FINAL THOUGHTS

Hello, luv!

Hi there!

My name is Martha and I am a single, retired woman from the Denver area who is a big fan of Rick Steves tours. Since my first trip to France in 2012 I have been hooked! I am in love with England and decided to take the Villages of Southern England tour in the fall of 2018.

What did I think of the tour????

Glad you asked! I loved it! George was a great guide, full of information, organized, and ready with a story or bit of humor. The local guides were a great addition to George's expertise, sharing with us their hometowns and their own bits of history. Our days were full and then there were lengthy bus rides to recharge and learn about the next destination. I generally chose to watch the scenery out the window but there was plenty of napping going on behind me.

Our group was congenial and welcoming to a single traveler. There was not a grump in the group! I hung out with others when I wanted but was also able to have alone time when I wanted it.

Reflections from home.....

I loved learning about a new (to me) part of the world. I could feel a distinct difference to Western Europe but have a difficult time putting it in words. For me seeing the remains of the communist years and hearing the first person stories made 20th century history all very vivid, particularly in regards to the Jewish people. And, there was a proud older past, Slavic, Magyar, and even a bit of Byzantine. I also saw the contrasts from vibrant, busy cities to a lush green forest, a sunny ocean retreat, and a mountain lake. All was very interesting and evocative.

Back to home....

One last lesson: Even though I checked both historic and real time statistics before I left home, I was still surprised by the weather. I always pack a few things for both warmer and colder temperatures so was good to travel. But, my lighter clothing, probably 1/3 of the total, languished in the bottom of my suitcase for all of the tour. I found out you really can get by on fewer shirts than you intend!