Since it may be difficult to see from the tiny map above, here is the itinerary of the Contiki tour:
One last tip that I can offer after having ventured to the washroom is that if you truly wish to get sleep on a flight (especially one where you are chasing the sun), then first class is the way to go. They get seats that lay pretty much all the way back. Little sleep-inducing pods, they are.
After meeting the Contiki staff and my tourmates, I contemplated (once again) trying to catch up on sleep. It was either that or go adventuring again. I began to walk away but then decided to go back into the café and get to know some people. I can honestly say that it was the best decision I could have made.
I am a firm believer that we usually regret the things we didn’t do (but should have) more than those we did (but shouldn’t have). In fact, the guy sitting next to me on the bus ride to Amsterdam says he regrets not purchasing a drink while we were on the ferry. If we can regret something so small as failing to buy a beverage, then how dire might the consequences be of passing up amazing opportunities such as these optional excursions?
At 7:47am I received a call from the tour manager, asking me if I was coming and when I responded with a yes, he told me to hurry up. I checked my watch, and it was actually 8:47am. I had changed IT, but not the cell phone I used as my alarm.
Red means taken, green means available and orange means a middle of the road/could go either way. Not everyone included this bit of information but I don’t think it’s coincidental that it came out just before arriving at a location that was sort of a pit stop, with a bar right inside the hotel serving as a private party.
We wandered through Munich rather aimlessly, but we did in fact stumble upon a club. One of my tourmates managed to convince the doorman to let us in, despite our less-than-stellar attire. Somehow we didn’t pay a cover charge either.
Or, maybe they’ll be able to pull off the night-after-night drinking until late, to rise early. Once upon a time it was more appealing to do so, and my body could handle it. Approaching 30, I don’t feel the same desire I once did to be in a constant state of inebriation.
I can honestly say that one of the biggest attractions of my tour has been the awesome people I have met. Had I traveled with a friend, I may never have gotten to know these great people. These are just some of the things to consider when deciding to travel for the first time (or even the first time to a specific place).
Both cab drivers I had charged us too much and tried to take advantage of us, and a restaurant charged us more than the actual cost of the meal. We hadn’t paid enough attention but realized afterwards. We had an extra day in Rome so we got wise to the attempts to milk us of extra money.
Sleeping in a hotel that was once a women’s prison was quite an experience, I have to say. The accommodations thus far have varied from city to city, with a range of simple and functional to luxurious. The prison hotel is not really meant to be the most comfortable experience, so much as a wholly new one.
Each person’s experience will vary drastically from the next, and whether or not they experienced a little romance (assuming they wanted to) can mean the difference between a mediocre experience and a wonderful one. This is not to say that it’s the only measure of happiness and satisfaction, but it’s ONE way to enhance a trip.
This was the last night of the tour and a lot of my tourmates were checking out cabaret shows, but I had opted out of this one. It’s the only optional excursion I chose not to do. It’s a good thing, too, because something presented itself that required having some extra cash – an impromptu extension to my Paris experience!
Dave (tour manager) and Paul (driver) – I have nothing to compare them to, but I’m sure there are much worse people in this world that could have ended up as our guides during this trek. They treated ME well, so they’re on my list. Dave has a wealth of knowledge and Paul put in some hardcore driving hours and still remained patient.