stop the crap that will get them nowhere except an early trip to Hell.

Scamper

When you see problems and potential problems, go the other way. Don't get too curious. Once the police start swinging the billy clubs, they don't stop to talk and listen.

GROSS ACCIDENTS

Just about every year there is a major catastrophe in Europe. These disasters often involve travelers or revelers. Night clubs, hotels, ferry boats, planes, trains, cable cars, and other facilities with large numbers of people go up or down in smoke, sometimes with the loss of hundreds of people.

Of course you can do nothing if your plane takes a nosedive on takeoff. You might not have time to say a "Hail Mary." But in most other circumstances you have a chance of survival when you follow the safety rules and use good judgment. At the first sign of trouble take action.

NARCOTICS

Street Hustlers

Stuff is sold for smoking, swallowing, snorting, and shooting in many places, and it is illegal in every jurisdiction in Europe except the Netherlands. Potentially more serious than a trip to the slammer is a trip to the hospital, or to the morgue. You may be courting an invitation to medical problems with the kind of trash you're going to get from a street seller. It may be more or less pure than whatever you are accustomed to, or it may be spiked. It may be baking powder. It's all dope and made for the genre.

The hustlers at the Dam Square in Amsterdam instantly recognize Americans and, while walking beside you at a distance of six feet or so, will come out in loud whispers, "Hash? Coke?" I even had one fellow ask me if I wanted to buy Viagra! While Amsterdam may be a center for international drug traffic, drug use among the Dutch people is minuscule compared to that in America, even though it is open and accepted in Holland. None of the dozen or so hustlers who have approached me were native Dutch.

"Coffie Shops"

On the other hand, going back to drugs, Holland saw the blossoming of a new line of business in the 1990s. The shops are called "coffie shops" and they are as close to coffee shop as Brooklyn is to the moon. Marijuana is the product for sale. The trade is open and accepted. There is no need to deal with the Amsterdam street hustlers when you can buy sealed packets of branded product in a store. However, if your company has a drug screening program you may be risking your job by going into one of these places, even for a look around. The smoke is pretty thick and wafts down the street when someone opens the door.

Thanks to bullying from other European governments the marijuana law has been changed in Holland as of mid 2011. Supposedly, from now on only Dutch residents will be allowed to purchase weed in the Netherlands. This is stupid. It looks like they have just opened up business to a lot of street hustlers again. I say "supposedly" because I had no problem buying joints in a coffie shop in Haarlem during my five week stay in the summe of 2015. Weed is a great pain killer for sore muscles.

US Drug Enforcement Agents

My return to Los Angeles from Amsterdam in the spring of 1999 was greeted by a detail of US Authorities, including a sniffer dog. This hound is the Ultimate Authority. The drug search was conducted just at the door of the plane as we stepped into the swing-out tunnel leading to the terminal building. The fellow sitting next to me was asked to wear a little sack, presumably carrying some dope, to test the dog. However, some passengers were quite shaken by the sight of a large frisky German shepherd in the narrow corridor. One young girl turned back in fright to find her dad before proceeding. Coming back from Amsterdam at Christmas 1999 and arriving in Washington, DC, there was no sign of dogs or any other kind of inspection. And there was no evidence of exit inspections as I disembarked a flight from Amsterdam in Detroit.

Beware of becoming a "mule." United States narcotics enforcement officers find that dope is sometimes transported and brought home by innocent travelers. If someone you meet overseas asks you to do him a favor and carry a small package home, watch out. If he offers you some money to do it, you can be almost certain of the contents. Direct your "friend" to the nearest post office. If you agree to take a package home for someone you will probably have troubles. Do you have a bail bondsman and an attorney ready to meet you at the airport?

The Local Sheriff

Follow local customs and laws. There are thousands of Americans in jails around the world for violations of local laws. You might be joining them if you believe the glib boasts of others. The mere possession of narcotics paraphernalia may be prima facie evidence of use of narcotics. And such equipment can be seized by US Customs on your return to the USA.

Too bad for those busted and pitched into the slammer overseas. Don't expect American civil liberties to be observed. Police can search and seize without cause. Bail and habeas corpus do not exist in many countries. You are presumed guilty until proven innocent, a serious reversal of the American system. You can be held in jail for months waiting for trial. Punishment may be severe and corporal, and there is just about nothing that anybody can do about it.

The American Consulate is only authorized to offer you a list of local lawyers. The list is free but the lawyers are not.

INSURANCE

Insurance

If you believe in insurance, don't forget about it during your travels. Check the period to make sure that it covers the time that you will be traveling, or that it can be renewed in your absence. If not, a renewal bill sent to a temporary European address could take weeks to catch up with you. The policy might have expired in the meantime, leaving you, your home, or your chattels exposed.

Before departing for Europe, check your medical insurance policy to see if it covers you while in Europe. Most do, though they have exclusions for war zones, street drugs, experimental aircraft, and other exciting forms of suicide. Ask your insurance company how to go about filing a claim and how they will make payment. They may need a certified translation of the doctor's report.

Also, the only telephone number you have to reach your insurance company is probably an 800 toll free number. This won't work from most phones in Europe. Ask your agent for an area code number, and ask if they will accept collect calls.

Travel Insurance

You may want to take out additional insurance because of the fact that you are traveling. All manner and size of trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance, travel accident insurance, flight insurance, and luggage insurance is available. If you decide to buy one of these policies, shop around and around. Start with insurance agents with whom you currently deal, and even consider the policy offered by your travel agent.

Travel insurance policies are available which can protect you against loss in case you have to change plans and forfeit a deposit. Most package tours and charter flights require full payment months in advance. Some offer no possibility of refund as the departure time nears, and at the least charge severe penalties for cancellation. If there is any possibility that you will have to change plans, a trip cancellation policy might be a good idea.

Health and Accident Insurance

Your major medical and life insurance policies, if you have them, should provide coverage anywhere in the world except for clearly defined incidents as itemized in your policy. If you do not already have such coverage from your employer or through your parents you'll find that individual policies are ridiculously expensive.

Travel policies can also offer health and accident protection. If you consider one of these policies, look for this coverage in addition to trip cancellation protection.

Another special feature of some travel insurance policies is medical evacuation. If you are stricken with a serious problem, particularly in a less developed country, you may need air evacuation to a good hospital back home. Medical evacuation can be extremely expensive. Airlines see this as a great opportunity to charge you about $10,000 for ambulatory service. You can save about 50% if you just die over there and they put you in with the baggage for your last trip home. A medical evacualtion policy will fly you home if you have a serious incident. It is reasonably priced because it is not a frequent kind of problem. If you are going to some dangerous places this is something to think about.

Travel accident insurance policies of the giveaway style offered by some organizations as an inducement to membership do not fill the need. They only pay for loss of limbs, eyes, or life. No payment is made for care or recovery. A piece of junk mail I recently received offers a good price for "a valuable plan which can insure you or other family members against fatal accidents or felonious assault." The small print says "coverage is not provided for basic hospital, basic medical surgical, or major medical expenses." Great policy, huh? If you think that you are covered by a "travel" policy, read all the fine print about deductions, exclusions, valuations, and limitations before you pay.

A policy you might consider is baggage insurance for baggage checked on flights. But perhaps your homeowner's or tenant's policy already covers this. Your home insurance policy with valuable items rider should also cover cameras and jewelry anywhere in the world. Take photos or videos of these items before departure to assist in making your claim if you have some bad news.

Read your policies before departure.

Auto Insurance

For information on auto insurance in Europe, see chapter 18 part 4, Parking, Gasoline, Safety: Adjuncts to Driving in Europe.

Filing Claims

Having insurance and collecting on it are two different things. Talk to your agent before departure to make sure that you are covered overseas, and find out what to do in case you are hospitalized or if your camera is stolen. It is likely that a European hospital will demand cash rather than accept an insurance card. If you must pay and then file a claim to be reimbursed on your return home a lot of your money can be tied up. If it is a financial burden, seek advice from the nearest American consulate.

Carry your insurance card, and it would probably help to carry a legible copy of your policy. If the claims number is a toll free 800 number, get a regular number with area code.

For lost or stolen items, a police report will probably be required with the claim for reimbursement. My only experience in filing a claim for an event in Europe was for repairs to a camera which fell off the neck strap. The insurance company requested details of the mishap: time, place, circumstances, etc., and a copy of the repair bill. They paid promptly. Make notes of events in your travel record book to help your memory in such cases.

Have a good trip!

NOTE TO READERS

I welcome questions and comments. If you have any concerns about your trip to Europe that have not been covered well enough in this section please do not hesitate to write and ask. When you write please include relevant details, per the folowing paragraphs.

I do not open attachments. I do not click links to web pages of any kind. I will reply in a day or two, usually.

Do not forget to smell the hyacinths. At your liesure scroll through the Table of Contents of How To Europe: The Complete Travelers Handbook and read all 30 chapters, FREE on line. Good deal! You'll probably find the answers you seek, and some you didn't know you needed.

My email address is [email protected].

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Rolling luggage sure beats lugging a pack on your back.

Travelpro Luggage Maxlite 2 20 inch Expandable Spinner

Travelpro Luggage Maxlite 2 20" Expandable Spinner

A shoulder bag for your daily walk-about.

Travelpro Luggage Maxlite3 Soft Tote

Keep your stuff organized. eBags Medium Packing Cubes - 3pc Set

Luggage Packing Cubes
eBags 3pc Set

The two gallon size is excellent for packing your clothes, but it is hard to find in Europe. Two gallon plastic ZipLoc bags

Two gallon plastic bags
ZipLoc by SC Johnson

Inconspicuously lock your zippered luggage with a black wire tie.

Cables to Go 43036 Cable Ties - 100 Pack (Black)

Your negotiating assistant will save you cash, as described in chapter 6.

8-Digit Display Hand-Held Calculator by Sharp

A Swiss Army Knife is unquestionably the handiest item a traveler can carry, except not on a plane.

Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman II Knife

What a dandy of a camera! It includes a GPS that automatically sets the internal clock depending on which time zone you are in. You'll always know where and when you took the shot.

Panasonic Lumix ZS20 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera with 20x Optical Zoom

Bring home the memories.

Olympus FE360 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Dual Zoom (Silver)

This is the camera that I use,

Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

with this amazing zoom lens,

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR [Vibration Reduction] DX Lens

and this filter to reduce reflections and enhance colors.

HOYA 72mm Circularizing Polarizing Filter

This tripod clamp is a handy accessory. Adorama CLAMP-POD SMALL 4001

CLAMP-POD Adorama SMALL 4001

Absolutely the best battery for digital cameras which use AA batteries. Energizer - AA Lithium Batteries - 4 Pack

Energizer
AA Lithium Batteries
4 Pack

Plug adapters are needed throughout Europe. There are at least five models used in different countries.
Note: The highlighted #E number is purely arbitrary. It is meant to help quickly identify products in this advert column when you write in for electrical advice.
See NOTE TO READERS.

This adapter is for the standard grounded plug in France, Germany, and northern Europe. It does not fit in outlets of Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, and Britain.
#E-010 Grounded Universal 2 in 1 Schuko Plug Adapter Type E/F for Germany, France, Europe