10 Things to know for your first Eurotrip.

My very first Eurotrip was to Germany and France and after returning back i realised there were several things that I wished someone had told me before I left. So I decided to pen down few important things I wish I'd known before my travel began. So here goes the list.

#1 Don't exchange too much currency at the airport or elsewhere in India. Instead carry a forex card and withdraw cash at any ATMs you might find after arriving at that country. You may need to keep some cash handy as cabs do not accept credit cards.

#2 Cabs are quite expensive. Use the public transport best. It is the fastest and the cheapest mode of transport especially in Germany.

#3Chocolates bought from any supermarkets are way cheaper even if you buy the ones which are available in India. Same goes for alcohol. If you do not know the brand just pick one. Chances are it will be good quality. (You're allowed to carry only 1 bottle back to India, rest might have to be declared at customs.)

#4 Perfumes, cosmetics are cheaper than what you get in India. Feel free to splurge without guilt.

#5 People are very helpful. Don't be alarmed if someone offers help for eg. helping you lift your luggage. Infact I felt if i declined help they frowned. So take it if required.

#6 Do not bring any cash with you back to India. The exchange rate is very low and you will basically be at a loss. And by the way coins are not exchanged so definitely empty your pockets of all the coins.

#7 If you're traveling by train from one country to another book the train tickets online from the website of country you will travel from. If your trip is from say Germany to France then book tickets from the German website and vice versa. Reason being prices are higher if booked from another country website. Beware of fake websites out there which gaurantee train tickets. Always book from official website like Deutsche Bahn for Germany and SNCF for France.

#8 If you're a vegetarian like I am please carry ready to eat food packets and dry fruits with you. There are very limited options for vegetarians as animal fat is utilised to cook food.

#9 Carry an adaptor as European power plugs are different. Incase you forget you might not be able to charge your devices. These are easily available at local electrical shops or online.

#10 Calling cards and local sim cards are all too expensive and pretty much waste of money. I took the international roaming pack which had a data plan included which enabled anyone to call me from India at local rates. There is wifi available almost everywhere including trains.

*Image source Google