First time abroad. Have I got everything?

[WillTheRealDeanGaffneyPleaseStandUp]

As above. First time abroad.
Me and my 15yr old. Travelling by Eurostar and local trains to s few countries.

I have -
Passports!
Proper insurance
ECHI card
I've worked out what bank card to use
I've got some euros
Travel is sorted
Accommodation is sorted
I've prebooked some of the popular/must do activities
I'm as sure as I can be that my phone will work.

I'm quite nervous. Have I forgotten anything obvious?

Have the most amazing time!

Not an obvious thing, but I always take some plastic cutlery.

Adapter plug for Europe

If your phone package doesn’t have eu roaming as standard consider an e sim, alternatively put it in flight mode and use free WiFi

Adapters!

Adapters
chargers
credit card for emergencies

Sounds good. Maybe some washing powder/clothes pegs/string so you can rinse clothes out and dry overnight. Powerpack and charger for phone. Any meds you rely on as brands will differ. Have a great time!

Take photos of all important documents, tickets, bookings on your phone so you have back up if anything is lost/ can’t access internet.

If you’re travelling alone with your fifteen year old and his dad is in the picture, a letter from dad consenting to him leaving the U.K. may be prudent plus a copy of his birth certificate.

Remember phone chargers and a plug adapter. Google translate may be useful at points.

Have a wonderful trip.

Make sure you at isn’t too heavy moving about a lot. Take some ziplock bags, and a pair of small scissors. Anti bac band wipes and tissues. Small medicine pouch- what might you need when no where is open. A lock for you bags. A cross body bag for passports moneys. A phone lanyard is excellent. Your phone will be fine if you have roaming If not get an eSIM. Take photographs of all documents and put in a folder on your phone. Take a backup payment card either another debit or credit. An adapter plug and a power bank. Comfy closed shoes for rain or cold (unlikely) l and some cosy joggers and a jumper. Umbrella? It’s stormy in Paris.

I’ve started taking a small clear bag with compeed plasters, paracetemol, rehydration sachets, galiscon, after bite cream, anti bug repellant and those sort of things after having visited pharmacies on a few previous trips

Comfortable shoes. Easy to carry luggage. Somewhere easy reach but safe for your phone (I have a pocket at the back of my rucksack - between my back and the rucksack). Make sure you have screenshots of all of your bookings - and know how to access your accounts from another phone.

Have fun.

Credit card is better for hotel deposits and so on.

Adapter, hand gel and phone charger

A small power bank can be helpful if out and about all day and relying on phone for maps / paying. Amazon have them

Mosquito repellent.

Travel adaptors and USB cables as lot of trains and hotels in Europe now have USB ports for charging.

If you are going to any beaches a thin Turkish hamman towel is a good idea as many hotels do not allow you to take their towels to the beach.

This is just me, but we go on a lot of mult train, multi destination holidays and I like to type and print a document with day by day itinerary with the hotel, excursion and train details, it helps to have it all in one place to able to check the right times and stations.

Quick tip if you are travelling in ton Paris - Gare du Nord is very busy and chaotic (nothing like St Pancras!) so it pays to spend a bit of your Eurostar journey planning your transfer.

If you say which countries you are goibg to we can give specifc country advice.

But overall have fun, the Eurostar is very easy and relaxing.

Also take a refillable water bottle, otherwise you can spend a lot on bottled water from supwrmarkets throughout the day if it is hot.

I always take a large thin cotton scarf it can be useful to sheid your neck or head from the sun, cover your shoulders for religious buildings, provide a bit of cover up if it is chilly at night or on the train or as an emergecy wrap/sarong. Mine even came in useful last year for a night in a hotel with no airon as an emergency cooling device - I soaked it in cold water and laid it over my body at night to help me sleep better.

A lock for your suitcase so you can lock your valuables inside and saves paying for the safe

I would also take a small amount of Euros, some smaller and more old fashioned places in France and Germany are still cash only, particularly in food markets.

Mosquito repellent)both chemicals, some use only one), and phone adapter.

Look at man in seat 61 website if you haven't already. Apart from train information, Really useful information on station layout, metro etc when you're searching for the right platform, or somewhere to eat between trains.

You probably know this, but there are no liquid restrictions on Eurostar so don't waste time decanting everything in to tiny pots (unless you want to minimise your luggage!)

Oh yes Man in Seat 61 is great. His advice got us out of a jam when our connecting train from rural South of France to pick up our TGV to Paris was cancelled and we had to wing a new itinerary on the fly

I take wooden cutlery. Water bottles. Battery pack and chargers and plugs for charger. Sun cream, sun hats, sun glasses and puzzle book! Rough guides are good.