Time off, away from the normal grind is important for everyone. How we chose to spend the time is also different. A trip to Chicago, New York, may be exciting enough for some, other may prefer a trip to Hawaii or Alaska. Still others may opt for warm Bali or the Carribean, while others may travel to Icrland, or the South Pole. One of my favorites was the two trips to Italy, Rome, Florence, Venice and everywhere in between.
How you chose to travel is also dependent upon choice. I’ve been on cruises, independently travelled through Europe and went on scheduled bus trips that ranged from 10 to 17 days. There are certainly benefits of both.
One great benefit of group travel is just that, being in a group. You learn so much about where you’re visiting but also your fellow travelers. My group travels have always included Canadians, Austrailians, and New Zealanders. Groups are graeat to schedule fellow English speaking countries together. It ensures we understand the tour coordinator. The bus driver on the other hand, well he may be Italian and not fluent in English, but he’s not there to talk, rather get to from place to place safely. And boy can they maneuver those buses.
It amazes me how well they drive. If you were to see the roads we travelled in Switzerland you too would be impressed. Through the passes and the many cross backs down the mountains, all I can say is Thank You Luigi!!
Group travel is best when the excursion covers multiple countries and you have a limited time to see the sights. They can efficiently get you from point A to point B quickly and in the mean time you learn about the sites you will see. If you have a question they are your experts and no need for translation, they speak all the languages in the places you visit as most have been doing it for many years.
Our European tours have always been in a comfortable bus like the one picture below. Additional on our last trip, the bus was equipped with wifi. While it didn’t work all of the time it was sufficient to surf during a lull do a quick restaurant rating in TripAdvisor.
I’ve used two travel groups, GlobusJourneys and Cosmos. They are sister companies of an entire suite of travel companies (land and water) and depending on your budget I’m sure one or the other will fill your needs. While I haven’t used Tauck, I’ve heard they are the best and worth every penny of the high price (another reason for group travel, you get the inside scoop).
Oh and did I mention, your travel companions may end up being long lasting friends. A tour coordinator, a group of nurses from LA, an Aussie (I still remember the thong vs flip flop debate we had), and a sweet couple from Miami (by way of Cuba) among others are just a few we to this day call friends. We will be taking another tour later this year and I hope we get the same enjoyment as we have in the past, but most of all I hope we can add more friends to our list.
I encourage everyone to take a guided tour. Hands down they are wonderful as they take the worry out of the trip and help to keep the spouse on point and not going off on a tangent if you know what I mean.
Photos:
Chicago Skyline
Pisa, Italy
Agra, India. Red Fort with Taj Mahal in background.