The Cultural Walker

Relax, you’re in good hands (with apologies to Allstate)

2010-01-19T10:08:00.000-08:00

We work with Travel Guard Insurance and have for about a decade. Recently, they ran a promotion where they asked travelers to send them their biggest travel horror stories. Winner receives $10,000.

I’m sorry to say that no one from our Year End 2009 “India—Rajasthan, Tigers & Taj” departure is able to complete an entry this year.

At Classic Journeys, we operate about a dozen year end departures to places as exotic as Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Morocco, Amalfi, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, New Zealand, Zambia and India.

It’s the India tour I’m going to talk about. And different from most travel blogs where you’ll likely only read about the wonderful sights, sounds and smells, I’m going to describe what can go wrong in travel…and how our team in the US and in-country (in this case India) likely cost some traveler $10,000 in a great travel horror story prize.

On its face, what took place on the trip had all the makings for a great travel horror story:

• 1 Taj Mahal closed

• 1 unseasonably heavy fog

• 2 cancelled flights

• 2 trains rescheduled

• 3 hotel nights flipped

• 3 private game drives unused

But as I said, no entries from this trip. Why? How?

Well, if you’re still reading along, you must be thinking that the trip was a disaster. Actually, it was a complete success owing to some fine teamwork by colleagues in the US and India. Here’s a short recap of how we overcame the challenges.

• 1 Taj Mahal closed—A visiting head of state caused the closure for the afternoon that we had our planned exploration. Because we recheck openings repeatedly in the weeks and days leading up to the visit, our country manager in Delhi learned of the closure three days before our scheduled visit; as soon as it was made public. With notice, we brought our tour operations team in the US and Delhi together to brainstorm solutions. The only one that would provide our guests the time to view the Taj in a proper, relaxed manner befitting our tours was to move our visit to Agra to earlier in the week. (More on that later…)

• 2 cancelled flights—Due to intense and unusual fog two flights were cancelled during the trip. One, from Jodhpur to Jaipur was saved by extreme resourcefulness by our guide Vikas, who settled our guests in a lounge and ran off the plane to a little known airport office where he drew on a long-term friendship to gain seats on the only flight that left Jodhpur that day. It meant that he saved a whole day for our guests. With the other cancelled flight, our tour ops team arranged for a minicoach and driver to meet our guide and guests and transfer them. Next…

• 3 hotel nights flipped around to accommodate the Taj closure—These hotels include the #3 hotel in the world, Amarvilas, and a royal hunting lodge in Ranthambore, the famed tiger preserve. Reservations had been held for months for these exact dates. Again, problem solved as we drew on a long term friendship between the reservations managers at the hotel and our country manager in Delhi. Nights flipped so that Amarvilas came first and hunting lodge second. Problem solved…

• 2 trains rescheduled to accommodate the changes to program schedule—With the changes to the Taj visit, it meant that the tickets we were holding in first class air conditioned cars between Ranthambore and Baratpur needed to be cancelled and replaced with tickets from Baratpur to Ranthambore two days later. No problem, right? Except that there were 57 people on a wait list for the seats. Again, its not what we know, its who we know that counts so often. In this case, we once again drew on our team of colleagues in India and were able to clear the waitlist for our guests.

• 3 private game drives unused—Again, with the change in dates to our Ranthambore tiger sanctuary visit; our planned game drives (as with so many elements of the trip, organized months in advance) were no longer on the correct days. However, because we bring a number of groups of guests to Ranthambore each year, we were able to reschedule the game drives to accommodate our new schedule.

What were the guests doing during all of this? Relaxing and enjoying themselves on holiday, just as they planned to do when they chose Classic Journeys. Happily, because there is a 13 ½ (that’s right, 13 ½) hour time difference between Delhi and San Diego, many tour ops conversations with our in-country colleagues, hotels, rail and other partners could happen while our guests were asleep. They woke each morning to problems solved.

Is this an extreme example? Absolutely. But if we can keep your vacation operating smoothly in India, imagine what we can do for you in Argentina, Amalfi or even closer to home in Alaska?
If you have a travel horror story, let me know and I’ll forward it to Travel Guard for you. And if you’d like to chat about how we can make your vacations seamless and enjoyable, you can find me at blog@classicjourneys.com

Geotourism scores big at Classic Journeys

2009-11-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

Our new issue of National Geographic Traveler just arrived and with it the most recent survey of how 133 iconic destinations rank in terms of sustainable toursim. I’m happy to report that of the 62 locales listed as “best rated” or “doing well”, Classic Journeys pays careful vists to 23 as part of our Cultural Walking adventures, culinary tours and family journeys.

If you’ve traveled with Classic Journeys, you know that our small group, low impact approach to travel meshes well with geotourism’s mission: tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.

Below you’ll find the list of the “Best-Rated Places” and “Places Doing Well” along with our tours that visit them:

Best-Rated Places
•Fjords Region, Norway – Scandinavia’s Fjords and Fields

•Kootenay/Yoho National Parks, British Columbia – Canadian Rockies Cultural Walking Adventure, Family Journey, and Deluxe Family Camping

•South Island, New Zealand – New Zealand South Island Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey

•Medieval Granada and the Alhambra, Spain – Southern Spain’s Andalucia

•Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom – Scottish Highlands

•Corsica, France – Sardinia and Corsica

•Brittany, France – Normandy and Brittany

Places Doing Well
•Cappadocia, Turkey – Turquoise Coast and Cappadocia

•Central Copenhagen, Denmark - Scandinavia’s Fjords and Fields

•Northern Coast, California – Napa and Sonoma’s Culinary Treasures

•Tuscany, Italy – Tuscany and Cinque Terre, Southern Tuscany to Rome, Tuscany to the Sea, Tuscany Family Journey, and Taste of Tuscany culinary tour

•Ring of Kerry, Ireland – Ireland Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey

•Taos and the Enchanted Circle Tour, New Mexico, U.S. – Santa Fe to Toas

•Lake District, Italy – Italian Lake Retreats

•Cornwall, England, United Kingdom – England’s Cornwall Coast

•Waterton-Glacier "Crown of the Continent" Region, Alberta-Montana-British Columbia – Montana Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey

•Grand Canyon/Tusayan, Arizona, U.S. – Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey

•Qin Emperor Mausoleum, Xi'an, China – China—Shanghai to Shangri La

•66 Dalmatia's Coastal Isles, Croatia – Dalmatian Coast Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey

•Patagonian Andes Region, Argentina – Argentina—Patagonia and the Wine District

•Arches/Canyonlands/Moab, Utah, U.S. - Canyonlands

•Rajasthan, India – India—Rajasthan, Tigers & Taj

•Hue, Vietnam – Vietnam & Angkor Wat

And in a fortunate connection to my blog last week, UNESCO works diligently with local governments to manage the impact of tourism so that even places “…in the balance” as the survey describes them (like Machu Picchu), can be shepherded carefully to where they are no longer in jeopardy.

How? For one, by limiting the number of travelers as they do on the Inca Trail, where the total number of people on the path any day is capped at 500 including tourists, guides, and porters. The results have been dramatically positive, showing how tourism can have a profoundly positive impact on a region.

If you have a favorite spot that you’d like to share with us, drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com.

Top 10 ways to see a UNESCO World Heritage Site

2009-11-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Experiencing cultural treasures in ways that are difficult to replicate on your own or with another travel company are hallmarks to how we travel at Classic Journeys. So I was thrilled recently when someone noticed that we visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites on 53 of our trips. When they asked me to share my favorite sites, it got me thinking and I developed my top ten list of UNESCO experiences, a la Classic Journeys.

1. Joining our local guide, Bertrand, for a barefoot walk across the tidal estuary to Mont-Saint-Michel on our Normandy and Brittany tour.

2. Exploring historic Quebec on your stomach during a progressive dinner on our Quebec and Charlevoix tour.

3. Tasting Siena through its gelato on our Tuscany Family Journey and our Taste of Tuscany Culinary Tour.

4. Seeing Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate following our included one day hike along the Inca Trail on our Peru Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey.

5. Enjoying a private breakfast at Stonehenge before the crowds arrive on our Cotswolds tour.

6. Overnighting on a private junk in Ha Long Bay on our Vietnam tour.

7. Watching sunset from the rim of Grand Canyon and join a mule ride into the canyon on our Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey.

8. Shopping the medina of Fez with our amazing local guide, Jalil, on our Morocco tour.

9. Kayaking under the Roman’s Pont du Gard aqueduct on our Provence Family Journey.

10. Lunching and wine tasting with a vineyard owner in the Wachau Valley on our Prague to Budapest tour.

Have you had some memorable UNESCO experiences of your own? Want some help making your own wish list come true along Munro Beach watching the penguins come ashore in New Zealand or on the Dalmatian Coast walking Dubrovnik’s city walls? Drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com

When comparing apples to oranges, don’t get squeezed…

2009-10-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had difficulty making a comparison between two options? This can become particularly difficult with travel offerings, when you can’t hold the product or kick the tires before your purchase.

Recently, a family of 19 (three generations: grandparents, adult kids and grandchildren) from northern and southern California called to ask us to organize a private trip to the Canadian Rockies. The week-long holiday was designed to celebrate the grandmother’s 70th birthday.

In this family, there are four sisters, each married and with children. One of the sisters had already spent a fair amount of time speaking with a Canadian tour operator, constructing a program that included overnights in Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise, plus two nights on the Rocky Mountaineer train traveling between Jasper and Vancouver.

On first blush, the trip looked less expensive than what Classic Journeys could provide on our Canadian Rockies Family Journey. But then doubts began to seep in. They began to worry that the trip was not personalized enough for the family and the grandmother’s interests that ranged from fly-fishing to painting, photography to cooking. In addition, they were told a price and advised that it related to “gold” level accommodations (only to find out that the accommodations were really subpar). The final straw was hearing that they would have a different guide in each location, rather than someone who would get to know them and take care of the family throughout the week.

That’s when they called Classic Journeys. They gave us their criteria and asked us to turn around a suggested itinerary and pricing (complete with special inclusions unique to their interests) quickly as the departure day was fast approaching.

The first thing we did was construct a comparable program for them. This allowed everyone to make that real apples to apples comparison to see how much more they were paying for their vacation versus a similar Classic Journeys’ family program. Then we suggested how they could upgrade their hotels (Chateau Lake Louise, Jasper Park Lodge, Banff Springs Lodge) while still staying within their budget.

We also included two full time guides (their names are Trevor and Craig, but the family’s nicknames for them became the inside joke of Cheddar and Provolone). Finally, we added in some really one-of-a-kind events like a private fishing expedition on Maligne Lake in our guides’ own boats (the only private boats on the lake) so that the grandmother could fish with her grandkids.

In the end, the cost was lower than the competing company’s quote and provided the family with a much more personal and complete immersion into the Canadian Rockies than what they would have enjoyed otherwise.

Are we always lower cost? No. Can we always provide Classic Journeys’ guests with a richer more personal experience? Usually. And we can certainly let you know quickly if we have the expertise in an area to make a trip memorable for your family, group of friends, company or organization.

If you’d like to make an apples to apples comparison on your next holiday, send me an email at blog@classicjourneys.com.

Travel writers give advice on when to choose a group tour

2009-10-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Recently, two highly-regarded travel writers, Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman, joined a small group tour in southwestern Ireland and then wrote an article about it for Westways magazine. It appeared in their May 2009 issue, and is titled “Going with the Group – When to consider taking an escorted tour”. Since they so eloquently summed up many of the frequently asked questions our guests have as they are considering traveling with us, I thought I would share it with you.

“Q: I’m an independent-minded traveler. But are there times when an escorted tour might be a good idea?

A: Before taking an escorted tour of Ireland, we were skeptical of the tour idea. But an experience in County Galway changed our minds.

A peat fire burned in the fireplace of the 220 year old thatched-roof farmhouse. “I was born in a pub,” said Frances, the woman who greeted us at the font door. She had green eyes that expressed gentleness. “Maybe that’s why I like meeting people,” she said. After she served us Irish soda bread and a soup of leeks, potatoes and carrots, our group went to see – and feed – a new lamb. We wouldn’t have thought that this kind of simple, intimate experience could be part of an escorted tour. But this encounter made us realize that escorted, or group, tours aren’t what the used to be.

What a difference 40 years makes. “Today people on escorted tours are sight-doing instead of sightseeing,” says Bob Whitley, president of the United States Tour Operators Associations (USTOA). “They’re climbing Mount Fuji instead of just looking at it.

“They’re visiting local residents in their homes. And many tours visit just one or two countries; they take in a lot of villages and explore back roads. Today’s tours have more free time built into them, so people can pursue their own interests or go shopping.”

Our experience taught us that there are times when it pays to take an escorted tour. Here are some examples.

• When you want to save money. Escorted tours can save you as much as 50 percent of the cost of paying for the trip components separately, according to the USTOA. “The cost of meals and attractions are typically included,” says Whitley. “That can add up to big savings.”

• When you want to avoid hassle. On an escorted tour, you don’t have to find your way around unfamiliar places. And if you have a problem with a hotel room, it’s the tour escort who sorts it out, not you.

• When you want to go to a special event. If you want to attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, for example, which occurs every 10 years (the next performance will be in 2010), a tour will ensure that you have tickets and transportation to the event.

• When you want to travel to less-developed countries. You might feel comfortable navigating western Europe on your own. But if you’re heading to a destination that has a less-developed infrastructure, a group tour can ease the way.

• When you want to pursue a special interest. Many tours allow you to focus on one theme, such as cooking or history or art, as you travel through a place. Being with people who share similar interests can also add to the experience, as Bill Green discovered. The Los Angeles-based human resources consultant’s recent tour exploring Northern California was enhanced by the companionship of like-minded fellow travelers. “It made for stimulating conversation,” he says.

• When you want to make friends. Stimulating conversation can lead to lasting friendships. “My wife and I still keep in touch with people we met on that tour,” says Green.

We know how he feels. When we return to Ireland, we plan to look up a gentle woman named Frances.”

Thanks Paul and Elizabeth for the great checklist. I couldn’t agree more. So whether you are thinking about our Ireland trips (we offer a cultural walking adventure and a family journey), joining our Napa and Sonoma culinary tour, or you have a wish list of special events you’ve always wanted to experience during your vacation (like visiting Stonehenge privately at sunrise, observing the fjordland crested penguins with a naturalist on a private beach in New Zealand, or meeting a shepherd in Tuscany) we can help. And if you’d like to listen to a clip from our Irish guide Donal’s band in their local pub in Kenmare, just drop us a line at blog@classicjourneys.com

Sometimes a good deal isn’t…

2009-10-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

A colleague of mine just hung up with one of our past guests. The lady, who has traveled with us twice previously to Bryce, Grand Canyon and Zion and Montana, said she thoroughly enjoyed our trips.

That’s when the call became a bit unusual…

She went on to say that she had recently purchased a tour to Morocco on-line in response to a promotional email that she received from one of our competitors. The email had arrived one evening, seemed like a great deal, and she had purchased it without speaking with anyone at the company. A true spur of the moment decision.

After purchasing the trip, she found that she had many questions for the tour operator and so phoned them several times over the course of a couple of weeks. Sadly for her, she said that no one at the company knew the trip well or could answer her questions. Feeling frustrated and a bit embarrassed, she called us knowing that we’ve operated tours in Morocco for over a decade.

My colleague, Sarah, was a bit confused as to why a guest on another company’s trip was phoning us to chat. Don’t get me wrong, we know that we have many fine competitors, and we realize that sometimes a guest will choose another company instead of Classic Journeys. (Maybe a date doesn’t work and they are not interested in a Private Journey, or they want to pursue a special interest or region that we do not cover.) That said, this was still pretty unique: a guest calling us to ask questions about their tour when they are not traveling with us!

Fortunately, many of us at Classic Journeys have been to Morocco and have been on our Morocco—Fes to Marrakesh trip. We have very good personal relationships with our head guides, Jalil and Saida, and our country manager Tarik; and we’ve spent a considerable amount of time with all 29 colleagues there who take care of our guests on tour. So Sarah was able to answer the guest’s questions completely, putting her mind somewhat at ease.

Why all this in a blog?

Sometimes a good deal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And sometimes that trip that is more expensive initially is actually a better value than the one with the lower initial price. That is not to say that dollars always dictate quality, but rather that tour operators with local knowledge can be worth their weight in gold.

We've carefully crafted all of our tours in over 65 regions around the world, combining years of research with careful scouting and relationships with local guides to operate exceptional trips. And if one of the reasons to go on a guided tour is to not worry about the logistics, we've done your homework for you and are there to make your trip seamless, even before you've left.

Sometimes prospective guests like to speak with other travelers who have visited a region with us, and we invite you to do that. And others like to know that well-known third parties like Travel + Leisure or National Geographic have rated us among the top of our peers, and you can review these on our awards page.

If we can assist with any of these requests, or you find yourself traveling with a company that isn’t helping the way you expected, just drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com

Guests share their feedback on Trip Advisor

2009-10-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

A part of my daily routine that I thoroughly enjoy is reading through questionnaires our guests complete on their return home. It offers us great insight and ideas that we can implement right away on the next departure in a region.

This week, the mailbag included an email from four guests for whom we arranged a custom Private Journey to Tuscany & the Cinque Terre over the summer. In it, they let us know that one of the ladies had taken the liberty to post an entry on Trip Advisor recapping their experience with us. She wrote such a candid recap of what took place during the week that I thought other guests might find her comments helpful. So here you go!

“We took this tour in June of 2009 as a private group of 4 people (two couples). We had a fantastic trip! Classic Journeys (CJ) did a wonderful job in customizing our trip. Thanks to Julie at CJ for planning the trip.

The hotels were great, 4-5 star. Our tour guide was wonderful, knowledgeable and connected. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see these local destinations on foot. Here are a few customizations to the trip that we made. Pre-tour: We arrived in Florence 36 hours before the tour began to explore and shop on our own and CJ added one night to our accommodations. It also allowed us some rest time (which will be needed). We went to dinner at great restaurant in Florence, L'Osteria Di Giovanni for dinner, which a friend recommended. The tour began the following midday with a Florence sites walking overview. (If you want to do any shopping or museum tours, plan to do it on your own time or allow extra pre/post day). The next day we left for Tuscany. Walking the roads into Chianti Classico Region starting with an Abbey/small village and then continued on to Greve was everything I had hoped it to be. We ate lunch in Greve at Caffe le Gogge and we would highly recommend. The hikes, which we enjoyed and were prepared for were just a little more challenging then we expected, but not overly difficult if you are in average to above average shape. You are after all hiking over hills and dirt roads (light hiking shoes highly recommended). The following days were filled with lots of walking and village overviews (very little to no time to go into museums or shops, so you must carve out some tour time and/or discuss with your guide how to fit that in if it is important to you. The hotel in Chianti, was wonderful. It is run by a very nice family, who goes above and beyond to make your stay enjoyable. We toured a local professional potter and got to watch him at work. (The town Colle was on the tour and I would have skipped it because we did not go into a museum to see how they make crystal, but did walk through the town.) We also added a cooking lesson in Tuscany with chef Massimo at his private castello. We had a great time and great food. I would add this to your tour if you can.

Next we drove to Santa Margherita, stayed at a beautiful hotel on the water. On our open dinner night in Santa Margherita, we had one of the best meals we all have ever had out of all of our collective international travels at "Da o Batti" on (via/street Ruffini 2. The best item we had there was the mussels and lasagna pesto, wow!). Don't miss this casual but fine dining experience. This part of the trip we walked to Portofino and walked parts of Cinque Terre. Lastly, we stopped in Pietrasanta and discovered that great sculptors that have their work reproduced here to a large scale, by local artisans.

Don't miss this tour. Two of the best things about of this tour were that after all the wonderful food and lots of wine consumed none of us gained weight because of the walking/hiking, (the two gals each lost a pound); and it is a romantic getaway! We can't wait to go back and Classic Journeys has the insight and resources to get you into intriguing places that you would not get into on your own. It was a trip of a lifetime for each of us. So what are you waiting for? Regards - PVB travel friends.”

That’s Jalene’s posting. If it’s sparked any questions about our Tuscany & Cinque Terre trip, our Private Journeys way of traveling, or our style of travel in general, drop me a line at blog@ClassicJourneys.com.

Lost in Wisconsin without a guide…

2009-09-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

It’s catalog season at Classic Journeys, and that means that every year I pack up the family for a few days in central Wisconsin to attend the press check at our printer, and then drive down to Chicago for a weekend with friends and their kids.

For us, it’s the culmination of months of preparation on our annual adventure travel catalog, featuring our cultural walking tours, culinary tours and family vacations in over 65 destinations worldwide. Our whole team (tour operations, guest services, creative, marketing and sales, and accounting) comes together for several months to work on the project at various times. And at the end of it all, we spend a couple of sleepless nights at a 1.4 million square foot printing facility watching our catalog zoom along at 40,000 pages per hour on multi-million dollar presses the length of a football field. The goal is to make sure the books look their best and tell the story of traveling in Classic Journeys’ style well.

Since this was our 15th annual catalog celebrating international adventure travel, I thought I might have a couple of occasions to reflect about how it all fits into my year. That said, I never thought I’d consider how this trip might be a metaphor for traveling with (or without) Classic Journeys on vacation. Until two weeks ago…

You see, normally I am accompanied by our printing salesman, Paul, who meets us when we arrive in Wisconsin. He takes us around to local landmarks, introduces us to members of his team in manufacturing, creative, quality control, bindery…the whole works. He takes us out to dinner, drives us back and forth to the plant and other meetings, and makes sure everything goes seamlessly. If you’re playing along with me, you can imagine Paul in the role of a Classic Journeys’ guide. Friendly, smart and well-connected.

This year was a little different. Paul’s wife just had a baby and so I suggested that he stay home to attend to his family. I figured I knew my way around Wisconsin and could make everything work smoothly on my own. (In the same way many of us choose to vacation on our own…)
And that’s where the story deviates from a Classic Journey.

You see, I landed only to find that the “color” of the first signatures was ready for approval (in essence the books on press were ready to be proofed) even though I was still about three hours away. That never happened when Paul was with me managing things at the plant. We worked it out, the pressmen were fantastic, and the catalog printed beautifully (even though we ate a hasty dinner of sandwiches from the cafeteria at 1:00 am). The next morning, I woke to drive myself to another of the company’s plants for a meeting with their creative team. I had directions, the address, and my iphone to guide the way. And still I found myself lost in the middle of farmlands, losing time and arriving quite late for my meeting.

Again, locals took pity on me and I was fortunate to be surrounded by friendly and helpful people at our printer. They modified their schedules to accommodate mine, and the meetings went well. But I had to laugh to myself as I drove back to my hotel. I was reminded that whenever I travel with Classic Journeys, I rely on the expertise of our guides, their local connections, how seamlessly they make everything unfold, and how there is no wasted time figuring out where we are going to go, what to do or how to get there.

And in that moment, I vowed to send a special thanks to each of our guides—from Amalfi to Zion—for everything they do on our trips…and to invite Paul on the next press check with me…

If you’ve had a great moment where you were lost…or found…drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com. I’d enjoy hearing from you.

8 is the new 12

2009-07-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

When it comes to international travel with kids in tow, the age-old debate still swirls: How old is old enough for children to truly appreciate a trip abroad?

Early teens used to have the market cornered, but a writer friend of ours recently uncovered a seismic shift. In "Rules of Engagement", author Linda Packer reveals what child development experts already know: today's kids are becoming far more worldly at an earlier age. Hence her pithy proclamation: "Eight is the new 12." (You can read her whole article here from Private Clubs magazine.)

At Classic Journeys, we couldn't have come up with a catchier phrase. But we weren't surprised...we've seen the evidence firsthand for years on our Family Journeys. The premise is simple: expose kids -- particularly those aged seven to 16 -- to other cultures in a fun, engaging way, and they'll never fail to amaze you with how delightedly they take it all in. By nature, kids love to be seeing and doing, and the more exotic the destination and its daily adventures, the more eagerly they respond.

Just to put our theory to the test, I made a call to Karen Gouze, Ph.D., director of training in psychology at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Sure enough, her comments confirmed what we've observed: "Children are much more knowledgeable by age eight than they used to be," she agreed. "They're exposed to a much more diverse group of people in their everyday lives, so they're much more interested in the outside world."

It's always a treat for us to witness that moment when multiple generations really click on a Family Journey. I first met Gary and Yang Sciscent on our Peru Family Journey over spring break in 2008. They live in Manhattan with their three kids ages 12, 11 and 7. We all had such a great time together that they joined my family again when we opted for our Morocco Family Journey over spring break 2009. To see our kids mountain biking through the Sacred Valley on their way to Machu Picchu made for an unforgettable family outing...as did riding camelback, Bedouin-style, over towering sand dunes this past March.

Whether our guests are paddling a dugout canoe in Panama, skimming along a zip line in the cloud forest of Costa Rica, or swimming with the world's smallest dolphins in New Zealand, they hit it off instantly with our awesome native guides. By taking advantage of every "teachable moment" -- yet never, ever making it feel like school -- our guides know how to make history and culture come alive. From unearthing wildlife (the weirder the better) to relating centuries-old local legends (like pouring boiling oil over the heads of ancient attackers in Tuscany's hilltowns), they capture the imagination of young and old alike.

As parents who love to tour with our own kids, we've mastered the logistics and eliminated the language barriers in each region we visit. Even planning a trip around school schedules isn't a problem, with seven multi-generational Family Journeys perfectly timed for winter and spring breaks. You can see all of our Family Journeys departures at www.classicjourneys.com/family

Drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com if you'd like to share traveling stories of your 8 (...or 12) year olds.

When 'affordable' really adds value

2009-03-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

A neat side effect of my blog and our monthly enewsletters is that I've received more personal email responses from guests than I can ever remember. Some check in to see how things are here. Others give me updates on their lives. I've never felt more connected.

Yesterday, I received a note from a prospective guest. He's been receiving our catalog since 2005 and has spoken with our Guest Services team on a number of occasions about our trips in Normandy & Burgundy, the Dordogne Valley, our Swiss Alps Family Journey, and Vietnam & Angkor Wat. This email was...well...it was a little chippy, to be honest. He must have just received our enews in which we talked about our North American trips as a lower cost way to travel with us in 2009. And he challenged us to defend our North American trips as "affordable". I'd like to share with you the contents of my email back to him as his note caused an impromptu team meeting in which a number of my colleagues weighted in with their thoughts on what does affordable mean in 2009, and is that how we define ourselves and our tours.

"...our guests seem to focus on the value they are receiving from their vacation with Classic Journeys. And a great majority of them seem to quantify value by the enjoyment and experience received on tour relative to the price and expectations they have for the trip. If we can deliver an experience that is greater than their expectations, they consider that we've created value in the tour.

Now, in addition to the value we try to create for our guests, we know that many people can define "affordable" in a variety of ways. For example, one person might look at a watch and determine that a Timex is affordable, while a Rolex is unaffordable. Both keep time very well. The person paying for the Rolex is expecting a certain additional experience presumably. If you can purchase the Rolex at a price that is less than your expectation perhaps that makes the Rolex affordable. I'll continue the analogy with cars. A Lexus and a Toyota are both exceptional cars. In fact, both are award winning and made by the same company. A Toyota is less expensive and can provide years of enjoyable low maintenance driving. The Lexus is also a fine car and provides a great deal of value to the driver, along with presumably some additional experiential feeling of satisfaction. While the Lexus is much more expensive than the Toyota, if one can purchase it at a price that is less than they expected to pay for a car of its quality, then perhaps it too becomes affordable.

In the same way, we are not attempting to be (and have never promoted ourselves as) the low cost provider of cultural walking adventures, culinary tours and family journeys. Rather, we are proud that we offer an exceptional vacation for our guests. We pay very careful attention to the details, and include elements that our guests tell us are important to them: exceptional local guides, visits with interesting locals and to historic sites in a creative manner, high quality hotels and lodges, and memorable meals. We also have taken years to construct our itineraries so that we minimize the "hassle factor" for our guests and make every day of your vacation more impactful and enjoyable than it would be if you had to research and script it on your own. As a result of this careful approach to operating our trips and caring for our guests, we've been recognized on multiple occasions as a "World's Best Tour Operator" by Travel + Leisure magazine and as one of the "Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure magazine.

...all that said, we've been working to identify ways that we can lower prices, and so add additional value and make our trips more affordable for our guests. This includes an enews subscriber discount of $400 per couple on some of our North American departures and creating a deluxe camping trip in the Canadian Rockies that is priced $700 below our lodge-based trip in the same region. Is it affordable? That's for each prospective guest to decide. The key for us is in operating the trip in a manner that creates value for those guests who choose to travel with us."

I hope I provided him a well-thought out (and non-sanctimonious!) response that answered his comment about affordability. Among the things we're proud of here at Classic Journeys is our relationships with our guests. If you have any questions for me or would like to weigh in with your own thoughts on affordability and value, I'd be keen to hear them. Just drop me a line at blog@ClassicJourneys.com.

If it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium

2009-02-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

Recently I was invited by Amie O'Shaughnessy, founder and editor of CiaoBambino.com, to write a guest blog from my view at Classic Journeys and as a parent...

You know that old adage: “If it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium”? It applies to the type of touring that our parents or Aunt Mary took when she did the grand tour of Europe. (And literally, you’d pack 40-50 people in a bus and cover a whole lot of countries in two weeks’ time. You knew it was Tuesday when you got to Belgium. Wednesday was Paris, Thursday was London and so on.) For many of us, myself included, it doesn’t hold any appeal.

So why would a web site like Ciao Bambino be interested in talking about tours at all? We’ve already agreed that the idea of being packed into a bus and being driven-literally-into boredom sounds terrible for anyone, and in particular for families with kids.

I’ve been in the adventure travel business for 17 years—and head of Classic Journeys since its inception in 1995. My wife, Susan, is also actively involved in Classic Journeys as our CFO and head of HR. We have two sons, Jack (12) and Matthew (9). Because of what we do professionally, they’ve always traveled with us. Over the years, we’ve found some real benefits to traveling on small group tours. Here are a few things I’ve learned on our travels.

Everything looks brighter when you see the world through younger eyes:You rediscover the fun of family travel when you take the kids-or grandkids-on a family adventure vacation. Suddenly, ancient ruins are for climbing on. Bocci ball and boules become games for playing rather than spectating. Rivers are for rafting, and alpine tram rides turn into joy rides. That said, it helps to have someone in the know locally who can organize these activities and make your vacation seamless. A good tour company blends these into your days without you having to figure out when is the best time, place, etc. to do each activity.

A tour can give you all the fun and none of the hassle: Okay-long-distance trips with kids can be a challenge. A well-designed small group family tour should match the curiosity, energy levels and attention spans of fledgling travelers. Check the distances companies cover so that you can avoid the “Are we there yet?” It’s almost axiomatic that if you have someone else taking care of the details for you, you (and your kids) actually get more flexibility in what you do each day.

Hold out for the “cool factor”: Find a company that scouts out cool stuff like a nighttime safari, mountain biking on the wide medieval walls of an Italian city, or rafting down a scenic river valley. Nowadays, the best companies have local contacts and so can hook you up with local artisans so that you can get your hands dirty in craft sessions…and join kid-sensitive explorations of must-see landmarks.

With the kids it’s a trip; without the kids it’s a vacation: That used to be the case. Now, you can find itineraries almost anywhere, from Costa Rica to Canada, Peru to Provence that give you some time together and some time apart. Ask the tour company if their itineraries are designed to satisfy the curiosity, energy levels and attention spans of multiple generations. There should be some activities each day for the whole family and some time for the adults to go off alone while the kids are on chaperoned kids-only events.

Picky eaters are people too: I remember reading the Arthur book by Marc Brown titled “DW the Picky Eater” to my sons when they were young. You might remember it too. I have some friends whose son ate only steak and chocolate. He’s a great kid, but it was challenging when they’d try to travel. On a good tour with a great guide, your kids will be introduced to new foods in a way that makes them approachable. The guides find the local specialties kids love-pizza, fondue, picnics-as well as plenty of chances for the adventuresome to try new tastes.

For me, there are times to travel alone as a family. Every once in a while we go to Maui and we ski as a family every winter. I could not imagine needing a tour company to organize either of those for us. Then again, we’re going to Morocco on a Classic Journeys tour for spring break and I know the four families traveling together will have more fun, see more things, stress less and come home with better memories because it’s a tour designed for families.

What do six Buddhist monks and a Bichon Frise have in common?

2009-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

I’ll tell you in a minute. But first, a bit of background.

About six months ago, I decided to make a personal statement about my health, the environment and fuel usage, so I parked our SUV in the garage and began walking to work. The 40 minutes each way offers me an unmatched opportunity to clear my head and to see things along the way I’d otherwise miss.

The other night as I wound through La Jolla’s village, I passed one of our well-known restaurants, Rappongi. Sitting along the outdoor tables, I passed three doctors in scrubs, followed by a table of men and women enjoying an after-work drink. (Nothing unique with either sighting.) The next table was unusual, even for La Jolla. Relaxing at a booth, in long robes with shaved heads, were six Buddhist monks. They were smiling and chatting; having a great time.

The very next morning, I walked past a burly man in his Mercedes SUV. In a car seat next to him was his white Bichon Frise, wearing a pink sweater vest. (Not entirely unique for La Jolla.)

Why the story?

During these months of walking I’ve been reminded of those experiences that resonate for me on our Cultural Walking Adventures, Culinary Tours and Family Journeys. Namely, the simple things you enjoy when you slow down to see the world and explore the world one step at a time.

Sometimes, my sighting are not funny or memorable, just sensory for the moment: smelling the fresh-brewed coffee from Pannikin Coffee Shop, just like we do when we’re waking on our own junk in Vietnam’s Halong Bay or at the otherworldly Berber tented encampment on our Morocco trip.

Other times when I walk along our famed cove, I see seals with their pups and whales migrating south to Mexico, in the same way that we enjoy watching the humpback whales in Nova Scotia or the Fiordland crested penguins with their young in New Zealand.

Then there are the days that I see ladies carrying armfuls of flowers from the market, in a ritual consistent across places as disparate as Delhi’s flower market in India and San Gimignano’s weekly market on our Tuscany & Cinque Terre trip.

If you've had an occasion where slowing down has allowed you to see the world better, one step at a time, drop me an e-mail at blog@classicjourneys.com.

You'll never guess what Andrea Bocelli sent me...

2008-12-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Last week I received an unexpected, delicious holiday gift-- a jar of honey. This one was a little different than the jars my wife and I normally buy at the local Whole Foods or Vons grocery stores. It was a gift from Alberto and Cinzia Bocelli, and Alberto's brother, Andrea. That's right; that Andrea Bocelli...

You see, we've been fortunate to get to know the Bocellis well. They open their home to us and our guests on our "Tuscany to the Sea" trip, a weeklong Cultural Walking Adventure that begins in Lucca and ends in Pisa. During one of the two days that we're based at our villa hotel near Sassetta, we make a scenic, easy-going walk to the Bocelli's wine cellar, where we spend a very laid back, thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours. Alberto and Cinzia are always there, and when his concert schedule allows, Andrea is as well. They invite us in for a tasting that includes their own wines, honey and olive oil, as well as a chat about life in their part of Tuscany.

Afterward, we wander over to the nearby farm of the Bocelli's friend, Stefania, for a casual cooking instruction. It's all a "day in the life" at Classic Journeys and our guests tell us the personal encounters they have with locals like the Bocellis and Stefania are among their favorite souvenirs of their time in Tuscany (along with the recipes!).

As the saying goes, timing is everything, and it was just recently that an article about Alberto appeared in the London Times. The story and interview with him described Alberto's plans to reinvigorate the real estate market near Lajatico, the Bocelli's hometown. It's a great story of a family's desire to develop good jobs and interest in the place where they grew up rather than leaving for the big cities. You can read the whole article on our web site here

So what's going to happen with the Bocellis' award-winning "Millefiori" honey? It's the featured ingredient in an upcoming dinner of pear and honey risotto followed by a dessert of biscotto rotondo con miele (tall, golden pyramids of cookies drowned in honey and mixed spices). Just one of the recipes we picked up on a recent visit to Tuscany.

If you've had an occasion where your travels have really connected you to the local people of a region, drop me an e-mail at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Tuscany to the Sea trip, please click here.

“It’s easy…you blend.”

2008-10-31T14:54:00.000-07:00

When I told my wife we were going to spend a month in Africa on safari, tacking on a walking tour of Provence, bookended by visits to Paris and London, I braced for the luggage estimate. It turns out she’s quite the accomplished packer. How do I know? One bag…and a carry-on no less! Curious to know how she would fit outfits for all of these disparate locales in such a small bag, she paraphrased Marisa Tomei from the film “My Cousin Vinny” with the comment, “It’s easy…you blend.” To wit: she packed base colors of black and khaki, with lots and lots of scarves.

That was back in the spring of 1995, and the trip was one of our most unforgettable ever. In fact, the African portion was so awe-inspiring that it made us want to create our own safari. As Classic Journeys began to grow and we added more destinations around the world, we longed to add Africa. There was only one problem: we couldn’t figure out a way to operate a true Classic Journeys Cultural Walking Adventure there. At the time, safaris were conducted from a Land Cruiser or other vehicle, meaning that travelers did not get out on foot near the animals. (In fact, our guide then, Rashid, prohibited it.) Our cultural interaction on that first safari was limited to the staffs at the lodges and a very packaged visit with some Masai natives. Memorable? Yes, but neither experience was what we wanted for our guests at Classic Journeys.

So we settled in to create and operate trips in other parts of the world, content to develop our Cultural Walking Adventures, Culinary Tours and Family Journeys in regions where we could put our signature stamp: a mixture of easy-going daily walks in scenic settings, personal visits with interesting local people, and unique ways to experience historic and cultural sites. And to complement this new approach, the promise of great meals (we’re foodies, after all) and extraordinary accommodations to welcome us at the end of the day.

Our patience was tested, even as we developed a strong foothold into Africa in 1999 with our Morocco tour (still one of our most popular destinations). Yet we repeated to ourselves that we would not create the trip until we could truly make it a Classic Journeys’-style safari.

Finally, in 2007, a new colleague, Natalie, joined our team at the head office here in La Jolla. A fellow American, she had been stationed in Africa for seven years, coordinating U.S. Ambassadorial outreach programs for the U.S. embassies in Gabon, Senegal and Zambia. As a right-hand person to the U.S. Ambassador in Zambia, Natalie came to know this amazing country on an intimate basis. With the hundreds of deep and personal contacts she made there, she’s even close with the family of Norman Carr, literally the father of the walking safari in Africa.

As Tour Operations Coordinator for Africa and our in-house expert on Zambia, Natalie went back this spring to scout and dry-run our new 10-day Zambia - Victoria Falls, Villages & Wildlife Cultural Walking Adventure and Family Journey itineraries. Both take full advantage of Zambia’s highly acclaimed national park system. Within the boundaries of Mosi-O-Tunya, South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Parks, guests on our daily walking safaris share the right of way with everything from elephants and hippos to impalas and lions, learning firsthand from our expert guides how to track, observe and conserve big game.

"In Zambia, the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries don't have fences," Natalie tells us. "The animals are free to roam, which makes them even more accessible…sometimes when we least expect it.”

During the day, we pay visits to village schools and colorful markets for a behind-the-scenes look at Zambian culture. Our luxury accommodations reflect the best the region has to offer, including five-star lodges and tent encampments like Chiawa Camp on the banks of the Lower Zambezi (voted one of Africa's Top 10 Safari Camps by Conde Nast Traveler).

I’ve been told (sometimes ruefully by friends and colleagues) that I have a story for how we created every one of our trips. If you have an interesting anecdote of how you came to travel to a special place, drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure or Family Journey to Zambia, please click here.

Sometimes good enough just isn’t

2008-09-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

The setting was idyllic. There we were, lounging on the deck of our luxury barge during the first leg of our weeklong Classic Journey to the Loire Valley and Burgundy Canal in France. Yet even as we happily chatted away with our friends who own the barge, we couldn’t leave well enough alone.

Lulled by our leisurely pace, we observed that the two suites on board were so welcoming, it would be great if all the cabins could be suites. Our hosts chuckled and said, “Yes, that’s an interesting idea.” Not long after we returned home, we received a thank-you note for putting the idea into their minds, along with an announcement that—voila! —all the cabins were being converted into suites. (Who knew our opinion carried so much clout?)

What it means for guests on our Loire’s Chateaux & Burgundy’s Canals Cultural Walking Adventure is this: without any increase in price, our three-night canal cruise is now an all-suite experience. Each meal prepared by our personal floating chef is included, as is the open bar. And our experience is no less luxe in Loire, where Classic Journeys guests take up residence for three nights at a graceful riverside chateau, each room overlooking lovely gardens and the Chateau d'Amboise that towers over the town.

If you’ve ever spoken with me personally about our walking trips, you know I love to wax eloquent about our accommodations. But in Loire and Burgundy, our cultural, historic and culinary explorations are every bit as memorable.

Over the course of our 7-day canal-boating and walking tour, we enjoy a wine tasting in the cellar of a former monastery, visit fortified villages like Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, and follow a path along the water’s edge to Chenonceaux—arguably the most magnificent and romantic of all chateaux. Bicycles stowed on board the barge allow us to go ashore for rides into the surrounding countryside and along the towpath, complementing the guided walks we take each day. And last but certainly not least, we savor the fresh ingredients from this bountiful region known as The Garden of France.

Our Loire and Burgundy vacation is proof that even great things become better on a Classic Journey. If you’ve had an occasion where a travel suggestion of yours was taken to heart, drop me an e-mail at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our trip to Loire & Burgundy, please click here.

Behind the scenes on a scouting trip

2008-09-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

Lush tropical foliage...misty mountaintops...lava-streaked volcanoes. Of all the exotic images I had of Costa Rica prior to my first visit, I never pictured myself on the side of a rutted road, using a banana leaf as a funnel to refill the gas tank of my 4X4.

I was on my way to Monteverde, eager to explore the legendary cloud forest famed for exotic birds, incredible wildlife, and the zip lines criss-crossing its tree canopy. Having already visited Africa and Asia, I should have remembered that in developing countries, the driving distance from Point A to Point B bears little relationship to how long it will take to get there.

At Classic Journeys, scouting a new walking trip (like we did in Costa Rica in 1996) is an adventure in itself. It all begins with an idea: a tip from a colleague, a suggestion from a guest, an article in the Travel section of the local newspaper. For the next several months, we pore over the ins-and-outs of the new region, consult with friends and contacts worldwide to create a working itinerary, and compile our short list of hotels, restaurants, attractions, activities, and top-notch native guides.

Then we hit the ground running. We take every proposed walk ourselves (often multiple times), sleep in the hotels where our guests will sleep, and dine in the restaurants where our guests will dine…all the while making personal connections with local chefs, winemakers, artisans, and artists.

The whole process can take up to a year, during which we discover firsthand what can go right and even what can go wrong.

A few things we’ve learned in Scouting 101:

* There’s always room to spice up an agenda. While dining with friends and colleagues at an excellent restaurant in Provence, we realized that our guests would love the cuisine just as much as we did. When we asked the chef’s wife (who spoke English) if her husband might consent to a cooking instruction for our guests, he agreed, and the two-hour session in Jean-Pierre’s kitchen immediately became a tour highlight. Coincidentally, that one meeting eventually led to the creation of our culinary tours in Provence, Tuscany, Amalfi and Napa.

* First impressions aren’t all that counts. Even a highly regarded hotel, like the one we road-tested in Naples, can turn out to have unforeseen flaws. In lovely surroundings, we spent a not-so-lovely night listening to work crews installing cable on the busy street below. Lesson learned: Avoid main thoroughfares and seek out "hidden gems."

* Maps are great, but they don’t tell the whole story. Our walk to the highest point on the island of Cres, off the Istrian peninsula, was less than relaxing. On a steep, precarious path consisting of loose rock, we spent most of the time looking at our feet. Undeterred, we developed a more easy-going walk with spectacular views and surer footing.

The upshot is this: scouting a Classic Journey takes time, energy, ingenuity and patience. And there’s no better feeling than when the pieces finally fit.

If you’ve taken a walking trip where careful planning has really paid off—or you’ve learned the hard way how serendipitous adventure travel can be—share it with me at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure or Family Journey to Costa Rica, please click here.

A ringing endorsement (amid toasts of raki)

2008-08-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

If we've heard it once, we've heard it a hundred times: "We never could have put together a trip like this on our own."

It's our favorite comment, hands down, from guests who've just experienced the joy of a finely tuned Classic Journey. If you’ve ever tried keeping a small group—even your own family—happy, amused and actively engaged on vacation, you know that just having someone to handle the logistics is half the battle. With Classic Journeys, there's no worrying about agendas, schedules, or how to get from Point A to Point B; it's all taken care of by our experts on the ground.

One such expert is Cemil (say JEM-ul), head guide on our Turkey—The Turquoise Coast & Cappadocia Cultural Walking Adventure. He and his wife, Yasemin, who also conducts guided tours of Turkey, grew up in Ankara and now live in Antalya on the Turkish Riviera.

With his infectious enthusiasm, Cemil is the best ambassador a country could have...especially when he arrives in the U.S. bearing potent bottles of raki—Turkey’s unofficial "national drink”—to share with those lucky enough to cross his path.

Just last month, our paths crossed here in La Jolla, CA. Cemil and my wife, Susie, and I were delighted to be guests at a gala dinner at the home of Barbara and Dick Enberg, the celebrated sportscaster whose face and voice are known to millions of fans across the country.

The Enbergs and their close friends traveled to Turkey with Classic Journeys this past June, with Cemil as their guide. By all accounts, they were thrilled with the experience, from spending four nights aboard a private gulet (teakwood yacht) to exploring the vineyards and valleys of ancient Cappadocia. With his trademark exuberance, Dick was kind enough to offer this wrap-up of their trip:

"Oh my! We were wowed by the magic of Istanbul, complemented by the serenity of the Mediterranean and the thrill of visiting 2000-year-old ruins. Turkey with Classic Journeys was absolutely fabulous. We look forward to doing it again."

Thanks to Dick and Barbara for the day-brightener…as well as for a perfect Turkish-American evening where the travelers' tales flowed as smoothly as the raki.

If you’ve traveled with a native guide who made your walking tour unforgettable, I’d love to hear about it. Just drop me an e-mail at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our trip to Turkey, please click here.

Passport stamps and personal favorites

2008-08-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

One question our Guest Services department hears a lot is, "How do I know if my kids are ready for a trip to Europe?" (or Costa Rica, or New Zealand, or Peru...)

A recent chat I had with my son illustrates why we think it’s never too soon to introduce kids to the big, wide world out there.

Jack, now 11, has been traveling abroad with us since he was an infant. (In his first passport photo, aged 11 months, he’s wearing a Winnie the Pooh sleeper.) On our recent camping trip to California's Kern River, I seized just the right father-son moment to ask him which trips he remembers most fondly and why. With little or no prompting, he obliged me with a short list of his All-Time Top 5.

5. When Jack was just seven, we scouted our soon-to-be New Zealand Family Journey. He and his little brother were thrilled to swim with the world's smallest dolphins, climb on an actual glacier, watch sheepdogs in action, and spot Tawaki penguins on the beach.

4. On our Costa Rica Family Journey in ‘07, we joined four other families (nine kids in all). Ziplining through the rainforest canopy, river rafting, and kayaking scored big points with Jack, second only to the wildlife (both cool and creepy) we encountered at every turn.

3. Our head guide, Sergio, captivated the kids – and the adults – on our Amalfi Coast Family Journey in ‘06. Jack recounted in detail not only our excursion to Capri and walking the rim of Mount Vesuvius, but also our boat trip to Ischia where we cruised through a rocky inlet to see bathers basking in the volcanic island’s natural hot springs.

2. Happily, the camping trip we were currently on rated high on Jack’s list. Between rafting sessions, he and a friend learned to fly fish and build a campfire for the first time.

1. Topping Jack's list of memorable travels: last spring's Family Journey to Peru. The images of mountain biking, river rafting on the Urubamba, and exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu are all still crystal-clear in his mind.

So why all the reminiscing, you might ask? Just to prove my point that kids can and do soak up every incredible travel adventure that comes their way. And the learning that takes place on a Family Journey is the icing on the cake.

If you have a childhood passport stamp (and a story that's indelibly etched in your mind), please share it with me at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about any of our Family Journeys, please click here.

Perfection on a plate (truffles, anyone?)

2008-07-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

I think it was Napoleon who once noted that an army travels on its stomach. (Actually, he probably said, "Une armee marche a son estomac", which sounds more worldly but translates to roughly the same thing.)

As a veteran of several dozen scouting trips around the world, I'd like to propose that travelers, too, owe their progress—as well as their productivity—to the restorative powers of food.

A case in point. One glorious summer day in 2007 found our small but merry band hiking the rolling hills of Croatia's Istrian Peninsula. From the topography to the vegetation to the stunning vistas, the whole setting reminded us of Tuscany, right down to the golden sun glinting off the distant hilltowns.

As we approached our midday objective, the lovely village of Grisignana, hunger set in full force. It was there, at a tiny restaurant on a tiny village square, that we achieved near nirvana over lunch. The pasta, from pappardelle to gnocchi, was bathed in truffles. Not just a few shavings here and there, but a mound for each of us to savor. As we soon came to realize, truffles are a staple of Istrian cuisine. Black and white, on every plate at every meal. It's no wonder we felt slightly sinful just sitting down at the table.

That's life on a walking tour of Croatia, particularly on this arrowhead-shaped peninsula that lies just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Simply put, Istria seduces you with a blend of Italian and Slavic culture, dating from the days when its dramatic seacoast was dominated by Venice. That provocative pairing still resonates today, permeating everything from flavors to folk customs.

If there's any region that can boast of "so many roads, so little time", it's Istria. With scenic routes known as the Truffle Roads, Olive Oil Roads and Wine Roads criss-crossing the unspoiled countryside, it’s an embarrassment of riches...much like the Tuscany of 20 years ago.

Just recalling that beauty—and those truffles!—takes me back to the tablesides of Istria. If you've had a meal or even a taste of something sensational during your travels, drop me a line at mailto:%20blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure to Istria, please click here.

Penguin parenting (out of the mouths of babes)

2008-07-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

If you ever needed proof that kids are like sponges, soaking up everything they hear...

Years ago, when we first scouted our New Zealand Cultural Walking Adventure and New Zealand Family Journey, my wife and I took along our two young boys. The trip was an eye-opener in ways we hadn't even imagined. Between glaciers, rainforests and incredible coastline, the South Island boasts scenic wonders at every turn. But of all the sights, Jack (then 7) and Matthew (5) were most fascinated by the wildlife.

We were sure that swimming with the Hector's dolphins—smallest in the world—would be high on their list. But so was our trip to Munro Beach to see the Tawaki (Fiordland Crested) penguins. Who knew that these little guys with the flashy yellow “eyebrows” are capable of swimming 1500 miles across the Tasman Sea? As we watched their antics, our naturalist guide from the Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge shared tales of the penguins' incredible stamina and instinct for survival. Little did we know until later what an impact this would have on the impressionable Matthew.

Weeks later, after we had returned home, my wife was preparing breakfast for the boys. Needing to hurry Jack, the elder son, off to school, she informed Matthew that he had no time for a second bowl of cereal. You can imagine our reaction when he began to cry and said we must want him to die. Why, we asked, would you ever think that? Because, he said—with perfect 5-year-old logic—our Kiwi guide, Ian, told the kids that the mother Tawaki penguin commonly has two babies. She raises both for awhile, then determines who is bigger and most likely to survive. Sadly, she continues to feed only the hardier one, leaving the other to die. We were quick to assure Matthew that with human mothers, this is not the case!

Granted, not all of our guides' stories are open to such dramatic interpretation. But it does go to show how a fascinating fact makes a lasting impression, no matter how young (or old) we are. On our Family Journeys, we're fortunate to have a team of local guides—native to each region—who know precisely how to bring out the "Wow!" for kids and grown-ups alike. And that includes teenagers normally prone to "been there, done that" ennui.

If you've encountered a defining moment or memory on your travels—especially from your kids’ point of view – I’d love to hear it. Drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our New Zealand Family Journey, please click here.

Say “CHESS-key KROOM-loff”

2008-06-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

That’s how our ever popular guide, Martin, taught me to say the name of the lovely village in the Czech countryside that we visit on our Prague to Budapest walking tour .

Strolling the cobblestone streets of Cesky Krumlov is like stepping back into medieval times. The Vltava River snakes around the heart of the town, and over it all floats a magnificent castle that was the family seat of the Rozmberk family for more than 300 years. Cafés hang out over the banks of the river, their balconies draped in flowers. It’s no wonder the entire village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When Martin, a native of Austria, called in to chat not long ago, he shared a charming story about a chance encounter in the countryside just outside Cesky Krumlov on a recent trip. It was a classic example of being in the right place at the right time:

“The guests and I were treated to an incredible experience,” Martin recalled. “We happened upon an opera performance in a tiny, historic theater…and the only ones invited inside were our group and a few dozen villagers.”

What I love about anecdotes like this is the way they illustrate our philosophy here at Classic Journeys. By giving our guides the flexibility to take advantage of special, one-of-a-kind opportunities wherever and whenever they arise, we provide our guests with a deeply personal glimpse into each region and its people.

To me, it’s the difference between those big-group, whirlwind tours (the “If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium” type) and the way we travel on our small-group, boutique tours. We thrive on spontaneity, whether we’re on a cultural walking vacation in Tuscany, a Family Journey in Costa Rica or a Culinary Tour in Provence.

If you’ve had a pleasant surprise—like our impromptu opera—during one of your vacations, please drop me a note at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure Prague to Budapest, please click here.

Breakfast at Stonehenge

2008-06-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

It has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?

Just you and a dozen or so other guests watching the sun rise through the great pillars of stone…roaming the site with plenty of time to really explore…and then pausing to enjoy a private breakfast before the madding crowds arrive.

Along with our British guide, Wendy, we’re able to pull off this amazing feat four times a year on our walking tour of the Cotswolds, Stonehenge & London in May, June, July and September.

It’s all the more amazing when you consider some Stonehenge statistics. According to an article I was reading by Christopher Chippindale, curator at Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, and Brian Davison of Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Society, about 800,000 people visit Stonehenge per year, while another 200,000 stand at the roadside to view it from afar.

The inner circle of stones can accommodate 500 people at one time…but only 250 if you want to be able to move at all. The article closes with a photo of a solitary person standing among the stones with the caption: “Stonehenge as so many of us would want to experience it, alone on grass amongst the ancient stones.”

Drs. Chippindale and Davison, that’s precisely the Stonehenge experienced by Classic Journeys’ guests.

It’s also emblematic of the way we travel at Classic Journeys. We like to show you famed—and not so famous—sites in ways that are more personal than you can arrange on your own or with another adventure travel company.

If you’ve had an I-can’t-believe-it’s-me-standing-here experience at one of the world’s great sites, drop me a line at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure to Cotswolds, Stonehenge & London, please click here.

Sergio steps up (literally) to the plate

2008-05-23T09:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was speaking by phone to one of our most popular guides, Sergio, who lives in southern Italy. He’s leading a walking tour of Sicily right now with a group of eight guests, and they’d just returned from a visit to the Aeolian Islands.

You’ve probably heard of the Aeolians, even if you don’t realize it. They’re an archipelago of seven cone-shaped volcanic islands, just off the northeastern tip of Sicily. Stromboli is probably the most famous of the group. (If you’ve ever read or seen Pinocchio, you may remember the bad guy is Stromboli, named after this tempestuous island.)

During our conversation, my mind momentarily wandered back to my scouting trip with Sergio a dozen years ago. Dazzled by the beauty of the main island of Lipari, the day simply got away from us (as it tends to do with adventure travel to Italy). We hadn’t had any lunch, and at about 2 p.m., found ourselves on the back side of the island along an unpopulated stretch of coastline. Seeing that this was early December—not heavy tourist season—it looked like food might be out of the question for several more hours.

Until Sergio took the situation in hand…

He mentioned that he knew of a little trattoria just around a headland, owned by a couple who knew his family. If they weren’t on holiday right now, they might still be serving lunch.

We arrived at the trattoria to find they opened only for dinner. But when Sergio informed the wife that he had friends with him from the US, she invited us in. They had fresh baked rolls just coming out of the oven, and with some eggplant, tomatoes and olive oil left over from the family’s lunch, she could make some sandwiches for us if we wanted to relax on the terrace for a few minutes.

Gratefully, we sat. Under a cloudless sky, overlooking the sea, we savored our makeshift meal, accompanied by the family's young white wine, served in a terra cotta jug. I’ve enjoyed many gourmet meals in Europe and elsewhere over the years, but to this day, that simple meal is still one of my favorites.

If you’d like to share a story about your favorite meal or mealtime experience, send me an e-mail at: blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure to Sicily, please click here.

How to handle a toothache in Morocco

2008-05-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

One of our guests, who lives just outside Philadelphia, called me the other day. Since she’s traveled with us four times in the last four years, I asked what keeps her coming back to Classic Journeys.

“Let me tell you a story,” she replied.

“It was late afternoon on the first day of our cultural tour of Morocco. A Sunday. In Fes. I was getting ready for dinner when I felt something really wrong with a cap on one of my teeth. It was just horrible pain. I knew that there would be no dentists available at least until the next day, but I phoned our guide, Jalil, in his room to tell him that I would not be down for dinner.

Jalil quickly came up, assessed the situation and advised me that I was a guest in his country and he would take care of it.”

The happy ending? Jalil phoned a dentist he knew, asked him to open his office and brought Barbara there immediately. On a late Sunday afternoon, accompanied by two assistants, the dentist repaired the cap…and would not accept any payment. It was his gift to a visitor.

Barbara closed her story by telling me, “I could have gotten by on my Morocco trip with my college French, but I would not have had the experiences that I did without Jalil. I know I can go cheaper than with Classic Journeys, but I cannot go better.”

Thanks, Barbara. In my own experience, whether it’s haggling for a rug, buying a tube of toothpaste, or anything in between, I’ve found that having a well-connected local guide on a cultural walking tour makes visiting any region more hassle-free and enjoyable. If you’ve had a great experience with local kindness, drop me an e-mail at blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Cultural Walking Adventure to Morocco, please click here.

Mario, the Peruvian shepherd boy

2008-05-02T13:22:00.000-07:00

We’re in Peru’s Sacred Valley, mountain biking along a shepherd’s path. Now and then we glide through a village with red-tile roofs, skirting the occasional braying donkey.

Our particular Classic Family Journey to Peru and Machu Picchu consists of five families with kids aged 8-16 and a great group of parents. We’re ably escorted by two full-time local guides: Franklin, who tends to care for the adults, and Edit, who nurtures the kids while we’re walking, rafting, exploring ruins, and enjoying meals. On this ride, four exceptional biking guides have joined us. Two of them, Russo and Eduardo, are Peruvian national champions…just the sort of fascinating people you hope to run into on a family adventure vacation.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming up quickly behind me. Since I thought we were the only people on this part of the trail—and I’m on a bike—I’m surprised. No doubt this happens regularly in Manhattan, where bikers share space with runners in Central Park, but not on a walking tour of Peru.

I turn to look and a little boy in long pants, a colorful sweater and plastic sandals races past me, carrying a stick and a slingshot. The next time I see him he’s herding a flock of sheep, shooting little pebbles at the stragglers to keep them in line. I wave an “Hola” in greeting, and he stops and smiles. My oldest son, Jack (11), stops too, introducing himself in the very beginning Spanish he’s learning in school. It turns out the boy’s name is Mario and he’s nine years old. His parents are shepherds and he’s learning to be one, too.

Jack asks me to take off the daypack I’m wearing. From it, he digs out a pack of Trident and holds it up to Mario. “Chicle? Gum?” Mario gives him a huge grin and they each pop a stick into their mouths. Jack hops back on his bike, and he and Mario take off down the trail together, until Mario eventually peels off to chase down the sheep.

You know that feeling when all’s right with the world and you step back—at least momentarily—to contemplate how lucky you are? That’s the feeling I had then…and still do, just recalling it.

If you’d like to share a moment from one of your family trips that’s really stayed with you, I’d love to hear it. Just send along your story to blog@classicjourneys.com. And if you'd like more information about our Family Journey to Peru, please click here.