Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
against accessing these sites entirely while traveling. Even if you're using your own com-
puter at a password-protected hotspot, any hacker who's logged on to the same network
can see what you're up to. If you need to log on to a banking website, try to do so on a
hard-wired connection (i.e., using an Ethernet cable in your hotel room), or if that's not
possible, use a secure banking app on a cellular Internet connection.
If using a credit card online, make sure that the site is secure. Most browsers display a
little padlock icon, and the URL begins with
https
instead of
http
. Never send a credit-card
number over a website that doesn't begin with
https
.
If you're not convinced a connection is secure, avoid accessing any sites (such as your
bank's) that could be vulnerable to fraud.
MAIL
You can mail one package per day to yourself worth up to $200 duty-free from Europe to
the US (mark it “personal purchases”). If you're sending a gift to someone, mark it “unso-
licited gift.” For details, visit
www.cbp.gov
and search for “Know Before You Go.”
The British postal service works fine, but for quick transatlantic delivery (in either
direction), consider services such as DHL (
www.dhl.com
). For postcards, get stamps at
the neighborhood post office, newsstands within fancy hotels, and some mini-marts and
card shops.
Rick Steves London 2015
is one of many books in my series on European travel, which
includes country guidebooks (including Great Britain), city and regional guidebooks (in-
cluding England), Snapshot guides (excerpted chapters from my country guides), Pocket
Guides (full-color little books on big cities, including London), and my budget-travel skills
handbook,
Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door
. Most of my titles are available
as ebooks. My phrase books—for Italian, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese—are
practical and budget-oriented. My other books include
Europe 101
(a crash course on art
and history designed for travelers);
Mediterranean Cruise Ports
and
Northern European
Cruise Ports
(how to make the most of your time in port); and
Travel as a Political Act
(a
travelogue sprinkled with tips for bringing home a global perspective). A more complete
list of my titles appears near the end of this topic.
