After a big trip, there's a decompression process. Everyone handles it differently. Sifting through the mail, digging out the dirty clothes and washing that "airline smell" before going to bed are at the top of my list.
But now, amidst the receipts, the pictures and scraps of paper with names and addresses, I've begun to recall some important lessons for modern international travel.
a. Have some local currency on hand before you land in a foreign country. On a recent trip to Spain, I took about 300 Euros. The Wells Fargo branch in Anchorage's Fifth Avenue Mall has the most selection when it comes to foreign currency. In fact, they can order some for you in advance. It's a pain to get, though. You have to have TWO pieces of ID. We can't let the terrorists win, after all. Jeez.
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b. Tell your bank that you're traveling. The modern currency exchange booth is the ATM machine. Better rates, faster service. We upped our daily limit, which has a default setting of $300 per day. No single machine will dispense much more than that, but you can go to more than one machine in the course of a day. If you have more than one credit card company--call them all and advise your dates of travel.
c. Learn some of the local language. Heck, we were going to Spain, so I figured my paltry pidgin Mexi-babble would help. WRONG. In Barcelona, the official language is Catalan. In fact, my French came in more useful than the few words of "Castillian" Spanish that I'd picked up in Mexico.
d. Get a local cell phone. Typically, your home cell phone will work, as long as it's "unlocked". But my Blackberry wouldn't work, so I ordered a phone and local Spanish SIM card from Cellular Abroad (www.cellularabroad.com). Basically, just make sure that your phone is charged before you plug in the new SIM card after you arrive (don't put it in before you arrive). Then, follow the instructions. Cellular Abroad also was able to help me a couple of times when I needed to add more money to the account. In Spain, all the incoming calls are free--so friends and relatives can call you, if you wish. You'll receive a new number, but often you can forward your regular calls to that number. Again, it depends on how "wired" you want to be on the road!
e. Consider a security wallet. I opted for an "around the neck" man-purse that fits under my shirt. It's one of the nerdiest get-ups I've seen in my life--but my passport, cash and credit cards fit in there nicely. And nobody stole them. My kids wouldn't be seen with me, particularly when I had to whip it out and pay for something (often!). I got mine from Magellan's, the online travel store (www.magellans.com).
f. Speaking of Magellan's, I picked up one of their high-tech roll-aboard suitcases (21-inches) because we opted for carry-on bags only. This style of travel takes discipline--and I'm not sure I can maintain it. Forget about toothpaste and shaving cream. I left the binoculars, my dress suit and all my books and CDs. Instead, I took some shorts, sandals and a few other basics. I bought sunscreen (twice!) once we arrived. But we didn't have to wait for baggage on arrival. Nor did we have to drag several big, heavy bags through the narrow streets and up the steep stairs in Girona, Spain!
g. I paid extra for time. You may have heard about the cheap air fares in and around Europe. It's true--you can find them, particularly on the notorious RyanAir. You've heard of them, including their president, Michael O'Leary, who jokes that he may start charging travelers to use the on-board rest rooms. But we flew Condor German Airlines (www.condor.com) to Frankfurt--itself a huge time-saver. And we figured that the extra time and hassle to go to another airport 90 miles away simply wasn't worth it for our short trip. So we paid extra to fly Lufthansa to Barcelona. If you're taking a long trip, consider the discount airlines to stretch your budget.
We paid extra on the ground, as well. With bags, in a strange city, we opted for a more expensive taxi ride instead of the bus. Again, if you're going on a longer trip and you have more time than money, most destinations outside the U.S. are spooled up nicely for public transit.
h. Back up your computer before you leave. My laptop was stolen in Spain. Thankfully, just a few weeks ago, I bought a "Time Machine" from Apple that automatically backs up my computer--wirelessly. This device was a lifesaver when I returned to the U.S. and ordered my new computer. Now, as I scratch and crawl my way back to the starting line at work, through a gauntlet of missed deadlines and broken promises, I have started to reconstruct my files. Truthfully, the "Time Machine" was a lifesaver.
i. Hire a guide at your destination. In Barcelona and Girona (100km northeast of Barcelona), we worked with Spanish Trails. They spoke English and knew their way around the region. We'll talk more about our experiences there, particularly since the company is co-owned by an Alaskan, Tracy Harris-Inman.
Today, 10 days after returning, we're actively planning our next international voyage. Top picks? Oaxaca and Morelia in Mexico. Also on the list: Makassar on the island of Selawesi in Indonesia. And can Greece be far behind.
On the domestic front, don't miss out on great deals to Minneapolis ($194 each way through Sept 10) or Denver ($494 roundtrip through Aug. 22).
In the meantime, there's a lawn to mow, fish to catch, rivers to float and a driveway to resurface. Oh--and lots of bills to pay. Thankfully, the sun is up all night for a little while longer!!
Online resources:
Cellular Abroad. These folks are rolling out a new National Geographic phone that works in 185 countries. www.cellularabroad.com
Magellans. Scan their site for all sorts of travel goodies: security wallets, roll-on suitcases, even bug-repelling outerwear. www.magellans.com
Condor German Airlines. A great "Time Machine" for Alaskans. Over-the-top nonstop to Frankfurt from both Anchorage and Fairbanks in 9 hours. www.condor.com