And a job.....to pay off the credit card. Some poor old pensioners have to camp. It's that, or stay at home.(Cue the violins).
I always carry a Santander Zero credit card (Mastercard) as there are no foreign transaction charges (saves me a small fortune in charges)
I took a Post Office Travel Money card, well topped up, and my normal debit card to Europe. I found sometimes the PO card wasn't accepted by toll machines or petrol station card machines, less often the same happened with the debit card. Always got one of them to work though. But, first chance I got, I withdrew some cash at a cashpoint for contingency. It might be worth telling your bank that you are going, so they don't stop your card when you try to use it. Didn't work very well with my bank, as they wanted dates for when I'd be where, and most of the trip was a wing it job, so I couldn't say for sure. But I had no problems with them on that, and I will inform them this time as well.
If touring abroad, get a waterproof cover/pouch for your passport. Then no matter what happens and whatever the weather, you'll still get home.I got caught in a rain storm off the ferry when touring down through France last year.I put my passport in my front trouser pocket and got wet through. I spent the last day of the holiday trying to seperate all the pages and remove all the crinkles.
Fool the local theives into thinking your bike has an expensive alarm fitted. Achieve this by waking hourly each night and sounding the horn for one minute at regular intervals. Beat the Credit card companies at their own game. Run up a massive bill on your credit card and then kill your self before the statement arrives, thus avoiding re-payment.Take plastic bags with you. They may come in useful and eventually you'll save the planet from destruction from over pollution eventually.
I always carry a Santander Zero credit card (Mastercard) as there are no foreign transaction charges (saves me a small fortune in charges), and one of these in case of punctures. http://www.sportouring.co.uk/shop/gift-ideas/dynaplug-ultralite-puncture-repair-kit/
If riding from a cold wet climate (UK) to a hot dry climate (S France, Spain, Italy), consider buying separate body armour. (Back protector, shoulder, elbow pads and chest plates, held together with mesh). Then remove all the pads from your biker jacket and wear this underneath instead.Then when your in the hot climate and red hot you can just wear the body armour with a t-shirt over the top. Safe and cool! :-)
Put a load of zip ties under your seat. They take up no space and can be used to do emergency repairs, splinting an Allen key to repair a broken brake, clutch or gear lever. Or for securing luggage or other bits of kit to the bike.