Just a couple of things that we found to be very helpful
Walking
Walking
Believe what you read ... there is a LOT of walking on this tour and much of it includes stairs or hills. The first week in Italy, my pedometer registered 51 miles. I would say about half of that is due to the tour itself; the rest would be the result of our own explorations.
I'm going to be honest ... I stressed over this (ask anyone!) However it is not an issue if you are in reasonably good shape and you prepare ahead of time.
Packing
Packing was an adventure in itself.
Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating. When all was said and done, we all were very impressed with ourselves for getting everything (toiletries, 4 days worth of clothes, and of course, shoes) into one bag.
Here's how we did it:
The first thing we did was ... of course ... shop. We each purchased a rolling carry-on bag for the trip - one that fit the specifications of the airlines for overhead compartments. They looked so small, it was very difficult to believe that they would hold everything we needed for 10 days in Italy.
So, we did what you would expect - we went back to the Rick Steves websites and books and television shows and Youtube videos for instruction on the proper way to pack. We picked up some great tips - such as using a three-quart ziploc bag (with plastic zipper) for your under garments and accessories. It was such a simple idea ... and it worked wonderfully!
Our backpacks were used for items like medications, electronics, cameras, cords, headsets and a sweatshirt or light jacket. Having those items under the seat of the airplane was very handy.
Neither Mary nor I brought a hairdryer. We both have shorter hair and decided that if we actually needed one, we could always buy one in Italy. However, we found that the dryers in the hotel rooms were more than adequate. We also did not bring an umbrella. Once again, we decided we could buy one in Italy if needed. Lucky for us, though, it was never needed because the weather was perfect.
Don't forget to "fake pack" at least once! Put everything you intend to bring into the suitcase and then walk around with it for awhile; carry it up a flight or two of stairs. If you're good with the weight then you are good to go; if not, then start taking things out. You would be amazed at the items you can do without.
Important Note: You will be visiting a lot of churches and proper attire is required. Shoulders must be covered, even if it's just with a scarf or sweater. Capris are okay for women; shorts are not good for anyone
The L word.....laundry
None of us wants to spend valuable vacation time dragging our suitcases to the laundromat; but, as they say, just do it.
In Florence, we needed to do laundry and were lazy. We opted to use the hotel washer, thinking it would be more convenient. We were wrong. The cost was much more expensive and the dryer was not what we expected. Dryers are much different in Italy. They have a tray that fills with water as the clothes dry, so you must empty it when full. It reminded me of a dehumidifier. Even after 3 hours in the dryer, our clothes were not completely dry. We ended up with damp clothes hanging all over our room.
Others from our tour were much smarter- they invested a little time in a trip to the laundromat. For less money, their clothes were washed/dried and back in their suitcases inside of 2 hours. Live and learn.
Finding time
Traveling with a group has great advantages. Sometimes, your spouse or traveling partner may not have the same interests as you. That's where the group comes in handy.
There was an occasion where Darrell and John wanted to climb to the top of yet another bell tower or dome and Lisa and Mary were not having any more of that. We politely declined and spent the afternoon shopping for leather goods in Florence with two wonderul ladies from our tour group. We had a great time - lots of laughs!
Beverages
Hi this is Mary. Lisa has authored most of this scrapbook, I'm the picture gal. But I have to weigh in on a few things.
OK, the food everywhere was amazing. But I was expecting that. I had this wonderful salad at the Autogrill (of all places!). It was fresh with tuna and hard boiled egg. Amazing for a highway wayside. What I really enjoyed were the different beverages!
The coffee is to die for. By the end of the 10 days I couldn't imagine drinking anything but cappuccino. I even put a milk frother on my Christmas list (thank you Santa!) so that I could have capuccino-ish coffee at home. In Venice we stopped at a coffee house where I had an amazing espresso with Nutella in it. YUM! I got adventurous and with the help of our guide, Sarah, ordered some whole beans to bring home. Everyone at work loved them.
I tried the blood orange juice our first morning, and I could not get enough. It's the only thing that I am having trouble getting here in Wisconsin. I had a little taste last week when our local grocer had blood oranges on sale for .89 each!
Prosecco. The foundation of all cocktails. What a treat. In Venice, Lisa and I had opted out of climbing the bell tower in favor of a quiet spot to sit. We entered the hotel Danieli (Yes, the hotel from "The Tourist") and asked at the front desk for a place to get a coffee. With a huge grin on his face, the young man informed us that it was "Too late for coffee. You must have a Bellini!" He then took us to the bar where we had strawberry Bellini's. Very tasty.
Finally, the water.
Me: Water please
Waiter: Gas?
Me: Um... Yes (what could it possibly mean?)
Oooh, it is carbonated water. What a treat! I love my LaCroix water at home. This was heaven!
Money Belt
Do not disregard the money belt.
I will be honest, we thought that since we all grew up taking public transportation in and around Chicago, we were savvy enough to be able to keep our valuables safe. However, we did concede to Rick's recommendation - after all, we had chosen his tours because we felt HE was the expert.
It was a good thing we did ....
In Rome, a 20-something girl attempted to pickpocket Darrell on the metro. She must have been new, or Darrell was just on alert because of the commotion being caused by her companions near the door. He actually felt her hand go into his pocket. The good news is that he had his wallet in his moneybelt - so she walked away with nothing.
Unfortunately, on a separate occassion earlier in the week, three of our tourmates were not so lucky. Afterward, they all said that, looking back, they knew exactly when it happened.
The moral of the story: It may be hot and, at times feel awkward, but wear your moneybelt.
That Smart Phone
We all have smartphones. For the most part, we planned to use them for taking pictures and for texting each other, so the international texting plan was a must for us. Unfortunately, at times the service was spotty and a text would take 30 minutes to be received; so we didn't use it very often.
As for the data plans - I had one and so did John.
John utilized his plan quite a bit. He liked being able to pull maps, directions and additional information about the things we were seeing. He even used Google Maps when he got slightly lost exploring Rome on his own one afternoon.
My data plan was a last minute thing that happened the first night in Venice. I received a text from my service provider warning me of data I didn't realize I'd used while "roaming". I set my phone properly and added the data plan only because it was cheaper than paying the "pay as you go" rate for the minor amount I'd used in error. If it hadn't been for my mistake, I don't think I would have needed data outside of the WIFI areas.
Mary did use her phone to FaceTime with my niece, back in the states. Again, she did this in the WIFI areas of the hotels. As she says, "The most important use for my phone was that picture I took of the parking space at the Milwaukee airport. We might still be looking for the car if I hadn't!"
Keeping an eye on your buddy!
Another one of the great things about the Rick Steves tours is the "buddy system". In a way it reminded all of us of grammar school, but it was a fun way to get to know people on the tour! We were all there to have a great time, and meeting other travelers was one of the highlights of the trip!