About us and travel
We are Lynda and Glenn, and we live in Washington state. For years travel has been part of our life. For Lynda it started in college studying hospitality and a 35 year career of caring for travelers. While raising our two sons we took many trips and had many adventures as a family, first traveling locally, then throughout the United States. We believe travel should not only be an escape of daily routine, but also fun and full of discovery. We found travel as a way to see and appreciate beautiful places, expand our knowledge of the history, people and culture of each place we visited. As adults, it was our sons who began to expand their own independent travel adventures into Europe -- it was time to extend our travel dreams too!
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Like you, we watched Rick Steves Europe TV shows for years. In researching his tours, we discovered thoughtfully planned smaller group itineraries, embracing local business, and emphasizing culture, art and history, aligning with our own travel beliefs. We also liked that RSE tours had a balance between group activities and free time. In 2017 we took our first Rick Steves tour and the Best of Europe Tour even exceeded our very high expectations. Everyday was a "wow" experience, and we took home new life-long friendships and the skills and confidence to continue to travel independently in Europe.
Since 2017 we have been fortunate to complete two other amazing independent European adventures, a multi-country excursion with our son and intimate walking vacation in the Cotswolds. We were in the process of planning another trip that incorporated both independent travel and a Rick Steves tour, but then Covid hit ........
Why travel?
Why Rick Steves & The Village Italy Tour?
As we waited for Covid to ease and for travel to open back up, like many others we reflected on our desire to travel. Why was travel so satisfying, and why was it so desperately missed? Was it just the want of an escape from the daily routine and the constraints of the times? Were we missing the fulfillment from new adventures and the appreciation of making new acquaintances and travel experiences? With little recent travel in our lives, there was an emptiness that emphasized how much we enjoyed and benefited from travel.
During the pandemic we attempted to satisfy our travel dreams by tuning into RSE Monday Night Travel, and reading conversations on the RSE Travel Forum. As Covid continued we also mapped out a long wish list of future trips and RSE Tours.
We struggled to determine when, where, and how safe it would be to travel. After many false starts and rescheduling, we finally locked in our plans. What influenced our decision to book the RSE Village Italy Tour now?
Our Past Experience
Travel for Exploration, Discovery & Connection
Having had our efficient, organized, and mind-blowing experience on the Best of Europe Tour, we booked this trip with confidence! It was on short notice but that's the beauty -- we would have a knowledgable quality guide to take us on a cultural Italian journey.
While we enjoy our independent travel, there is value in the social aspects of a group tour; meeting like minded travelers, and the possibility of new lasting friendships. Especially as we were emerging from the isolation of Covid, this was sounding very appealing.
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Travel in the Time of Covid
Travel to Escape & Fulfillment
In a response to the uncertainties in travel in the time of Covid, RSE developed greater flexibility in their reservation & cancellation policies. We were allowed to adjust our trip timelines, until we felt it was safe to travel.
Also as travel started back up RSE continued to make reasonable Covid policy adjustments. It was reassuring to know that while there was indeed assumed risk, policies were in place to minimize both Covid exposure and potential financial losses. Having a reasonable refund policy if you were unfortunate to contract Covid while on the tour were all considerations in favor of a RSE tour.
The Appeal of Village Italy
Travel for Appreciation, Joy & Reflection
The Village Italy Tour had been on our RSE wish list of tours.
We had been to Italy on our Best of Europe tour, and had enjoyed the sampling of rich Italian culture, art, history, food, and wine. The Village Italy Tour and the joy of sweet life "La Dolce vita" of small town Italy sounded as a perfect fit after two stressful years of Covid. Just imaging the sites, with beautiful art, ancient villages, fresh food markets, cobblestone streets, evenings of pasta and wine at sidewalk trattorias, a pair of afternoon spritz while overlooking a vineyard on a sunny and warm spring afternoon; all convinced us this was the tour needed now!
Before we commence with the trip, you must know that there's much more, both powerful and inexplicable, to our story.
What we didn't know when we finally booked our Village Italy Tour, was that fate would take us beyond what we expected for a tour experience. This would become a unique journey, with an added meaning and purpose, filled with the inspiration and joy of an incredible person, and a lifetime adventure of friendship.
A month from the start of our Village Italy Tour, we made a discovery amongst our final tour documents. There was something...something naggingly not quite right about the tour member roster. After several looks and reading it up and down many times...there it was! That couple from Concord, those two names, Tom and Laura, sounded so familiar. Could it be? After a sleepless night of tossing, turning, and wondering, and some early morning internet surfing to find a cell number, the following happened:
What are the odds!
Two girls who met their first day of college over 40 years ago, and became close friends, roommates and classmates studying hospitality together, would then be brought together by a higher purpose, and reunited for the first time in 23 years for a journey of a lifetime in the villages of Italy.
"Life was meant for good friends and great adventures" unknown
Meet our tour buddies
Laura & Tom
Meet Laura and Tom. They met, married and raised their three wonderful children in California.
Before meeting Tom, Laura, always had the desire to learn by traveling, taking her first European trip through the university's hospitality program. Together, their adventures have taken them to Italy, France, and Norway. As long time fans of Rick Steves programs and his guide books, they decided in 2019 that it was time to take the RSE Best of the Adriatic Tour.
During Covid they continued to take small local trips when possible to fill their desire to explore. Laura having recent significant medical challenges necessitated rescheduling their RSE Village Italy Tour. Unknown to them, our worlds would now collide as this just happened to be the same tour that we would end up booking.
