(Almost) Being There

After all the planning and purchasing, it’s finally getting close to departure time, and there are only a few last-minute details to consider. I will also belabor you with some personal advice in this chapter. Heading out for Europe can be a stressful process, and I hope this advice makes the trip as smooth as possible.

- On international flights you should call your airline within 72 hours of your departure time to confirm that you will indeed be going and to check for any schedule changes. Some airlines may offer your seat for sale if you don’t, although this supposedly is rare.

- One point to be careful with. If you miss or no-show at one portion of your airline trip, the rest of the trip is canceled. I’ll repeat this in the section on going home.

- Definitely call ahead and make a room reservation for your first few nights in Europe. The last thing you want to do on arrival is look for housing. Also, you’ll probably be wiped out from the trip. A room in a small pension or cheap hotel, as opposed to a dorm bed in a hostel, might make for a quicker recovery. See Chapter 10, “Communications,” for details on making international calls.