By Debby Giusti
If you’re planning to
research a foreign setting for your current work in progress or if you’re
mulling over the idea of writing a story set outside the United States, an
international trip might be in your foreseeable future. I’m not a travel expert
or a tour guide, but my husband and I lived in Germany for three years and traveled
through most of Europe, usually accompanied by our three young children. We’ve
returned to Germany a number of times since then, and for the last nine years,
we’ve taken a yearly trip outside the US. This year we returned to Italy.
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| Basilica of Saint Francis sits high on the hill in Assisi. |
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| A lovely roadside grotto |
I pack my things in
extra-large zip-locked bags and squeeze out the air so they almost become
vacuum sealed. That way the plastic bags can be shuffled around in my suitcase
without wrinkling my other clothing. One of my
favorite travel gadgets is a hand-held suitcase scale. Most airlines have a 50
pound limit on checked luggage with steep charges for any overages. I always
weigh my bag, and if over the limit, I switch heavier items, like shoes, to my
carry-on bag.
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| Bell tower and church in Orvieto dates from the 1300s. |
Medication should be
packed in their original containers for easy identification and should be kept
in carry-on luggage to ensure they remain with you in case your main suitcase
goes missing. Larger toiletries can be packed in your shipped luggage, but
liquids and gels carried on board the plane must be in no more than 3.4 ounces
(100 ml) containers and placed together into one quart-size zip-locked plastic
bag that TSA wants to see when you go through security. Knowing luggage can go
missing, I always include an extra outfit and sleepwear in my carry-on bag as
well as anything I might need for that first overnight stay. Laptops and
tablets needed to be placed separately on the security conveyor belt, along
with your shoes (don’t forget to wear socks so you don’t have to walk
barefoot), jackets, sweaters and outerwear, belts, jewelry, watches and anything
in your pockets. I take off my jewelry and watch and place them in my purse
before arriving at security.
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| One of the many towns we passed as we traveled through Italy. |
Our flight to Italy was
more than eight hours long and over ten and a half hours on our return flight to the US. My husband
and I get up often, drink lots of water and take an aspirin at the start of our
trip to help prevent blood clots. Some folks wear knee-high compression socks
to keep their legs from swelling. My physical therapist daughter encouraged us
to “pump” our feet frequently to help circulation.
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| Saint Peter's Basilica, Rome. The photos hanging on the front facade are of the five newly canonized saints. |
Whether flying domestic
or international, I carry Wet-Wipes and wipe down the seat belt, arm rests, tray
table and television viewing screen. I take my own earbuds so I can enjoy the
in-flight music and/or shows even before the flight attendant passes out the
complimentary earphones. Eye masks, blankets and pillows are also provided on
long flights.
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| A Vatican Swiss Guard. The guards stay at their post for two hour stretches. The youngest age to join the guard is 17. |
International travelers
must show their passports frequently in the airport. I have a pouch that hangs
around my neck and is large enough for my passport. I wear that neck pouch while
flying, and later transfer my passport to a money belt I wear around my waist. I
also use a writer’s conference name badge to carry some cash and credit cards
around my neck and keep a change purse in my pocket for coins and smaller
bills. FYI, make a copy of the photo page of your passport and give one to
someone remaining in the US, give another copy to a traveling companion and
keep one in your suitcase in case your passport is stolen. We also keep copies
of credit card international phone contact numbers.
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| We were front row when Pope Francis passed by in his Pope Mobile. He kissed lots of babies that morning! |
ATMs are readily available
in foreign countries, but a charge for each transaction is added to your
withdrawal. Also be careful if using street ATM machines. Those located inside
banks are a safer option. The airports have exchange kiosks and most hotels can
exchange money, although the rate of exchange is usually not as good as banks
provide. I always order foreign currency from my local bank in the US (for a $5
charge) so I don’t have to worry about exchanging money during my travels. Most
foreign vendors accept US credit cards for purchases.
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| The Pantheon |
When living in Germany,
we always traveled on our own. I was the trip planner and navigator—and often
the translator—and my husband was the driver. These days, we enjoy going on tours with a
group from church. The in-country tour guides provide an abundance of
information and are willing to answer additional questions via email long after
our tour ends. They also know how to skirt the crowds and get us to our
destinations without hassle or frustration. Bell stewards transport the checked
luggage to and from the bus, and most times, our rooms are ready upon arrival.
Breakfast is included each morning at the hotel. Usually lunch is on-your-own
with dinners being a mix of pre-paid and on-your-own. The tour guide offers
dining suggestions and reservations if needed.
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| Trevi Fountain |
I take notes in a small
composition book when we travel, like the ones I give away at conferences, and
then type the information into a computer file when I get home. Photos are a
great way to remember where we’ve been, and snapshots of historical markers and
informational signs provide added details as well. I also make note of the
guide’s speech patterns and colloquial idioms that would add depth to any
characters I might create from that particular location for a future story.
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| Castle of the Angels at night. |
Hotel rooms are typically smaller in Italy. The lights are activated by slipping your key into a slot just inside your room near the
door. When you leave your room and take your key, the lights automatically turn
off, saving electricity. Adapters are needed to run electronic items with
different countries having different plug configurations. You can find adapters at various big box stores or luggage shops. I’ve found a good selection at TJ Maxx.
One of my adapters has two USB ports so my husband and I can charge our phones
at the same time. (BTW, most tour buses have Wi-Fi and charging stations.) Some
hotels have special US sockets in the bathroom marked for “shavers only.” I
have a hair dryer that can convert from US to 220 volts/international and use
that when I travel, although the Italian hotels all had hair dryers. I charge
my iPad and iPhone with an adapter. Small point and shoot cameras use an adapter. If you take a laptop or have a high-tech camera, check with the
manufacturer about international usage. A couple of our cheaper adapters didn’t
work so I advise taking more than one…just in case.
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| Three beautiful paintings by Caravaggio, a favorite artist of mine, were on display at the Contarelli Chapel in Rome. The painting on the left is titled The Calling of Saint Matthew. Saint Matthew and the Angel is on the right. |
European hotels usually
do not provide washcloths or facial tissues, like Kleenex. Warming racks dry
the towels in the bathrooms and the pipes can get very hot. Because heat is never turned on in Italy before
November 1, the warming racks and room heaters weren’t activated on this trip,
but we were always comfortable in our hotel rooms and even used the air
conditioning on warmer days. A European trend is for showers to have only a
partial glass “curtain.” Care needs to be taken to ensure the hand-held nozzles
don’t spray water onto the floor. Toilets have a dual flush system, one button
for “light” needs and a stronger flush for “heavier” needs. Finding the flusher
can be a challenge. Look up, look down, look all around. Some have pull levers
near the ceiling. Some are activated by a foot pedal.
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| A view from the Tiber River. |
While sightseeing, keep
1 Euro coins handy as many bathrooms charge for use. If public facilities aren’t
available, buying a bottle of water at a deli or gelato shop allows you to use
the restroom. Some of the bathrooms in various tourist areas have unisex stalls
with men and women sharing the same facilities. Carry tissue and hand sanitizers
since not all restrooms are adequately stocked with toilet paper and hand soap.
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| Michelangelo's exquisite Pieta. |
Before traveling out of
the US, notify your credit card company and let them know your travel dates and
destination. Check with your phone service about international plans. My
AT&T provider offers a $10/day international package with free text and
phone calls with charges accrued only on the days used. I took that plan, but
ended up relying on “Whats App,” a free download that provides free phone calls, FaceTime and text, including sending photos, to anyone, anywhere in the world
as long as they are in the system. My family members downloaded “Whats App”
onto their phones, and we talked each day. I sent pictures via text and noted
where we were and what we had seen, which provided a running commentary of our
travels. The only restriction was that my phone had to be hooked into Wi-Fi
before I could call or send texts.
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| The Dome of Saint Peter's is 508 feet above the floor of the church. Michelangelo created the Dome when he was 87 years old. |
I am so grateful to
have been able to tour Italy. The people were warm and welcoming, and the
countryside was beautiful and serene. If long-distance travel is on your bucket
list, I hope the information I provided might be of help when you travel to Italy
or any another foreign destination.
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| Arrivederci Roma! |
Please add your own
travel tips or ask any questions that I might not have covered. International
travel is exciting and educational, especially for writers researching various
foreign destinations. Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing for my November Love Inspired Suspense, HER
FORGOTTEN AMISH PAST.
Happy traveling!
Wishing you abundant
blessings,
Debby Giusti
HER FORGOTTEN
AMISH PAST
She can’t
remember who she’s running from.
Is she safe with the Amish?
Someone wants Becca Troyer dead, but who or why is a mystery to her. Seeking refuge at the home of Amish farmer Zeke Hochstetler is her only hope to stay one step ahead of the killer. With every clue she finds about her past leading to more confusion, Becca and Zeke must untangle the truth before her pursuer discovers where she’s been hiding.
Pre-order now at Amazon.
