Welcome to South Africa

"Welcome to South Africa" the sign says when you get off the flight in Johannesburg. And gee it's great to be here!

About halfway through the flight from Sydney it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't have any clue if we needed visas to enter South Africa. Funny how after nearly 10 years working in student exchanges you can end up on a plane going somewhere and suddenly have that sinking feeling that you haven't covered all the bases!

Fortunately, Marine was the prepared one and had checked that in advance (despite those few moments of mild panic where one is suddenly not sure if they actually did do it or not!) and when we got off the plane in Jo'burg we were pleasantly surprised by just how painless immigration was: no landing card to fill out, no photo taken, no worries at all!

We overnighted at the Southern Sun OR Tambo airport hotel and it got full marks from both of us - 2 minutes from the terminals in a shuttle bus, great rooms, free wine and cheese in the evenings (woo hoooo!), and really great buffet meals in the restaurant. And at way less than half the cost of the Intercontinental hotel (the only other hotel at the airport itself), there is no reason to stay anywhere else if you're transiting here.

We're now back at the airport waiting for our flight to Nairobi as we go on with our 4 day odyssey to reach Mt Kilimanjaro's lower slopes.
Sydney-Jo'burg
Overnight stay
Jo'burg-Nairobi
Overnight stay
6 hour bus to Arusha, Tanzania
2 hour car to Marangu
Overnight
Then finally driving out to start the climb.

There were seating dramas with our flight today: despite having made a seating request with our travel agent, and having Gold Star Alliance frequent flyer status, we were seated apart, in crap seats, for a 5 hour trip.

Not happy Jan.

South African Airways were very nice (after telling a little white lie about it being our honeymoon :) and managed to move our seats so we were together.

I always say that there are 3 places where people don't act in their normal way: in supermarket queues, in heavy traffic, and at airports. Law of the jungle applies - do whatever you must to survive!

Seriously though, we're stoked to be here - our first real time off in 6 very busy months and a seriously cool holiday.

Great streets in Paris

Ah Paris! What a city!

Everyone knows the main tourist spots: the Champs Elysees, Louvre Museum, Notre Dame and Fountain St Michel, Eiffel Tower etc.
These places are great if you want to experience a bit of touristy Paris, but if you are looking for that authentic, laid back student experience, maybe they aren't the top spots in the city.

Having been in and out of Paris for many years, here are a few of my favourite streets in Paris for eating, drinking or just chilling.

Rue Mouffetard
A great, must-visit street full of bars and restaurants walking distance from the Garden of Luxembourg (Jardin du Luxembourg). South of Notre Dame, nearest metro is Place Monge.

Rue Oberkampf
Yes! Oberkampf is just an awesome, happening street full of bars. Located very close to Nation (nearest metro is Oberkampf), the street is a great place to go out for an evening.

One night at Oberkampf I was in a bar with a friend having a catch up chat when suddenly this lady behind us at the bar starts yelling at the top of her voice. For a minute or two we just ignored her, thinking she was just a bit mad, until we realised that the whole bar had gone silent and was watching her......
.....turned out it was a one-woman theatre performance that went for 30 minutes. Brilliant! (once we realised she wasn't just nuts :)

Rue des Canette
Near St Germain des Pres (which is a very nice part of Paris) is great little street with some good restaurants. For a great beer and pizza try O'Neils (not very French name, but great food). Nearest metros: St Germain des Pres or Mabillion.

St Germain in general is just a lovely place to spend some time. Lots of little (and big) streets with great boutique shops, restaurants, bistros and bars. Be careful though! It can be pricey. My first time in Paris I sat down at a bar in St Germain with the romantic image of watching the world go by from the footpath....until I realised that beers were $10 each.
My wife and I got stung again just last year in a bistro paying $20 for some sparkling water, a coffee and a soft drink.

Rue des Rennes
Lots of great shops (clothes, shoes, etc) down along this strip that connects Montparnasse with St Germain. Adjoining streets also have quite a lot of funky shops to visit.

If you need department stores then try Les Halles (metro Chatelet-Les Halles). This is a HUGE underground shopping complex where you'll find just about everything you need. Plenty of shops in adjacent streets too.

Other areas
Around the areas of Nation and Republique (metro stations) you'll also find heaps of bars and restaurants. These are big circular 'places'.
Avoid eating on or near the Champes Elysees - it's crap.

Have fun!

Get stories and photos of your trip published in a book... And try for the AIM Overseas best blog award to win a $500 cash prize!

AIM Overseas will publish a book with all the best stories and photos from its June-August 09 students’ travel blogs.

To have a chance to be published and receive a free copy of the book and/or win the $500 award, it’s easy:

1. If you’re going on an AIM Overseas program this July write a blog with stories, photos or videos of your trip, the place(s) you’re visiting, the program, people you’re meeting, etc. (If you haven’t got a blog already, it's easy to create one: just click on "create a blog" in the top right hand corner of this page and follow the instructions)
   
2. Put a link to AIM Overseas’ website on your blog.
3. Fill out our online form to give us access to your blog link, photos and stories.
4. Your photos must be in high resolution so we can print them. Just check your camera is on the right setting.
   

We will put a link to your blog on both our website and this blog.

Tipping in America

An intro to tipping in the USA

Like many before me, by the time I finished uni I was absolutely hanging to get on a plane and get the heck out of Australia. Not that we don’t love our great suntanned country, but travelling just gets in your blood and makes you want to go…

I decided partway through my last year that I was going to bail over to the USA to do a working holiday. I planned that I would go and work in a bar in the little town of Knoxville, Tennessee, where I had a couple of good drinking buddies that I’d met when they were studying in Oz.

After arriving in Los Angeles on a group flight with about a hundred other Aussies, we were promptly loaded onto buses and taken to a hostel located in Inglewood, one of LA’s main ‘ghetto’ areas. I could tell you lots of stories about that particular stay, but the one that’s most relevant was that it was where I got my first introduction to tipping in the USA.

So here goes….

Americans love to tip. It’s part of the culture and any cultural ‘orientation’ to the country will certainly cover the topic. You can just imagine 100 of us Aussies all crammed into one little hostel in an LA ghetto, too afraid to go outside on the streets, deciding we’d just drink at the hostel bar.

And you can also imagine the sheer pleasure of a bartender, absolutely stoked to be over-tipped by 100 Aussies all wanting to look like they knew what they were doing.
We didn’t and they were, if you get my meaning.

For the uninitiated, tipping in the USA can be a complex, counter-intuitive process, carefully linked to percentages of the bill, quality of the service, type of the establishment and your future intentions.

I worked in a restaurant/bar for 5 months and came to understand the system well, so let me try to explain.

General Rules

Minimum wage in the US in some service industries (waiting, bartending etc) is absolutely crap and these people rely on your tips to make a living.

Here are some of the services you should expect to tip for and an indicative amount:

• Restaurants – 15% tip required
• Bars – Tip of a dollar or two per drink, depending on the cost: More expensive = Higher Tip
• Taxis – Round upwards up to 10% of the fare.
• Hairdressers – Up to 10%
• Anyone carrying your luggage/bags/groceries - $1-2

Remember – the more expensive the establishment, the more you are likely expected to tip (in % terms).

Restaurants

When you go to a restaurant, ‘service’ is not included in the cost of your bill i.e. the waiters basically aren’t being paid by the restaurant but directly by you. You should always tip 15% of the bill to the waiter unless they were genuinely rude, terrible or truly diabolical….and I do mean truly diabolical. Tipping less than 10% will probably see you chased out of the restaurant, so if you do leave less than 10% be sure to make a quick, discrete exit!

If you get great service then consider tipping more – 20% is a good tip, 25% is very generous and 30% is awesome. Tip service accordingly. Yes, it’s painful to begin with but you do get used to it – just bear in mind when you’re ordering that everything on the menu is at least 15% more than what you see.

The easy way to work out 15%? Round the bill to the nearest dollar, divide by 10, then halve that amount and multiply by 3 and round up or down according to taste. Sound stupid?

1. $26.80 - Round up to $27
2. Divide by 10 = $2.70
3. Divide by 2 = $1.35
4. Multiply by 3 = $4.05 or rounded to a nice $4 tip

Bars

When I was in New York I met a couple of Aussies who had been out boozing all afternoon and well into the evening. I remember asking them how much they tipped after each drink and they told me,
‘Nah we didn’t do that – we just left a couple of bucks on the bar at the end of the night!’

Tipping in bars can be the most difficult of all, so here’s my advice.

Tip as you go
Unless you are running a tab, you need to tip after each drink. Drinks less than $10 you generally round up to the dollar, or extra dollar.

If it’s busy and you don’t tip, or don’t tip well, you might find it difficult to get your next drink.

Be generous upfront
If you are likely to go to one place many times (i.e. it’s your local bar), be generous! Bartenders will always reward the best tippers with the best service. On a crazy busy Friday night at your local joint this cannot be underestimated!

My favourite tactic when I knew I was going to be drinking in the same bar all evening was to hit the bartender with an awesome tip when I bought my first drink.

I would give them a $10 tip on a $10 round – at which point any bartender would raise their eyebrows when I refused their change. I then would say ‘Keep it, but just keep an eye out for me tonight’. Guaranteed that bartender would spot me even if it was 5 deep at the bar.

You still need to tip on each subsequent drink, but just leaving the standard dollar or two is fine.

It might sound like heaps of cash, but over the course of a long evening, you’ll save plenty of time and hassles at the bar – guaranteed. And if you’re ever back, you’re guaranteed first class service from that bartender.

If you want to play it even smarter, pool with your mates for a great tip at the start of the night with one of the roaming waiters/waitresses that work the floors of busy nightclubs. Tables at bars mean big money for them – tip big at the start of the night and you’ll always be well looked after.

Taxis

I always found tipping taxi drivers the most irritating, since they already do okay from driving and you don’t always get great service. Taxis are one place where if they weren’t a good driver they got a crap tip – let’s be honest, unless it is a very small town you’re in it’s unlikely you’ll ever get that driver again.

Less that $5 – round it up to the nearest $ or 50c.
$5-10 - $1 tip
$10-20 - $2 tip
$20-30 - $2-3 depending on how friendly they were
$30+ leave up to 10%. More if they were really great or if you’ve asked for special assistance (i.e. they had to wait for you, helped you with bags etc).

Final words

Tipping takes a bit of practice and a little bit of maths to get right. Consider it like a tax that’s not written on the menu or meter but that has to be paid – nobody likes a tax cheat and a good tip is the best reward for good service.

Health and Safety in Mexico City*

When it comes to safety and security, Mexico City has traditionally gotten a pretty bad wrap but, having just spent more than a week in the capital city, this seems more than a little unfair.

Before the time I first went to Mexico City in 2008 I had heard horror stories of tourists being mugged, falling victim to dodgey taxi drivers and other scams. On that trip, as on this trip, it became very clear that whilst that may have been the case in Mexico City 10 years ago it is certainly not the case now.

Over the past week we have wandered extensively around Mexico City, from the tourist areas to the backstreets, from early in the morning to late at night. We've taken taxis, buses and the metro, and done a lot of walking and at no point at all did we feel unsafe.

In fact, we felt very safe.

The Mexican Government has done a great job in cleaning up a lot of the problems that existed in the past, especially in the main tourist areas. You will always see plenty of police around, including at night, as well as private security contractors. In addition, there are always so many people around that normally one's greatest worry is a talented pickpocket.

The Mexican people's no. 1 election issue: Seguridad (Security) - so there has been a lot of political will to make people feel safe!

Like any big city anywhere in the world, there are areas of the city that you shouldn't go. That's fine, because they are areas you've got no reason to go to or that would be unusual just to wander into. And like any big city there are certain things you should do to increase your safety and security - and these rules apply anywhere in the world, not just in Mexico City.

A few tips to increase your safety and security when you're travelling:

1. Travel in packs - particularly at night.
2. If you're heading for a night out, look out for one another, don't get plastered and think ahead to work out how you're going to get home.
3. Phone for taxis, pick them up at official cab ranks or ask hotels/restaurants to call them for you. Don't hail taxis off the street.
4. Don't take the green VW 'beetle' taxis in Mexico City.
5. Don't carry large sums of money and carry a 'throw' wallet - one with a little money and some useless ID (like that expired library card you've been meaning to get rid of anywhay) that you can just hand over in the unlikely event you do get into trouble.
6. As much as possible, leave your real valuables - passport, that expensive-looking watch, or bling-bling ring - at your accommodation....as long as your accommodation is secure of course (i.e. not a backpacker hostel)
7. Don't take the metro late at night, especially not alone.
8. Be aware of your personal space, particularly in crowds or on a busy metro or bus - pickpockets operate all over the world. Your wallet sticking out of your back pocket in a busy place is an invitation - carry it in your front pocket and try to be aware if anyone is in your 'space'.
9. Don't carry valuables overtly (like laptops, expensive jewellery or cameras) - put them in a backpack.

As I say, these are just general rules that you can follow anywhere in the world.

We've got a couple of friends who have been living in Mexico for the past few years and when I asked them about health and safety they told me the following:

"You're probably more safe in Mexico city as a foreigner than as a Mexican. If Mexicans saw something happening to a tourist they would most likely react very strongly against the perpetrator because tourism is such an important industry for the country. A local wouldn't necessarily receive the same support"

It was also easy getting around just in English, or with just a few words of Spanish (like hello, goodbye, thank you and counting from 1-10).

The long and short of this is don't let outdated stereotypes put you off Mexico - this is a wonderful country to visit and Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City) is a great place to visit and study.

Health Care in Mexico

There is a range of health care facilities in Mexico City - including doctors, public and private hospitals.

The Australian Embassy has a list of English-speaking doctors in the city who are available for consultations. These doctors also cover a range of specialities if one needs more than a General Practitioner.

The private hospitals in Mexico City are some of the finest in Latin America or North America. As travel insurance is mandatory for students taking AIM Overseas programs, students should never have a problem in having access to world-class care whilst living and studying in this city.

Most medications are available over-the-counter at local pharmacies, without a prescription, although there are a range of 'restricted' medications that require a script from a doctor.Not-prescription medications, such as painkillers, cold and flu tablets etc etc are readily available and much less expensive in Mexico than elsewhere in the world.

If you have a regular medication that you take, it is always best to bring a supply of it with you that will last long enough for the duration of your stay (along with a note from your doctor explaining what the medication is for if you need to explain to local authorities). Having the packaging of your medication with you will allow local medics/pharmacists to issue you with an alternative medicine if your exact medicine is not available.

Health and Safety at La Salle University

AIM Overseas runs a number of programs at La Salle University in Mexico City - here are a few comments on Health and Safety at this fine institution.

La Salle University's main campus is located in the fantastic 'La Condesa' area of Mexico City. This is one of the best areas of the city - crammed full of restaurants and bars, tree-lined streets and activity.

Students on programs in Mexico City at La Salle will stay in homestay accommodation in La Condesa, within about 10 minutes walk of the university. The reality is that since the area is so funky, students will most likely end up eating and going out close to home - eliminating a lot of the headaches related to getting home at night.

La Salle has worked with their host families for many years - and during this time they have identified and retained the best possible families so the chances of you having a negative experience with your homestay family are very slim.

The University itself is incredibly secure. Other than being located in a very safe area, students need to have their student card in order to pass through security and enter the campus - there are always security personal on the campus, as well in the surrounding streets (including motorcycle patrols), ensuring that the area is totally secure.

The campus is wonderful - inside students will not only find all the facilities they need to study (such as library and computers) but also many of the facilities that make life more comfortable: they have a first rate gym, swimming pool and places to eat - all accessible to students on AIM Overseas programs. Most importantly, they also have a bank and ATM machine inside the campus itself, probably the most secure place in Mexico City for students to conduct their banking transactions.

La Salle University is amazing and people will feel right at home there. They also have an English-speaking doctor on call 24 hours a day - so you will never have to worry about not having access to the best possible attention or about having to explain your problem in a foreign language.

All students also get given the 24 hour contact details for staff at La Salle if there is ever a health or safety issue day or night.

So do it! Go there! Mexico City is an amazing place, full of history, culture, stunning architecture and great places to see - be prepared, but don't be put off by outdated rhetoric.

For opportunities to study overseas in Mexico, visit www.aimoverseas.com.au

_____________________________________________

*Note: this blog entry does not constitute official health and safety or travel advice. For this you should always seek official government advice - see www.smarttraveller.gov.au

That horror travel story!

Everyone's got one.

That story about the time where everything went wrong....well we've just had a cracker!

Like every good travel horror story, it starts well - an awesome flight from Sydney to LA and even a friendly welcome from immigration. It was then that things started to go downhill.

I need to backtrack a little here.

About a week ago we got a message from American Airlines to say that our flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City had been rescheduled from 11:25pm to 6pm. Now considering our flight from Australia only arrived at LAX at 5pm, we had to reschedule it.

After some time of the phone with Expedia who were friendly, we found out our only option without having to overnight in LA was to take a 7:20pm flight to San Francisco and connect for a flight down to Mexico City. Not happy about the extra flight, but without any alternative, we had to go for it.

So anyway, we're at the airport in LA and check one of the flight noticeboards only to discover that our original flight to Mexico City (11:25pm on American Airlines) was still scheduled to go. Of course our bags were already checked to go to San Fran then Mexico, so American Airlines, the bastards, had in place of a relaxing, leisurely wait at LAX, given us an extra 2 hours of flying.

Ho hum. There are worse things. We were still feeling patient.

So we boarded the flight to San Fran.

I was sleeping most of it, until the point where I was woken up by a Captain's announcement that we were being diverted to San Jose instead of San Fran. I'll make the rest of the long story short.

1. 3 hour delay at San Jose, refuelling and waiting for a slot to go to San Fran
2. 11 minute flight to San Fran
3. Sprinting through San Fran airport with all carry-on luggage
4. Missed San Francisco - Mexico City flight by 1 hour
5. Mexicana are AWESOME and, even though their Guadalajara flight is closed and already scheduled to have departed, somehow they get us on the plane.
6. Flight to Guadalajara. Everyone gets handed a face mask on arrival at the airport.
7. Connection to Mexico City - Mexicana awesome again as my boarding card was lost but they just let me walk on.
8. Arrive Mexico City. No bags. Smelly. 36 hours of travel already passed.

I guess we get used to this sort of thing when travelling a lot. The bags will probably be here in a day or two (we hope) so for now we've got to go out and buy some new clothes and toiletries ahead of our first meeting in the afternoon.

Another perfect reminder about why it's critical to have travel insurance!

Los Angeles

Just bailed off a long haul flight from Sydney to Los Angeles on V Australia.

Before I go on let me just say that Singapore Airlines (currently the world's best airline and definitely my favourite)....look out! V Australia was awesome - a beautiful new plane, great service, unreal entertainment, comfy seats. It was definitely one of the more comfortable long haul flights I've had.

Qantas and United are dead in the water by comparison - ladies and gentlemen, it's time to choose comfort over frequent flyer points!

Anyway, enough about that. I really wanted to write about just how bloody amazing Los Angeles is.

I can't say I'm a fan of the city, but flying in is truly a spectacular experience.

Half an hour before you see the coast of the USA you hit LA's smog, wafting out over the ocean because it's got nowhere else to go.You begin to realise you are flying into one of the world's most congested, sprawling metropolises.

On this trip in we had to first fly inland before circling around and coming into land from the east....and for the final 25 minutes of the flight we were coming in over the endless suburbs of the city. It begins to defy the imagination - there doesn't seem to be a patch of green, just block upon square block of houses, buildings, factories, and more roads than you could possibly imagine....

The freeways zig-zag across the landscape, seeming to go everywhere and nowhere, choked with traffic as far as the eye can see. It's all just so....grey.

I've flown into some big cities before. Shanghai, Mexico City, Sao Paulo....amazing places. Coming into Sao Paulo was the most impressive for me - flying in one beautiful evening, a full moon hanging in the sky painted red by the smog and refracted evening light, and highrise buildings climbing across the landscape and up over the distant hills. Don't remember which airport it was, but it was a short runway, so the pilot brought the plane down hard and jammed on the brakes so hard we all felt we were going to go through the seat in front of us....

But back to LA anyway. They've done a good job with the arrivals area at the airport. I've flown in several times over the past few years and their 3 years worth of renovations seem to be finally doing the job and clearing up part of the chaos.

Immigration were....friendly! Impressive!

Just waiting for our connecting flights now - heading to Mexico via San Francisco....let's just hope that everything goes smoothly from here!

Blasting Off

There's nothing like the rush of being on a plane as you scream down a runway, bounce up into the sky and head for some far flung corner of the globe.

It rocks.

There's this adrenaline where suddenly you think to yourself 'Cool, in 13 hours I'm going to be in .....', ignoring temporarily (of course) the small matter of the 13 hours between take-off and landing.

Eat. Sleep. Movie. Book. Stretch. Yawn. Repeat.

Those of us infected by the travel bug love it...can't get enough of it . That unreal feeling of heading off again...the next adventure already underway.

As stupid as it might sound, I've always thought of long-haul flying as being a bit like time travel:

you get into a funny metal box

blast off into the dark night sky

get bounced around a bit

....and some hours later hit the ground where the light is different, the hours of the day are all screwed up and nothing looks at all like the place you left.

Totally time travel!

In a special way we can all be like Doctor Who....well, minus the funky hair and crazy coats....but you can't have everything, now can you?

AIM Overseas is heading to the NAFSA conference in Los Angeles, USA via a few days of university visits in Mexico. Both amazing countries - and more reports to come.

AIM Overseas students' stories and photos to be published!

If you're participating on AIM Overseas programs this year, you could see stories of your overseas experience and photos published!

To have a chance to have extracts of your stories and photos published and receive a free copy of the book, get blogging during your time overseas. Details about how to participate can be found on AIM Overseas website.

On top of that, the author of the best blog will win $500!

Carrying your money overseas

A few years ago I went to Myanmar (Burma) with my wife. As a country hidden behind the secrecy of a military junta, we didn't really know what to expect and so had prepared ourselves carefully.

When it came to our money, we had followed all the rules about carrying money: we had our ATM cards, a supply of travellers cheques and about US$100 in cash. The sensible approach so that even if you lose one of your sources of money you've always got a backup.

The catch, we were to discover after arriving at 9pm in Yangon, was that the military junta were protesting against the international embargo by prohibiting all use of international credit cards and travellers cheques in Myanmar.

...major bummer...

We then found ourselves in the interesting situation of having just US$100 for a 3 week trip, US$500 of travellers cheques and worthless plastic credit cards. Faced with either an expensive flight back to Bangkok just to change some money, or an expedition into the underword of the Burmese blackmarket, we found ourselves in a little shop with our guide negotiating over prices. After some wheeling and dealing, we managed to change US$400 of those travellers cheques on the black market for a commission of 10% - a very low commission we were to find, since everywhere else we asked during the trip around the country wanted 30-40% commission.

The one upside was that it was a very cheap US$400 trip around the country for 2 people for 3 weeks....but that's another story.

So, on to carrying money...

"Carry a mix of currency options"
When travelling anywhere overseas, with perhaps the exception of Myanmar, you should always carry a mix of cash, travellers cheques and credit cards. This is so you always have a backup if you lose one of your sources of money.

Cash - "Never carry more than you can afford to lose"
When it comes to cash you should never carry more than you can afford to lose. In previous jobs, we have heard about students losing 500 euros ($900) when their wallet was stolen whilst they were sleeping on a train. That sucks. Don't let that be you!

The best travel insurance policies might cover loss of cash up to a few hundred dollars, but you'll need a police report and perhaps other evidence to substantiate your claim. Whilst it might be painful incurring bank fees for multiple withdrawals, that's definitely better than losing all your hard-earned coin.

Travellers Cheques - "Insured Money"
Travellers cheques are notes that you buy in Australia and then redeem overseas for foreign currency cash.

For example, if you buy 10 x 50 euros travellers cheques in Australia, you can then redeem those anywhere in Europe (either all at once or one by one) for 50 euros cash each.

The great benefit of travellers cheques is that each one has a unique number and your signature on it, so if they are lost or stolen you can have them cancelled and replaced with new ones. This is like being able to insure your money.

Banks, travel agents, post offices, foreign exchange bureaus (like Thomas Cook) and American Express in Australia are all capable of selling you travellers cheques. Normally you pay a commission or fee when you buy the travellers cheque in Australia - this can seem a bit steep but is worth it for the guarantee of knowing you can have them replaced if they are lost.

Normally you should be able to cash your travellers cheque overseas without having to pay a second commission or fee. You will usually have to show your passport and countersign the cheque in order to cash it - this is the vendor's way of ensuring that it is actually you who is cashing the cheque and not someone who found it or stole it from you.

Tip: Once you've bought your travellers cheque you should make a photocopy of it and record all the serial numbers and keep these in a safe place. In the event your TC is lost, you'll need those numbers in order to have the cheque replaced.

Credit/Debit Cards
Carrying an Australian credit/debit card overseas is an easy way to make purchases in shops around the world or to withdraw cash from foreign ATMs.

Before leaving for overseas, be sure to check with your bank how much they charge for you to use your card overseas. This ranges from $2 with some banks on particular account/card types up to $20 with others so it pays to check in advance!

Withdrawing cash from ATMs abroad using your credit card is useful because you can access your money almost everywhere and you usually receive the best possible currency conversion rate (which you don't get when, for example, changing cash at a money exchange booth at an airport). Once again, though, find out in advance what your card issuer charges for using your card either at an ATM, or in a store, overseas.

We discovered that if we used our card as a credit card in a shop or restaurant, instead of withdrawing cash from an ATM and paying cash, we were saving ourselves a $5 fee each time. Needless to say we use the credit card function and sign for our purchases when overseas!

Finally....
Finally, it's always good to check on Smarttraveller.gov.au before you head overseas. In the travel advisories section you will find information about any known threats/scams etc affecting tourists in particular countries - information that might be useful to you once abroad.

Paris' Charles de Gaulle International Airport

Paris is one of the world's great cities and you are certain to love it.

This is a fortunate fact because Paris' Charles de Gaulle international airport, I am deeply afraid to say, is definitely the western world's worst airport.

A confusing circular mess of escalators, 'satellite' arrival/departure areas, spaces far too small for the number of passengers and cranky staff make it a place that is meant to be escaped as quickly as possible.Which, unfortunately, is difficult given the frighten lack of planning that has made it that mess that it is.

That said - don't stress! It's not like someone is going to steal your bags or that you'll get lost in the terminal and deported back to Australia - you'll be totally fine and Paris is just outside the airport doors. But be prepared to be patient!

Arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle

Don't despair - Paris gets much better once you get out of the airport. I have sometimes believed that customs/immigration at Charles de Gaulle aren't that tough because anyone capable of finding their way out of the airport is intelligent enough to respect the country they're in.

1. When you arrive at CDG from an international flight outside the EU you'll most likely arrive at one of the satellite 'terminals'. After disembarking you'll have to take a long moving walkway to the main terminal, where you'll find youself in a most likely long, cramped queue for a small number of immigration booths. There is no magic solution here but to be patient. Listen carefully because on occasions they do call Australian citizens into the special queues for EU citizens (I guess Aussies aren't considered a risk to the French) but this is pretty rare.Sometimes the international queues at immigration actually move quicker than the queue for EU citizens. Go figure.
2. After immigration you'll take one or more escalators that criss-cross the centre of the the circular terminal. Some architect probably thought these were cutting edge and clever. In fact they are have come to represent just how impractical the airport can be.
3. Find your baggage retrieval belt (good luck) and wait amongst the throng of people for your bags. It will most likely be very crowded here. Grab your bags and pass through customs (which is almost non-existant in France - there is no specific form/paperwork you have to submit to customs and I've never been stopped there. Goodness knows what customs officials actually do all day...)
4. Congratulations - you have passed the first test!

The second challenge: Getting to Paris

The next step is to get from Charles de Gaulle to Paris itself.

Once you pass through Customs and into the main terminal, you are looking for the train to Paris. This might be indicated by:

• 'Paris by train'
• RER
• or 'CGDVal'

Normally you will need to take a lift down to a lower level in order to take the 'CDGVal' (an automatic shuttle train) to 'RER' station - it may also be marked as 'Paris by train'. The RER is one of Paris' trains.

Once you arrive at the station you'll need to buy a ticket to Paris (this costs up to about 10 euros one way) then take the RER line B to Paris. There is no central station in Paris, so the stations in the middle of Paris (close to Notre Dame catherdral) are Chatelet-Les Halles and St Michel. Depending on where you are trying to get to in Paris (make sure you have a map with you) it might be best to get out at Gare du Nord (the 'North train station') and change for a metro.

There are two types of trains to Paris - express trains and all stations, usually running about each 10-15 minutes.

Your ticket from Charles de Gaulle to Paris allows you unlimited changes within the Paris metropolitan metro/RER system until you exit a station, so it is really an excellent way to get anywhere in the city.

Paris Metro Map

Taxis - not the best option

Unless you have an absolute mountain of luggage, it is generally not advisable to take a taxi from CDG to the centre of Paris. A taxi will cost a minimum of about 60 euros to the city (or more, depending on where you're going) and Paris is notorious for having long delays on the 'peripherique' - the ring road around the city.

The exception to this rule is if you are arriving early in the morning or later in the evening on a weekend, otherwise you'll often find yourself waiting longer in a cab than you would have waited on the train (of course the train doesn't drop you off at the door).

Departing from Paris

When departing from Paris by plane there is just one piece of advice to follow: be early!

Delays on the metro and RER systems in Paris occur regularly, traffic on weekdays on the ring road can be very heavy and due to the poor design, Charles de Gaulle airport's terminals get choked with people at the check-in counters.

Check-in counters generally open 3 hours before an international flight (for long haul) and it's best to be there just before they open to avoid delays.

Before leaving to go to the airport, a few things you should check are:

1. Your departure airport - Paris has two: CDG in the north-east and Orly in the south-west. Very few international flights leave from Orly, but you should still check your ticket to be sure.
2. Check your departure terminal: Charles de Gaulle has several terminals that aren't particularly close to one another. Check before getting on the train what terminal you need to disembark at.
3. Be early!!

Outgoing security screening takes place after immigration once you have taken the long moving walkway out to the satellites. Be early through security as well as it doesn't move quickly and there are often delays of 20 minutes or more to get through any time sooner than 1-1.5 hours before departure.

There is very little to do at Charles de Gaulle - there are few shops and restaurants and little or no sort of distractions. It was built as a functional airport which, ironically enough, isn't particularly functional. If you want to buy books and magazines, it's generally best to do this in advance in Paris.

Orly Airport - a few brief words

Paris' Antony-Orly airport is located in the south-west of the city, also on the RER line B.The airport serves mostly domestic flights and flights within Europe. There is a very long bus that connects Orly and Charles de Gaulle if you need to take it (not a free bus), although the train is probably the more convenient way to connect between the two airports if you have to.

To get to Orly, take the RER line B to station 'Antony' and then take the automatic shuttle train 'Orly-VAL' to either the East or West terminal depending on where you are flying out of. The terminals are closer at Orly than at CDG, so if you stuff it up it tends to be less serious. Orly also can get quite busy in peaks times but lacks the general chaos of Charles de Gaulle. If you have the choice of flying into Orly from elsewhere in Europe, and it's less expensive, it can be a less stressful option of arriving in Paris.

Calling home from overseas

In 2000 I did my first student exchange program in the UK. After getting off the plane in London I took a train to the city and decided that it would be a good idea to call home.

Without any better idea about how to do it more cheaply, I dropped 4 pounds (about $10 at the time) into a payphone and dialled direct.....

.....for my $10 I got about 45 seconds of talk time with my family. Not the greatest result for my first attempt at calling home from far away!

Happily, the days of it being tough and expensive to call home from overseas are long gone. Here's how you can call home for next to nothing.

Skype
Skype is the ultimate tool for phoning home for free. Both you and the person you are calling need to have a Skype account (go to www.skype.com). Accounts take about a minute to set up and once you have them you can contact each other for free, from any computer anywhere in the world.

Yeah!

Many internet cafes around the world are set up for skype users and have headsets you can use for making calls.

You can also use Skype to call people who don't have a Skype account - you have to put some credit on your Skype account and then it costs you about 4c per minute to call landlines in most major western countries anywhere in the world. Cheap as!

AIM Overseas has used Skype all over the world - from Australia to Asia, the USA to Europe. Occasionally you get a bad line (but that happens with regular phones anyway) but for the most part it works like a charm. We use it in our office for making calls overseas for work, so it definitely has our vote as your best phone communication option.

Phone Cards
In every major country you will be able to purchase international calling cards. These cards can usually be purchased from places like convenience stores, newsagents, magazine kiosks etc.

Phone cards allow you to use phone booths in the mentioned country to call internationally at a rate far cheaper than dialling direct.

Different cards have varying call rates to certain countries, but these days they are all much the same. Still, always good to ask the person selling you the card which one will give you the best value.

You usually then have two choices from the payphone - either using a 'toll free' access number, or paying to use a 'local' access number. There is always an expensive surcharge for calling using the toll free number, so it may well be worth your while buying a local phonecard in order to call using the local access number.

As an example, a $10 card might get you 15 minutes of talk time on the 'toll free' number, but 1000 minutes when the local access number is dialled!!!

When you dial in you'll be asked to enter your card number (and perhaps a pin number also) and then you'll be able to call Australia. Australia's international dialling code is 61 and you'll need to dial the area code too (but drop the 0 out of 02,03, 07, 08 etc), and follow the instructions on your cards as to how to make the international call.

The International Airport: Check-in, Security, Customs and Immigration

Regular travellers know the routine well.

Arrive airport....Check in....Pass Immigration....Pass Security....Wait....Fly.....

.....Arrive overseas....Pass Immigration....Collect bags....Pass Customs....Freedom!

On a good day, these steps can be quick and painless, leaving you thinking "Wow, that was fast". And then there is that 1-trip-in-10 extended nightmare, taking hours through no fault of your own.

So here are some tips on how to try and make it as painless as possible.

Checking-in

Unfortunately there is no silver bullet for checking in for a long-haul flight. You've gotta do it! But, to make it easier, try some of the following:

1. Check-in online - most international airlines now allow you to check-in online and, if you are able to, make sure you use this facility! Checking in online allows you to choose your own seat and will save you time at the airport. If your airline doesn't have online check-in, and you don't have a seat allocated on your itinerary, give the airline a call before you fly and ask for the type of seat you want (aisle/window) so that it is allocated in advance.
2. Be early! - most check-in counters for international flights open 3 hours prior to departure. Unless you have the luck of being able to check in at the business class counter, getting to the airport 3 hours (or even a little more) in advance means you'll be the first checked in. Your check-in agent is less likely to be tired and stressed, so you'll get better service.
   
3. Don't ask for upgrades - sorry folks, it just doesn't work. Asking for an upgrade will only do one thing: piss off your check-in agent. A friend of ours in the airline business has these words of advice "Don't do it. It's annoying, greedy and won't impress anyone - especially the person responsible for choosing your seat on your flight".
4. Have bag tags on and make sure your bags aren't overweight - nothing sucks more than being told to repack your bag at the airport because you've got too much stuff. Your bags also need to be identified - so whack a bag-tag on them before you leave for the airport.

Security

Security at airports is taken very seriously. People joking about having bombs or being terrorists are promptly whisked away to windowless rooms to face hours of interrogation. Airports are not places for jokes or humour....especially ones made in poor taste.

On international flights you are no longer allowed to bring lots of liquids on board. Any liquid or gel (moisturiser, toothpaste, etc) must be in a 100ml container or smaller. All of your liquids/gels must then be put into a transparent bag (like a sandwich bag) that is no bigger than 10cm x 10cm (this is what they say - we've often carried slightly larger sandwich bags - say 20cm x 20cm - and it has been fine, but always best to stick to the rules).

Our tips for passing security:

1. Pack all your liquids/gels in a sandwich bag in advance and have them in your carry-on ready to show at security
2. Don't wear lots of jewellery, big belts or big shoes for your flight - you'll probably need to remove them all to be scanned at security
3. Don't joke around or make a fuss at security. The goal is just to get through as quickly as possible.
4. Take any laptop computers out of your hand baggage - it needs to be scanned separately at security

Immigration

Passing immigration is usually straight forward. You can't make queues any shorter, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier once you do get to the front of the line.

1. Before you go - make sure you have checked if you need a visa or what paperwork you might need with you in order to clear immigration. Sometimes countries will require proof of your return airfare or your accommodation in order for you to clear immigration.
2. Have copies of the relevant paperwork with you - make sure you've got copies of your flight itineraries and accommodation details on hand (i.e. in your carry-on luggage) so that you've got them with you at immigration.
3. Complete all the paperwork before you join the queue - fill out your arrival forms on the plane before you touch down, that will save any unnecessary waiting at immigration.
4. Don't joke, don't be too friendly, just answer the question - passing immigration isn't about being friendly and nice, there is no need to be overly chatty to your immigration officer - just answer their questions and keep it simple. Some years ago a friend of AIM Overseas got into trouble in the USA because she was overly talkative to the immigration officer and ended up saying something she shouldn't have. That's a long story, and we aren't making out that you should be worried about going through immigration (you shouldn't), just make sure you've got your paperwork in order and keep it simple.

Customs

Last stop after you've passed immigration and collected your bags in customs.

Usually customs requires you to complete a declaration about what items you are bringing into a country. For the average traveller this might involve declaring some food or alcohol, but not much else.

Before making your way to customs you should make sure that you have thrown away any food you may have taken from the plane, as well as any fresh fruit and vegetables, the vast majority of which are prohibited from being brought into foreign countries for quarantine purposes.

You must fill out a customs declaration and if in doubt, declare it!

Customs officials vary in their severity around the world - in some cases they issue on-the-spot fines for failing to declare restricted items, so we always declare anything we're not sure about.

In some countries (Australia included) they X-ray all incoming bags before you are allowed to walk out of the terminal, in others you can pick your bag off a carousel and basically walk through without answering any questions or declaration at all. Just be honest, declare anything you have that you're not sure about and you will always be fine.

Travel Insurance

"If you can't afford travel insurance you can't afford to travel"

Fortunately, studying overseas doesn't come with the same level of risk as, for example, heli-skiing. But that's not the point.

Over the years we at AIM Overseas have had our share of bad luck whilst travelling: lost bags, travel delays, trips to doctors (but thankfully not hospital yet), stolen cameras, lost travellers cheques and more. We certainly wouldn't say that we've been unlucky 0n our travels - far from it - but it's just the reality of being out there in the wide open world is that things sometime do go wrong.

Fortunately we've also never had a major incident with a student on one of our programs, but in our past lives working in university student exchange programs we did come across broken legs, burst eardrums, stolen bags and cash, car crashes and other calamities.

And that's why comprensive travel insurance is absolutely crucial each and every time you go travelling. Because sometimes things do go wrong.

So here's a few words about travel insurance.

1. Travel Insurance: ALWAYS BUY IT ONLINE

The first thing we say is always buy your travel insurance online. Every travel agent, both ones sitting in an office or online sites, will always try to sell you an insurance policy. That's because travel insurance companies pay travel agents big premiums which push up the price of your policy.

You can buy the same policy online for as much as 40% less than what an agent will sell it for.

Travel insurance policies online are exactly the same as the ones as you'll get for an agent. You'll get the same service from an online site than you will from a travel agent - so be sure to buy it online and save yourself the money!

2. Good online travel insurance policies

Below are some links to various travel insurance policies that you can buy online. These are sites we have used before and trust to provide comprehensive policies at a great price.

• 1Cover
  
• Travelinsurancedirect
  
• World Nomads
  
• Insure4Less
  

Students on AIM Overseas programs are required to show proof of travel insurance once their final program fee has been paid.

3. What you should look for in a travel insurance policy

Travel insurance policies can be very similar, often the difference is just in the total amount of coverage provided.

Policies normally vary in terms of price and coverage depending on the region you are travelling to - Asia tends to be the least expensive, North America the most expensive.

Regardless, a comprehensive policy should include:

• Medical expenses - a great policy will include unlimited medical coverage
• Repatriation - this is to cover the cost of bringing you back to Australia if you get seriously sick or hurt overseas, or the repatriation of your remains in the event you died whilst abroad
  
• Travel expenses - things like lost/stolen luggage, travel delays, reimbursement of travel costs for cancelled travel etc. Minimum coverage for this should be around $5,000-10,000. A good policy will also pay for the loss of laptops and cameras up to a few thousand dollars. The best policies will coverage the loss of cash (up to a few hundred dollars)
• Legal liability - Up to a few million dollars worth of legal costs if you get yourself into real strife with the law, or get sued for something.

4. Final words

• Always read the Product Description Statement (PDS) so you know exactly what you're covered for before buying the policy.
• Check that the policy covers any pre-existing conditions you might have.
• Make sure your policy will cover you if you are intending to do any 'risk' sports or adventures - like skiing, climbing mountains, whitewater rafting etc
• Check the refund policy and make sure you're happy with it.
• Always carry a copy of the emergency contact card and your policy details with you when you travel.
• If something does happen to you overseas, make sure you keep as much documentation as you can about the incident - police reports, reports from airlines, doctors reports (including a description of what was wrong with you), tickets and booking confirmations etc. The more evidence you've got the better.
• If something major goes wrong, do not hesitate to contact the Emergency Contact number that every good travel insurance product will provide you with.