Any tips for an RS tour?

Teresa,

Which France tour are you taking? Here's a few thoughts on the methods I use.

"Packing Light" is most definitely Step 1. You'll be carrying your own bags from the Bus to the Hotels, and in some cases this will involve a lot of stairs.

Pack so that you can keep "essentials" including clothing, toiletries, etc. close to the top, so that you don't have to pack and unpack your entire bag every time you stop at a different Hotel.

Before going to bed on the evening prior to departure to a new location, get your bag(s) sorted and just leave essential items accessible. After breakfast you'll be able to pack it quickly and get down to the Bus.

I always take a Daypack (as well as my Camera gear) on the Bus, while the main pack goes in the cargo hold underneath. I always keep at least a water bottle (which I refill for the day at each Hotel), some gum or mints, Handi-Wipes and a few other incidentals in the Day pack.

It's a good idea to keep a coat with you also, as you'll be stopping for day tours along the way (usually for a few hours at a time). If it looks like rain, take your coat "just in case". If it's underneath in the cargo hold, it won't be as easily accessible.

If I think of anything else, I'll post another note.

Happy travels!

In my tour days I could be away from home up to 150 nights a year...rarely staying anywhere more than 2 nights in a row. Here are some suggestions:

1) pack light...since you're responsible for your luggage on an RS tour this is essential

2) Don't unpack. Learn to pack in such a way where your bag is your dresser drawer. I use packing cubes and folders....one for shirts, one for socks and undies, one for electronics, others for toiletries and misc items. I just take out what I need and everything else is in its place.

3) Get a divided toiletry kit or take two small sacs...one side or sac for daily use, the other for stuff you want to have but may not need every day. This could include your laundry kit.

4) Do your laundry the first night of a two-night stay. This way it has extra time to dry.

I went on RS tour last year - it was great! My advice:

1. Have fun! Don't worry about moving around - it's not too inconvenient.

2. You most likely will be sharing a room with another person - don't forget the earplugs that they send along with the guidebook just in case your roomie is a snorer.

Enjoy!

Ken: Paris and the Heart of France in 11 Days -- looking forward to seeing the D-Day beaches!

Gretchen: I splurged and paid the single supplement. I wouldn't subject anyone (except my BF) to my snoring! ;-)

Thanks for the tips!

Other then the obvious pack light,, I think Franks advice to not really unpack,, but use packing cubes and organizers is the best way to go.

Have fun .

On 2 or more night stops, I like to take out and hang up upon arrival what I plan to wear for the next couple of days. Those clothes get to de-wrinkle and the rest stay packed (unless they're being washed). For one night stops, I prepare a set of clothes for the next day and put them on top. That way, I don't have to unpack much. There are rarely (if ever) two 1-night stops in a row, so rotating these 2 methods has worked well for me.

I'm going to second the comment about staying packed. I use packing cubes and ditty bags. Different colors can help with keeping track. Most recently I had one for laundry and one for lightly warn clothes like socks I only wore in the evening. I too put out what I'm going to where the next day. I keep a place near the top for the toiletries bag so it's easy to drop it in the next morning after shower etc. It really isn't a big deal if you pack light and plan. Having the planning gene always helps with travel ; ) Pam

Not much to add on the packing but just wanted to say that I did this tour two years ago and you have made a great choice. The D Day beaches were one of my favorite parts of this trip but staying on Mont St Michel is magical. Do you know who your guide is? After several trips and some great roommates, I also sprung for the single supplement this last summer to Eastern Europe. I chalk it up to one of my better decisions. Have a great time.

Good to hear, Leslie! Yes, the guide is Rolinka Bloeming, who I think may have been in one of Rick's shows on the Netherlands. I've got to dig out my DVDs and have a look. She seems to have gotten good reviews in the "Tour Member Feedback" section, though it doesn't look like this particular tour is her usual.

This is a great tour and you'll enjoy it. You've had some good responses. I use packing cubes too. The only thing I'll add is that I keep my toiletries in separate ziptop bags - toothbrushing stuff in one bag, shower stuff in another bag, after-shower stuff in another. Easier to find what you need. Bon voyage!

If you pack light you won't have much to pack and repack! I agree with prior posters about getting your next day outfit out when you arrive, especially on those one night stops. Plan laundry days on day 1 of two night stops so things dry. Also, use the bus for "deep storage" if they let you - souviners, etc. Get in the way of keeping a streamlined bag. Most of all have fun

The cubes saved me my sanity. I always got out what I needed for the next day and I carry a little spray bottle. A quick spray and most wrinkles fall out and dry within an hour or so. We found some hotels to have no real space for your suitcase. I just took out the folded clothes I needed and used the suitcase as a kind of low table. The packing cubes were put on the side. That eliminated having to get in and out of my suitcase all the time. My old hands are up to washing in a sink, so my husband and I went to a launderette. I don't dry clothes in a dryer so we just brought the clothes home, blew up a balloon or two and the clothes dried overnight. I wish I had brought a couple of wire hangers because we rarely found more than 4-6 in a hotel.

Many great tips so far....we took the 14 BOE tour a few summers ago, and moving every couple days was a cinch. We paid careful attention to all advice from the helpline, especially the packing light part, read Rick's books, and had a FABULOUS time.

Teresa,

My husbad and I are considering this trip next year for our 25th anniversary. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and suggestions when you get back. Have a great time.

Hi, Jesse. I absolutely LOVED this trip! There were a few items on the itinerary that made me think, "Meh." But then I ended up totally enjoying them (the castle at Guedelon and Bourges, for example). Mont St.-Michel was marvelous, and our guide for the D-Day beaches was fantastic. My only (minor) complaint is that it's an 11-day tour, and I think there really should be one more day: it would have been nice to go to Honfleur or Deauville, or just to have one more day in Paris at the end of the trip. But that's a small complaint, and I'm sure Rick has a good reason for 11 days instead of 12. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this tour.