(all should be considered and done BEFORE travelling! And do yourself a favor and follow the links, some important information can be found!)
First introduction / important Information
Tangay tangay Ed pozurubio? Please watch that video first – and you’ll know a lot more and avoid bloody mistakes.
Get used to the money (€)
Get a feeling for the money. 1 € approx. 58 PHP approx 1 US$. Better use an App and calculate, if you’re not sure. Nothing is more painfull, then if you think you’re doing a bargain – which is, in fact 10 times the price you expected. And believe me, that’s happening on literally nearly every journey I made with other ppl in foreign countries with different valuta. It’s just to easy: That’s 100 €, emm, that’s 580 PHP… great. No, it’s not: it’s 5800 PHP.
Google Pay
It might be a good idea to install Google Pay on your cellphone. At least here in Germany you can pay at a lot of places with it, and it might be a bit safer (hence you have to unlock your Cellphone before using it – while the CreditCard (at least the wireless ones) can be used from whomever has access to it (at least up to certain amounts).
It’s quite easy to do so: Just install the App (Android and Apple), and choose, how you like to pay. Remember: When using Credit/Debit-Card, you might get good exchange rates, but you might have to pay a foreign-country Add-on-Charge of few Percente (depending on your Bank / Card-Company). Better inform yourself in time. Guess it’s saver then loosing all your money with pickpockets etc. (see “bee aware”) – but still always bring some money, still some restaurants and dealers only accepting cash!
be aware
Be aware – at least earlier Italy, and especially Rome is the center of the pickpockets and purse snatcher. People do not shy away from violence: one drives past the unsuspecting victim on a motorcycle and snatches the bag from his shoulder.
Unfortunately, there are also frequent cases of beggars (often Sinti mothers with children) pushing themselves on people, the baby in the cloth hiding the thieving arm that rummages in your pockets underneath. Due to the crowd, you often do not notice or notice too late!
No valuables in backpacks: Backpacks are not very popular at controls. Thieves often slit them open with razor-sharp blades (also happens with back pockets in jeans – they are very clever and you will not notice anything).
Avoid becoming a victim and pack money, cell phone and valuables in chest pouches or fanny packs!
Bus Transfer to Naples? http://Possibly have to call there?
Driving License: Call up Embassy (Germany, US, Phil?) to find out, if they accept driving licens from Phil and/or from US – or if you need international Driving license? Same with the car rental! Which is your car rental? From when to when to you rent a car?
Can somebody please send me the current schedule? Thank you!
Rent-a-Car
If you want to rent a car, be aware that most cars are usually small – which is not bad, since several roads are also not as wide as the americans are used to be. However, for getting a feeling, I checked prices at check24 – I cannot tell you if you get cheaper prices somewhere else.
There are quite a lot of different car rental companies, with each lots of offers, (always remember: The given car is just representing the class, dont expect to get exactly THAT brand and car!). Expect it to be with gearstick (usually called “manuell”), not auto transmission (for our american friends!).
There are no boarders with the price, you can also rent a Ford Focus Kombi for 1289€… Ingat: Where do you want to rent, which car class, from which time until when (incl. time), few automatic transmission. Don’t rent to long: within rome you definitely won’t need a car, it’s only an additional load for you – finding a parking space, get it opened by thieves possibly etc.!
Update: Sorry – the link to check24.de is unfortunately in German – but should still work. Please click on “Update”. Important criteria for the rental car are:
- Insurance: Should be fully comprehensive insurance preferably without deductible, if necessary with reimbursement.
- Vehicle should be suitable for 5 people (many only for 4 people!! Is probably not enough!)
- Rent from Rome airport is usually much cheaper, rent and return at different locations usually with horrendous surcharges. Even rental in Termini (and return also there) often costs over 100 € more than in the airport – per vehicle!
- The cheapest rental company is not the best: There are many black sheep, there is trickery with additional fees for everything possible. Debit card instead of credit card is not accepted, Visa not accepted, car with scratches rented without marking and declared as damage on return, tolls with 50 € + 22% VAT + toll settled (3 € toll, 70 € bill). Best to google the rental company name and experience.
Would be nice if someone else also times with searches – I look gladly afterwards again over it. As a price it looks with the requirements so that we should expect about 225 € for 7 days (05.-11.05.2023, pick up in the morning, back in the evening – therefore 7 days).
Buy a sim card
Mostly the sim-card have to be registered usind a passport etc. – so maybe contact provider in time.
Read the page first. You can buy at Rome-Fuimicino Airport (FCO) – but that seems to be a bit pricey (30-35 €) – however, read the link, please! Ingat: There are partly whopping activation fees, up to 49,99 € (not including plan). Read traveltomtom also. However, who wants/needs a SIM Card? Please comment, maybe we can find a better solution.
Btw: Toto said, roaming w/ pinoy card is about P3K for 15 days, but 3 GB only. That’s about 50 € for 1 card without phone flat. German card is including 12 GB, costing about 10 € including phone flat italy + german phone#. Italian cards are cheaper (as you just read in the links above, hopefully!), but require a huge activation fee additional. Compare yourself and tell us in time, if you like a german card, or two… 😉 Remember: We have to activate them before, that is not always finished in 5 minutes – so give us some time!
Update: I bought 5 cards so far (there are more requests already). Will activate in the week before departure. How about US: Do you need a card or is your roaming with acceptable costs?
Where to go / what to do?
Please see schedule!
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