EUROPEAN
& SOUTH PACIFIC TOURS
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| 1.
Do I need a passport? A visa? |
| Travel to Europe |
| If
you are an American or Canadian citizen, you need only a Passport.
The easiest way to get a passport is through your local post
office, County Court House, or Passport Agency. When applying,
be sure to take with you: your genuine birth certificate, which
includes the registrar's signature and a raised seal; two recent
photographs that are 2" x 2", full face view, black/white
or color; and ID, like your Driver's License. |
| You
may need a Visa for our European tours if you are not an American
or Canadian citizen. If you are a citizen of another country,
you must contact the appropriate consulates for each nation
on the itinerary; and you must obtain these visas on your own. |
| Travel to the South Pacific |
| At
the present time, CITIZENS of the USA & CANADA require multiple-entry
visas for travel to AUSTRALIA, which you must obtain ON YOUR
OWN. Participants under 18 years of age, not accompanied by
BOTH parents, require a NOTARIZED letter of consent from the
parent(s) not traveling. DO NOT SEND YOUR PASSPORT OR AUSTRALIAN
VISA APPLICATION TO AESU! If you are NOT a U.S. or Canadian
citizen, you may need additional visas which you must OBTAIN
ON YOUR OWN. |
| ENTRY
VISAS: Depending on your nationality, you may require
visas to enter certain countries included in your tour. Travelers
are responsible for obtaining all necessary visas prior to the
departure of their tour. Requirements listed at the time of
publication are subject to government policy changes. |
 SHOTS:
No inoculations are required at present for travel to Europe,
Australia or New Zealand. However, it is always a good idea
to check with your family doctor prior to traveling. |
| 2.
How much luggage can I take? |
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| Due
to limited space on the tour motorcoach, please bring ONE suitcase
only and ONE carry-on. Please limit your suitcase size to no
larger than 29" x 20" x 10" and your carry-on
to no larger than 8" x 16" x 21". |
| Keep
in mind that throughout the duration of the tour, you are responsible
for your own luggage, so do not pack more than you can carry.
Laundry facilities are available in major cities. |
| 3.
What should I pack? |
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| The
easiest way to make your tour stressful is to overpack! Download our suggested packing list here. |
| 4.
What about packing documents? |
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| Never
pack your passport!Always keep it on your person! The same goes
for travelers' checks, cash, credit cards and personal checks.
Pack 2 extra passport photos if possible (in the event that
you misplace your passport); photo copies of your passport's
personal data pages and your airline tickets, unless you have
an electronic ticket; a listing of your credit card and travelers'
check numbers; and copies of any personal IDs. This info will
be extremely valuable should you lose any actual documents.
Always keep actual documents on you person, and never in your
checked suitcase. |
| 5.
What will the weather be like? |
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| Travel
to Europe: |
| Just
like the United States, Europe has unpredictable hot summers,
cool summers, rainy summers, and dry summers! The weather, in
general, is much like it is in most part of the US: sixties
to seventies in May; seventies to nineties from June to August.
It is generally cooler in England and warmer in Italy and Greece.
The nations to which you travel in-between have moderate summer
temps. You can always check on www.weather.com before you depart to see what the latest weather trends have
been. |
| Travel
to the South Pacific: |
| The
seasons are “upside down” – reversed, but
not as extreme as North America. If traveling JUNE-AUGUST: this
is their mild winter with temperatures in the 60’s. Pack
some light woolens and a coat or sturdy jacket. In Southern
New Zealand’s mountain region, where temps can be low
40’s, bring warm sweaters and socks. Northern Australia
is tropical with temps in the 70’s – 80’s.
If traveling SEPT-DEC: this is their spring and summer. Pack
lightweight fabrics. Some shorts and casual wear are fine. |
| 6.
Can I buy my airfare from AESU? What if I buy it elsewhere? |
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| AESU
offers great low rates on British Airways, United, Lufthansa,
and US Airways. If you purchase AESU airfare, you will receive
airport transfers. |
| If
you purchase airfare elsewhere, transferring to the first hotel,
as well as to the airport in Athens, is your responsibility. |
| 7.
I know some meals are included…but what if I'm a vegetarian? |
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| The
European tours include continental breakfast daily, lunches
& dinner as per itinerary. If you are a vegetarian, or have
special dietary needs, please inform your tour escort as soon
as you arrive. All meals are pre-paid, so a substitute meal
is always up to the goodwill of the establishment. We cannot
guarantee that all special requests will be granted, but, in
the past, most restaurants have been cooperative. Please keep
in mind that vegetarianism has not "caught on" in
Europe as it in the US, so substitute meals may not be as varied
as a vegetarian meals are here. |
| 8.
How much spending money will I need? |
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| We
recommend $50-$80 per day, depending on your spending habits.
That money covers items of a personal nature, stamps, laundry,
beverages with meals (except for coffee/tea at breakfast, water
at dinner, and occasionally a glass of wine), meals not included
on tour, and expenses for free-time activities (metro tickets,
taxis, entrance fees). This amount does not include money for
souvenir/gift shopping. |
| We
strongly recommend bringing a credit card (Visa, American Express,
and Mastercard are the most widely accepted) as well as an ATM
card. Check with your bank prior to departure to ensure your
ATM card is usable in Europe. ATM cards have largely replaced
the usage of travelers' checks and ATM machines are available
everywhere in Europe. |
| 9.
How do I exchange money? |
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| Your
tour escort will aid you in locating currency exchange stations,
and can also advise you of how much money to change. Keep in
mind that you can exchange only bills, not coins. Most European
countries use Euros, some exceptions are countries like Great
Britain and Switzerland. |
| Australia
and New Zealand use Australian & New Zealand Dollars. Again,
ATMs are the best way to exchange your money. |
| 10.
What is the acceptable amount to tip? Whom am I expected to
tip? |
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| Standard
service charges of 15-20% are paid for by AESU; in restaurants
on your own, tip approximately 10% UNLESS the service is included.
Check your bill carefully for this charge. |
| It
is customary to recognize the tour escort and bus driver by
complimenting them with $3-5 gratuity per day. Your tour escort
and bus driver work very hard to make your tour the most memorable
and best time of your life! |
| 11. Should I purchase travel insurance? |
| We highly recommend travel insurance. Your alumni association may offer travel insurance to you at a reduced rate. If not, AESU will offer our group travel insurance to you. Ask our reservations agent for details or click on this link: http://www.tripmate.com/wp390A/ |
| 12. I don't have a room mate, what do I do? |
| Our hotels are superior tourist or first class hotels, ALL with private bath/shower. The land package price is based on double occupancy. Our hotels have been especially selected for their European atmosphere, friendly hospitality, cleanliness and location. Usual accommodations are two sharing a room, however, if you're traveling alone, we will arrange for you to share a double at NO EXTRA COST. If you prefer to stay in a single room, our reservations agent can make arrangements for a single at the applicable single supplement. |
| 13. Does AESU support ECO travel? |
| Every traveler shares a common responsibility to preserve our planet's environment and respect its people. AESU enthusiastically endorses ASTA's 10 Commandments, which effecively reaffirm that responsibility. Let's live by these Commandments, to ensure our world's beauty is preserved for our generation and for generations to come. Thank you for the opportunity to travel together and to discover our remarkable world in a responsible manner. Over a decade ago AESU founded "TRAVEL FOR GOOD" -- many years before large travel companies became active in environmental travel. |
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