For Germany I would definitely add: figure out a way to easily get cash. Germans are notorious for not using paying cards, and credit cards especially. Many stores and restaurants will accept cash only, or cash and debit cards only, but no credit cards. Buying some euro bills beforehand, figuring out which bank will allow you to take out cash for free or cheaply, buying travelling checks (and figuring out which banks you can cash them in) may be a godsend.
Though I find that acceptance of cashless has increased a lot because of the pandemic. I have used almost no cash on my last three month long trips, though I have cash for smaller Gaststätte who may not take a card.
@@mnsegler1 That's true for debit cards. Credit cards remain an issue, since so many Germans themselves don't have one. (It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem: Why get a credit card, if basically no shop accepts them? But why should shops make the extra effort of accepting credit cards, if no one ever uses them?)
An addition to the tip about luggage: You can buy "safety belts" at most airports. They have a combination lock on them, so the idea is to put them around your suitcase that can't be locked. But they are sold in many different colors, so just pick one that is as different as possible to your luggage. I now have a dark green suitcase with a neon pink belt around it and I never had issues finding it again. I have also tried ribbons or stickers in the past, but they often fell off during handling.
google maps is great for public transport in the UK! obviously not relevant for Germany but especially in london, it works very well and tells you bus numbers, tube times etc
@@kkon5ti It was wonderful as always. I had to cut it short by 2 days due to rainy weather so it limited my travel plans within the city but it was fun and memorable none the less. Thanks for asking.
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I just ask random Germans for directions. I'd rather deal with my basic German & help from some translating software than walking in the opposite direction or taking the wrong S-Bahn due to GMaps shenanigans.
I'll be traveling to Switzerland in a couple of months and as a European it didn't even cross my mind they might be using different power outlets. Thanks Rewboss!
Thanks for the tip about the USB adapter without data wires. I had not heard of those. Yes, Google doesn’t always do European local transit well - which caused me to take an S-Bahn in Frankfurt and the walk a long way to my hotel with heavy suitcases, only to find a bus next to the hotel! In fairness to Google, I heard the RMV refuses to publish real-time data. The RMV app is ok but Google maps is easier to use.
There's one thing to keep in mind with USB power-only cables: USB 3.1 Gen2 plugs will deliver a maximum of 5V/900mA initially, allowing a power consumption of up to 4.5 Watts. Devices that need more juice, then negotiate with the charger for the actual power and voltage they need. With the data wires cut, this is not possible, so you're stick with the default. Any USB device can handle that, but you phone may take ages to charge, and a modern laptop computer might not work at all. Also, many of these USB wall chargers only deliver USB 2.0, which is limited to 5V/500mA (you can identify them by the white piece of plastic inside the socket, USB 3 is blue). Long story short: if you don't want to bring multiple chargers, take the one you use for the most power hungry device you have, that one will charge you other devices as well. And don't plug your devices into untrusted charging ports at all.
If you commonly go to a nation with a specific plug, you can buy a multi-way in your own nation, and a plug in your destination state, and replace the plug on the multiway. Of course, the single adapter is easier. Travelling is also easier if you buy a multi-way USB charger, which are also common. Charging 3-4 devices all at once from one outlet is a gods send.
I travel quite a lot to Europe, especially Germany and take two UK to European adapters plus one short four socket UK extension lead. That allows normal use of my UK equipment. But remember as in UK don't overload the sockets.
Using a USB cable without a data line can have an unwanted side effect: Phone and charger also use the data line to negotiate the charging speed. If the cable does not have a data line, the phone will charge at the slowest possible rate.
Indeed, without data communications the USB outlet will at most provide the regular 5V and at most 500 mA. Some might switch off with no communication after about 30 seconds to 2 minutes, not charging anything. Some outlets may ignore the fact and provide up to 1 A instead, but if the outlet is capable of it, i sure would not bet on getting anything higher and charging may be very slow, if the device starts charging at all. Not to mention any quick charge protocols, but those will rarely be found on such outlets anyways. But in general, it is indeed a good advice to not plug your phone i to just any outlet. One Tip i have to avoid this, get yourself a power bank to charge while on the go. And if you like to use such an "potentially dangerous" USB outlet, charge your power bank from the outlet, it will not be harmed by any attempt to download a virus as it only can negotiate the power output and then charge your phone from the power bank, which then independently will negotiate the power output with your phone. For using it like that as a filter, it has not to be a higher power bank, a small one (like 5000 mAh or even less) will be fine.
There was a famous case some years back where a car went into a river (or lake?) because the navigation program didn't tell (and the driver didn't notice because they didn't pay attention) that the bridge is actually a ferry (which currently was not at this side). (Might even have happened multiple times at different locations, not sure.)
Google Maps worked very well for me for public transport in Switzerland, France and some other countries (haven't really tried it in Germany yet). The only times I had problems was when I was seeking pedestrian routes.
Google Maps doesnt always get the closest trips for you. They has a habit of recommending trip further in the future, despite an identical but departs closer trip available. Local apps are the best option, but apps from other regions can also be used.
I highly recommend using those data blockers. There are cases, where malicious actors install public „chargers“, which then copy your data or even try to hack your phone. The blockers usually act as a data device on the socket‘s side, but do not transport any data. It allows them to pull the maximal current (0.5A) from the socket. Without a data connection the socket might limit the output to 0.1A (with 5V = 0.5W).
A potential alternative to bulky adapter plugs - especially if all your devices you are travelling with are USB powered, which is becoming the norm for modern notebooks as well - could be a multi-USB(-C PD) charger, but unlike those from e.g. Anker, I'd recommend a charger with an detachable cable with C5/C6 or C7/C8 connection type, which are a world-wide standard (there are several brands available). Instead of having to bring an adapter just replace the charger's power cable with one fitting the plugs of your destination country. Alternatively, some of these chargers come with a swap-able plug attachment system.
Yes. For my travels I have a pretty compact adapter with four USB ports and a European receptacle, with extendable EU / GB / USA / Australian / Asian plugs. So I can plug in all my mobile devices at once, including the camera charger which needs mains voltage.
Make sure your adapter has enough power for the devices you want to charge. I once did forget the charger for my laptop, and bought a simple USB-C charger for mobile phones, but it just didn't give enough power for my laptop to charge.
I did this a few years back when I traveled to the US with my Notebook bought in Germany: I ordered just the cable with C6 plug on one side, and the normal US plug on the other side, and brought my power adapter with me. My mother in law was a bit surprised when that cable came. (I left the cable there for the next time I visit.)
@@PauxloE yes, I'd recommend a more expensive charger with 130W output or more. That should easily be able to charge two notebooks or one notebook and several smaller devices. Always check the output capabilities and compare it to the requirements of the devices. USB power delivery is the keyword to distinguish from cheaper chargers that are not able to provide higher voltages!
The power strip for 110 Volt might be not suitable for 220 Volt. Make sure to check this before buying it (or at least before plugging it in in Europe).
Actually they may prevent you from charging or put the outlet into a very low power mode, as no higher power level can be negotiated, using the data lines. I recommend charging through a power bank. The power bank cannot be harmed by a manipulated outlet and negotiate a high power output and your phone can independently negotiate and charge from the power bank. Usually power banks allow to be charged while charging a device. A smaller and lighter one should be fine for that as well.
Deutsche Bahn should give you a Bahncard 100, 1st class. Would be a rather favourable deal for Deutsche Bahn, you are really tolerant when it comes to Deutsche Bahn's shortcomings ;)
I bring my own USB chargers on my holidays, and have a power adapter with built-in USB Chargers. And I haven't seen very much public USB charging ports, but maybe I'm overlooking them.
4:35 Fortunately my 2014 HTC phone always defaults to charge only when connected to a USB outlet. Actually, it will only show the prompt to choose the USB type when connected to a computer of sorts.
Didn’t even know there is an adapter for switzerland (coming from germany). All my german appliances always worked there just fine without one. Now the UK is really annoying, yes, it is the supposedly safest plug in the world, but it is also one of the biggest and clunkiest you can have. Quite honestly, i am very happy that nowadays i habe to travel to Italy instead to creepy Crawley for my training every six months…
I get why you use a power only USB cable but I don‘t get the risk evaluation. Are there really hotels where the USB power outlet is hooked to the hotels computer/network or is it a risk because a previous guest could have put a Raspberry PI with a Wifi module in the outlet to wait in the next room until some is loading his/her computer while it‘s running? 🤔
Luckily, I have a drawer of power cables with german plugs for most of my electronics. Many electronics we get are also for the european market, and the importer couldn't be bothered to put a South African plug in the box. So I just fished one out of the drawer for my last European trip.
I've never had problems with public transport on Google Maps in Europe, if it was available. Some cities are not on there, but others actually maintain their schedule on there as well, or have some sort of interface for google to look times up. I know that the tram in Kassel wasn't on there for the longest time, or the UBahn in Frankfurt, but It saved me a bunch of time in other cities as well, because it does look for routes with walking in between stations as an interchange. In Berlin the official apps my buddy used always wasted 20 minutes on connecting trains, that would've just been short walks, because their app only uses their network.
I used GMaps when I was in Munch and Berlin, and they were fine! I mainly used them for public transport. I downloaded the BVG app, but it was sluggish and not very useful.
Same for Dresden. They will not tell you about the delays (the Dresden DVG app will), but it will give you the connections and the timetables correctly.
Never heard about "data blockers", I just have two USB cables for my phone, one is unmarked (the data cable), and one is marked with "C" (for "charging only") on the bigger (USB-A) plug. In Germany, they are sometimes marked with "L" ("Ladekabel"). As to luggage, alright, I'm still a backpacker whenever I can, but if you HAVE to use a suitcase, spray some mark on it, like make the upper rim pink or so. And, most of all: If you're an adult healthy person, and can't carry your suitcase, but need to have it on wheels, then either you're not as healthy as you think, or you have too much luggage.
sure google maps can be wrong but it is quite good most of the time. it's not bad to check in the official local public transport app but most of the time in a pinch it creates a reasonable answer. (but definitely not for cycling,)
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Google maps transit navigation can be awesome if the transport agency gives real time info to Google.
I found the Google routing function quite reliable for public transport routing in Budapest, even better than the official app. But this is certainly not true for all places. In general Google's map quality is mediocre. OpenStreetMap has much better quality map data (not everywhere as it depends on contributions by locals, but as a general rule). I would use OpenStreetMap all the time, if it wasn't for the additional functions that Google offers, such as "find the nearest bank" etc.
Always take a spare cable for charging. If your cable fails and you have all your tickets, boarding cards and booking details on your phone, it can be quite the disaster if you can't charge it.
As an electrician I really want to recommend you: If you want to use a powerstrip in Germany ( I only knew the German values, but is important to know in general!) First pls never ever plug two or more power strips behind each other, just plug one to the outlet in the wall!! And second be careful about the watts (electrical power) of your devices. A german outlet can hold up to 3680 watts, so all over this cap can cause (If you are lucky) a blackout in your hotel room or the entire hotel itself or in the worst case leads in both cases(first and second) to a massive electrical fire. So be careful and have that in mind☝🏻😊
what nonsense, if you exceed the power limit for the outlet here in the developed world just the Fi for that limited circuit, on which the outlet is, will be triggered. The blackout will at worst effect 2 or 3 rooms (or half your small flat maybe as the outlets are spread over separate circuits each with its own Fi) ... and its an incredibly easy and fast fix, just unplug what went overboard and switch back the Fi. As for putting powerstrips in a row ... no issue at all, for as long as they are within EU regulations and the max power limit isnt ignored. ... especially with low power nonsense like USB chargers and LED lamps you can go nuts with power strips and devices on a single outlet. We aint living in the darkages of electricity here in Germany (most of europe). If you truly are an electrician then you are a really bad one for not knowing how much its a non-issue to simply exceed the power limit of 3680w on an outlet. ... Or you are an electrician from a country which much worst standards and foolishly projected that on Germany.
@@diedampfbrasse98 Habs fast schon vergessen zu antworten: 1. Kann man auch mal höflicher antworten 2. Der FI oder Mittlerweile RCD(Residual Current Device) schaltet nur bei Erd-/Leiter-/Körper-/Schutzleiterschlüssen ab, sprich alle Arten von Kurzschlüssen die den Strom vom Leiter ableiten. FIs Schützen Menschenleben und in Stromintensiven Anlagen vor Bränden(Lösen frühstens bei 300mA aus). In Hotels/Häusern hast du nur Etagenweise Unterverteilungen(Günstiger und Sinniger) in denen auch nur Reguläre FIs verbaut werden (30mA Auslösestrom). Du meinst aber Leitungsschutzschalter kurz LS-Schalter, diese Schützen nur die Leitung(nebenbei meist auch die Betriebsmittel sprich Endgeräte). Aber je nachdem welche Schalter Standardmässig Typ B und ab welchem Auslösestrom Standard 16A Lösen diese bei überlast zu Spät oder Gar nicht aus. Auch das Alter und die Sensibilität spielen eine Rolle und zu guter Letzt können Staub und Dreck auch Ursachen sein die bei einem zu hohen Strom"Fluß" zu Bränden führen kann die Logischerweise nicht von den Sicherungen erfasst werden. Zu dem ist es wichtig darauf zu achten das der Querschnitt der Leitung(Das Kabel an der Leiste selbst) nicht zu klein ist und das diese keine Billig China Dinger für nen Paar Euronen sind (Die fangen manchmal einfach so Feuer) sondern mindestens ein TÜV und oder eine VDE Zertifizierung haben. Du meinst so etwas kann in Deustchland nicht passieren? Unser Stromnetz ist auf dem Stand von 1990, es existieren noch Gebäude mit Klassischer Nullung(Sprich kein Schutzleiter vorhanden), Abgegammelte Fundamenterder, Veraltete Sicherungen (LS Typ H & L Google mal sind Uralt), Keine FIs oder veraltete (Auslösestrom bei 0,5A) und noch ganz Klassisch Fusch am Bau Amateur Arbeiten Durchgeschnitte Schutzleiter Metallene Rohre Spülbecken oder Wannen nicht geerdet usw. Wir haben ein Ganzes Buch mit Normen und Gesetzen (DIN Norm in Deutschland) aber das Hilft nur solange wie es auch Umgesetzt wird, was Spoileralarm eher selten der Fall ist selbst in Krankenhäusern oder Öffentlichengebäuden. Es ist Naiv zu sagen das Deutschland ein Markelloses Stromnetz bzw. Perfekte Sicherheit bietet es existieren immernoch einige Stromtote, klar nicht annähernd so viele wie vor 30 Jahren aber dennoch so viele das man Vorsichtig mit umgehen muss. Auf dem Bau Sichern wir übrigens die Steckdosen so ab das wir rein Rechnerisch nicht über die 3680 W gehen. Durch den Widerstand den die Steckerleisten verursachen und den Netzunterschieden zwischen beispielsweise den USA und Deutschland können nur wenige Geräte (Föhn, Elektrische Zahnbürste Rasierer Ladegeräte Notebooks usw.) zur Überlast führen. Besonders eben jene die nicht nach den Deutschen Standards gefertigt wurden können einen Höheren Leistungsbedarf haben besonders Ladegeräte(mit Schnellladen oder besonders Induktives Laden) eben Föhne Ventilatoren Heizgeräte Mikrowellen und und und... Ich habe schon echt einiges gesehen und deshalb möchte ich auch nur zur Vorsicht warnen um vor Sachschäden zu schützen bzw. Menschenleben zu bewaren.
Disclaimer: Do this only if you are reasonably familiar how mains voltage works. Also, this is no convenient solution if you need an adapter as soon as you enter the country. To avoid adapter plugs, especially if you go to the same country regularly, you can buy a (multi-outlet) power strip (in your home country), unscrew the cable, buy a power strip in the target country, unscrew that cable and connect it to your local power strip. You can connect the other parts to get an adapter in the other direction for free, if you ever have visitors from the country you currently visit. And if you have a power adapter which you need to carry around a lot, you could also just buy the fitting IEC60320 connector cable (in the target country).
It is not only inconvenient and mostly not cost effective, if you try this with some cheaper power strips you may actually get a surprise with cables soldered or crimped inside. I usually recommend getting a high quality adapter. I got for example one explicitly for UK, and otherwise I have a universal one from a Swiss brand, that depending on the model even may come with a USB charger built in or included. Also one remark about some models, if you want an adapter for the German grounded Schuko plug, get one that is grounded as well. Cheaper ones may not have a ground connection and a Schuko plug or in other cases a grounded plug, will not fit.
If you're comfortable with rewiring, I'd recommend buying a single plug, snipping off the original one and attaching the new one. Much less fiddly that working on the insides of a power strip. Also, the build quality on rewireable plugs is just so much better than anything you get on power strips. And you can wire in another plug easily when your regular target country changes. BTW, for a Brit over a certain age, wiring in a new plug should be child's play. ;) PS: The tip about IEC60320 cables is very good. C5, C7 and C17 are all very common with power supplies and readily available in any electronics store. I even have a power strip with a C13 inlet port. The brand "PowerCube" has a couple of models with that, their 1801 model even comes with a number of travel adapters. (although I wouldn't recommend plugging a cube directly into a wall outlet, the combined weight would most likely pull the socket out of the wall!). There are also adapters from C13 to any socket you like, which are intended for use with rack-mounted UPSs, which are notorious for only having C13 sockets. There even are full power strips with a cable that ends in a C13 plug for this, although those are usually on the higher end of the quality and price scale, as they are intended to be mounted in server racks.
Hello. I have asked this question to many UA-cam vloggers, who advise on travel tips. Sadly no one has replied yet. Can you offer a list of German aiports, who still have staffed DB Reisezentrum personnel, who can validate a rail pass for foreigners? I see many videos with the Fahrkartenautomaten, but no one visits a Reisezentrum staffed by DB employees. I checked the official websites of Munich's, Duesseldorf's and Stuttgart's airports, but it only shows the ticket machines and not an window/counter, where one can speak to a person. It appears that Frankfurt may still have a DB counter. I was unable to find any other airport with such. Can you please advise us on this subect? Thank you.
As far as I can tell, the stations at Munich, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt airports all have DB travel centres; Stuttgart apparently doesn't yet, but a new station is being built there.
3:57 Not everywhere in Europe uses 230 V - UK (you may know this country?) has 240 V. Since you were born there. - And finally, North America does NOT use 110 V, but 120 V.
You're right about North America. However, the UK has been on 230 V since the 1990s: before then the UK was on 240 V and continental Europe on 220 V, but when the international norm IEC 60038 was adopted the two regions gradually switched over to 230 V. But these are only approximate values: in reality the exact voltages vary. In Europe, the voltage can be up to 23 V greater than or less than the specified voltage (not sure what it is for North America). There's a fair amount of tolerance -- the UK switched from 240 V to 230 V, the rest of Europe from 220 V to 230 V, and North America from 110 V to 120 V, all without any issues.
The "120V" US standard is _actually_ 110V. We just call it 120V because … I dunno, it sounds like you're getting more? Like how hard drive capacities are marketed in powers-of-10 instead of what _the computer recognizes,_ which is powers-of-two. [Specifically, to a computer, 1 GB is (1 kilobyte)*(1 kilobyte)*(1 kilobyte), where 1 kilobyte is _1024 bytes._ This is also the definition that RAM is measured in. But the marketers at the hard drive companies decided that "1 kilobyte"==1000 bytes. Allows them to sell less. Now, this has nothing to do with "120V" power _actually being 110V, other than it _maybe_ bend a marketing ploy. We seem to be fond of those here in the US…]
@@rewboss the important thing about the different voltages between 220 and 240 volts is, they came with different tolerances in the past. Like after shifting to 230 it was plus 6 and minus 10 % for a while. For Germany since 2009 it is 230 V plus or minus 10 %, which actually puts us into a range of 207 to 253 V. For the UK i think tolerances are -6%/+10%. So any nominal 230 volt device should be able to handle any of those voltages.
@@John_Weiss Your post about US voltages would have been true 75 years ago, but since shortly after World War II, the US standard has been 240 volts/120 volts on the split phase system. To quote Wikipedia, "Most of the Americas use 60 Hz AC, the 120/240 volt split-phase system domestically and three-phase for larger installations. North American transformers usually power homes at 240 volts, similar to Europe's 230 volts. It is the split-phase that allows use of 120 volts in the home." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_power_distribution. 120/240 volts are "nominal," as actual measured voltage will drop as a function of distance from the transformer and load on the power grid. However, 120/240 volts are real, practical numbers, not some marketing gimmick. I am 71 years old and have lived all over the US. I have measured voltage everywhere I have ever lived and have never seen a domestic circuit measure lower than 118 volts or more than 124. I've just measured at my circuit breaker box: 120.2 volts, and 240.4 volts across the two mains. In the earliest days of electricity -- 1890s -- US voltages were about 100 volts, as that was about the maximum Edison light bulbs of the era could tolerate. That was soon increased to 110 volts, and then to 120/240 as mentioned above. I
In my experience Google Maps is awesome for walking and driving but for public transportation yeah... you need extra help.
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In my experience, it only works for driving. Often walking will show weird journeys because for some reason it thinks you need to follow traffic. At least in Europe, Google Maps is pretty meh.
@@soundscape26 Google maps is mainly a road map. Footpaths and shortcuts are often missing, and even when they are on the map, they are rarely suggested in the route planner, which clearly prefers sending pedestrians and cyclists through long big roads as if they were cars,
@@runeodin7237 My experience with Google Maps for walking was mostly done in an urban setting and it has always sent me to streets with sidewalks, some fully pedestrianised, some with cars. If you leave cities yes, the experience might be more confusing for walking. I don't bike so I have no idea on how it works for bikes. Still it's an app full of potential and that can always be improved.
For cycling it is bad in my opinion. In my area it shows routes going through an airfield which is blocked by fences (for a long time). On the other hand some routes are not good for cyclists. I prefer to go a little bit longer but on a bike path and not on a road with much traffic. And a long time (about 1 year completely blocked) building site just around the corner which blocked a big road for a long distance didn't show up. I had several people trying to drive to me who were mislead by Google maps and stood in front of a deep hole in the earth 🙂with no clue how to go around it (by Google Maps).
As somebody who works on a airport I must say that your first tip is not very useful. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has a ribbon on their suitcase. It is much more important to have a name tag with at least a contact phone number or your E-Mail address and possibly your destination. Keep a photocopy of your ID inside your suitcase. Both of these will make it easier to identify once your bag is tagless. It ensures that your bag will be expedited to your location faster. The ID inside is useful if your bag is opened for identification (thus do not lock your bag - those little locks are useless anyway). If you really want to make your bag easier to recognise for yourself put a sticker (i. E. from local football or music club).
I've read advice to not name tag your luggage, because it tells burglars the exact address of a home that is currently unguarded. Don't know if this is what actual burglars do, but thought I'd share.
@@xaverlustig3581 If a suitcase is in our possession (left behind) we are obliged to keep the bags away from public access and of course we must observe all laws protecting private data. As for your theory, it might be possible but I highly doubt it.
@@tungurahua8257 I don't mean to say that airport staff are burglars 🙂 It's about accomplices walking around in airports casually reading address tags on luggage they see lying around, and then text that information to the actual burglars who can break into the homes without much worry.
@@xaverlustig3581 Sorry if it sounded like I am accusing you of something. It just makes our job much easier if a there is a name tag on your suitcase and in the end that is better for the passenger. It‘s your decision. Otherwise my colleague (who would make an excellent detective) will have to figure out where the bag needs to be sent to. And he is really good at that.
Agreed. I would also add: if you are buying a new suitcase, buy the most ridiculous colour available. First, if you are buying on a discount, they can get a really nice one, because the shop may not be able sell them as quickly as neutral colours. Second, they are easy to spot. How many hot pink or acid greens suitcases will there be on the pickup belt along yours? Yeah, probably none or maybe one. This is also useful when you are travelling via shared car (e.g. Blablacar), so you can simply describe yourself "a blonde with beige trench coat and hot pink suitcase" and be easier to find for your co-travellers. Third, the airport/bus employees will often get your suitcase out to you faster (no proof, just a hunch based on my experience with crazy coloured suitcases). Since colourful suitcases are so different and easily distinguishable from the uniform mass of black and navy luggage, and the people handling them are working under pressure of time, they will likely catch yours quite early on and move it out of the way (and into the place where you can pick it). The only downside I can think of is that you are easier to be spied on or followed. However, life is not a Bond movie, so this is likely not as big of a problem.
I planned to visit Russia in June 2020 that didn't happen. Planned to visit Russia in 2025 but i think that is a dodgy prospect seeing Putin is attempting to turn Russia into the European version of North Korea i don't think this video will be that handy. Still i do enjoy the channel.
I went to cologne recently and found Germans fucking rude especially a bloke in a traditional German restaurant he was so nice to the Germans but shouted when I asked for a drinks menu (in German)
Depends if they're multi voltage. I had a hair dryer like that with a voltage switch, it worked on my trip in the US. It went up in flame when I forgot to set it back to 230V before plugging it in back in Europe, but that's another story. Some plug adapters might not be suitable for high wattage devices though, either because they lack the earth prong, or the fuse (relevant in UK).
@@xaverlustig3581 The reason hairdryers in particular tend to break has nothing to do with voltage. Anything using an AC motor (like hairdryers) needs a particular frequency to run on, and that differs between the US and Europe (the US has 60 Hertz, Europe runs on 50). If the frequency is wrong, sooner or later, the motor will burn out. And unlike voltage, which these days is not an issue with modern plugs, there are no handy frequency adapters. If you're planning on a long journey and need a hairdryer, buy a cheap one at your destination.
@@EllieD.Violet well some other corners are more civilized as well.. But I mean similar as I would benefit from that video, as I live in other part of Europe..
sidenote: thanks to how sh*t windows is programed i use datablocker/NoData cables to avoid the fin plug&play notification hell which never works right with some devices. My headlamp for example constantly triggering the device managers even tho I just want to charge it. Its just a lamp and this dumb windows tries to install it like a storage device or mouse ... not just once, but every 2 or 3 minutes.
@@ospero7681 Just keep watching ARD and ZDF. In 1945, many Germans were happy they had trusted the Wochenschau. I'm sure of it. Wewe have learned from history that the masses are always correct and the small minority is mostly wrong. Slawa Zucchini! o/
@@ospero7681 There is an English , publication called the Enquirer. They have estimated that over 300,000 people in Europe may die due to cold in this coming winter. keep trusting the German media I am sure it will all work out for you.
@@ospero7681 Ah I see, so this is a dick swinging contest for you... Well, it really ain't for me. We have a serious problem in Germany. and it is that our mass media, is misinforming us. Furthermore, we seem to have a big problem with fascism in Germany. Your fascistoid threats and ramblings are proof of it. This is not about owning idiots for me. I simply wish to inform other German people - German media is lying, a lot, and it only takes one step out of your cozy propaganda bubble to see. der Baum brennt, as they say. unlike you, I have facts on my site And I don't claim things simply because the Tagesschau has told me so. But I guess fascists do not need arguments, nor discussion, nor facts.
Why would anyone want to visit Germany? This winter? many people might freeze or starve to death. sorry to piss on your dreams, but we are not looking too good in Germany.
@@soundscape26 No, I am a realist. And if you still believe everything were a-okay. You must be off your rocker! Just out of interest and be honest, you are watching the Tagesschau, right?
For Germany I would definitely add: figure out a way to easily get cash.
Germans are notorious for not using paying cards, and credit cards especially. Many stores and restaurants will accept cash only, or cash and debit cards only, but no credit cards. Buying some euro bills beforehand, figuring out which bank will allow you to take out cash for free or cheaply, buying travelling checks (and figuring out which banks you can cash them in) may be a godsend.
Though I find that acceptance of cashless has increased a lot because of the pandemic. I have used almost no cash on my last three month long trips, though I have cash for smaller Gaststätte who may not take a card.
@@mnsegler1 That's true for debit cards. Credit cards remain an issue, since so many Germans themselves don't have one.
(It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem: Why get a credit card, if basically no shop accepts them? But why should shops make the extra effort of accepting credit cards, if no one ever uses them?)
That used to be true pre-Covid but has now RADICALLY CHANGED!
Thankfully! 😊
Very useful. And the tip about data blockers for USB ports is one I hadn’t heard before and definitely to be recommended everywhere.
These were all great tips! I'd love to see a video on how to get around without Maps, I've definitely had plenty of trouble with it 😅
An addition to the tip about luggage: You can buy "safety belts" at most airports. They have a combination lock on them, so the idea is to put them around your suitcase that can't be locked. But they are sold in many different colors, so just pick one that is as different as possible to your luggage. I now have a dark green suitcase with a neon pink belt around it and I never had issues finding it again. I have also tried ribbons or stickers in the past, but they often fell off during handling.
google maps is great for public transport in the UK! obviously not relevant for Germany but especially in london, it works very well and tells you bus numbers, tube times etc
Indeed. I relied heavily on Google Maps when I visited London last summer and I had no issues with it whatsoever.
It works reasonably well for Germany also, in my experience
I'll be in Frankfurt first week of March for a whole week! Very excited. Thanks for the advice.
How was it?
@@kkon5ti It was wonderful as always. I had to cut it short by 2 days due to rainy weather so it limited my travel plans within the city but it was fun and memorable none the less. Thanks for asking.
I just ask random Germans for directions. I'd rather deal with my basic German & help from some translating software than walking in the opposite direction or taking the wrong S-Bahn due to GMaps shenanigans.
I'll be traveling to Switzerland in a couple of months and as a European it didn't even cross my mind they might be using different power outlets. Thanks Rewboss!
👍
Thanks for the tip about the USB adapter without data wires. I had not heard of those. Yes, Google doesn’t always do European local transit well - which caused me to take an S-Bahn in Frankfurt and the walk a long way to my hotel with heavy suitcases, only to find a bus next to the hotel! In fairness to Google, I heard the RMV refuses to publish real-time data. The RMV app is ok but Google maps is easier to use.
There's one thing to keep in mind with USB power-only cables: USB 3.1 Gen2 plugs will deliver a maximum of 5V/900mA initially, allowing a power consumption of up to 4.5 Watts. Devices that need more juice, then negotiate with the charger for the actual power and voltage they need. With the data wires cut, this is not possible, so you're stick with the default. Any USB device can handle that, but you phone may take ages to charge, and a modern laptop computer might not work at all. Also, many of these USB wall chargers only deliver USB 2.0, which is limited to 5V/500mA (you can identify them by the white piece of plastic inside the socket, USB 3 is blue). Long story short: if you don't want to bring multiple chargers, take the one you use for the most power hungry device you have, that one will charge you other devices as well. And don't plug your devices into untrusted charging ports at all.
And the new RMV app is big trash :( but with DB Navigator you can easily find the same buses
If you commonly go to a nation with a specific plug, you can buy a multi-way in your own nation, and a plug in your destination state, and replace the plug on the multiway. Of course, the single adapter is easier. Travelling is also easier if you buy a multi-way USB charger, which are also common. Charging 3-4 devices all at once from one outlet is a gods send.
I travel quite a lot to Europe, especially Germany and take two UK to European adapters plus one short four socket UK extension lead. That allows normal use of my UK equipment. But remember as in UK don't overload the sockets.
Few people manage to overload a socket with >2000W while traveling though
Google Maps worked perfectly for public transportation in Prague. In Germany... not so much.
Using a USB cable without a data line can have an unwanted side effect: Phone and charger also use the data line to negotiate the charging speed. If the cable does not have a data line, the phone will charge at the slowest possible rate.
Indeed, without data communications the USB outlet will at most provide the regular 5V and at most 500 mA. Some might switch off with no communication after about 30 seconds to 2 minutes, not charging anything. Some outlets may ignore the fact and provide up to 1 A instead, but if the outlet is capable of it, i sure would not bet on getting anything higher and charging may be very slow, if the device starts charging at all. Not to mention any quick charge protocols, but those will rarely be found on such outlets anyways.
But in general, it is indeed a good advice to not plug your phone i to just any outlet. One Tip i have to avoid this, get yourself a power bank to charge while on the go. And if you like to use such an "potentially dangerous" USB outlet, charge your power bank from the outlet, it will not be harmed by any attempt to download a virus as it only can negotiate the power output and then charge your phone from the power bank, which then independently will negotiate the power output with your phone. For using it like that as a filter, it has not to be a higher power bank, a small one (like 5000 mAh or even less) will be fine.
I bring power outlet everywhere and it nicely have a surge protection. I also mostly use square outlets at home, except for the chargers.
There was a famous case some years back where a car went into a river (or lake?) because the navigation program didn't tell (and the driver didn't notice because they didn't pay attention) that the bridge is actually a ferry (which currently was not at this side). (Might even have happened multiple times at different locations, not sure.)
and yet we hope it will happen again, as entertaining as it comes across 🙂
Did it have atmos and reached its final destination?
Google Maps worked very well for me for public transport in Switzerland, France and some other countries (haven't really tried it in Germany yet). The only times I had problems was when I was seeking pedestrian routes.
Google Maps doesnt always get the closest trips for you. They has a habit of recommending trip further in the future, despite an identical but departs closer trip available. Local apps are the best option, but apps from other regions can also be used.
Google Maps just works fine for me, but I live in Frankfurt.
I highly recommend using those data blockers. There are cases, where malicious actors install public „chargers“, which then copy your data or even try to hack your phone.
The blockers usually act as a data device on the socket‘s side, but do not transport any data. It allows them to pull the maximal current (0.5A) from the socket. Without a data connection the socket might limit the output to 0.1A (with 5V = 0.5W).
A potential alternative to bulky adapter plugs - especially if all your devices you are travelling with are USB powered, which is becoming the norm for modern notebooks as well - could be a multi-USB(-C PD) charger, but unlike those from e.g. Anker, I'd recommend a charger with an detachable cable with C5/C6 or C7/C8 connection type, which are a world-wide standard (there are several brands available). Instead of having to bring an adapter just replace the charger's power cable with one fitting the plugs of your destination country. Alternatively, some of these chargers come with a swap-able plug attachment system.
Yes. For my travels I have a pretty compact adapter with four USB ports and a European receptacle, with extendable EU / GB / USA / Australian / Asian plugs. So I can plug in all my mobile devices at once, including the camera charger which needs mains voltage.
Make sure your adapter has enough power for the devices you want to charge. I once did forget the charger for my laptop, and bought a simple USB-C charger for mobile phones, but it just didn't give enough power for my laptop to charge.
I did this a few years back when I traveled to the US with my Notebook bought in Germany: I ordered just the cable with C6 plug on one side, and the normal US plug on the other side, and brought my power adapter with me. My mother in law was a bit surprised when that cable came. (I left the cable there for the next time I visit.)
@@PauxloE yes, I'd recommend a more expensive charger with 130W output or more. That should easily be able to charge two notebooks or one notebook and several smaller devices. Always check the output capabilities and compare it to the requirements of the devices. USB power delivery is the keyword to distinguish from cheaper chargers that are not able to provide higher voltages!
The power strip for 110 Volt might be not suitable for 220 Volt. Make sure to check this before buying it (or at least before plugging it in in Europe).
That’s true. I fried one once.
4:54 Even power only is not safe, there are bad people out there that have usb ports with to much voltage installed.
Thanks for the tip about DB Navigator.
I've always called those data blockers 'USB Condoms'
Useful video as always Rewboss
Actually they may prevent you from charging or put the outlet into a very low power mode, as no higher power level can be negotiated, using the data lines.
I recommend charging through a power bank. The power bank cannot be harmed by a manipulated outlet and negotiate a high power output and your phone can independently negotiate and charge from the power bank. Usually power banks allow to be charged while charging a device. A smaller and lighter one should be fine for that as well.
Deutsche Bahn should give you a Bahncard 100, 1st class. Would be a rather favourable deal for Deutsche Bahn, you are really tolerant when it comes to Deutsche Bahn's shortcomings ;)
I bring my own USB chargers on my holidays, and have a power adapter with built-in USB Chargers. And I haven't seen very much public USB charging ports, but maybe I'm overlooking them.
4:35 Fortunately my 2014 HTC phone always defaults to charge only when connected to a USB outlet. Actually, it will only show the prompt to choose the USB type when connected to a computer of sorts.
Loriot, Fluggepäck (aus "Alles über das Fliegen"). "Gehören Ihnen diese Magazine?"
I never knew USB power-only wires or adapters even exist! Interesting and good to know!
Data Blocker, also known as a USB condom. Protects you when you stick your dongle in strange ports.
😂You win the Internet today!
The smaller, flat plug shown should go into any European socket except UK an Ireland.
Didn’t even know there is an adapter for switzerland (coming from germany). All my german appliances always worked there just fine without one. Now the UK is really annoying, yes, it is the supposedly safest plug in the world, but it is also one of the biggest and clunkiest you can have. Quite honestly, i am very happy that nowadays i habe to travel to Italy instead to creepy Crawley for my training every six months…
I had a great experience with Google Maps and public transit in Netherlands.
I get why you use a power only USB cable but I don‘t get the risk evaluation. Are there really hotels where the USB power outlet is hooked to the hotels computer/network or is it a risk because a previous guest could have put a Raspberry PI with a Wifi module in the outlet to wait in the next room until some is loading his/her computer while it‘s running? 🤔
DB Navigator AKA Hafas is very handy all over Europe \m/
Especially for hiking OSMAnd+ is very good.
Luckily, I have a drawer of power cables with german plugs for most of my electronics. Many electronics we get are also for the european market, and the importer couldn't be bothered to put a South African plug in the box. So I just fished one out of the drawer for my last European trip.
I've never had problems with public transport on Google Maps in Europe, if it was available. Some cities are not on there, but others actually maintain their schedule on there as well, or have some sort of interface for google to look times up. I know that the tram in Kassel wasn't on there for the longest time, or the UBahn in Frankfurt, but It saved me a bunch of time in other cities as well, because it does look for routes with walking in between stations as an interchange. In Berlin the official apps my buddy used always wasted 20 minutes on connecting trains, that would've just been short walks, because their app only uses their network.
A bit off topic - but I really like your new light setup!
I used GMaps when I was in Munch and Berlin, and they were fine! I mainly used them for public transport. I downloaded the BVG app, but it was sluggish and not very useful.
Same for Dresden. They will not tell you about the delays (the Dresden DVG app will), but it will give you the connections and the timetables correctly.
Never heard about "data blockers", I just have two USB cables for my phone, one is unmarked (the data cable), and one is marked with "C" (for "charging only") on the bigger (USB-A) plug. In Germany, they are sometimes marked with "L" ("Ladekabel").
As to luggage, alright, I'm still a backpacker whenever I can, but if you HAVE to use a suitcase, spray some mark on it, like make the upper rim pink or so. And, most of all: If you're an adult healthy person, and can't carry your suitcase, but need to have it on wheels, then either you're not as healthy as you think, or you have too much luggage.
sure google maps can be wrong but it is quite good most of the time. it's not bad to check in the official local public transport app but most of the time in a pinch it creates a reasonable answer. (but definitely not for cycling,)
Google maps transit navigation can be awesome if the transport agency gives real time info to Google.
I found the Google routing function quite reliable for public transport routing in Budapest, even better than the official app. But this is certainly not true for all places.
In general Google's map quality is mediocre. OpenStreetMap has much better quality map data (not everywhere as it depends on contributions by locals, but as a general rule). I would use OpenStreetMap all the time, if it wasn't for the additional functions that Google offers, such as "find the nearest bank" etc.
A suggestion for videos until all details about the 49 € ticket are clear: How to get a driving licence in Germany.
Always take a spare cable for charging. If your cable fails and you have all your tickets, boarding cards and booking details on your phone, it can be quite the disaster if you can't charge it.
As an electrician I really want to recommend you: If you want to use a powerstrip in Germany ( I only knew the German values, but is important to know in general!) First pls never ever plug two or more power strips behind each other, just plug one to the outlet in the wall!! And second be careful about the watts (electrical power) of your devices. A german outlet can hold up to 3680 watts, so all over this cap can cause (If you are lucky) a blackout in your hotel room or the entire hotel itself or in the worst case leads in both cases(first and second) to a massive electrical fire. So be careful and have that in mind☝🏻😊
what nonsense, if you exceed the power limit for the outlet here in the developed world just the Fi for that limited circuit, on which the outlet is, will be triggered. The blackout will at worst effect 2 or 3 rooms (or half your small flat maybe as the outlets are spread over separate circuits each with its own Fi) ... and its an incredibly easy and fast fix, just unplug what went overboard and switch back the Fi.
As for putting powerstrips in a row ... no issue at all, for as long as they are within EU regulations and the max power limit isnt ignored. ... especially with low power nonsense like USB chargers and LED lamps you can go nuts with power strips and devices on a single outlet. We aint living in the darkages of electricity here in Germany (most of europe).
If you truly are an electrician then you are a really bad one for not knowing how much its a non-issue to simply exceed the power limit of 3680w on an outlet. ... Or you are an electrician from a country which much worst standards and foolishly projected that on Germany.
@@diedampfbrasse98 Habs fast schon vergessen zu antworten: 1. Kann man auch mal höflicher antworten 2. Der FI oder Mittlerweile RCD(Residual Current Device) schaltet nur bei Erd-/Leiter-/Körper-/Schutzleiterschlüssen ab, sprich alle Arten von Kurzschlüssen die den Strom vom Leiter ableiten. FIs Schützen Menschenleben und in Stromintensiven Anlagen vor Bränden(Lösen frühstens bei 300mA aus). In Hotels/Häusern hast du nur Etagenweise Unterverteilungen(Günstiger und Sinniger) in denen auch nur Reguläre FIs verbaut werden (30mA Auslösestrom). Du meinst aber Leitungsschutzschalter kurz LS-Schalter, diese Schützen nur die Leitung(nebenbei meist auch die Betriebsmittel sprich Endgeräte). Aber je nachdem welche Schalter Standardmässig Typ B und ab welchem Auslösestrom Standard 16A Lösen diese bei überlast zu Spät oder Gar nicht aus. Auch das Alter und die Sensibilität spielen eine Rolle und zu guter Letzt können Staub und Dreck auch Ursachen sein die bei einem zu hohen Strom"Fluß" zu Bränden führen kann die Logischerweise nicht von den Sicherungen erfasst werden. Zu dem ist es wichtig darauf zu achten das der Querschnitt der Leitung(Das Kabel an der Leiste selbst) nicht zu klein ist und das diese keine Billig China Dinger für nen Paar Euronen sind (Die fangen manchmal einfach so Feuer) sondern mindestens ein TÜV und oder eine VDE Zertifizierung haben.
Du meinst so etwas kann in Deustchland nicht passieren? Unser Stromnetz ist auf dem Stand von 1990, es existieren noch Gebäude mit Klassischer Nullung(Sprich kein Schutzleiter vorhanden), Abgegammelte Fundamenterder, Veraltete Sicherungen (LS Typ H & L Google mal sind Uralt), Keine FIs oder veraltete (Auslösestrom bei 0,5A) und noch ganz Klassisch Fusch am Bau Amateur Arbeiten Durchgeschnitte Schutzleiter Metallene Rohre Spülbecken oder Wannen nicht geerdet usw. Wir haben ein Ganzes Buch mit Normen und Gesetzen (DIN Norm in Deutschland) aber das Hilft nur solange wie es auch Umgesetzt wird, was Spoileralarm eher selten der Fall ist selbst in Krankenhäusern oder Öffentlichengebäuden. Es ist Naiv zu sagen das Deutschland ein Markelloses Stromnetz bzw. Perfekte Sicherheit bietet es existieren immernoch einige Stromtote, klar nicht annähernd so viele wie vor 30 Jahren aber dennoch so viele das man Vorsichtig mit umgehen muss.
Auf dem Bau Sichern wir übrigens die Steckdosen so ab das wir rein Rechnerisch nicht über die 3680 W gehen. Durch den Widerstand den die Steckerleisten verursachen und den Netzunterschieden zwischen beispielsweise den USA und Deutschland können nur wenige Geräte (Föhn, Elektrische Zahnbürste Rasierer Ladegeräte Notebooks usw.) zur Überlast führen. Besonders eben jene die nicht nach den Deutschen Standards gefertigt wurden können einen Höheren Leistungsbedarf haben besonders Ladegeräte(mit Schnellladen oder besonders Induktives Laden) eben Föhne Ventilatoren Heizgeräte Mikrowellen und und und... Ich habe schon echt einiges gesehen und deshalb möchte ich auch nur zur Vorsicht warnen um vor Sachschäden zu schützen bzw. Menschenleben zu bewaren.
since most devices these days using usb, get an power supply with two or more usb ports
Disclaimer: Do this only if you are reasonably familiar how mains voltage works. Also, this is no convenient solution if you need an adapter as soon as you enter the country.
To avoid adapter plugs, especially if you go to the same country regularly, you can buy a (multi-outlet) power strip (in your home country), unscrew the cable, buy a power strip in the target country, unscrew that cable and connect it to your local power strip. You can connect the other parts to get an adapter in the other direction for free, if you ever have visitors from the country you currently visit.
And if you have a power adapter which you need to carry around a lot, you could also just buy the fitting IEC60320 connector cable (in the target country).
It's actually much cheaper, safer and easier to buy one power strip and one adapter.
It is not only inconvenient and mostly not cost effective, if you try this with some cheaper power strips you may actually get a surprise with cables soldered or crimped inside.
I usually recommend getting a high quality adapter. I got for example one explicitly for UK, and otherwise I have a universal one from a Swiss brand, that depending on the model even may come with a USB charger built in or included.
Also one remark about some models, if you want an adapter for the German grounded Schuko plug, get one that is grounded as well. Cheaper ones may not have a ground connection and a Schuko plug or in other cases a grounded plug, will not fit.
If you're comfortable with rewiring, I'd recommend buying a single plug, snipping off the original one and attaching the new one. Much less fiddly that working on the insides of a power strip. Also, the build quality on rewireable plugs is just so much better than anything you get on power strips. And you can wire in another plug easily when your regular target country changes.
BTW, for a Brit over a certain age, wiring in a new plug should be child's play. ;)
PS: The tip about IEC60320 cables is very good. C5, C7 and C17 are all very common with power supplies and readily available in any electronics store. I even have a power strip with a C13 inlet port. The brand "PowerCube" has a couple of models with that, their 1801 model even comes with a number of travel adapters. (although I wouldn't recommend plugging a cube directly into a wall outlet, the combined weight would most likely pull the socket out of the wall!).
There are also adapters from C13 to any socket you like, which are intended for use with rack-mounted UPSs, which are notorious for only having C13 sockets. There even are full power strips with a cable that ends in a C13 plug for this, although those are usually on the higher end of the quality and price scale, as they are intended to be mounted in server racks.
Danke on the EU power strip idea. An EU to US adapter power strip is also helpful. ⚡️🔌 📲
Hello. I have asked this question to many UA-cam vloggers, who advise on travel tips. Sadly no one has replied yet. Can you offer a list of German aiports, who still have staffed DB Reisezentrum personnel, who can validate a rail pass for foreigners? I see many videos with the Fahrkartenautomaten, but no one visits a Reisezentrum staffed by DB employees. I checked the official websites of Munich's, Duesseldorf's and Stuttgart's airports, but it only shows the ticket machines and not an window/counter, where one can speak to a person. It appears that Frankfurt may still have a DB counter. I was unable to find any other airport with such. Can you please advise us on this subect? Thank you.
As far as I can tell, the stations at Munich, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt airports all have DB travel centres; Stuttgart apparently doesn't yet, but a new station is being built there.
@@rewboss W
Huh. My experience with Maps on local public transport has been pretty good.
Suitcases: should I tie bunting in the colours of a personal flag I designed?
I do like how you start with a tip for air travel, meanwhile I could cycle for a bit and board the bi-hourly train from the Netherlands to Berlin. 😃
Bikes and trains might prove a bit inconvenient for overseas travel though.
Google Maps is really accurate in Berlin. Much more accurate than DB navigator or even the BVG app.
I'm not sure I'm very convinced by the no-data cable trick. I'd be more worried about my phone getting fried by too much power from a defective outlet
The electronics in your devices wil take care of this. Unless they're bought from Wish...
I only accept USB-Condom as description for the data blockers.
3:57 Not everywhere in Europe uses 230 V - UK (you may know this country?) has 240 V. Since you were born there. - And finally, North America does NOT use 110 V, but 120 V.
UK switched to 230V. But devices have a range of possible voltages so it wouldn't be a problem. Modern power units often allow from 90-240V.
You're right about North America. However, the UK has been on 230 V since the 1990s: before then the UK was on 240 V and continental Europe on 220 V, but when the international norm IEC 60038 was adopted the two regions gradually switched over to 230 V.
But these are only approximate values: in reality the exact voltages vary. In Europe, the voltage can be up to 23 V greater than or less than the specified voltage (not sure what it is for North America). There's a fair amount of tolerance -- the UK switched from 240 V to 230 V, the rest of Europe from 220 V to 230 V, and North America from 110 V to 120 V, all without any issues.
The "120V" US standard is _actually_ 110V. We just call it 120V because … I dunno, it sounds like you're getting more? Like how hard drive capacities are marketed in powers-of-10 instead of what _the computer recognizes,_ which is powers-of-two.
[Specifically, to a computer, 1 GB is (1 kilobyte)*(1 kilobyte)*(1 kilobyte), where 1 kilobyte is _1024 bytes._ This is also the definition that RAM is measured in. But the marketers at the hard drive companies decided that "1 kilobyte"==1000 bytes. Allows them to sell less.
Now, this has nothing to do with "120V" power _actually being 110V, other than it _maybe_ bend a marketing ploy. We seem to be fond of those here in the US…]
@@rewboss the important thing about the different voltages between 220 and 240 volts is, they came with different tolerances in the past. Like after shifting to 230 it was plus 6 and minus 10 % for a while. For Germany since 2009 it is 230 V plus or minus 10 %, which actually puts us into a range of 207 to 253 V. For the UK i think tolerances are -6%/+10%. So any nominal 230 volt device should be able to handle any of those voltages.
@@John_Weiss Your post about US voltages would have been true 75 years ago, but since shortly after World War II, the US standard has been 240 volts/120 volts on the split phase system. To quote Wikipedia, "Most of the Americas use 60 Hz AC, the 120/240 volt split-phase system domestically and three-phase for larger installations. North American transformers usually power homes at 240 volts, similar to Europe's 230 volts. It is the split-phase that allows use of 120 volts in the home." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_power_distribution.
120/240 volts are "nominal," as actual measured voltage will drop as a function of distance from the transformer and load on the power grid. However, 120/240 volts are real, practical numbers, not some marketing gimmick. I am 71 years old and have lived all over the US. I have measured voltage everywhere I have ever lived and have never seen a domestic circuit measure lower than 118 volts or more than 124. I've just measured at my circuit breaker box: 120.2 volts, and 240.4 volts across the two mains.
In the earliest days of electricity -- 1890s -- US voltages were about 100 volts, as that was about the maximum Edison light bulbs of the era could tolerate. That was soon increased to 110 volts, and then to 120/240 as mentioned above.
I
Actually, Google maps is quite good for public transport in big European cities.
In my experience Google Maps is awesome for walking and driving but for public transportation yeah... you need extra help.
In my experience, it only works for driving. Often walking will show weird journeys because for some reason it thinks you need to follow traffic. At least in Europe, Google Maps is pretty meh.
@ Even when you select the walking icon?
@@soundscape26 Google maps is mainly a road map. Footpaths and shortcuts are often missing, and even when they are on the map, they are rarely suggested in the route planner, which clearly prefers sending pedestrians and cyclists through long big roads as if they were cars,
@@runeodin7237 My experience with Google Maps for walking was mostly done in an urban setting and it has always sent me to streets with sidewalks, some fully pedestrianised, some with cars. If you leave cities yes, the experience might be more confusing for walking. I don't bike so I have no idea on how it works for bikes. Still it's an app full of potential and that can always be improved.
For cycling it is bad in my opinion. In my area it shows routes going through an airfield which is blocked by fences (for a long time). On the other hand some routes are not good for cyclists. I prefer to go a little bit longer but on a bike path and not on a road with much traffic.
And a long time (about 1 year completely blocked) building site just around the corner which blocked a big road for a long distance didn't show up. I had several people trying to drive to me who were mislead by Google maps and stood in front of a deep hole in the earth 🙂with no clue how to go around it (by Google Maps).
You should mention that the currency in EU is the Euro. 🙂
As somebody who works on a airport I must say that your first tip is not very useful. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has a ribbon on their suitcase. It is much more important to have a name tag with at least a contact phone number or your E-Mail address and possibly your destination. Keep a photocopy of your ID inside your suitcase. Both of these will make it easier to identify once your bag is tagless. It ensures that your bag will be expedited to your location faster. The ID inside is useful if your bag is opened for identification (thus do not lock your bag - those little locks are useless anyway). If you really want to make your bag easier to recognise for yourself put a sticker (i. E. from local football or music club).
I've read advice to not name tag your luggage, because it tells burglars the exact address of a home that is currently unguarded. Don't know if this is what actual burglars do, but thought I'd share.
@@xaverlustig3581 If a suitcase is in our possession (left behind) we are obliged to keep the bags away from public access and of course we must observe all laws protecting private data.
As for your theory, it might be possible but I highly doubt it.
@@tungurahua8257 I don't mean to say that airport staff are burglars 🙂 It's about accomplices walking around in airports casually reading address tags on luggage they see lying around, and then text that information to the actual burglars who can break into the homes without much worry.
@@xaverlustig3581 Sorry if it sounded like I am accusing you of something. It just makes our job much easier if a there is a name tag on your suitcase and in the end that is better for the passenger. It‘s your decision. Otherwise my colleague (who would make an excellent detective) will have to figure out where the bag needs to be sent to. And he is really good at that.
Agreed. I would also add: if you are buying a new suitcase, buy the most ridiculous colour available.
First, if you are buying on a discount, they can get a really nice one, because the shop may not be able sell them as quickly as neutral colours.
Second, they are easy to spot. How many hot pink or acid greens suitcases will there be on the pickup belt along yours? Yeah, probably none or maybe one. This is also useful when you are travelling via shared car (e.g. Blablacar), so you can simply describe yourself "a blonde with beige trench coat and hot pink suitcase" and be easier to find for your co-travellers.
Third, the airport/bus employees will often get your suitcase out to you faster (no proof, just a hunch based on my experience with crazy coloured suitcases). Since colourful suitcases are so different and easily distinguishable from the uniform mass of black and navy luggage, and the people handling them are working under pressure of time, they will likely catch yours quite early on and move it out of the way (and into the place where you can pick it).
The only downside I can think of is that you are easier to be spied on or followed. However, life is not a Bond movie, so this is likely not as big of a problem.
I planned to visit Russia in June 2020 that didn't happen. Planned to visit Russia in 2025 but i think that is a dodgy prospect seeing Putin is attempting to turn Russia into the European version of North Korea i don't think this video will be that handy. Still i do enjoy the channel.
And get some airtags for your luggage, in case in gets lost
I went to cologne recently and found Germans fucking rude especially a bloke in a traditional German restaurant he was so nice to the Germans but shouted when I asked for a drinks menu (in German)
Please more tipps. Great video. As I understand it electrical devices that produce heat (from the US) will not work in Europe.
Depends if they're multi voltage. I had a hair dryer like that with a voltage switch, it worked on my trip in the US. It went up in flame when I forgot to set it back to 230V before plugging it in back in Europe, but that's another story.
Some plug adapters might not be suitable for high wattage devices though, either because they lack the earth prong, or the fuse (relevant in UK).
@@xaverlustig3581 The reason hairdryers in particular tend to break has nothing to do with voltage. Anything using an AC motor (like hairdryers) needs a particular frequency to run on, and that differs between the US and Europe (the US has 60 Hertz, Europe runs on 50). If the frequency is wrong, sooner or later, the motor will burn out. And unlike voltage, which these days is not an issue with modern plugs, there are no handy frequency adapters. If you're planning on a long journey and need a hairdryer, buy a cheap one at your destination.
Data blocker: also known as a USB condom.
1:45 Было бы интересно 😊
Google maps will not help you find your luggage
Oh man, I was expecting another installment of the third reich series, and got confused.
How has nobody commented about the hair dangling off his ear.
Jesus, does it really bother you? Holy mackerel, beware, he is human!
@@brini2439 so serious. Just thought it was cute.
@@badllama4554 sorry, I read it as kind of an insult like 'wow, he's not even able to care for his hairv. My apologies!
Putting my voice with those who want the video for how to get around.. I'm not in Germany but from what I saw, all European countries are the same 😅
You mean similarly civilised as opposed to some other corners of the globe?
Then you are correct.
@@EllieD.Violet well some other corners are more civilized as well.. But I mean similar as I would benefit from that video, as I live in other part of Europe..
Sorry, I liked all of your videos up to this point. But this is scraping the barrel and crap.
Ever heard of “constructive criticism”? What was so wrong about the video? What should he have done instead?
You expect him to release a masterpiece everytime? This one was perfectly serviceable.
@@soundscape26 no! But crap is crap!
@@rigsbyrigged1831 We still don’t know what the video should have been like to satisfy you, Oh Grand Master Bellyacher
sidenote: thanks to how sh*t windows is programed i use datablocker/NoData cables to avoid the fin plug&play notification hell which never works right with some devices. My headlamp for example constantly triggering the device managers even tho I just want to charge it. Its just a lamp and this dumb windows tries to install it like a storage device or mouse ... not just once, but every 2 or 3 minutes.
Oh I get it now Andrew., guys like you are referred to as deutscher Michel in Germany.
Reported for misinformation. Thanks for not even trying, now go huddle up to Uncle Vladimir again.
@@ospero7681 Just keep watching ARD and ZDF. In 1945, many Germans were happy they had trusted the Wochenschau. I'm sure of it. Wewe have learned from history that the masses are always correct and the small minority is mostly wrong. Slawa Zucchini! o/
@@wattsefakk9593 I didn't ask you to reply to me. Shut up and sit down until you've learned how social interaction (and facts) work.
@@ospero7681 There is an English , publication called the Enquirer. They have estimated that over 300,000 people in Europe may die due to cold in this coming winter. keep trusting the German media I am sure it will all work out for you.
@@ospero7681 Ah I see, so this is a dick swinging contest for you... Well, it really ain't for me. We have a serious problem in Germany. and it is that our mass media, is misinforming us. Furthermore, we seem to have a big problem with fascism in Germany. Your fascistoid threats and ramblings are proof of it. This is not about owning idiots for me. I simply wish to inform other German people - German media is lying, a lot, and it only takes one step out of your cozy propaganda bubble to
see. der Baum brennt, as they say. unlike you, I have facts on my site And I don't claim things simply because the Tagesschau has told me so. But I guess fascists do not need arguments, nor discussion, nor facts.
Why would anyone want to visit Germany?
This winter? many people might freeze or starve to death. sorry to piss on your dreams, but we are not looking too good in Germany.
🤦♂️
Is this a troll account?
@@soundscape26 No, I am a realist. And if you still believe everything were a-okay. You must be off your rocker!
Just out of interest and be honest, you are watching the Tagesschau, right?
@@wattsefakk9593 Honestly? I have no idea what the Tagesschau is.
@@wattsefakk9593 They might. You are clearly watching Russia Today exclusively.