Thinking About Packing

Hello Travelers! Can you believe that our trip begins in 84 days? It's time to start thinking about the details of traveling. It's time to start thinking about what you might want to pack for our tour.

If you haven't heard yet, our tour has been changed. We are now booked on a tour of Munich and Bavaria called "Hidden Gems of Germany." This tour of southern Germany is one of ACIS's new Pathfinder tours. These tours are specially geared toward smaller groups of as few as 13 people. These tours are also designed to allow participants to live a little less like tourists and a little more like the locals. This means that we will not have our own dedicated tour bus to take us from city to city. Instead, we will be riding the trains. This means that you will be dragging your luggage across town to the train stations. It's very important that your suitcase be well-suited for the journey. A light but sturdy suitcase with rollerblade-style wheels is best (something between 26 and 28 inches; 70 liters). Those suitcases with the swivel wheels are nice for the smooth airport floors, but they are absolutely useless on European streets and train statioins.

Let's not forget about all of that walking. You will be walking everywhere! We'll also be getting a little bit of exercise on a bicycle tour of central Munich and the Englischer Garten, Munich's version of Central Park (fair warning: they allow nude sunbathing in the park). We also get to do a little bit of ice skating at the Olympia Park, where the 1972 Summer Olympics were held. I know that in Southern California we tend to skip the appropriate footwear in favor of our favorite flip-flops. These beloved sandals will do you no good on European streets, and may even damage your feet.  It will serve you well to pack a lightweight but supportive pair of shoes that will go with whatever clothes you pack and get you though all of the kilometers that you will be putting on your feet.

Germany has weather, even during the summer months. It could be chilly and rainy in the morning and warm and humid in the afternoon. You need to be prepared. The weather won't stop us from doing anything. Bring a lightweight jacket that you can cram into your daypack. You might also want to pack a lightweight hoody to layer under the jacket in case it gets a little chilly (maybe in Füssen or Oberammergau, closer to the Alps). 

That's enough for now. I don't want to overwhelm anyone. In my next blog post I will talk more about packing and what to bring.

Eating Your Way Through Europe

One of my favorite things to do in Europe is to eat. What is the point in getting out and experiencing a different culture and a different part of the world if you're not willing to get out of your culinary comfort zone and try the local cuisine. Get used to the fact that ketchup on every table is not a cultural universal. In fact, it might be considered "bad form" to ask for it at all. Sometimes trying a different food might be as easy as trying Nutella crêpes in Paris. But it may be more adventurous, like trying calimari in a sauce made of squid ink in Venice.

Feel free to indulge a little. In Munich I pick up a quick lunch at the Viktualienmarkt, usually with a little beer. On an evening stroll through Montmartre in Paris I might pick up a crêpe (Nutella or strawberry). In Italy I make it my mission to seek out and sample the best gelato in every town.

A few reminders about eating in Europe:
- Some restaurants may expect you to sit for a couple of hours to enjoy your meal. If you have a limited amount of time (say, for lunch) you may want to consider a stand-up meal.
-Eating well does not require you to break the bank. Shop around for a less touristy restaurant and order the daily special. It's usually whatever is in season. A good mean can be had for around €15.

Check out Rick Steves' rules for European restaurants:
http://www.ricksteves.com/tms/article.cfm?id=247&extras=false

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