Survey

I forgot to remind you all to go to this site to fill out a post-tour survey. You'll need to have your account number, which you can get from eftours.com. By filling out the survey, you'll be registered to win a free digital camera.

I am still editing all the tour photos, and will try to have the on-line photo albums up in a week or so.

More to follow.

JVH

Thank you

We hope your first night back at home was a good one. Thank you very much to everyone who joined us on the trip and those back at home who helped make it possible. We had a terrific time being with the students (and adults too)! We were very impressed by the positive behavior, attitudes, and energy of the group.

I will be working on a web album which will include all of the photos Jill and I have taken (over 1000). Once they are all uploaded I will post directions on how to access the folder.

Thanks again,

JVH

Madrid - muy caliente!

Our last day was a hot one, filled with fun, great sites, and great food. The day began with a guided bus tour. We stopped for photos at the monument to Cervantes, which featured a bronze statue of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Then we continued on to the Royal Palace. The courtyard was beautiful, as the photos show, but the opulence and splendor of the interior is impossible to describe - too bad no photos were allowed. The palace is the largest in Europe, with over 2000 rooms. Each room was decorated by a different famous artist, and each had its own purpose. We saw the dining room with portraits by Goya, the bedroom draped in gold-embroidered silk, the throne room with deep red velvets and brilliant gold leaf, the dinner room decorated all in porcelain, and the grand feast hall, with a single table that holds 145 people.

After the palace, we drove to the modern city center to see the unique architecture and the skyscrapers. Then we returned to the hotel for free time. Many people visited the Reina Sophia museum of modern art, which houses Picasso's famous Guernica. It was a popular stop, as the hotel is about a 30 second walk from the museum. Others used the time to shop or to take a siesta - a good way to deal with the near 100 degree temperatures. At 5 p.m. about 20 of us walked with our guide to a large park behind the Prado. There we saw a rose garden, a man-made lake, a palace made entirely of crystal, and a memorial garden for the Atocha Train Station terrorist bombings (dozens of trees were planted, each representing one of the victims). From there we walked to dinner, near the Plaza del Sol. For dessert we walked to a Chocolateria, where we dipped fried churros in cups of steaming, melted dark chocolate.

Now we are saying our good-byes to our new friends from Kansas (they need to check out at 5:30 tomorrow morning), with whom we have traveled the whole tour. We'll be packed and checked out by 9:30 a.m. and will bus to the Madrid airport to catch our 12:45 flight to Frankfurt (LH flight #4411). There we will have a 2.5 hour layover before we catch our 5:35 flight to Detroit (LH #486). We are scheduled to land at 8:30 p.m. Detroit time. Once we get our bags and clear customs, we will find the bus that will drive us to DeWitt High School. Once we are on the bus, I will pass around a cell phone to have your kids call you and give you an ETA. I expect to arrive some time around 11 p.m.

JVH

Barcelona

After disembarking the ferry, some travelers chose to take the metro into the heart of the city with our tour director. They walked along Las Ramblas, the city's main shopping avenue. The rest of the group chose to remain in the vicinity of the hotel where they visited a large department store, El Corte Inglese.

We began a bus tour the next morning starting out in Park Guell. Here we viewed works by Barcelona's famous architect, Antonio Gaudi. He tried to infuse elements of nature in his architectural designs so there are many curved surfaces and few straight lines. After a stroll through the park, we drove to another Gaudi masterpiece, Sagrada Familia. This unfinished basilica has been under construction since 1889. In the end it will contain 12 spires, the largest of which has yet to be built. The church is designed to hold over 5,000 people, a choir of 1,500, and seven organs. Our bus tour concluded with a trip to the top of Montjuic, the highest hill in the city. The view from here was spectacular.

After the tour we split up for free time activities. Some travelers chose to hang out on the beach and swim in the Mediterranean Sea. Others visited the Picasso museum, Las Ramblas, and the Barcelona cathedral.

We met back up for a buffet dinner that included pasta and paella. A group of us chose to view a fabulous Flamenco show after dining while others remained in the city to shop and stroll.

We ended the day tired, and with an early wake up call to follow. We had to be sure we wouldn't miss our ride on the 185 mph train to Madrid.

By the way, I added a few more photos to the Pisa slide show, so you might want to check that out again.

JVH

Pisa, Genoa, and ferry ride

Hola from Barcelona! This is a beautiful city with a fantastic mix of Gothic and Modern styles. The people are friendly and easy going and our hotel (in a suburb called Sabadell) is very comfortable.

Before we got here though, we said goodbye to Italy with a drive through Tuscany and Liguria. First we stopped at Pisa, where we saw the famous Leaning Tower. The architecture was stunning. We were reminded by our tour guide Urano (named for the planet, Uranus) that the main building in Pisa was never intended to be the tower. Poor planning by the building's first architect caused it to sink into the soft soil as it got taller. Later architects corrected that mistake, saving the building from total collapse and causing the non-uniform slope. But, because of that first mistake, Pisa became famous, so all the locals are thankful for the soft soil they walk on every day.

The central buildings in Pisa's main square include a baptistery (with the red tile roof) and the cathedral (famous for it's moorish-influenced striped marble and pointed arches), and of course, the bell tower. After a tour of all three, we had some free time to see the city and to eat lunch.

When we left Pisa, we drove through Tuscany to the coast. On the way we passed the Carrara marble quarry, the place where all of the marble in Michelangelo's statues came from. After a few hours driving trough the mountains, we arrived in Genoa. It's a city with a real maritime feel, full of contrasting styles and an edgy street scene. It also has a world-famous aquarium, that many of the students chose to visit before we boarded the ferry.

We all stopped in a grocery store to stock up on chocolate and salami before we got on board. The ferry ride was fantastic. Most of the kids danced in the lounge for a few hours before sleeping. Once we arrived in Barcelona, we had some time to get used to the hotel. A few of us went by subway into the city center for a short walk. Tomorrow will be a big day: Bus tour in the morning, then hours of free time (beaches, Picasso Museum, shopping, etc...), then dinner, then either a Flamenco dance show or a stroll on Las Ramblas.

The Internet connection is very slow tonight, so I'll only post five photos (it's already 1 a.m. and I have waited over an hour for the first 5 to upload). I will post more once I get a faster connection.

JVH

A few Florence photos

Florence

Our journey today began with a bus ride to the city. We were led through the city by a local tour guide who showed us the Florence highlights like the Uffizi gallery, Plaza de Signora, and the famous Duomo. After the tour we enjoyed a short leather-making demonstration. We ate a lunch of pot roast and potatoes together and then split for an afternoon of free choice activities.

Many chose to climb the 462 to the top of the Dome to enjoy the spectacular view. Other activities included shopping and browsing on the Ponte Vechio, visiting the Santa Croce church, wondering through the Boboli gardens, and viewing Michelangelo’s magnificent David at the Academia gallery. We met back together to enjoy a pasta and chicken dinner. Afterwards we made a picture stop at Piazza Michelangelo as the sun set over the city.

Tomorrow we go to Pisa, Genoa, and then board the over-night ferry for Barcelona. My guess is that there will be no communication with the states while we're on the Mediterranean. We will arrive in Barcelona at about 3 p.m. local time - that's 9 a.m. on Thursday for you in Michigan.

FYI: Our Barcelona hotel location has been changed. The new info: Gran Hotel Verdi – Sabadell
Avenida Francesc Macia 62
08206 Barcelona
+34 93 72 311 11

photos from the Vatican and Assisi

Day 4

After an early breakfast, we went straight to the Vatican. The Pope wasn’t home (he’s in Australia), but there were plenty of other things to see. Our tour guide led us through some of the Vatican Museums, where we saw statues, frescoes, tapestries, and paintings of unimaginable beauty. The Museum tour ended in the Sistine Chapel, which has just been newly restored. The colors and figures were stunning (sorry, no photos allowed). Then we went inside the largest church in the world: St. Peter’s Church. Then we spent a while shopping near the Vatican before boarding the bus to Assisi.

The ride to Assisi was beautiful – the hills and villages of Umbria are just what we imagined. We stopped before we got there at a ceramics factory, where we saw a short demonstration of how ceramics are made and had a chance to peruse the store. Once we got to Assisi, we had 2 hours or so to tour the Basilica and its surrounding town. It’s a charming location – so much so that four of our girls got a photo with some of the local boys!

Finally, it was on to Florence, where we’re resting after dinner for a long day of sight-seeing and shopping.

I ran out of time to post today's photos, so look for them in the coming days. Also, I'll have the full photo album open to all members of this e-mail list once the trip is over (it currently has over 400 photos!)

JVH

DAy 2-3 With Photos!!

The morning began at about 7:30 with breakfast in the hotel. Then we went to the Colosseum. We had a fantastic guide, and were amazed at the thousands of years of history. The views were fantastic. From there, bussed to the Trevi fountain. It was very crowded, but we were all still able to toss in a coin – we’ll all be back in Rome some day!

Then we walked to the Pantheon, the oldest still-functional building in the world (over 1850 years!). There was a bit of a delay before we could enter because the church service was still in session (the priest had slept in) so we walked a block to another Basilica in Piazza Minerva. Not many people ever go there, which as nice because we had a great chance to admire the gothic architecture and “The Virgin Holding the Baby” by some artist we’ve never heard of – Michelangelo.

Once we got back to the Pantheon, we took in the amazing view of one of the largest domes ever built and the tomb of Raphael. Then we split up for a bit of free time. Some had gelato, some shopped, some just listened to the accordion in the square and watched Rome wake up. Then most of the group drove to the catacombs, while others continued shopping. We had more free time, then dinner, then a bus tour of Rome by night. What a day! It was bed by midnight, for a 6 a.m. wakeup call. Whew!

Day 2, morning

We had a good night of rest here in Rome and are now all set to head out to the Colosseum after breakfast. The plan for the day is to have a guided tour of the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. After that we will split up. Some will go to the Catacombs, some will spend free time shopping and seeing more sights. Tonight, most of us will head out on a Rome by night guided tour.

There are still a few first day jitters that we are working out. The banks are closed since it is a Sunday, so we cannot exchange US currency yet, but we will get to that tomorrow. Some of us had a hard time figuring our the calling cards, but we are getting the kinks worked out and will be able to call home this evening.

The web connection is still hard to find. I am posting this from a public computer in the hotel lobby, so I cannot get the photos linked up. Once I find a wifi hot spot I will post photos of out activities. Until then, know that we are all safe and enjoying ourselves. The line behind me is growing, so for now I will sign off. More to come.

More Grand Rapids Photos

1st tour post

 

Here we are, ready to get on our first flight to Detroit! More posts to follow!

JVH

Crunch time!

Hey travelers! Time to make those final preparations.

I've been in touch with our tour director, Katia DiLodovico. She sent me this little blurb about herself:

About myself: I'm italian, I grew up in a town called Pescara, on the Adriatic Coast of Italy, but now I live in Rome where I moved for college several years ago to study foreign languages and literatures; I love travelling and being in good company, that's why I started working for EF in the "last century", it was 1999, and I still love it!!!

Katia also reminded me of the dress codes in the churches we'll visit: The dress code applies to all churches: no shorts allowed at all, no short skirts and no sleeveless tops, basically shoulders, stomach and knees need to be covered; at the Vatican they're stricter: men need to wear long pants to cover their ankles too, but you can wear casual, or jeans.

Please be sure to pack accordingly.

Finally, one last minor tweak to the itinerary. Katia would rather not break up both our days in Florence, so we'll be going to Pisa on the 16th, not on the 15th as originally planned.

Please feel free to call or e-mail with any last minute questions.

Remember to meet at the Grand Rapids Airport at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Wear your tour shirt!.

Thanks,

JVH

5 days left!

We'll be taking off in five days. A week from today we'll be standing in front of the Colosseum.

On Friday, July 11, we'll meet at 3 p.m. at the Starbucks in the Grand Rapids airport. Directions to the airport are below. You can choose to use the curb-side drop off, or pay to park in short-term parking ($2 for the first hour, $1 for each additional 30 minutes). Once we are all present, we'll say our good-byes and check in as a group. Be sure you have your passport, and please read the regulations for both Northwest and Lufthansa.

We will have layovers in Detroit (where you'll want to eat dinner) and Frankfurt (where you might want lunch). Lufthansa will provide an in-flight meal (probably breakfast). Plan on sleeping during the flight from Detroit to Frankfurt.

We'll get to our hotel in Rome in the evening on Saturday (EF will provide dinner), so there probably won't be much sight-seeing on the first day. This is nice because it gives us a chance to recover from the long flight and acclimate to the local time. On the last trip I led, we arrived in the afternoon and everyone was such a zombie all they wanted to do was go to the hotel anyway.

Directions to GRR:

driving directions - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: driving directions

Parking map for GRR:

GRR parking - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: GRR parking

10 days to go!

Just ten days until we depart. Here's a few updates.

1) There's a slight change to our itinerary. Our first full day in Rome will be on a Sunday. We'll be able to do all the main things listed on the EF itinerary, but the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel are closed on Sundays. I wanted to be sure that we'd see those sights too, so EF tweaked the schedule just a bit. Before we leave Rome on Monday, we'll stop by the Vatican again to see the sights that were closed on Sunday. From there, we'll head to Assisi.

2) We delivered your shirts along with a packet of important trip information, so check your front porches if you haven't already gotten them. Please read all the info, and have your parents do the same.

3) You'll be getting another packet of info when we meet up at the Grand Rapids airport. That will contain some background for tour-related sites and some travel tips -- good reading for the lay-overs.

4) Southern Europe is in the midst of a heat wave, and it doesn't show any signs of breaking. Yesterday, high temps in Rome, Florence, and Madrid were near 90 and Barcelona was in the mid 80s. The 10-day forecasts for all four of our main destination cities show more of the same - hot and dry in Rome and Madrid, hot and humid in Florence and Barcelona. Here are some tips for traveling in European summers.
* from the BBC: "Wear a hat. Floppy cotton ones with brims are the most practical, and if it's all becoming too much you can just run it under a tap or dip it in a stream before putting it back on your head. Not only does the cool water give instant relief, but as it evaporates from the top it'll act like a tiny refrigerator."

* from Italy Heaven: 1. Carry a fan (if you're male and this would embarrass you, try to find a suitably sized and rigid booklet or piece of card). These are especially useful on public transport where air conditioning is inadequate and Italians don't like to open windows.

2. Always carry some water, ideally in a bottle that you can refill at the public drinking water fountains you'll find throughout Italy. These are perfectly safe to drink from, and are life-savers on baking summer days.

3. Keep some suntan lotion in your bag in the daytime for frequent re-application, and insect repellent in the late afternoon or evening.

4. A pale-coloured umbrella can double as a parasol when the sun gets really hot, and is a useful thing to pack in your suitcase.

Carpooling

There has been some interest in setting up a carpool for the trip to Grand Rapids on the 11th. If anyone is interested, please respond to this e-mail, or post a comment on the blog so that we can gauge the interest level. Then we'll set up communication between anyone that is interested so you can make your own plans.

Thanks

JVH

What We'll See Part 7 - Assisi

On the road between Rome and Florence, we'll stop off in Assisi. Known to most Americans for being the spiritual home of St. Francis of Assisi, the town is one of the most picturesque in all of central Italy. The main site is the Basilica di San Francesco - the church built in 1230 to memorialize the life of St. Francis. Some key facts about the Basilica:

Names:
Basilica di San Francesco; Basilica of St. Francis
Date:
1230
Location:
Piazza Superiore (Inferiore) di San Francesco
Hours:
Lower church daily 6am-7pm; upper church daily 8:30am-7pm (until 6pm in winter). Treasury and Perkins Collection Easter-Oct Mon-Sat 9:30am-7pm.
Mass:
Sun morning before 2pm
Cost:
Free
Dress: No shorts, miniskirts, or bare shoulders
Photos:
Not allowed in Upper Church


Click here to see a map of Assisi.

Here's a short tourist-made video of Assisi:

T-shirt delivery

I'm sure that you're all getting very excited for the trip - only 300 hours until we leave!

I have gotten the tickets for all our flights - they are all e-tickets, so we won't need to worry about carrying around paper copies.

I also picked up the T-shirts and will be delivering them some time next week. I'll be including with the shirts a folder of important information for you and your parents. Please be sure you read all the documents.

Also, a few of you still have not gotten me your tip money - you'll need to do that very soon. I'm going to give it all to my sister Jane, the chaperon in charge of passing out the tips, on July 5. I need to have it before then.

Finally, there are just 2 of you that still need to get me a copy of your passport ID page (you know who you are). That must be submitted to me ASAP.

What We'll See part 6

We'll spend a few days in Florence, the heart of the arts world during the Renaissance. Much of our visit there will be occupied with some of the most important religious and artistic monuments in the world. Click here to see a very informative interactive map of Florence.

Some of the key sites we'll see or you can check out during free time:

1) Duomo, including the baptistery and the bell tower.

2) Ponte Vecchio

3) The Accademia

4) Uffizi Gallery

5) Boboli Gardens

What We'll See part 5 - Genoa

We'll have about 1/2 of a day in Genoa, the famous Italian port city that will be our last stop in the country before we head to Spain.

Genoa was once one of the most important cities in the world. Its port was a center for European trade, and the region flourished as a result. Check out this video for more sites and history.

Daily Itinerary

Just to remind anyone who may have forgotten, here's our daily itinerary for the trip - we'll start things off by meeting at the Starbucks in the Grand Rapids airport at 3 p.m. on July 11. Anything listed as optional or extended in the itinerary will be something that we all do. Some of the daily activities may be subject to change.

Daily Itinerary - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Daily Itinerary

Hotel and Flight Info - please read

Here is the confirmed information for our flight schedule and hotels. Since our first flight leaves at 5:11 p.m. you should meet me at 3 p.m. to check in and clear security. A few things to note:

1) We'll have a longish layover in Detroit, so plan to have something to occupy the time in your carry-on.

2) We'll be leaving Frankfurt and arriving in Rome in 2 separate groups - Check the itinerary to see which flight you'll be on (they are only 1 hour apart). Mr. Van Hof will be on the first flight, to meet with the tour director in Rome. We'll wait for the second group there, and depart the airport together.

3) All the hotels have websites - check them out to see the amenities they offer and their locations.

4) If you're getting these posts via e-mail, it might be better read this post on the blog itself. This is my first attempt posting a PDF file to the blog, so bear with me. If it's too tough to read, I'll re-send this as a group e-mail with a PDF attached. You can see the PDF file in full size if you click the little square on the upper right corner of the file below.

5) When we deliver the t-shirts, you'll get a hard copy of this document.

Flight and hotel info - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Flight and hotel info

What We'll See Part 4

In Barcelona, it will be hard to find a neighborhood not influenced by Anontio Gaudi. This video shows one of Gaudi's most famous collection of works - Park Guell.

Trevi Fountain History

We will certainly see the Trevi Fountain when we are in Italy. This is a link to a brief history of the fountain.

What We'll See part 2

Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor)
I had to do one more Valezquez post, to point out this painting, on display at El Prado in Madrid. Here's what the museum's website has to say about this piece: This painting is considered one of the worlds greatest works of art, the secret is in creating something revealing in an everyday scene. The painter of "the air" reflects his own workday: in the mirror on the far wall is the reflection of the King and Queen , which is the theme of the painting he is working on, the Princess is looking at her parents, surrounded by her aids and the loyal family dog near by.
Question:
Is the gentleman in the doorway entering the room or exiting it?

What We'll See part 1

The Feast of Bacchus

The Forge of Vulcan

The Buffoon of Calabazas

Count-Duke of Olivares on Horseback

A Dwarf Sitting on the Floor

I have posted many times about travel tips and the minutia of a European vacation. That's all valuable information, but I don't want that to become what this tour is all about. So, I've decided to start a new series of posts that will detail some of the amazing things that we'll see on this trip. Going in to this trip with the right attitude and with some background knowledge will allow you to appreciate each day's activities and to be aware of the significance of the things that we'll be seeing.

Today, my inspiration comes from Google. Their main page features a painting by Diego Velazquez - one of the greatest artists of Spain - who was born on this day in 1599. When we are in Madrid, we will visit El Prado, the largest art gallery in the world, which will feature many of the major works from Valezquez's career. Also, Valezquez's famous self portrait is on display at the Uffizi Gallery - a spot you might choose to visit during some of our free time in Florence. Above are some images of just a few of the Valezquez pieces on display at El Prado. Below is a video slide show of some of his best works, on display around the world.

Calling Cards

There's been some confusion on the calling cards - some people haven't gotten them, some tossed them, some don't know where they are. I'll be getting a shipment of calling cards - one for each traveler - via Fed Ex in the next few days and I'll deliver them to you when I drop off the t-shirts. You can use these to call home while on tour, and you can fill them with as many minutes as you'd like.

Meeting update

Thanks to all the students who came to the meeting today. Here's a top ten run-down of what was discussed:

1) Each member of the group will be getting a trip t-shirt. The shirt will be a ringer-t: white, with blue bands on sleeves and collar, with a small red logo. I need you to e-mail me and tell me what size you need. (please be aware that when you respond to these e-mails, the whole group gets the message. Try clicking on "reply to sender" or just send a separate message to me at jvanhof@gmail.com.) My wife, Jill, and I will pick up the tab for your shirts and will deliver them to your house once the school year ends.

2) I told the group that our flights and hotels are not officially confirmed, but we do have some general notes, all of which are subject to change. At least one of the hotels will have a pool - so you might want to pack a suit. All the hotels are air conditioned. Some hotels will be located on the outskirts of our destination cities, some will be centrally located. Usually, accommodations get better (and hotels get newer) as you move away from the city center. We will be flying out of Grand Rapids to Detroit on Northwest. All remaining flights will be on Lufthansa. We'll probably have layovers in Detroit and Frankfurt. We'll be meeting at the Grand Rapids airport at 3 p.m. on Friday July 11. There is a chance that we'll be split into two groups for one or more legs of the flight. If that's the case, each group will have 2 chaperons and neither group will leave the airport without the other.

3) On tour, we'll be traveling with another group. It's a group of 10 students and adults from Kansas. I am not sure yet where we'll meet up with them or who they are. This is proof that at least 10 people actually live in Kansas.

4) I talked for a long time about having the right attitude on tour. Please remember that there's a good chance that you'll never see the stuff we'll be seeing again. Make the most of the trip, and try to make as many positive memories as possible. When we have to wait for a train or a dinner reservation, use the time to take photos, journal, or talk to locals. Try each day to maintain a positive attitude and to smile twice as much as you do at home.

5) I advise women to not take purses - think about taking a backpack or day bag as your carry-on. That can then double as a purse once we're on tour. These bags are bigger and will allow you to carry more - a useful feature when you're gone from the hotel all day. Also, the deeper pockets are a deterrent to pick-pockets.

6) I reiterated that flip-flops are a bad idea.

7) Mark your luggage both with a name tag (with address) and with a clearly visible identifying mark - a ribbon, a sticker - something that makes it stand out from the 100 other bags on the luggage conveyor.

8) Get a watch. On tour if you are late, 44 other people suffer, some of whom are from Kansas (and who knows what they'll do when they're mad). Get a watch, and wear it every day, all the time. (Remember, you won't have a cell phone to use as a time piece.) If we agree to meet at a central location at a given time, arrive 5 minutes early. Early is on time, on time is late, late is unacceptable.

9) Use Google earth to check out our destination cities. The program has photos of all the things we'll be seeing.

10) There are several travelers that still need to get one or more of the following to me:
A) Tip Money ($75 - cash or checks payable to Jeremy Van Hof)
B) Passport photo copy
C) Insurance card photo copy
D) ID photo copy
E) shirt sizes

Please get these things to me ASAP - You will not get your airline tickets until I have all 5.

You can mail them to me at 5400 Blue Haven Dr. East Lansing, 48823 (e-mail for t-shirt sizes is fine).

Miscellaneous Updates

Thank you to everyone who shared their opinions this weekend regarding the last leg of our return trip. The majority vote was to opt for the bus ride on Monday night, the 21st of July. The bus will drop students off at DeWitt High around 11:00pm. The additional fee is unfortunate but seems to be awash given the current gas prices.

All flight information will be posted this week. Please be sure to check it out and remember to review airline/airport baggage and security regulations.

Tip money ($75) is due by the end of June. We would like to exchange this money before we leave. Money can be given to Mr. Van Hof at school or can be sent to his home address (please email or call if you don't have the address).

We will be ordering group t-shirts. We're asking all travelers to wear them on the first day of travel (to the airport for the flight there). This helps the group stay together at this early stage when chaperons don't yet know all of the kids. If you will be at the PRIDE meeting on Tuesday you can give Mr. Van Hof your t-shirt size. Otherwise, please call or email him. We will deliver the t-shirts to your house sometime before July 11.

In reviewing the Vatican website and several blogs, we want to reiterate the dress code for the cathedral. Females must wear a skirt or pants covering the knees and no shoulders can be exposed. Blogs mentioned that several people were even turned away with capris because they were considered shorts. Males must wear full-length pants and no tank tops. Absolutely NO shorts are allowed. It might be worth checking out some light weight pants (like linen), pants that can be converted to shorts (with zippers), or decide to carry these items in a day bag.

Please continue to check the blog for further updates. As always, please call or email with any questions. We're getting very excited as the trip date gets closer!

Flight information - please read.

I've been in contact and have the information on the flights, but before I release that info to the group, I need to get everyone's opinion on something.

On the trip home, we'll arrive in Detroit at 8:30 p.m. on the 21st. Due to airlines trying to cut costs, the number of short domestic flights is being cut - especially those to smaller airports. What that means for us is that the next flight out of Detroit to Grand Rapids does not leave until 9:30 a.m. on the 22nd. EF would put us up in a Detroit hotel for the night, and we'd arrive in GR around 10:30 on the 22nd. When I heard that, I immediately called EF to ask if there was any way to change this plan - I know that amny of you need to be home on the 21st as planned and that for some a morning pick-up could be tough. I also know that most of us won't feel like spending the night in Detroit.

EF realized the problem and has been working with me to fix it. Here's the deal.

Option 1: If things stay as they are, we'll get in on the morning of the 22nd, with a night in Detroit. There will be no extra cost to anyone.

Option 2: EF could arrange to cancel the last leg of the flight and get us a bus transport to DeWitt High School on the night of the 21st. We'd arrive at DeWitt high around 11-11:30 p.m. EF would have to pay for the bus and would have to pay 34 cancelation fees with the airline - the coast to each person for this option would be $36.

Option 3: Not really an option - students could arrange their own transport home from Detroit, and would have to pay for the cancelation fee at both the airline and the hotel - I don't have a cost on this, but it would not be cheap.

So, the choice is this - no extra cost with a Grand Rapids pick-up on the 22nd, or $36 with a DeWitt pick-up late on the 21st. We will have to decide as a group, since we can only choose one option or the other.

I hate to put this out so late in the game. I know that I promised no "hidden" fees or nickel and diming. I just want to do what's best for the whole group in this instance. I'll be calling on Sunday evening to get everyone's opinion on this, and we'll go with the majority vote.

I'll also post the other flight info in a bit.

JVH

Lean on me

Check out this article from the Times of London about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Looks like the building will still be there when we arrive, thankfully.

Jet Lag Tips

Here's an interesting article on beating jet lag. We'll have our flight info soon, and as you look at the itinerary, you'll see that there are some long travel days on either end of the trip. Beating jet lag is a key when it comes to getting the most out of your travel experience.

The best tip I can offer you is "Sleep east, wake west." What that means is try to get as much sleep as possible as we travel east (towards Italy) and try to stay awake as much as possible as we head west (towards home). Doing that, and abiding by the London Daily Telegraph's advice to not eat on the long flights, will help you adjust as quickly as possible once we land.

Calling Cards

If you haven't already, you should soon be receiving the EF calling card in the mail. Each traveler has 5 free minutes on the card with the option of adding more via the internet. The cards have simple to follow directions to make calls home when we are abroad. They also have a perforated section to leave with parents detailing how to call overseas and leave a voice mail message. This is how we connected with home on our last trip and it worked very well. Read the card when you receive it and decide whether you want to use it. If so, put it in a safe place to ensure you don't misplace it before the trip.

Great Spanish Restaurant

Last weekend my wife and I were in Grand Rapids and we had a great time a new restaurant down town. The place is called San Chez Bistro and it emphasizes traditional Spanish food called tapas. I know that it's a drive, but if you'd like a taste of the food we'll find in Barcelona and Madrid, I highly recommend this place. If anyone knows of good Spanish restaurants a bit closer to home, let me know and I'll post it here.

Roommate and Pal Request Forms

We are beginning the process of creating group, roommate, and pal lists. If you have not turned in your request forms, please give them to Mr. Van Hof by the end of this week (Friday, May 9). If you do not turn in a request form, your placements will be made without your input and you will be expected to respect those decisions. Thanks.

Medical info

Many people wonder about the need for vaccinations and other medical attention prior to travel. The good news about our trip to Italy and Spain is that both nations we'll be visiting are developed, modern western societies with strong health care programs. Health care facilities in both Spain and Italy are considered to be some of the best in the world, and civil services are well developed, meaning that tap water is safe to drink and contagious diseases are as rare as they are in the U.S.

However, The U.S. Government does recommend giving some thought to your personal health prior to any foreign travel. In general, the months before a major trip are a good time to be sure that all your vaccinations are up to date. Talk to your doctor about any boosters that you may need. This is particularly important for teens, as often they are due for physicals and vaccinations more frequently than adults. Click here for general vaccination-related travel tips from the Centers for Disease Control.

Click here for health related info specific to Spain.

Click here for travel-related info specific to Italy.

Money again

Here's a repeat of the posting from a few weeks ago about money.

You will need spending money for the following things (EF does not build these costs into the trip fee):
1) Lunch and snacks (also water as we walk around hot southern Europe)
2) Souvenirs
3) Added activities - things that EF has not built into the itinerary. For example, when I went to London, EF built the cost of a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral into the tour fee. They did not build in money for tickets to climb the stairs to the top of the dome, though. I had to pay an extra fee for that. EF pays for plenty to make the trip very exciting. These added activities can range in price.
4) Travel during free time - EF pays for buses and mass transit to get to scheduled activities. During free time, mass transit costs are not covered. (This probably won't be a huge expense on this specific tour.)
5) Incidentals - Toothbrush, Internet Cafe, Pool Tables, etc...

So, I think you need to be the judge. You can eat a light meal for 10 Euro, but of course restaurant prices vary greatly. Souvenirs -cost is totally up to you. Daily incidentals, activities, etc. may be nothing, may be 50 Euro (if you wanted to go to a play in Madrid, for example).

To be safe, plan a bit more than you'll think you need, then stick to that budget. My wife and I are planning for about $100 - $150 per day for the two of us, but we like nice lunches and buy way too much stuff for our kids.

Last note - remember the conversion rate and money changing fees. Use the calculator at the bottom of the page to see what your dollar is worth. Try to change money only once, so you avoid re-paying the fees.

Luggage

Thanks to all those who were able to come to the meeting on Monday night. If you haven't turned in any of the forms, please get them to Mr. Van Hof asap.
Brad asked about luggage dimensions. So far I have found this American Airlines information. I will continue to do more research and will contact the airline we will be using once we have that information. In the meantime this site can give you some basic guidelines on size and weight restrictions.

Meeting on Monday

Please remember that our trip meeting is on Monday, April 28 at 6:30 at DeWitt High School. Please bring the following with you: driver's license (if available), passport, and medical insurance card. You can bring a copy of these or we can make copies during the meeting. In addition, please be prepared to give a name and telephone number that can be used 24/7 for emergencies during travel, a list of any medical concerns (including allergies) and medications, and any questions you may have.
If you or a representative cannot attend the meeting, please contact Mr. Van Hof by the end of next week. Finally, if the blog postings are not being received in your email in-box, please check your bulk mail folder. This has been an issue for a couple of parents.
See you Monday!

RSVP Reminder

So far we have 13 travelers who have responded for the trip meeting (April 28). If you haven't yet, please RSVP as soon as you're able to commit one way or the other.
Thanks!

Meeting RSVP

The parent/student meeting will be held on Monday, April 28th at 6:30pm at DeWitt High School. Please RSVP to Mr. Van Hof before April 16. We need some approximate attendance numbers in order to plan for the right number of copies, refreshments, etc.

Thanks.

Parent/Student meeting set

Hey travelers,

In 107 days, we'll be strolling through St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City!. I am getting more excited every day, but there's still much to do before we leave. To that end, the first mandatory parent meeting date has been set. The meeting will be held in the DeWitt High School Library at 6:30 p.m. on April 28. If you will not be able to attend, please contact Mr. Van Hof.

If possible, please have your passport with you at the meeting. I'll be making photo copies of the first page of each traveler's passport. I'll keep the copies with me on tour. If anyone loses their passport on tour, the State Department will be able to issue an emergency passport much more quickly if we have all that information to hand.

Also, be aware that the 99 day deadline is approaching. Call Mr. Van Hof if you have any questions.

See you on the 28th!

Best shoes for Europe

We're bound to do a lot of walking on tour, and there are as many opinions about proper footwear as there are European vacationers. Last time it was on tour, I had girls insist on wearing flip-flops for the first few days. That didn't last long. They soon realized that comfort, not style, is the key while we're on tour.

Check out this link for some current tips from international travelers about the best walking shoes. If you don't plan on buying new walking-specific shoes, consider wearing a good pair of athletic shoes. Be sure they fit well and are a little broken-in before you set off around Rome in them.

My favorite shoe store is Playmakers in East Lansing. I know it's a drive, but they have great service. They'll even analyze your stride to tell you what type of shoe will work best for you.

Whatever you do, be sure you have a comfortable shoe that fits well.

Deadline is nearing

Travelers:

There are 115 days prior to departure, and I hope everyone is getting excited! The group’s 99 day deadline is approaching, and is on Thursday, April 3rd. I wanted to remind you of a few things that fall on this deadline-

1) Passport Check: The names that are written on your passports must match those in the EF system EXACTLY. Any name changes we have to make after this deadline will result in a name change fee. Also, you must order your passport prior to April 3. check out this site for more info.

2) Enrollment Deadline: This is the deadline to sign up for the tour. If anyone wants to sign up after this deadline, they will be considered a late-add and will be charged a $125 late-add fee. In addition, they are not guaranteed a spot on their tour.

3) Final Payment Deadline: You should have paid for their tour in full by April 3, unless you are using the Auto-pay system. Anyone who fails to meet this deadline will be charged a $95 late payment fee. If anyone cannot meet this deadline for financial reasons, please contact customer service ASAP and EF will be happy to talk about a payment plan (you must let EF know before the deadline). Their number is 800-665-5364.

Walk to Italy

The trip is only 123 days away, and it's time to begin planning in earnest.

One often-overlooked area where preparation is key is physical fitness. On tour, we could be on our feet for hours at a time - in museums or cathedrals, walking through shopping districts, navigating airports, you name it.

You need to be ready to handle the physical element of this trip. Take a look at this link for some tips on a basic walking regimen. A good tip is to start out with a mile and work up to 10 miles. Since most people walk at about 4 mph, figure on 2.5 hours towards the end. We will never have to walk that far during the tour - not even close - but you will be on your feet for many hours in a row, and long walks are the best way to prepare.

Preparing now will help prevent the overly-sore feet, aching muscles, and blisters that can come with long days of sight-seeing.

More on money

Here's a link with info about how Euros work. Some of the info isn't pertinent to us, as EF is covering much of the costs.

More info on avoiding pick-pockets will follow - not a big deal but it's good to enter the trip with some fore-knowledge.

JVH

Spending money

Amanda had a great question: "How much money should we plan on spending in Europe?"

The answer is really tough to nail down specifically but here's some general guidelines.

You will need spending money for the following things (EF does not build these costs into the trip fee):
1) Lunch and snacks (also water as we walk around hot southern Europe)
2) Souvenirs
3) Added activities - things that EF has not built into the itinerary. For example, when I went to London, EF built the cost of a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral into the tour fee. They did not build in money for tickets to climb the stairs to the top of the dome, though. I had to pay an extra fee for that. EF pays for plenty to make the trip very exciting. These added activities can range in price.
4) Travel during free time - EF pays for buses and mass transit to get to scheduled activities. During free time, mass transit costs are not covered. (This probably won't be a huge expense on this specific tour.)
5) Incidentals - Toothbrush, Internet Cafe, Pool Tables, etc...

So, I think you need to be the judge. You can eat a light meal for 10 Euro, but of course restaurant prices vary greatly. Souvenirs -cost is totally up to you. Daily incidentals, activities, etc. may be nothing, may be 50 Euro (if you wanted to go to a play in Madrid, for example).

To be safe, plan a bit more than you'll think you need, then stick to that budget. My wife and I are planning for about $100 - $150 per day for the two of us, but we like nice lunches and buy way too much stuff for our kids.

Last note - remember the conversion rate and money changing fees. Use the calculator at the bottom of the page to see what your dollar is worth. Try to change money only once, so you avoid re-paying the fees.

Leap Day Metting Recap

We had another good meeting today - mostly just to answer any questions and to learn a little bit about Barcelona.

By April 4, our departure date will be confirmed - there's very little reason to think it will be anything other than July 11, but it could move by a day or two.

60 days from departure we'll get our flight info. We'll learn what airlines we'll be on, departure and arrival times, and connection information. We are slated to leave from Grand Rapids (Gerald R. Ford International). Jessie T. asked why we're leaving from there rather than from Detroit, since the EF tour price for Detroit trips is about $50 lower. My wife and I gave this a lot of thought before we settled on Grand Rapids. Here are the main reasons we think it's better:

1) Cost: Students must get themselves to and from the airport. For parents, that means 2 round trips to the airports. Since Detroit is at least 30 minutes further one-way, that's at least 2 hours of extra drive time. Even in my 41 mpg Toyota, that's about $15.

2) Congestion: Detroit Metro, while getting better, is still highly congested and parking is at a premium (and therefore very expensive). That's not the case at GRR, where there's free (or very cheap) short term parking and extremely easy curbside drop-off. 1-hour of parking at GRR will cost you $2.

3) Crowds: DTW is insanely busy, and I'm not too thrilled about leading a group of inexperienced travelers through hoards of people in Michigan's largest building. At GRR, there's plenty of space, we meet at the Starbucks, we say our goodbyes, and we don't have any stress at all.

4) Security: The security inspection lines at DTW can be hours long - especially for international travelers. Since the volume of travelers at GRR is so much lower, security checks are a breeze.

30 days from departure, we'll get our Hotel info - I'll supply links to the hotels' home pages as soon as I have them. Around then I also will get the tickets delivered in the mail. I keep them and pass them out at the airports as we need them - that way no one loses their ride home.

There will be a parent meeting in April, and one in June to finalize all plans and answer all questions.

One key question came up regarding payments. This is to remind you that all payments are due to EF by the 99 days prior to departure date. That date is April 4. If you think that meeting the payment deadline will be a problem, it is very important that you contact EF tours prior to April 1.

EF customer service: 1-800-665-5364
e-mail: customer.service@ef.com

More tips on travel spending options

CNN Travel is a pretty good location for reliable travel tips. The information here offers the pros and cons of traveling with various types of currency forms. On our trip, you will need access to some cash, so while pre-paid credit cards or bank check cards are safest, you will have to plan ahead and have some cash.

Most students on my previous trip found the best option was to have a combination of credit/debit/check cards for larger souvenir and food purchases, and cash for smaller purchases like in-hotel purchases, vending, water, extra fees at sites, etc...

You can bring U.S. currency to Europe and change it there (for a fee), or you can buy Euros from your bank (for a fee) before we leave. Since you'll be losing money either way, I recommend hanging on to U.S. dollars as long as possible, so that in the airports and on the plane you'll be using fee-free money still. When you do change your cash, try to plan ahead so that you only have to do it once to avoid extra fees.

Using ATMs in Italy and Spain will work, but there may be a pretty high fee - talk to your bank for details. Again, try to limit to one or two uses once we're overseas to reduce the fees you pay.

Next meeting: Feb. 29 during PRIDE

Meeting info

The next in-school meeting for the Italy and Spain trip will be during PRIDE on Friday, Feb. 29.

We'll have a parent meeting - very important - after Grand Ledge's Spring Break (mid-April). That's a critical meeting for students and parents. Time, date and location to be announced.

Info on Electric Devices

At the last planning meeting, I mentioned that it might be a good idea for you to pick up an electric plug adapter. Here's the low-down.

European nations use a different voltage than we do here in the U.S. They also use different plugs than we do. What's that mean? Any electric devise you bring to Europe will not plug into the wall. Moreover, because the voltage is different, even if you have a simple adapter that allows you to plug your devise in, it still may not work and it may be damaged or ruined.

So what do you do?

First, read the World Electric Power Guide website.

Next, realize that items with internal circuitry like computers and cameras probably can run on the European current, so all you'll need is an adapter. The Samsonite store in Meridian Mall sells these, and so does Meijer's. The outlets for Italy and Spain look the same, but there may be some outlets in Italy that are recessed and require an adapter different than the one for Spain.

Finally, items such as hair dryers, shavers, clocks, and toothbrush chargers will not work on the European voltage. Most likely if you try to plug them in and use them for more than 15 seconds you'll fry them. For these things you'll need a voltage converter (more expensive).

Since you'll have roommates while we're over seas, not everyone will need to buy these things. I'll assign roommates later, but I do my best to keep you paired with at least one person (of your choosing) for the whole trip. If you and a close friend are both traveling, split the cost of these things and you can share once the trip begins.

I have some brochures from the Samsonite store that have more info on this. If you want, stop by my room and pick one up.

Meeting update: Luggage information

Another successful meeting today - thanks to all who showed up. If you missed it, here are the highlights:

1) Pisa info: check out www.wikitravel.org to get an idea of what we'll see on our 1/2 day excursion to the Italian town of Pisa.

2) Packing tips: Start planning now for the trip - every time you go to the store, buy one little item for the trip. That way you won't be swamped in July. For a list of tips, check out the "Don't forget your toothbrush" link to the left.

3) Check out the TSA website for info about what is and is not allowed on the plane. There's a ton of info here, but you need to know it, so read closely.

More to come, so stay tuned.