Do I really have to read The Blog?

 We're all very busy these days...  And, after we start sending out emails, there's usually someone who asks:  "Do I really have to read The Blog?"

Tommy - The Mad Blogger

And the simple answer to this is: No, of course not...  You've booked a Tour, and all you really have to do is show up!  But why wouldn't you want to read it...  You've got some big bucks invested in what many people would call the trip of a lifetime! We all sometimes forget how lucky we are to get to experience travel of this scale... 

The Blog is written just as a resource for your convenience... It's an added value that we provide for guests that are eager to get the very most out of their vacation... to start thinking about it a little earlier... And to get excited about what they're going to see & experience! 

 But we'll tell you this;  After 24 years of taking Tour Groups to Europe several times a year, we can always tell who's read The Blog and who hasn't...  The folks that haven't, usually feel a little uneasy because they're in a foreign country and they don't know what's going on day-to-day... and they either have lots & lots of questions or they just kind of disengage and blindly follow the group!

You see, The Blog is designed to answer all the questions way before you ever get there...  So, as our Tour Guests, we'll be polite to you either way...  But know that after all these years of doing this, and seeing the patterns of hundreds and hundreds of our guests, it's so very obvious to us that the folks that follow along and read The Blog religiously actually end up having a much better time and hence get a much better value from their vacation! You may have seen that we often use phrases like "deeply immersive" and "culturally explorative" to describe our expeditions... And The BLOG is the initial part of that deep cultural immersion... 

Lady and The Tramp

Many of the mass-market bus tours of France, for many decades, were specifically designed to shield you from cultural un-comfortability... Because they thought people just couldn't understand, or wouldn't want to know... But today, many people truly want to not just know about cultural differences, but to truly understand them and be immersed in them...  And of course you're not going to be shielded on a bus, so it's a little more important that you understand what's going on around you... 

Those that follow along daily are just much better prepared... they know what's going on and they have what they need... They know what the weather's going to be, what to pack, casual or dressy clothes, what kind of footwear, how to get to The Villa, when to arrive, do we need a voucher... how much money do i need... are drinks included, they know whether or not to tip, how much to tip, do you tip in a Cafe, why are French women so thin, do you tip a taxi driver, where we're going, what we're doing, how to get Euros, what the exchange rate is, how many Euros they need, do they need a map... will i need my cell phone.. what kind of calling plan is best for  my cell phone, how to get a rental car, what type of car, what all those French road signs mean, how do you say "I love you" in French... how come there's so many round-a-bouts, where to get gas, how to get gas, what type of gas to get, what about parking in the villages, where to park, how to get a parking disc, will my EZ Pass work... what about a GPS... can I use maps on my phone, where the Tourist Offices are... how to order a coffee in a French bar... can i sit at a table... why is everyone standing at the counter... Is lunch included... why are we going there... what's all this about two-way radios... Do I need a guidebook... what do i do if i get separated from the group...  can we get married in Provence...  what about doctors... do we really need travel insurance.. is there a hospital nearby... does my travel insurance cover that... Do  i need to carry my passport everyday... can i bring my iPad... Is it true what they say about the French men, will netflix work on our phones... how come everything on GOOGLE is in French... How do i get the wi-fi signal...  do i need a power converter? where do i get those adaptors... Which one is gasoline and which one is diesel... what's all this about a white party... why don't they speak English... what do we do in the evenings... Do they really eat Frog Legs? what happens to the rest of the frog?

For those going to other destinations like Paris or Marseille on pre or post tour extensions, we'll include tips on those destinations as well... (if you're heading to another destination, make sure you let us know... we've traveled a bit of Europe, and we're happy to pass along tips if we can).

This list could go on forever, but you get the idea...  We'll post on average 3 times a week from now until you depart for France... so usually about 100 posts... and each day there will a handful of new bits of information and tips, between the post and the side-bar, that's specifically designed to enhance your understanding and make it easier for you to plan and enjoy your vacation!  

wait... are you sure this is France???

So there's lots and lots of info that we pass along here on The Blog!  And that's why we spoon-fed it to you usually at no more than one post every other day... and we suggest that you consume it exactly that way... just click on the link we send you and check in... read the most recent post... it usually takes just 2 - 3 minutes!   We want you to have the trip of a lifetime!  And we know that, the better mentally-prepared you are for this, the better time you'll have!  Choose to be happy and choose to make this the best vacation ever! As always, if you have any questions about your upcoming trip, or if we can make your experience better in any way, please reach out to us... We're always happy to help!