An adventure
For us, Germany has always been a country steeped in history that you have to experience. My wife and I have wanted to go there for a very long time, but all sorts of distractions have led us to put off for decades. We have met many American military families who have enjoyed service trips to Germany and never one who has had a bad experience. Rather, couples told us how much they missed it and that they were eagerly planning a return trip. It was the kind offer of a friend who had been living in Germany for fifteen years that persuaded us to plan and undertake a ten-day trip.
We wanted to see southern Germany and preferred to take a single flight from the US mainland to avoid a long layover in another European country. Delta Airlines Kaufen Sie den deutschen Führerschein online offered direct flights between Atlanta, Georgia and Stuttgart, DE, which we booked. We had our passports and we selected two credit cards (one primary and one backup) for each of us to use at German bank ATMs to receive our euros. Our friend advised us to get our first euros from an ATM at Stuttgart Airport rather than exchanging our US currency to avoid costly transaction fees. The vignette must be purchased at a service station (large motorway service stations have petrol stations and a restaurant) before entering Austria. I learned that Switzerland is the only other European country that requires a vignette to enter Switzerland. The car rental company has a parking disc (a wheel with the face of a clock and a rotating arrow, like a clock hand) built into the glove box. Place the parking wheel on the dashboard and display the hour you parked. If you don’t show the bike, it’s likely that you’ve parked too long and you’ll get a parking fine.
Europeans and especially Germans are efficient when it comes to parking and fines. All will be sent to your rental company where they will be charged to your credit card. Find out about traffic rules and traffic signs before you travel. Do not exceed speed limits. Rarely will you see a police officer, and you will not easily see the camera that catches you exceeding the posted speed limit.
Have you ever heard the phrase “the ugly American”? Most often they are rude Americans who have not familiarized themselves with the customs of the culture they are visiting. Speaking loudly, demanding service, refusing to learn the local language, and vulgar language are examples of rude behavior.
Some more useful information: The ATMs offer you the opportunity to obtain instructions for use in English. Purchase either a one-way ticket or a return ticket by pressing the button that corresponds to your destination. If you bring a bike or a dog, you need a ticket for that too. As you sit on the train, a man in civilian clothes gets up and puts on an armband. He’s the train driver. Show him your ticket. Don’t argue with the conductor or your small fine will escalate into a police matter.
Don’t sit there. Keep.50 ,. 20 and 10 euro coins in pocket for tips in public toilets (usually 50 to 70 per guest). Sometimes you’ll need the coins on the way into a turnstile deposit the rest room.
I mentioned VAT. The best way to get it back is to ask the retailer to ship what you bought to your home. When you do this, the retailer writes back the VAT for you, and essentially, refunding that tax reduces shipping costs. Plus, you don’t have to lug around what you bought for the rest of your trip and on the flight home. Anyone trying to collect the tax themselves faces a test of patience. Generally you will need to present your passport, fill out forms, show both to a customs agent who may want to see the actual goods, get a stamp from the customs agent, find a local bank, get your VAT in euros minus the fee charged by the bank, and then you need to find a post office Kaufen Sie den deutschen Führerschein online and mail the forms. My advice is just don’t do it .
Stay in guesthouses, not hotels. Find the guest houses online.
