Travel Tips & Check List

Germany/Austria Tour

Travel Advice

Below are some recomendations on items to bring, and things to help our your travel. These tips will help make your vacation more smoothe.

Also see FAQs for more travel tips

Itineraries

Print your trip schedule below

Many travelers like to have a copy of the itinerary before they leave. Click on the appropriate tour below to print a copy:

Square Dance Tour 2013


Travel Suggestions & Reminders

 

Horseshoe neck pillow & sleep mask for the flight. Motion sickness pills if you think you might need it. Laptop computer for DVD movies, good book and cards.

There are no Laundromat facilities in the village of Grassau, and sending out laundry is very expensive. If you forget or need something in the way of clothing, you can usually find what you want in the local shops.

When packing, put one day's clothing in your travel companion's suitcase and vice versa, just in case any of your bags are delayed.  Put a picture page copy of your passport, the name of the Grassau hotels and your home address & phone number inside your luggage.  Travel light and casual.  Plan for layers rather than heavy coats.  Each international traveler is normally permitted to check the first checked bag for free, the second will cost approximately $70 and the third is $200.  Therefore, we suggest only one normal size suitcase to be checked. If you are worried about size and weight of your checked luggage, it’s probably too big or heavy.  Don’t over pack your bags. Checked luggage heaver than 50 lbs will cost you a hefty surcharge. Click on FAQs for more travel suggestions and packing tips.

Limit the size and weight of your carry-on bags.  Remember that you will have to drag all your carry-on bags to any connecting flights.  Carry-on bag too large, or if there is no longer space left in the overhead compartments, your carry-on bags will have to be checked.  You might then have to claim your carry-on bags at connecting flights, etc. Your carry-on bag or backpack must fit into the overhead compartment. Normally carry-on bags can not be larger than 22 x 18 x 10 inches max. You may also take a purse, laptop case or briefcase. 

The overseas flight isn’t all that bad - you can walk around, stretch, do in-place exercises, read, watch a movie, visit or just sleep.  Alcohol drinks are sometimes free, but we suggest you refrain from drinking too much alcohol or you could have a harder time with the jet lag.  Drink plenty of fluids and try to get plenty of rest before and during the trip. Consider a bone or horseshoe pillow your neck during the flight. A sleep mask might also help you sleep. Some folks like to take along their own head phones and or their personal ipad or mp3 player pass the time.

Your first day is a long period of time.  Please be patient and don’t take things too serious, just kickback, relax, enjoy the travel experience. Just let it happen and you’ll be settled in and having a good time before you know it.

Bring along at least two major credit cards (Master Card or Visa) for special purchases and for cash from banks or the ATMs. American Express has restricted use.

Be sure you have already successfully used your PIN to check your balance on an ATM before traveling.  You can pay for most large items using your credit card and many shops will ship your purchase home. 

(Most credit cards charge a 2% or more foreign exchange fee.)

 

Provide family and friends with the hotel fax number listed on the back of the tour brochure. You will receive the fax usually at breakfast the next morning.



Suggestions

 

In addition to your regular clothing, here are some reminders of what to bring:
 
Airline tickets or e-ticket notification number.  

Passports and Government Issued Picture ID

Major Credit Cards

Car Rental Reservations

Extra Eye Glasses, Sun Glasses

Personal Prescriptions and/or Medication.

Stool softener tablets

Cough drops, Vitamin C or other cold prevention remedies.  Note: Vitamin C is helpful in preventing colds due to temperature and environmental changes.

Portable hairdryer that can be used with both 110 & 220 volts.

(Note: You can pick up a 220V hairdryer or curling iron in Grassau for about $20.)

Electric razor of which can be switch from 110 to 220 volts. (Note: Most newer electric razors can already be used by both.)

220 volt adaptor plug for 110 volt electrical cord.

Cordless Razors, Laptop computers, battery chargers which have internal rechargeable batteries can usually be plugged into either 110 or 220 volts. Check the manufactures’ specifications first. Plug adaptors that allows you to plug into a 220 volt outlet with a 110 volt cord can be found online, in travels stores, Radio Shack or Best Buy.

You probably won't need a 220 voltage to 110 voltage converter unless you are bring a specific appliance that is needed, i.e., personal breathing device.

Consider bringing wrinkle free clothes – no ironing required.

Camera with extra batteries and film or memory sticks.  

Small amount of Euros ordered from your bank to hold you over until you can exchange money at a local bank. Usually the 1st day.

Cash in US Dollars

(Suggest $500 - $800 cash per person)

Traveler’s checks for emergencies or as a backup.  
  (Banks charge a fee for cashing traveler’s checks.)

Major telephone calling card or access number, i.e., AT&T, Sprint, Qwest, etc., with the telephone access numbers for calling home from Germany.

You can arrange to have your cell phone activated for overseas before you travel. This can be expensive.

Family & Friends Address Lists for post cards (prepared computer mailing labels with address are handy to have) and important phone, fax numbers and e-mail addresses.

Light Jacket and Sweater, Square Dance Shirt & Prairie or Squaw Dress for dancers.  (Square dance dresses with full petticoats are not recommended.)

Dinner jacket & tie is not required for the Salzburg Dinner Concert.  We will touring Salzburg during the day with no chance to change clothes. 

Small fold up umbrella. Can also be purchased in Grassau. 

Washcloth and a bar of soap.

Small container of your favorite shampoo and conditioner.

Small container (100 ml) of liquid soap for washing out clothes.

TSA Note: 3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3.4 ounce (100 ml) bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. One-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring.

Extra wire hangers.

Battery operated travel alarm clock. (The hotel does not provide alarm clocks nor wakeup calls.)

CDs to share your favorite music on the bus.

Your diary or pad to make notes.  

Address and phone number of our hotels.

List of passengers and your ticket information/airline schedule. 

 

TRAVELER’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou hast them at home, for thou hast left thy home to find things different.
2. Thou shalt not take anything too seriously, for a carefree mind is the beginning of a vacation.
3. Thou shalt not let the other tourist get on thy nerves, for thou art paying out good money to have a good time.
4. Remember thy passport so that thou knowest where it is at all times, for a man without a passport is a man without a country.
5. Blessed is the person who can make change in any language, for lo, he shall not be cheated.
6. Blessed is the person who can say “thank you” in any language – and it shall be worth more to him than tips.
7. Thou shalt not worry. He that worrieth hath no pleasure – and few things are ever are ever fatal.
8. Thou shalt not judge the people of a country by one person with whom thou hast had trouble.
9. Thou shalt when in Rome do somewhat as the Romans do; if in difficulty, thou shalt use thy American common sense and friendliness.
10. Remember thou art a guest in every land – and he that treateth his host will respect shall be treated as an honored guest.

Village of Grassau

www.grassau.de

Information on the village we will be staying and things to do around town.

Hotel Sperrer

Hotel-Sperrer.de

Also, go to the Main Menu and click on the long itinerary for more info.

Dip-n-Divers

www.dip-n-divers.de

German square dance club homepage. Lots of information here.