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 When travelling abroad there are always many things to think of, and most of the time you feel like you are forgetting something. So make a checklist and be prepared for any type of weather. This is because travelling to another country or continent you will experience things that may be outside your comfort zone or could change you daily rountine dramatically. For example, the time zone change. It is always good to set your watch to the correct time in your destination before landing. You want to, as much as possible, prepare yourself for the inevitable //jet lag//. When you are taking a trip abroad it is no doubt very expensive when you add up all the costs- flight, food, accomodation, sightseeing, souvenirs, etc. That being said you want to get the most out of your trip, and if you are going on a 7, 10, or 14 day vacation you do not want to lose an entire day to jet lag.

When visiting France, and other countries in Europe, an easy thing to forget is that the outlets are different from here in Canada. This may seem like no big deal, but if you are rushing to go somewhere and need to dry your hair first you want to make sure the hair dryer you brought will work overseas. You can in fact purchase outlet converters that will take a regular plug that we use here with 2 prongs and a grounder and on the other side have the capability of plugging into a European outlet. This small purchase could be the difference of you being able to charge your cell phone to enable contact with home, listen to music on your ipod, or charge batteries for your camera. Sometimes small things can make all the difference.

Also, you want to ensure cash flow capabilities for expenses such as food, activities, and souvenirs. This means you should buy some Euros in Canada before travelling because it can be difficult sometimes to find banks to exchange currency as you may be unfamiliar with the territory or the language. That being said it is always a good idea to purchase a french-english dictionary or have a travelling in France tour book, for the directionally challenged (such as myself) always have a map. Since you may be carrying around more money than you would on a regular basis it is always a good idea to wear a money belt under your clothes to ensure that you will not be pick-pocketed as there are people out there who target tourists.