I will be traveling for the next few weeks, but that doesn’t mean I will be away from you, Contrarians! I plan to share my travel experiences, both in general and what I’m seeing on this particular trip, as well as occasional pieces on the usual mix of policy, law, and politics.
If you followed my writing for the Washington Post, you already know about my love of travel. Every part of it thrills me—deciding where to go, planning the itinerary, figuring out the lay of a new city, and constructing days of stimulating, beautiful experiences, as well as giving myself the time and space to discover smaller museums, less-visited sights, and tucked-away restaurants. Over many years and many trips, I’ve found what works for me, my interests, and my energy. (As you might suspect, I’m not a sit-on-the-beach kind of gal…)
I’ll start with a few caveats. Most, though not all, of my travel has been in the U.S., Canada, Central America, and Europe (mostly Europe), with a few trips to Israel. I have had far less experience in Asia and Northern Africa, with none on the rest of the African continent or Australia, primarily because the prospect of a flight that lasts more than half a day sends a shiver down my spine. (I’ll have plenty to say about the state of airline travel.) I do not camp. I do not ski. In fact, I generally do not like being cold, which will help explain when and where I go. Therefore, I will generally be sharing my experience traveling in Europe, where I will be for this journey. (Certainly, trips anywhere can provide insights and hacks usable to other destinations.)
None of this should be taken “the guide to a great trip.” It will be a guide to a great trip for Jen. Since I have never had a trip of any length that I did not love, I hope it will provide a few tips that may inform a trip that you will love taking—in a way that fits your interests and stamina.
A few basics. Plane travel has become hellish, inconvenient, and often unreliable (even in countries whose leaders have not arbitrarily fired thousands of air traffic controllers). Whenever possible, take a train within and between countries. Every Western European country, without exception, has a better train system than the U.S. (I don’t mean to damn with faint praise but if you haven’t discovered it already, there is a serious train gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world.) Considering the time you must allocate to get to the airport, check in, go through security lines, etc., you could—in many cases—be most of the way to your destination by train in the time it takes you to get to your gate in a busy airport.
Besides, trains in most places are fun. You see the countryside, the locals, and the occasional landmark. And unlike Amtrak, the rides are smooth, the internet superb. With frequent departures and multiple lines, it is almost always easy to travel by train between major cities across national boundaries. However, when you go between smaller cities in different countries or even from a major metropolis to a nearby, small city just over the border, you’ll find yourself frequently getting routed through each capital city. That might tip you in favor of flying between two cities.
If you must fly in Europe, take a discount European airline such as Ryanair or Vueling, which offers many more direct flights at lower prices than the bigger carriers (be mindful of hidden costs, however). If you cannot avoid a plane, pay extra to go direct. ALWAYS. I have often taken a train to New York to avoid a connecting flight. (D.C., frustratingly, has fewer direct flights than you’d think.) And never, ever go through Frankfurt, the most overcrowded, time-sucking airport I have ever encountered. (Don’t get me started on missing a connecting flight and getting bused to a hotel that resembled a 1950s Soviet motel with nothing edible on offer.)
Moreover, because planes (not to mention packing, unpacking, checking in and out) chew up time, when possible, try to set up a base in a single location from which you can take day trips. From Amsterdam, you can spend lovely days in Rotterdam, the Hague, Haarlem, Utrecht, and even Antwerp. From Milan, you can take day trips to Turin, Genoa, Bergamo, Verona, or Brescia.
That brings me to a major caveat that affects many travel decisions. I would rather spend a week in a fascinating city than 3 days in a decent one and 4 in another average one. That is not to say every place in the world will keep you busy for a full week, but most major cities (London, Rome, Milan, Paris, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Prague) will. Moreover, once you’ve really seen a lot of a major city or two, you can discover smaller but equally enthralling ones on another trip. (That’s a bit of what I am doing on the current trip.)
You’ll never see everything in one of the metropolitan giants, but if you devote more time to one location, you will come away with a greater understanding and a higher level of satisfaction if you take in fewer places for longer stretches of time. (For a hilarious example of the alternative I still love, If it’s Tuesday, This must be Belgium.) And if someplace is worth going to, my view is that it should be worth going to for 2-3 days. Hence, I virtually never travel to a different hotel/city for a one-night stay. You’ll be less tired and more relaxed if you don’t think you have to cram everything into a single day.
When selecting a hotel, my primary consideration is location. I am generally not going to resorts, so cutting down on travel time to sites and public transit (I’ll have more to say on that score) is key. Everyone has their comfort level. For some, a three-star hotel is perfectly sufficient and anything more would be wasted money. I must admit that, over the years, I’ve become more willing to pay for not the nicest hotel in town, but a nicer one. Still, food and sightseeing are where I want to put my money.
Finally, a word about packing. Really try to pack lightly. Schlepping a big bag is a pain, and hotel elevators can be tiny (so tiny that two people and two big suitcases won’t fit). I generally pack for no more than half the days (i.e., 5 days’ worth for a 10-day trip) and use hotel laundry service. Also, if you shop, you can wear new items!
I will leave it there for now. I’ll have plenty more to share about sightseeing, transportation, restaurants, side-trips, evening entertainment, and more—plus some particulars of this trip. Please share your insights, lessons, and horror stories in the chat if you are so inclined. And keep an eye out for my usual takes on our politics and policy—with the benefit of an overseas perspective.
Since I do travel to Africa and Central and South America, I usually take a suitcase of things to leave behind....like school items or children's clothing or simple toys like jump ropes. Usually a waitress or someone at the hotel will know where to take those items to help out a school or an orphanage.
Ditto on the trains. My disabled husband and I spent a month in the UK traveling on trains between lovely villages and cities. The British Rail system has something called Traveler’s Assist where you can sign ahead of time for someone to meet you at the train station, help with baggage and direct you to the next train or exit. Sometimes we were even bumped up to first class. All of this with no tipping.