In any tourist city in Europe, the McDonalds cashiers will be able to take your order completely in English. Big Mac, Fries and Chocolate Shake need no translation.
(Local food is, of course, better. But sometimes you are homesick, or need fast, or need familiar, or need no bother. If you eat McDonalds at home, its near perfect for those needs all over the world. My last trip to Germany, my first meal was a McDonalds - we had mid travel flight changes, a ten hour trip took twenty hours - I had kids with me who were hungry - and wurst and cabbage isn’t the best first meal with hungry tired kids. And there was a McDonalds two blocks from the hotel).
Well, there’s the bit from Pulp Fiction, of course. And the last time I was in London I stopped for a quick snack at a nearby Subway and wound up with a chicken tikka masala sub. I would be very happy to find that recipe here.
Anyway, another vote for something from PacSafe. It’s probably overkill for most places, but the peace of mind can be worth it. I got myself a little belt pouch for travels to Mexico–again, I’m not that likely to have a problem in the tourist areas but in Mexico you are supposed to carry both your passport and tourist card on you at all times and the cops can give you a hard time if you don’t. A minor amount of protection to avert a potentially major problem.
Have her read *Near Here Nor There *by Bill Bryson. Funny, a little risqué and spot on even twenty years later. Also bring a really good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle she can take with her for drinking. Italian water is delicious.
Generally not, although there will be some differences. I’ve told before the story of the rude guy who wouldn’t accept that a McD in Madrid did not have barbecue sauce (it had his choice of ketchup, ketchup or ketchup - he could also get more ketchup); different places will have slightly different menus. But a Whooper™ is a Whooper™ and a quarterpounder with cheese is recognizably a quarterpounder with cheese even if it’s been tranlated creatively.
Right. I always make a “decoy wallet” with cards, petty cash, bus pass, whatever. This is the one you take out all the time for minor purchases. If it gets stole, no problem.
