Coffee-flavored coffee, internet-flavored internet

Trip planning was eating my brain last night. Last night it led to:

  • Spoken politenesses in Danish
  • Photos of train ticket vending machines in Amsterdam
  • What? There are no dedicated post offices in Amsterdam?
  • How much does it cost to mail an international postcard in the UK?

and then there's my favorite ... the damned SIM cards. 

I have a quad-band phone, and my carrier (T-Mobile) helpfully responded with my phone's unlock code this week, so I should be good to go on whatever network I want to use in Europe. I'll definitely need a SIM for the UK, but I've got to decide which of the other countries I want a SIM for.

Then, of course, if I want a SIM, I've got to purchase said SIM, which leads to wondering how to say "Hi, I need a SIM with very few phone minutes but a decent amount of internet access..." in a couple of different languages.

Oh, and don't forget, coffeeshops are only for coffee in America.

Also, some countries close their museums by 5pm, which means I'll need to work the evening shift to stay closer to my American co-workers' hours AND be able to see any of the museums.

Operator, I need be able to speak German, French, Dutch, and Danish?

[radio silence]

Dammit.

/me resumes googling

all tags: 
humor
travel

Comments

On , Anonymous said...

Good news on SIM purchases ... they are easy to get in each country. Buy the SIM chip from a retail store for the cell phone provider. Avoid airport kiosks is possible, the rates can be higher there.

Most of the cell phone shops Germany will be really simple, since most of the store clerks also speak English. I've used Vodafone and Fonic, which (if needed) can be recharged using credit codes you buy in a drug store.

You'll usually pay $10-15 for a new SIM pre-loaded with calling credits.

On a related note, I drank a lot of McDonald's coffee in Amsterdam. It was cheaper than other places and definitely made of coffee :)