Planning

There are certainly enough books out there on planning a trip to Europe, but let me tell you the best out there is Rick Steves. There's a picture of Rick Steves in one of his books swimming with his glasses on around a maypole and turning a goofy smile to the camera. His white arms are in great contrast to every one else around him. This pictures sums him up. Rick Steves is a Globetrotter square. He always wears a belt and always tucks in his shirts. Reminding me of John who always tucks in his shirts, even on dingy work days. I love it. To hear Rick speak is adorable. He's got a nasally voice and often uses "Beaver Clever" phrases to show his dislike. Immediately you think: If this guy can have a good time in Europe so can I.

Things I learned:

Cross check everything. Don't rely on one website or source. A website or book might appear to be the mecca for trip info, but if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Tripadvisor.com, hotels.com and google maps are all great ways to get updated traveler reviews of locations. Don't rely on one too heavily. Once you find the hotel, book through them to create a relationship. Don't be an internet invoice to them.

Invest in travel books or check them out at the library. Learning new information and making it part of your deep memory takes looking at something at least three separate times. To get a word into your lexicon, research shows you must use it 10 times. My point is: if you read some info more than once, it's probably a good thing.

Use Rick Steves' free website and pod casts. Intimidated by the word podcast? Don't be. He's got it down to a few user-friendly clicks. Listen to his pod casts before you go to a particular museum. The idea is to feel as if you've been there all your life and are enjoying it one more time. Enjoying a museum means making connections to your personal self. Skip things that don't interest you and move on to things that do. Rick Steves wisely said that not enjoying a museum can have much to do with not having any background knowledge. If I throw a novel at my kids and tell them to read it, they hate it. But if I set up the story, give them fun facts, they're suddenly all ears.

Be still. Once the planning is done, let it go. You've planned and planned and want so badly to do everything on your list, but you'll shut out fun this way. Let it go. It's like planning a wedding or planning a behind the scenes of a drama production. Planning can only get you so far and then it's time to have fun.

Don't allow books to dictate what you should see and do. Listen to those inner pullings towards one thing or another. When my friend Rachel took me to a Glen Eyre Castle in Colorado Springs for my birthday, it was quite humorous to see me stare at things like bathroom tiles and plaster mouldings while others moved on. I know from this that I love architecture. Listen to yourself. What other high interest point will I be checking out in Europe? Books! Bet you'd never guess.

Reading material musts:
Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
Rick Steves' Europe 101 Art Appreciation
Rick Steves' London
Rick Steves' Paris
DK's Top Ten London
DK's Top Ten Paris
Frommer's 24 Walks in Paris
Frommer's 24 Walks in London