Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cafés or your hotel to research transportation connections, confirm
events, check the weather, and get directions to your next hotel.
Buy a phone card (or carry a mobile phone) and use it to make
reservations, reconfirm hotels, book tours, and double-check hours
of sights.
Connect with the culture. Set up your own quest to find the
best salted herring or canal boat ride. Slow down and be open to
unexpected experiences. Ask questions—most locals are eager to
point you in their idea of the right direction. Keep a notepad in
your pocket for organizing your thoughts. Wear your money belt,
and learn the local currency and how to estimate prices in dollars.
Those who expect to travel smart, do.
PrActicALitiES
Red Tape:
You need a passport—but no visa or shots—to travel in
the Netherlands and Belgium. Your passport must be valid for at
least six months beyond the time you leave. Pack a photocopy of
your passport in your luggage in case the original is lost or stolen.
Borders:
There are no border checks between the Low
Countries, but when you change countries, you must still change
telephone cards and postage stamps
.
Time:
In Europe—and in this topic—you'll use the 24-hour
clock. It's the same through 12:00 noon, then keep going: 13:00,
14:00, and so on. For anything over 12, subtract 12 and add p.m.
(14:00 is 2:00 p.m.).
The Low Countries, like most of continental Europe, are gen-
erally six/nine hours ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US. The
exceptions are the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time:
Europe “springs forward” the last Sunday in March (two weeks
after most of North America) and “falls back” the last Sunday in
October (one week before North America). For a handy online
time converter, try www.timeanddate.com/worldclock.
Business Hours:
Most stores throughout the Low Countries
are open from about 9:00 until 18:00-20:00 on weekdays, but close
early on Saturday (generally between 12:00 and 17:00, depending
on whether you're in a town or a big city), and they are often closed
on Sunday. Many museums and sights are closed on Monday.
Watt's Up?
Europe's electrical system is different from North
America's in two ways: the shape of the plug (two round prongs)
and the voltage of the current (220 volts instead of 110 volts). For
your North American plug to work in Europe, you'll need an
adapter, sold inexpensively at travel stores in the US. As for the
voltage, most newer electronics or travel appliances (such as hair
dryers, laptops, and battery chargers) automatically convert the
voltage. If you see a range of voltages printed on the item or its
