Travel adapters . conflicting advice.

Hi,
I can understand your confusion because all three are used .
Some places , usually the rated hotels are fitted with UK type square pin.
In other places you are likely to get either or a mixture.
The European type is easy as it's just a two , round pin, adaptor. The three round pin, I assume , is left over from the British occupation. The three round pin is the same as the system used in the Uk many, many years ago.
The biggest of the three round pins is the earth or ground pin and as the plug is pushed in, it opens a small shutter inside which allows the live and neutral pins to enter.
Your European two round pin plug usually goes into these older sockets as long as you use a cocktail stick, or something similar, to push into the earth socket first. The cocktail stick does what the earth pin would do if it was there.
Simple .

I use a European two round pin to English square pin adaptor and push a cocktail stick into the earth socket first.
You can buy adaptors out there or buy a universal one at the airport while you're waiting for your flight.
Rod.

Mostly I have found the 2 pin ones most common and I take an adaptor for that type. The locals usually advise if anything else needs sticking into the spare hole on an old 3 pin one and I let them do it is possible to save frying myself.

in my experience,,,,,. most buildings have an earth wire earthed, ie; connected to a metal pole going into th earth.
However, the wall socket earth are very rarely connected to this. So, any frying of Steve is not likely.

Thanks Chris, that is a relief. I can probably cancel the "being fried alive" clause in my travel insurance policy. Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks!