Not all travelers are created equal. Whether you’re a bold adventurer, culture vulture, foodie fanatic , history buff, or nature-lover, how you travel can be as important as why you travel and where you go. As an avid travel and tour guide, I know that incorporating our personal passions—and even our individual idiosyncrasies—into our travels makes our experiences more meaningful and memorable. And this month, I once again get to witness that first-hand.
I’m on one of our Rick Steves’ Europe My Way Alpine tours. This time, I’m not the Tour Manager—Rick is ! It’s been nearly 20 years since he last led one of our tours, and he is still an amazing guide. While being his assistant on this tour will give me great opportunities to learn from “the master,” it’ll also give me a unique opportunity to be a fly-on-the-wall observer of the tour itself and, most interestingly to me, of our tour members and their My Way experiences.
On this tour, diversity seems to be a theme: we have a wide spectrum of ages, ethnicities and nationalities, professions, fitness levels, interests, and social engagement. There are couples and singles, young families and older families, grandparents, and adult siblings. During our Welcome Meeting, Rick asked everyone to share what they were most looking forward to on this European vacation. Although there were a few similar answers, most had specific sights, activities, or adventures that filled their individual travel dreams. Clearly, each traveler is seeking an experience that resonates with who they are, what they value, and what makes them tick.
For the next week or so, I’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes from our Rick Steves-led My Way Alpine tour. Join us as we criss-cross the rolling foothills and sky-scraping peaks of Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and France. You’ll discover just how exciting a trip through the Alps can be, and you’ll learn how you can enjoy your own travel adventures the My Way way.
