Travel Lightly! Packing For Two Weeks In Europe

Packing is an art, and I haven't mastered it yet. I know what to do, I simply have a hard time sticking to it! For our recent trip to Italy, I used the following packing list. It is a great tool, and if I had limited myself to only what is on the list, I would have been satisfied. As it was, I added a few "extras, " thus, over packing once again. If you stick to this list, you will have everything you need. Try it!

Clothing:

· 3 pairs of walking/comfortable shoes (1 tennis shoes, 1 sandals, 1 flats)

· 1 rainproof jacket with hood

· 1 pairs of shorts (shorts are fine on the beach, but not in churches; capris are OK anywhere)

· 2-3 pairs of pants or capris (one dressy, one or two casual; cotton blend dries faster than jeans.

· 1 pair yoga pants for lounging

· 1 belt

· 1 swimsuit and towel

· 3 pairs of socks (cotton blend)

· 5 pairs of underwear (quick dry)

· 1 extra bra

· 4-5 shirts or nice tops (long or short-sleeved)

· 1 light cardigan for layering

· 1 below knee length skirts

· 1 dress

· Hat

· Scarf

· Vest or Fleece

· Sleepwear



· Toiletries/Medicine:

· Body soap/ washcloth ( many European hotels do not supply washcloths)

· Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss

· Shampoo/conditioner

· Brush/comb

· Sunscreen

· Razor (non-electric)

· Insect repellent

· Prescription drugs (in original container with your name and your doctor's name)

· First aid kit

· Feminine hygiene products

· Deodorant

· Nail clippers/file/tweezers

· Spare glasses and/or prescription, mini-eyeglass repair kit, or contact lenses and supplies

· Hand sanitizer

· Vitamins

· OTC remedies (whatever works for you): Pepto Bismol, Ibuprofen

· Travel clothesline, soap

· Baby powder (many uses, including dry shampoo for hair)

· Small make-up bag

Find Great Hotel Bargains Using Trip Advisor

TripAdvisor.com is dominant and powerful, yet with a few little tips, you can put the website to work for you. Trip Advisor is always my first step when planning travel.  A hotel is only a bargain if it has everything you want, so using Trip Advisor as a tool to narrow important options is as beneficial as reading reviews! Once you have your criteria narrowed, it is helpful to read reviews written by people who have actually stayed in the hotels. Although you will always find both positive and negative, you will be able to discern threads of consistency among the reviews. I use the following steps to begin planning my hotel stays.
 
Open tripadvisor.com and put in your city and “hotels” in the box asking where you are going and what are you looking for. If you don’t know your dates, use approximate dates, making sure the days of the week are similar to yours. Now check the amenities you must have, such as free wireless internet. Use this tool judiciously, checking only those amenities and location you must have.

Next, sort the available hotels by ranking.  Never check price on a first search because you don't want to rule out a hotel based on price. Remember, you are looking for a bargain, not a cheap hotel. Even if you have a specific budget, don't rule out the possibility of a great deal for your preferred hotel on another web site. What you are doing is becoming familiar with the market.
 
After you have narrowed hotels by ranking, begin to read what people are saying. Rule out hotels with only one or two stars in “traveler reviews.” If a hotel has more than 100 reviews and they are averaging 1 or 2 stars, it doesn’t matter whether or not it is a 4 or 5 star hotel, it isn't going to be a great deal if people who have stayed there say it is crummy! Look for threads of consistency in reviews. You will see patterns in the reviews.
 
At this point you will start to see which hotels are within your price range and which ones are totally out of bounds. Sort the results once more for price, low to high, noting the traveler ratings. When you scroll down look for hotels with very low prices and really good ratings. Jot them down!

Continue to read and sort in a variety of ways. You will come up with a few hotels that meet your needs. Now go to the individual hotel website and find the best prices offered by the hotel. Don’t forget your AAA, AARP and Military discounts. Continue sorting and reviewing until you have the hotels you want.

If there is no penalty for cancellation, make a reservation right away. You will want to hold the room while you continue to search. I often make three or four reservations while I search.
 
Next step is to check Expedia, Booking, Kayak, or Travelocity to make sure you have the best bargain! I usually try to book directly with the hotel if the prices are within a few dollars because I have found you get better rooms and service if you book directly with the hotel. Although I will address it more at a later date, I am a huge proponent of staying with a hotel brand and signing up for their preferred client clubs. We have received amazing deals from hotels and resorts simply because we belong to their preferred club.

As soon as you make a final decision, cancel the other reservations and relish the bargain you just found!

Good luck!



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