Payment Schedules

At Educated Wanderer, we venture to make your travel experience as enriching, inspiring, fun, and stress-free as possible from the very beginning. There is no doubt that affordability can make or break your decision to travel, which is why we want to make it easy for you. One of our philosophies is flexibility.

If you should choose to make a one-time payment, you will receive an email from Educated Wanderer with your invoice and other helpful information regarding your travel.

If you choose to only make your nonrefundable deposit of $500, you will receive an email from Educated Wanderer with a payment schedule form attached. With the form, you may choose to opt into a payment plan. We want you to have the autonomy to choose any dates you would like between the time you make your deposit and the time the final payment due—a due date which will be tailored to the specific dates of your trip. You will match the dates with a corresponding payment amount of your choosing. Your signature on the bottom of the form will be our personal contract with one another.

If you should choose to avail yourself of a payment plan, we ask that you please keep in mind that we have the ability to book better deals on admissions prices, accommodations, and airfare the sooner we are financially prepared to do so. Due to the fact that we must purchase airfare, admissions tickets and make arrangements for accommodations in advance, the deposit is nonrefundable.

Please mail cash or checks to 707 N. 4th Street, Studio 106, Allentown, PA 18102. Checks may be made payable to Educated Wanderer. Credit card payments may be paid at our office by appointment on the day of your scheduled payment, or over the phone by dialing 610.285.1775.

We are available by phone or email for any questions concerning your payment schedule.

Potential Additional Costs

Additional Airfare: All travel experiences include airfare from a New York City or neighboring airport, if you are traveling from afar, please contact us to help you make additional transportation arrangments.

In-city transportation: $20-40, depending upon how much it rains and/or you don’t want to walk; we can (and will) walk almost everywhere since we are so centrally located. There is no real call to use public transportation since each city we travel to is so walkable. Still, on most days we will cover distances of several miles. For the days the group must use public transportation the cost is subsumed in the trip fee and will not be an additional expense except where noted for optional experiences.

Health Insurance/Trip Cancellation Fee: health insurance and medical evacuation coverage are certainly both recommended – check with your current healthcare provider to determine if you need to purchase additional coverage; if you are not covered, this insurance can be had for ~$110. Trip cancellation insurance is highly recommended but nevertheless at your discretion. It can be purchased for about $85. Let us know if you would like to purchase either of these insurances.

Passport Fees: if you do not currently have a passport valid through at least six months after the arrival back in the U.S. Check www.state.gov if you don’t have a passport or have one that will expire before this date.

Transportation to/from the airport in the U.S.

A Note About Money

We recommend staying away from cash as it is too expensive to exchange your currency at the airport; travelers cheques are quite safe and can be changed in any major city, though it is kind of a hassle. Credit card fees add to the cost of your trip and sometimes may not be accepted everywhere, depending on the destination. You may obtain cash advances from a credit card, of course (obtain a PIN number from your credit card company in advance), but this is expensive because of cash advance fees.

**The best bet is to deposit your food/spending money into your bank account and obtain what you need as you go via your ATM card – exchange rates are as good as they get with this method and the only charge you will pay is whatever your bank charges for international withdrawals (check the foreign exchange fees with you bank before you leave). Don’t forget to notify your bank before you leave or you might not be able to access to your ATM card.**

Additional spending money for souvenirs, etc. You should count on anywhere from $25-$100/day for this depending upon your habits, tastes and interests.

Tipping: Allowing your waiter or waitress to keep the change left over from paying your bill is a generally accepted rule of thumb. Though if you would like to leave a bit more, you should!

What to Pack

The first thing to do “when preparing to travel, [is] lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”

– Susan Heller

Pretty good advice from Ms. Heller… The best advice is to travel light.  Please review your airline’s policies for luggage allowances and charges (remember, international flights have different rules than a domestic flight), and the TSA website for restrictions as to what you may bring in both checked luggage and carry-on luggage (www.tsa.gov).

With that in mind:

• 4-8 complete changes of clothes (you will pay additional luggage fees for more than one checked bag).  The variance depends upon your willingness to pay for laundry service (about €20/load, though there are less expensive self-service launderettes, but they take time) and your tolerance for stinking.  You could also bring a small package of laundry detergent to wash your clothes in-room. Many hotels provide laundry services as well.
• In terms of what kind of clothing to bring, check the 10 day forecast a few days before the departure date.  Layers are always best as you may be warm while walking during the day and cool in the evening while sitting in a lovely plaza for dinner.  We will send you an update on the weather and our own packing lists as the time for departure draws near.
• Bathing suit – as may be suitable per the destination and/or accommodations.
• Remember – shorts are not acceptable in many cathedrals and churches, bottoms must be below the knee, and no shoulder- or mid-riff-revealing shirts. Bring at least one pair of pants/long skirt and a shirt with sleeves.
• Very comfortable shoes – we will be doing a lot of walking.
• Band-Aids—if you are not in comfortable shoes, you might form blisters from all the walking. In the event that happens, we recommend these: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/band-aid-advanced-healing-blister-cushions/ID=prod392263-product?SL_ClientGroup=1
• A small bag to carry your camera and/or phone, guidebook(s)/maps, souvenirs, snacks, and water.  You should always carry the following items with you: toilet paper, a map of the city, water and snacks.  
• Towels and washcloths will be provided by the hotels or Airbnb’s.
• Sunglasses (for both functionality and vanity).
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant – Europeans might not care, but for god’s sake think of your fellow travelers.
• Soap, shampoo and personal hygiene products.
• Any prescription medicines you require – be sure to bring medicine in its original container from the pharmacy so as to avoid any legal questions.  Placing your yellow pills in an unmarked plastic baggie is a good way to spend some time being questioned by humorless authorities.
• OTC medicines are widely and easily available everywhere, but a small bottle of aspirin and/or Imodium might be wise.
• European cities are typically very safe, but pickpockets are still a menace (and yes, they are good enough to hit your inside coat pockets!).  Keep a close eye on your cash and keep a photocopy of your passport in a separate place from your actual passport and leave a copy at home with someone you trust to answer the phone; ditto for traveler’s cheques, if you bring them.
• The hotels will have wifi, though we cannot guarantee the quality of the signal strength (it’s been very reliable, if a bit slow, in the past.  Still no guarantees 🙂
• Notebook and pen (or the electronic equivalents) to record your thoughts and ideas for your travel journal.  You will keep a travel journal, right
• Curiosity, enthusiasm, a sense of adventure, patience and tolerance.