Conclusions

Rick Steves' Best of Europe in 14 Days

Sept. 6-19, 2008

This incredible trip was the perfect way to get a TASTE of all that Europe has to offer! My only regret about this journey is that we didn't do it sooner.

Some of the things we learned:

We are now devotees of packing light. Our friends and family howled with laughter when they heard we were going to be gone for 19 days with only carry-on luggage. (We usually take everything we own, plus the cat, when we travel.) But if we can do it—and live to tell about it—anyone can!

Keep a journal because you WILL forget some of the details without one. I managed to write in my journal faithfully every single day. A special thanks to Dave Fox, who gave us a mini-journal-writing class one evening in Lauterbrunnen.

Prepare ahead of time as much as possible. We poured over all the pre-tour materials, walked and walked to get in shape, reread The Da Vinci Code, listened to French tapes, and hunted for the perfect shoes. Every minute of preparation was time well spent, because it freed us up to enjoy each moment on the trip. And it got us more and more excited to go!

Who knew there were so many ways to flush a toilet?? Or places for street signs?? Or ways to turn on lights??

Many large European cities are miles ahead of the U.S. in public transportation. We were totally amazed at the efficiency of the subway systems in London, Paris, and Rome.

I know it's been said before, but to really experience how old some of the buildings and art works are—the sense of history—was very eye-opening for me.

This trip fostered in us a sense of independence, a feeling that we could take a trip like this on our own in the future, if we wanted. But it was so great to let the Rick Steves staff make all the arrangements and attend to all the details. For us, we think a combination of going with a Rick Steves tour and then doing a portion on our own (like we did in London) is ideal.

I must admit, when we arrived back in the U.S. and the customs agent stamped my passport "Admitted," and said, "Welcome home," it brought tears to my eyes. But we'd go back to Europe in a heartbeat. This trip just whetted our appetites for more travel adventures in the very near future!

Thanks!

Our thanks to Rick Steves and his staff for making this amazing trip possible. A tip of the bowler to Dave Fox, our quintessentially professional (and very funny) tour guide. A toot of the horn to Lou, our wonderful bus driver. Hugs to both my sisters for believing that I could make this website and encouraging me when I doubted myself. And a HUGE thanks to Michael and Jerry for building this website for me!

Relish the Journey!

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