Tom and I are usually independent travelers, choosing areas we want to explore, and making our own airline, transportation and sleeping arrangements. We prefer to move at our own pace, which we've found is often quicker than other travelers, and explore the areas we find interesting which, naturally, are frequently different from what other travelers want to see and do.
However, we have learned that there are advantages to traveling with a group and a guide. When we decided we wanted to travel to Turkey in 2009, the uncertainty of our safety as Americans and the logistics as a whole were a bit intimidating – we wanted to see as much of Turkey as we could in a short period of time. Some friends suggested Rick Steves’ Best of Turkey in 13 Days Tour. We discovered this tour offered a great itinerary and took care of all the hotel, sightseeing and transportation details, and most of the meals. We LOVED Turkey and are still raving about the country, the tour and our guide, and came away with a great first impression of group travel.
Two years later, we found ourselves on another Rick Steves’ tour through Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Once again, we had a wonderful time. It sure is nice to have someone else take care of all the details as well as provide a knowledgeable guide to explain what we are seeing. We visit places we probably wouldn’t seek out or know about on our own. We have ample free time to explore at our own pace, and enjoy more group meals than we expected and more delicious food than we would normally eat. And it’s nice to have other people to chat with when we are in group situations.
Our tour guides took us on city walking tours and entertained us with interesting talks during bus rides between destinations – discussing city and country history, culture and politics, as well as general information. We get to relax and enjoy the scenery instead of deciphering maps and dealing with traffic, road construction detours, dinner reservations, tickets for attractions, and parking.
Best of all, when the tour ends, we have 27 new friends! YOLO!!