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| *Travel Tips>>>Packing & Preparation Travel Tips |
What is so expensive in Europe, that I had better just bring it with me? |
Travel Info If I am going to Europe from the US, then what should I be sure to bring with me that will surely be too expensive over there? Travel Tips I can only answer this one from the female point of view. Make-up, toiletries, hair care products and perfume should all go with you. They're ridiculously expensive in Europe, made worse by the exchange rates. Seriously, one tube of nothing special Maybelline mascara is 9 Euros (about $12), you don't want to know what Clinique will run you. Feminine hygiene products. They're available if you're happy to chance it based on timing, but you never know if the brand and type you like will be on the shelf. Other things: ibuprofen and other OTC medications vary from country to country regarding availability. They're readily availabile in London, for example, not so easy in Amsterdam. Clothing at places like H&M is usually reasonable if you need some extra basics. Hard liquor is more expensive, but good wine and beer are far less expensive. An extra memory card for your digital will be about the same price, but batteries to run it will be far more. I highly recommend taking some rechargeable AAs to keep your camera running, or an additional, charged battery if your camera is the type that only takes the internal battery. Have fun! Others Probably nothing is so expensive you HAVE to bring it with you, but some things do cost more. Other things may or may not cost more but the brands are usually unfamiliar. I make a point of taking USA toiletries, OTC medications (like Tylenol and Benadryl), minor first aid supplies (Band-aids, etc.), sun-block, batteries, and film (before I got a digital camera). Western Europe heavily taxes cigarettes and hard liquor. If you smoke, buy a carton of cigarettes in the USA and take it with you. Ditto with a bottle of whatever. The bottle has to go in your checked luggage so pack it well. Each adult can have one carton of cigarettes and one bottle of hard liquor w/o paying duty on the items. Try to not forget basic items like sunglasses, a hat, swimsuit, and flipflops. Those type items cost more at a tourist destination no matter where you are. You can get anything you really need in Europe. I just try to make sure I have the basics covered, like camera batteries etc. When I go to Europe, I try to pack light and stick to basics. Like shampoo, deodorant, personal care products etc. I like to leave room to buy fun things over there that I can not get at home. Of course, I take ridiculous amounts of pictures...so I always make sure I have extra camera batteries, memory cards etc. I have found the electronics in Europe are more expensive. Have a great time |
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