Europe without a phone? We did it. Back in 2011, we were halfway across the Atlantic before realizing we left our only electronic gadget at home. Carli was fine. She had her secret weapons: iPod, go pro, earplugs. We even had our phone provider convert our service to allow us to use our phone in Europe for three weeks. Yeah, great. Won’t help us sitting back on the nightstand in Portland.
How did we survive? Just fine. Met all of our itinerary obligations, saw the people we wanted to see, and yes, we got lost. Just once though in Amsterdam when Hali jumped off the train and headed to Belgium. Four hours later we were reunited and celebrated at the Lost and Found coffeeshop near the Red Light District.
Despite bumping into all the tourists looking down at their phones in the narrow alleyways of Venice, it’s impossible to get lost. It’s an island! Rome? You’re in a circular grid with seven hills INSIDE A WALL!. Gimmelwald? Rothenburg? These are tiny villages where getting lost is part of the fun. Even if you ARE lost, don’t act lost. Use Woody’s LOST strategy~> Stay calm and act like you’ve been there before OR run for the hills!~~>
The Colosseum At Dusk
The lesson we learned is to jot down, in your journal, phone numbers along with addresses of the people back home who you’ll be sending a postcard. Can you recite the phone numbers of your friends? No, probably not. The memory of your phone can though, it’s a smart phone. So, even in the unlikely event you misplace, lose, or drop your phone into the train’s WC you can rest assured that Grandma’s number is right there in your pack.
No need to phone the gals in the office, but you better send a postcard.
