We are Lyn, Paul and Ethan from Gig Harbor, Washington. We love to travel, and have decided that life is too short to say "maybe some day" any more. We've done that for too long already. Now is the time to start working on that bucket list.
Ethan (15) is a high school freshman hoping to be an exchange student to Switzerland sometime during his high school or college years. Paul is a nurse practitioner and Lyn is a marketing and communications professional.
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We took our first Rick Steves' Europe tour two years ago (the Family Best of Europe in 14 Days - a different itinerary than what is offered now) and quickly started dreaming about and planning the next one. Together with friends we met on the first tour, we decided on the Best of Italy in 17 Days. And what a great choice that was!
We're now dreaming of our next Rick Steves' Europe adventure. Maybe it will be Eastern Europe, or Spain, or Scandinavia, or...or...or....
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Arrivederci!
The Group
We started out as a group of (mostly) strangers, but parted as friends who we hope
to see again, perhaps on another Rick Steves’ Europe tour!
Hailing from Washington State, California, Texas and Virginia, our group was made
up of five families with teenagers, one solo traveler and three couples. Our intrepid
leader, Sarah, is American but has made Italy her home for many years. Even our
driver, Adrian, became a special member of the group. Scroll to the bottom of this
page to see some photos of group members.
I say "mostly" strangers because we already knew the other two families from
Washington State. We met one of the families on our first Rick Steves' Europe tour
in 2014, and small world that it is, discovered that two of the adults had actually
attended the same high school and all four of the adults attended the same
university! Repeat trips by people who have met on Rick Steves' tours is apparently
a common occurrence. Just another example of how these tours attract people with similar interests.
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A tour like this is a unique shared experience unlike anything you'd experience at home. You'll always share the memories, the moments, and the special experiences with this small group of people. Friends and family at home will enjoy hearing your stories and seeing your pictures, but they will never be able to grasp the true impact the trip made on you.
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The reunion
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Every year, Rick Steves' Europe holds a tour members' reunion near their headquarters in Edmonds, Washington. People come from all over to attend, see their tour guide again (if he or she is able to attend), and reminisce. We've attended the reunions for both tours we took, and it's always fun to hear Rick speak and enjoy the entertainment they bring in. Our tour guide, Sarah, and even our bus driver, Adrian, were both there and it was fun to greet them on our home turf.
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About Us
"We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us." ~ Unknown
Double-click on the pictures above to find out where they were taken.