Planning: Know Before You Go
I know, you're thinking "Planning?! Aren't I taking a tour so I don't have to do the planning?" And you're absolutely right - you don't have to plan before you head off on a Rick Steves tour because they have already done the planning for you.....but for me planning and thinking about the trip is half the fun of actually going. I booked this trip in December of 2012 and that gave me a LOT of time to think about it!
Information Gathering
As part of the tour, you'll receive the Rick Steves book on the area. My planning includes reading this book cover-to-cover. There's quite a bit free time on the tour schedule and I mapped out which restaurants sounded good to me and which additional sites I'd like to visit. The book is packed with useful information including details on the sites we visited and maps. The tour department even reminds you to pack it in your bag so you can refer to it on your trip.....
But this year I went rogue and didn't take the book on the tour with me.
OK, that's a lie.
I did take the book, but not the paperback version I was sent. Instead, I took the Kindle edition of the book. On a long day of touring I don't want to lug around so much as one extra ounce. Putting the Kindle edition of the book on my iPhone allowed me to have all the information I needed at my finger tips on a device I was already planning on toting around in my purse.
Pro-Tip: If you take only the Kindle edition: bookmark, bookmark, bookmark! Flipping through one page in the paperback can mean flipping through many pages on the iPhone so bookmark the items that are important like maps, restaurant recommendations for cities where you have a meal on your own, and sites you plan on visiting on your own.
But this year I went rogue and didn't take the book on the tour with me.
OK, that's a lie.
I did take the book, but not the paperback version I was sent. Instead, I took the Kindle edition of the book. On a long day of touring I don't want to lug around so much as one extra ounce. Putting the Kindle edition of the book on my iPhone allowed me to have all the information I needed at my finger tips on a device I was already planning on toting around in my purse.
Pro-Tip: If you take only the Kindle edition: bookmark, bookmark, bookmark! Flipping through one page in the paperback can mean flipping through many pages on the iPhone so bookmark the items that are important like maps, restaurant recommendations for cities where you have a meal on your own, and sites you plan on visiting on your own.
Dream Board
Well, now that I knew all about the places I was headed, I wanted to know more about what they looked like. So I created a Pinterest board. Pinterest is a bulletin-style photo-sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections. My collection was centered around the locations I would visit on this tour.
I created the pin board mainly for photo inspiration (I'm sure ALL my photos turned out looking this great!). But it was also nice to get an idea of the best aspects of the places I was about to visit. There are several great boards I followed to create my Adriatic tour:
Bonus: Creating my Pinterest board allows me to take a five minute vacation any time I want! It was a great primer for the trip!
I created the pin board mainly for photo inspiration (I'm sure ALL my photos turned out looking this great!). But it was also nice to get an idea of the best aspects of the places I was about to visit. There are several great boards I followed to create my Adriatic tour:
- Rick Steves by Rick Steves
- Croatia by Natasa Vrdoljak
- Slovenia by Mojca S
Bonus: Creating my Pinterest board allows me to take a five minute vacation any time I want! It was a great primer for the trip!
Pack Your Bags!
I'll admit, I've got a few thousand travel miles under my belt...maybe a million or two. But even I need to sit down and think about what I'm going to put in my suitcase before I leave on a trip.
To the right is the set of clothes I planned to take on this trip. I think my only addition to this was a pair of yoga pants. Rick has his own recommended packing list for women. Which I mostly agree with (though he is strangely lacking in yoga pants) and only one extra bra? Really? You know who you are if you need more than one. I also find it simply vital (vital!) to pack a hair dryer. Most European hotels offer a hairdryer that looks like a vacuum mounted to the wall and offers the same level of styling that you would expect from a vacuum mounted on the wall.
Pro-Tip: If you are the type of gal who packs hairstyling equipment, just bite the bullet and buy a 220v version. I picked up my hairdryer at an Asda in the UK for 15 pounds years ago and have never regretted it. A 110v hairstraightener is guaranteed to die on your trip if you put it in your bag.
To the right is the set of clothes I planned to take on this trip. I think my only addition to this was a pair of yoga pants. Rick has his own recommended packing list for women. Which I mostly agree with (though he is strangely lacking in yoga pants) and only one extra bra? Really? You know who you are if you need more than one. I also find it simply vital (vital!) to pack a hair dryer. Most European hotels offer a hairdryer that looks like a vacuum mounted to the wall and offers the same level of styling that you would expect from a vacuum mounted on the wall.
Pro-Tip: If you are the type of gal who packs hairstyling equipment, just bite the bullet and buy a 220v version. I picked up my hairdryer at an Asda in the UK for 15 pounds years ago and have never regretted it. A 110v hairstraightener is guaranteed to die on your trip if you put it in your bag.
The carry-on bag is almost as important as the suitcase! I love my Lug bag and here's what's in it.
One item that is now part of my "essential medications" is electrolyte replacements. I caught a stomach bug on this trip and thank goodness, my guide (Barbara to the rescue!) had some electrolyte replacement medication which helped me get back on my feet fast!
- Plane essentials: Such as lip balm, tissues, wipes, inflatable pillow, eye mask and ear plugs (a little Tylenol PM never hurts on those overnight flights either!).
- Purse essentials: Camera, wallet with money, passport, itinerary, and phone.
- Something to make me look human when I land: toothbrush and toothpaste, gum and a hair brush.
- Laptop for easy access in airport security screening
- Essential medications
- A snack and water bottle - just in case
- Journal to capture thoughts on long plane rides
One item that is now part of my "essential medications" is electrolyte replacements. I caught a stomach bug on this trip and thank goodness, my guide (Barbara to the rescue!) had some electrolyte replacement medication which helped me get back on my feet fast!
Next, click on the Activity Tracking page to learn how I captured my activity level on this tour
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