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Some Answers for First-Time International Travelers: Part 2

A few days ago we let you in on the little secret that we're currently traveling with someone who has never really traveled before. As in, she'd never left three US states and now she's in Turkey. We thought teaching her how to pack a carryon only for a week abroad would be the extent of our tutorship, but it's been so much more.

As we're down to our last 48 hours away, we're dealing with an amateur traveler's whining about having to leave and go home. This is inevitable, but frequent travelers are aces at dealing with it; there's a positive attitude of "well, I'll be back someday for sure," whether or not you know if that's true. In any case, the rest of the world is waiting.

While our friend comes to grips with returning to the USA, we're jotting down more answers given in response to her innocent questions. Check 'em out:

· We're not going to dinner at 6pm. No way. I don't care about jet lag. There's a such thing as an aperitif hour and then real dining doesn't happen until 9pm at the earliest in many countries.

· Simplify your questions. If you know someone doesn't have the best grasp of English and you're asking a question in English, don't use segues or long explanations. Just ask the question. Example: "And while I'm thinking of it, I had meant to ask you for your recommendation on the best dessert." (WRONG) "What is the best dessert?" (RIGHT).

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Some Answers for First-Time International Travelers: Part 1

Confession: I'm far, far away in Turkey right now. It's a country that's new to me and new to one of my good friends. There's more. This friend arrived to America as a young child and, ever since, hasn't ventured outside the confines of three US states. Now she's in Turkey with her first passport stamp. Watching her learn and interact I can practically see little lightbulbs go on above her head as realizations about the world—the one outside her world—strike.

She's not stupid. Far from it. She's just completely new to travel, having been kept grounded by passport obtainment issues and then higher and higher education.

Sometimes I really must step back and assess the tidbits of knowledge and international etiquette I myself have absorbed simply by stepping into a variety of airplanes, airports, continents. What now comes naturally to me is still quite daunting to the amateur traveler. I'm answering her questions and I'm learning as well. So I'm keeping a list of these answers. Here's some:

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Tips and Tricks for Fellow Newbie European Travelers

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

For my final installment of this Newbie Traveler series I wanted to pass along some tips that other newbie (or even seasoned) travelers may find useful. If you followed along on my journey this week, you'll see that I went to London, Paris, Rome, and Zurich and even though I know I have much more to see and learn, I feel that I'm pretty well versed in the intricacies of European travel.

1. If you plan to do a lot of traveling by train, and your pocketbook allows for it, I would always suggest trying to upgrade to first class. I know, this tip probably sounds as obvious as "when flying, try to sit in first class," but to be honest we never found it prohibitively expensive. It's something you can take care of right there at the train station even if you already have economy tickets. Just go to the train and look for someone in a uniform. Most of them carry mobile devices and can upgrade you on the spot!

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The Newbie Traveler Treads the Cobblestones of Rome

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

I know Rome is a big deal, but having the opportunity to see it up close and personal gave me new perspectives on life, time, and how many things in this world are temporal. The Roman ruins have such a presence that they emit a feeling of history, and even if you didn't know much about Rome, you'd know that something very significant happened there.

After getting settled at the hotel, we decided to go downstairs to find something to eat. Instead of just winging it on our own, we figured it'd be a good idea to ask the concierge for a suggestion. I sauntered up to the desk and asked, "Is there some good Italian food around here?" As the words were leaving my mouth my own internal dialogue was "ARE YOU REALLY ASKING HIM THIS RIGHT NOW?!" Thankfully, he just laughed and said, "Of course!"

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The Newbie Traveler Leaves His Smoking Jacket Home for the Night Train to Rome

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

This was the moment I had been looking forward to for months. A night train from Paris to Rome. It just felt too good to be true. I expected to chugga-chug through the French countryside, gazing upon family-owned wineries untouched by modern innovations for hundreds of years, sheep on rolling hills and romantic stone archways. In my fantasies, I'd do this while sipping Perrier and conversing with my fellow passengers in the dining car—while wearing a velour smoking jacket, of course.

Later, after an Old Fashioned or four, I'd wrap up my conversations about the current European economic climate and retire to my room for an evening turndown service graciously provided by our train car's attendant. An assortment of Italian chocolates to leave my palate with a taste as sweet as the evening had been? Yes, please!

Unfortunately, the night train to Rome was nothing like that. Nothing at all.

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An American in Paris...Does His Laundry

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

Romance is not lost on me. I like fine wines, nice dinners, and I'm not above admitting that Love Actually is one of my favorite films. However, just because you're in Paris doesn't mean it can be all moonlit meals and strolls by the Seine 24/7. I don't care what country you're in—dirty socks are dirty socks. Even Napoleon had to wash his pantaloons now and again.

Without the creature comfort of the washer and dryer back in my San Francisco apartment, I was forced to seek laundry asylum elsewhere. Luckily, there was such an establishment not far from my hotel. I packed up my unmentionables and headed out in search of cleaner pastures.

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The Newbie Traveler Says Bonjour to a Very First Visit to Paris

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled to Europe? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip to the continent and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Read his previous adventures and follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural Euro journey.

It's already been one year since my first international trip—to London. It seems like only yesterday I was basking in the glow of the on-demand entertainment system of the Boeing 777 that whisked me up and over the United States through the cold, maple syrup-flavored airspace of our northern comrades only to touch down several "Frasier"-filled hours later in the United Kingdom. However, this time around, instead of just being a newbie in London, I was a newbie in three other amazing cities: Paris, Rome, and Zurich.

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The Newbie Traveler Suffers Culture Shock

What would your life be like if you hadn't yet traveled internationally? If you'd spent years reading travel novels and fantasizing over guidebooks, but hadn't made the big leap? This is the case for Andy Miles, who in his late twenties is embarking on his first trip abroad and walking us through the emotions and observations of a true Newbie Traveler. Follow along all week as Andy takes us along on his inaugural foreign journey. Today, the Newbie Traveler meets the locals and suffers a little culture shock.

"London, thou art the flower of Cities all." - William Dunbar

Here's what I already knew: The British Empire set up Thirteen Colonies along the Eastern Coast of North America. They thought, "Hey, this is really great." The Thirteen Colonies, however, were like, "Wait a minute, you guys. Can you really tax us while still providing us with true representation even all the way across the Atlantic?" The British Empire came back with, "Well, yeah." Then the colonies responded by attempting to make the world's largest cup of tea in Boston Harbor and everyone became great friends and lived happily ever after. The End. Right?

Somewhere in a classroom in Texas, my eighth-grade history teacher is crying. Clearly, I was ready to hop the pond and immerse myself in English culture, heritage, and varieties of deep fried fish.

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