In case you missed this month's introduction, I recently completed my first trip to Europe, and survived. I give most of the credit to my well-traveled wife and the rest to solid preparation. I'd like to share a bit of what we learned before I forget it all in a beer-fed haze. For the full multimedia experience, I recommend checking out the photos in the Gallery.

Knowing Your Destination
Before you get on the plane to your international vacation destination, you should have 90 percent of your planning already done, including where you might go and how you might get around. Start by contacting friends and family that have already been to your destination and ask them for their thoughts. The next step is to surf the Internet for local travel and tourism sites. For the excessively thorough, it's always a good idea to hit the local library a month or two in advance to check out a handful of travel guides for review. Take them with you (depending on the length of your trip, of course), copy relevant pages, or use them to determine which to buy at your local bookstore.

Getting Local
The best way to fit in, which is always a good idea when traveling in a foreign country, is to dress appropriately. The clothing in Barcelona was fashion-casual (t-shirts, expensive jeans and tennis shoes), while Paris was more formal (for men: sport coat, sweater or leather jacket with jeans and leather shoes; for women: jacket or sweater, low-slung jeans and leather heels or boots). The fashion is partially dictated by weather of course, but some cities, especially Paris, are driven more by current trends and styles. Nobody wore shorts and white tennis shoes, unless they were trying on costumes for Halloween. Regardless of attire, the shoes must be comfortable, as you'll be walking everywhere.

Acting Local
While my wife and I managed to fit in by wearing Euro-style clothing, we were a dead giveaway when we opened our mouths. While I had a few years of Spanish in high school and my wife a few more of French, our accents were clearly those of Americans. We knew enough to attempt to speak French in Paris (everyone in Paris is multi-lingual but doesn't appreciate ego-centric Americans), but ?. We brought Rick Steves' Spanish and French phrasebooks and found them very useful. We also received helpful tips from friends and family on cultural mores.

In addition, we minimized the "tourist" look by carrying an excessively small camera (Pentax Optio) and a small, inconspicuous pop-out map to avoid standing on street corners trying to fold up a large one.

General Tips
Once you know where you're going and don't look like a fool getting there, you're in pretty good shape. Below are a few items to add to your travel checklist:

• Share your itinerary and hotel contact information with at least two friends or family members before you leave, especially whomever is house sitting for you.
• Bring emergency contact names and information for hotels, airlines, banks and credit cards with you.
• Charge as much as possible on your credit card as it will give you the best possible exchange rate. Similarly, your ATM card will also give you the best exchange rate, even when factoring in the processing fee.
• While traveler's checks are generally a good idea, some third-world locations don't accept them. So be sure to bring U.S. dollars, and don't assume you can hit an ATM at the airport.
• Purchase an international phone card in advance as they are the most affordable way to call home in case of emergency.
• Be aware: check the US State Department for travel advisories, as well as appropriate news and tourism bureau sites.
• Purchase Airborne tablets to take before getting on the plane as it greatly reduces your chances of catching a cold on long flights.
• When arriving at your destination, try to stay awake until you've adjusted to the local time, otherwise you'll spend the next few days jet-lagged (depending on scope of time change, of course). Same goes for the return trip, although this is frequently an easier adjustment if traveling to Europe.
• Utilize the concierge as they are there to help and will rarely let you down. Their livelihood depends on good recommendations. They can help make reservations and may even get good deals on packages you can't get on your own.
• If your hotel doesn't have a dedicated computer for email, or Internet connectivity in the rooms, look for a local Internet café.
• Check the Internet or with hotel staff regarding the water quality. While most tap water may be "safe" to drink, it could also contain high levels of chlorine. Bottled water is always a safe way to go. Be sure to purchase some for the hotel room as well as smaller bottles for daytrips.
• Try to locate the largest supermarket to shop for water, food and related supplies. If shopping for gifts, try smaller shops off the main streets. Same thing goes for good restaurants: they are always cheaper and better wherever the locals eat, which is rarely on main streets.
• Bring a daypack for camera, water, maps, books, jackets and related supplies.
• Purchase a weeklong transit pass when available.

Now that you're armed with the above travel tips, I hope you'll elect not to sport the Hawaiian shirt, fishing hat, flip-up sunglasses, black socks and white tennis shoes on your next European vacation.