How to Plan Your Trip to Eastern Europe

If you’re ready for a bit more culture and more than a bit more adventure, it might be time to leave the tidy western Europe behind and head into the more vast and untamed Eastern Europe. Much of Eastern Europe has strong Asian and nomadic ties making the history and culture of these countries extremely different than any other region in the world. When you’re ready to see what the other side of Europe has to offer, here’s how to plan your trip to Eastern Europe.

Start with the Paperwork

You can’t actually apply for visas to various countries before you have your travel dates and plans, but you should start by understanding what is required by each Eastern European country as far as tourists are concerned. It is far more likely that you’ll need a visa for a country in Eastern Europe than you would for one in Western Europe and almost all visas must be applied for separately. This means a few days in Russia requires a Russian visa and a week in Turkey requires a separate Turkey visa. The processing time for each country may take up to a month, so leave yourself time to be processed when planning your travel.

Book Travel

Once you understand what travel in each country entails, you can begin making arrangements. Flights to major cities will be less expensive, and you might be able to find a better flight arrangement by flying to a Western Country and then flying into the East. Or a train might let you take in more of the countryside than a flight. Book reputable hotels or get suggestions from a trusted source. You may find that your dollar stretches a long way in some countries, so go first class if you can afford it – it’s a treat anywhere in the world.

Plan for Adventure

There is much to do in Eastern Europe and the weather ranges from the dry and dusty steppe to the wet and freezing north. Bring clothing appropriate for your area and women especially should research the religions and customs of counties to ensure they are properly attired. Most countries recognize and also wear the same styles as the US, but as you get closer to Asia, it might be more appropriate to try and follow the same customs of the locals out of respect.

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How to Plan Your Trip to the United Kingdom

When you’re itching to experience pubs, moors and a few British accents, it’s time to plan your trip to the United Kingdom. Planning a trip to the UK is surprisingly simple, but you should take time to adequately prepare for travel as mistakes and oversights can range from mildly annoying to devastating. Here’s how to plan your trip to the UK.

Seek the Sun

While some UK residents would argue otherwise, the country tends to be a bit gloomy weather-wise throughout the winter and early spring. Plan your trip in the summer or fall. In the summer, the weather will be milder and you have a much better chance of feeling the sun on your face rather than perpetual drizzle. The fall is especially beautiful in many parts of the UK as the seasonal colors and crisp weather make hiking and exploring the countryside especially exhilarating.

Obtain the Right Documents

If you already have a US passport, it’s unlikely you’ll need anything else in the way of paperwork (outside of your plane ticket and hotel reservations of course.) But for the sake of your safety and sanity, you should check to be sure that you aren’t required to have a UK visa to visit the country. The UK consulate website or your local office should be able to answer any questions you have about travel documents. If you are required to have a visa, a Schengen visa will give you greater flexibility if you’re planning on leaving the UK on any side trips.

Arrange Travel

When you’re sure you have what you need document-wise, go ahead and arrange travel. If you were required to have a visa, you’ll need to apply for the visa once your arrangements have been made, so make all plans with enough wiggle room to allow time for processing.

Pack Wisely

Vehicles and rooms are often a bit smaller than what US residents are accustomed to. It would be prudent to pack as little as possible to save space and keep your overall travel light. If you’re brining appliances, be sure you bring adaptors. Also bring your comfortable shoes as you are likely to spend a great deal of time walking, hiking and exploring. The UK has activities that range from rural and outdoorsy to extremely formal and artistic. Bring a bit of everything to be sure you have your bases covered.

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