I picked up my travel documentation on the weekend, so I now feel like I'm officially going!

In response to my query about the tour director for this tour, Insight have advised that it is Raymond Row. Based on a search of the Bulletin Board, he would seem to have been an Insight TD for quite some time.

I promise I'll do a tour tale upon my return. (My intention is to write it on my laptop as I go.)

Jeanie

You will have a fantastic time. I did this tour last year and wrote a tour tale. It was absoulutely my favourite tour so far.

Bon Voyage

Gen

Thanks Gen

I have used your Tour Tale in preparation for my trip, particularly in reference to 'long days' on the coach!

Jeanie

In hindsight, the long days on the coach were really not so bad, you do get a few chances to stretch your legs, but it gives you a chance to recharge your batteries, write your journal, listen to your iPod etc.

My trip this year is Country Roads of Italy, not so much time on the road. I picked this tour because I loved Italy so much when I did the Explorer. I truly hope you are blessed with the same great weather that I experienced on my tour. Make sure you have the ear plugs for Rudeshiem!! It is unbelievable how often the trains pass by and the hotel is right across the road from the railway line. Have a night out on the town here!! There was a great bar close to the hotel, can't think what it was called, but loads of fun with your tour mates and a great bonding session early on in the tour.

Only five more sleeps for me.

Gen

Gen, that's exactly the sort of thing that I do on long coach days - write my journal, write postcards, upload and catalogue photos, listen to my I-Pod.

Well, buon viaggio for your Country Roads of Italy!

Jeanie

Hi Jeaneeem
We also did this tour last year and loved it all. So much to see and do but we found that we coped well and didn't have a problem with the travel days (our TD referred to these as "transfer days") Still lots to see from the coach and regular stops along the way. Just go and enjoy and if you have a group like ours you will have a ball.
Have fun
Gaeley

Thank you, Gaeley

I have every intention of enjoying and having fun! Hopefully I will have shaken off this cold before I fly out on 12 September! :-(

Jeanie

We did this tour in May this year,awesome time. Just a thing to consider... when the coach stops, 40 people cram into the food hall and spend the entire time buying food and miss out on the scenery around the place, try to get some snack foods to eat on the bus (sorry, coach) that way you will save a fortune due to massive costs of the take away food and you will get to see so much more of the place you are in. We took some Muesli bars with us and came in quite handy to snack on. Also take some napkins to breakfast with you and borrow a selection of pastries from the breakfast buffet. Regards, Andrew and Debbie.

quote:

Originally posted by corndale:
Also take some napkins to breakfast with you and borrow a selection of pastries from the breakfast buffet. Regards, Andrew and Debbie.

I would strongly advise against doing this as it is considered by the hotels as theft. The hotels have to provide breakfast only for you not for morning tea, lunch or afternoon tea as well. There have been several instances this past year of hotel staff stopping clients as they were leaving the restaurant and publicly making them return the items. A very embarassing situation for the people concerned.

didn't think of that, stupid of me! I would say that about half of the group on tour, including other tour groups staying at same hotel were doing this so we all just figured this was the norm. Glad that didn't all come unstuck for us.