FIRST Overseas adventure....
Jul 10, 2000 | 5:37 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ocilla, Ga. USA
Posts: 70
FIRST Overseas adventure....
My future bride to be will be retiring near
September 1. Neither she or I have traveled
overseas before & have no passport. I would like to arrange a trip to either Greese or Egypt or both some where near this time give or take a month or so. I know nothing of overseas travel and would greatly like the advise of the many experienced travelers who frequent this board for their valued thoughts & opinions on how to make this a great and wonderful trip. Would like all types of info, best & cheapest ways to travel. Between us we have approximately 150K Delta F/flyer miles.........any help would greatly be appreciated......
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mc
September 1. Neither she or I have traveled
overseas before & have no passport. I would like to arrange a trip to either Greese or Egypt or both some where near this time give or take a month or so. I know nothing of overseas travel and would greatly like the advise of the many experienced travelers who frequent this board for their valued thoughts & opinions on how to make this a great and wonderful trip. Would like all types of info, best & cheapest ways to travel. Between us we have approximately 150K Delta F/flyer miles.........any help would greatly be appreciated......
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mc
Jul 10, 2000 | 6:46 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: South Florida USA
Programs: DL-MM/FC/FO AA-EXP/MM Starwood-Platinum Marriott-Platinum Hilton-Gold Hyatt-Diamond
Posts: 1,515
Cottonpicker
While you wait for information and assistance on where to go and what to do, I suggest you start the process of getting your passports today. If not you face additional expenses in expediting them.
TW
While you wait for information and assistance on where to go and what to do, I suggest you start the process of getting your passports today. If not you face additional expenses in expediting them.
TW
Jul 12, 2000 | 10:14 pm
#3
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco UA1K; AA Gold
Posts: 937
Tolarian Wind is right, get your passport ASAP (fortunately you don't need to specify country or date of travel when applying!) You may already be too late to get the passports back by September 1, although I suspect late spring is their busiest season.
Is this trip a surprise? Telling her to apply for a passport may give her a clue that something's up
Changing subjects, when I went to Belgium last year with a friend who had never travelled, her biggest concern was "Do I bring travellers checks or cash?" I told her to do as she does here: find an ATM, insert card, punch in PIN, withdraw cash in local currency. You'll get the best rate, and it's convenient. Plus, if you have an account that doesn't charge for using ATM's outside the USA, you can even withdraw smaller amounts at a time; if they charge (typically $3/withdrawal) you'll want to withdraw the maximum (to minimize fees), but personally I get uncomfortable carrying that much cash with me.
Oh - and make sure your PIN is exactly 4 digits, many foreign systems require that.
Is this trip a surprise? Telling her to apply for a passport may give her a clue that something's up
Changing subjects, when I went to Belgium last year with a friend who had never travelled, her biggest concern was "Do I bring travellers checks or cash?" I told her to do as she does here: find an ATM, insert card, punch in PIN, withdraw cash in local currency. You'll get the best rate, and it's convenient. Plus, if you have an account that doesn't charge for using ATM's outside the USA, you can even withdraw smaller amounts at a time; if they charge (typically $3/withdrawal) you'll want to withdraw the maximum (to minimize fees), but personally I get uncomfortable carrying that much cash with me.
Oh - and make sure your PIN is exactly 4 digits, many foreign systems require that.
Jul 13, 2000 | 8:19 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Chicago, IL (ORD)
Programs: AA Gold, UA Premier Exec, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,100
Cottonpicker:
I will also be going on my first overseas excursion in Feb. and a website I've found extremely useful is the State Department website. Here, you can print out your passport application and get information about if/what visas you will need depending on which country you're travelling to. It also has links to the CDC website as well as various other links.
I echo everyone else when I say get your passport ASAP. I applied for mine the end of March & it only took about 2 weeks, but this could be a busier time. Hope this helps.
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Regards,
- Anna
I will also be going on my first overseas excursion in Feb. and a website I've found extremely useful is the State Department website. Here, you can print out your passport application and get information about if/what visas you will need depending on which country you're travelling to. It also has links to the CDC website as well as various other links.
I echo everyone else when I say get your passport ASAP. I applied for mine the end of March & it only took about 2 weeks, but this could be a busier time. Hope this helps.
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Regards,
- Anna
Jul 14, 2000 | 8:24 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Wherever you go, there you are
Posts: 641
I would strongly suggest working with a travel agent to book a guided tour package to the destination of your choice.
Not only would your travel agent be helpful in presenting more options than perhaps you'd come up with on your own, but the agent might be able to give you pointers to make the trip you select more enjoyable and worthwhile. Travel agents often take what are called "fam" (short for "familiarization") trips, which are, as the name suggests, to provide travel agents with first-hand knowledge of the places and services to help with the marketing effort.
The airfare, accomodation, meal, transportation, etc., provisions that come with many tour packages are almost always more competitively priced than booking the portions on your own. So you're one up as far as getting a decent deal.
Just like different makes of cars are marketed at different price-points, so are tour companies and the various types of packages they offer.
So do check with your travel agent. A guided tour package could be the ideal solution to make your first trip abroad - what sounds like a honeymoon *and* retirement trip - as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
Also, the planning process of your trip can be an enjoyable and educational experience in itself, so make the most of it by asking a lot of questions, making mental notes of alternative places to go as future trips, and having fun.
Congratulations, and good luck. Have a safe and happy trip.
Not only would your travel agent be helpful in presenting more options than perhaps you'd come up with on your own, but the agent might be able to give you pointers to make the trip you select more enjoyable and worthwhile. Travel agents often take what are called "fam" (short for "familiarization") trips, which are, as the name suggests, to provide travel agents with first-hand knowledge of the places and services to help with the marketing effort.
The airfare, accomodation, meal, transportation, etc., provisions that come with many tour packages are almost always more competitively priced than booking the portions on your own. So you're one up as far as getting a decent deal.
Just like different makes of cars are marketed at different price-points, so are tour companies and the various types of packages they offer.
So do check with your travel agent. A guided tour package could be the ideal solution to make your first trip abroad - what sounds like a honeymoon *and* retirement trip - as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
Also, the planning process of your trip can be an enjoyable and educational experience in itself, so make the most of it by asking a lot of questions, making mental notes of alternative places to go as future trips, and having fun.
Congratulations, and good luck. Have a safe and happy trip.
Jul 14, 2000 | 6:58 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 109
Cottonpicker - If you haven't already gottten your passports yet you can get them at your local post office (sometimes only takes 2wks), and I would also suggest that you check into what type of vaccines you may need before your travel abroad. Congratulations and have a wonderful trip!