FAQs and Other Info
Trip Insurance
Your trip insurance from Faith Ventures is INCLUDED in the cost of your trip.
You will receive your trip insurance cards in the coming week. They will come by email so if you don’t see them by next week, check your spam folder.
You should print this card and carry it with you on the trip.
You have the BASIC PLAN which provides the following protections:
-- Emergency Evacuation $50,000
-- Illness Medical Expense. $25,000
-- Accident Medical Expense $25,000
-- Security Evacuation $100,000
-- Repatriation of Remains $25,000
-- Accidental Death $15,000
-- Missed Connection $500
-- Trip Delay $100
-- Baggage Loss $500
-- Baggage Delay $50
(There are other benefits as well which you can read about HERE)
There is also a PLUS plan and an ANNUAL plan which you could upgrade to on your own. (An Annual Plan would be for someone who travels internationally multiple times throughout the year.) You will need to have the number on your current card to upgrade, and to do so you would call Faith Ventures directly at (888) 674-4074.
Cancellation Insurance
Your trip payment covers travel insurance (above) but no cancellation insurance. As you can imagine, our payments have already been sent to the travel company to pay hotels, entry fees, etc.
If something unforeseen would happen that you could not make the trip, there is no "insurance" unless you purchase it yourself. Fortunately, Faith Ventures provides this service at a very reasonable price. (I just checked and it was $175 for me.)
To purchase, you would go to this LINK. Enter your Policy Number (which you should have already received from Carla -- check your spam folder!) and then enter the details of your trip. Very easy!
Using Your Phone
As you know, I will be providing your a personal tour book for our trip in PDF Format. You can load this on your phone or tablet and use it daily to read about the places we are visiting (it will contain LOTS of other information too!).
But what about using your phone as a phone, web browser, email reader, etc? You have several options:
If you don’t want to spend money for a service, you can just use the wifi that will be available in our hotels (and at many shops, restaurants, etc.).
If you want to always have your phone online, you can contact your provider (Verizon, AT&T, etc) and ask to add the international plan. This typically costs about $10 - $15 per day and works surprisingly well. It is the simplest — and MOST expensive— of all the options.
If your device is capable of using an ESIM, I would suggest this option and there are many companies that provide this for as little as $10 or $20 for the entire trip. My preference would be SAILY (https://saily.com) and you can learn more about them from this VIDEO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrjikMH5BFk
One other option is an actual physical SIM card that can be purchased when you arrive in France. I used to use these and although they are inexpensive, the come with a bit more hassle.
Also, if you don’t have it already, I would download the app WHATSAPP and use it while in France for text and calls.
Photography
As mentioned elsewhere, you are free to take a camera for photos and video, and you will see some amazing places which deserve some time for photography. However, I also always want to warn that we will not have time for people who are really into photography to set up tripods or other equipment as we move from location to location. You may want to do more professional photography on your free day or in your evenings.
Electronics and Adaptors, Cameras —
You are welcome to bring any of your electronic devices along (I will be bringing an iPhone, iPad and small camera.) There will be wifi in the hotels, and constant access if you could get an international plan for your phone or an ESIM.
For charging your devices (plugs) you will need an adaptor for the 2-pin European style outlets. You can see them or order them HERE.
Or you can use one adaptor that allows for 4 to 6 USB or USB-C cables. This is the one I use. LINK
If you don’t travel to Europe often, you should probably just borrow these. I will bring several to the meeting to loan but in the meantime you might ask friends or family if they have these that you could borrow.
Captains and Teams
Randy Beery
Randy & Jean Beery
David & Nanette Baker
Mike & Debbie Benzinger
Jim & Joetta Bopp
David and Kim Holbrook
Rob Hensmann
Rob & Alysa Hensmann
Sonya Emerick & Roberta Hollenbaugh
Tyler & Julie Lehman
Tom & Lynn Schreiber
Monte Lightner
Monte & Beth Lightner
Doug & Missy Copley
David & Rosina Thatcher
Steven & Karla Stoltz
John and Laura Blum
Bob Trgovich
Bob & Cheryl Trgovich
Greg & Diane Nowak
Debra Clarke & Carol Fahl
Dorothy Uhrhammer & Mary Ann Yanes
Tom Shepherd
Tom & Brenda Shepherd
David & Beverly Wagner
Dale & Joyce Wright
Chris & Serena Luithly
Digital Notebook
A digital notebook of our trip will be provided, which will give you information on the sites that we will see and also the people that we will study. It will contain lots of other information like maps and resources as well. You may want to buy a French travel guide as well for your free day or extra time there.
Currency and Shopping
The currency in France is obviously the euro and I would suggest that you change some money once you arrive in France so that you have cash for things like a snack or coffee. Otherwise, I would use credit cards everywhere and tap to pay will be available almost anywhere you go. If you use Apple Pay or Samsung pay, you will find that it is widely accepted.
If you are using credit cards, make sure that they are ones that have no international transaction fees, and also make sure to contact your credit card company. If you have a credit card that demands that. Many credit card companies do not expect you to let them know that you will be traveling any longer.
Unlike a trip to Israel or Turkey, there are no group shopping stops on this trip. You can do your shopping individually on your free day or evenings.