Ready To Go!

Unfortunately, the travel day to Europe from the West Coast is a very long one. Tomorrow we will be arriving at the airport (Lindbergh Field) at 4:30 AM. Our travel day will not end until 12:30 PM, Munich time. That means we will be traveling for 24 hours! I'm tired just thinking about it. These long travel hours, combined with an eight-hour time differential can really mess with the body's internal clock. However, there are a few simple things travelers can do to help adjust. First, begin the adjustment to the destination time zone as soon as you can. As soon as you settle into your seat on the final flight (Atlanta to Munich) set your watch to Munich's local time. This will help your mind to make the adjustment. Try to get some sleep on this flight during the "evening hours." When you arrive at the destination, resist the urge to sleep or to take a nap. Take a quick shower to wash the airplane funk off and get out on the town. There's plenty to see and do. Don't go to bed until at least 10 or 11 PM. That shouldn't be difficult. It doesn't get dark in Europe until 9:30 or 10 during the summer months.

If you're traveling with me tomorrow, I will see you tomorrow at 4:30 AM. If you're following this blog, stay tuned. I will be posting regular updates on the group's progress and adventures. You may join this blog, or receive regular updates through Twitter (user name: wiflinger).

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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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My First Travel Experience

My first experience with travel came at a very early age. When I was six years old I accompanied my parents and my grandmother on a trip to Munich to visit family. That trip was over thirty years ago, but it left a very big impression upon me. I visited my first palace, Herrenchiemsee. I also visited my first castle, Neuschwanstein. I rode a train for the very first time on the trip from the airport in Frankfurt am Main to Munich. I still remember the green seats and watching all of the bridges pass by. I even remember the book I took with me; a book of Peanuts comics. It was on this trip that I learned how to ride a bike outside of my great-aunt's house. The picture of the happy kid is me on that first successful bike ride. It was on this trip that I first developed a taste for and a love of travel. I am very much looking forward to being back in Munich next month. :-)


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