Count down begins!

Sorry but the Traveler's Helpline isn't Facebook or Twitter.

RU assuming all of us who read this know who you are and where you are going.

I'm guessing France but....

Tomorrow I'm going to watch the Wales vs. England Rugby match at a bar and grill in Van Nuys, California.

Where will you be?

Claudia, I never intended this to be a facebook type of post. It was intended to be fun. Your comment was rude and uncalled for. Most people on this sight don't know who one another are or where they are going unless the offered their help. If you read my other post, you would realize that I was responding to others who took the time to help me with the suggestions to learn some helpful phrase of another language. As to where I will be tomorrow... Not sitting in some bar in Van Nuys!

Kristen I've been posting on the helpline since it's inception and on the Graffiti Wall before it.

Sorry if you feel I was rude but you did assume all of us who read and participate know who you are and where and when you are going.

And as far at the bar in Van Nuys THAT was a joke. Sorry you didn't get it.

I never assumed everyone knows who I am or where I am going. Just wanted to know where everyone else was traveling to.

Kristen, I am going to Paris ( of course,it is my favorite) and possibly London( depends if I find cheap air to London in time to get the cheap EuroStar tickets. Not sure exactly when, likely July or August , although I would prefer June or Sept.

Bonsoir Kristen from Phoneix,
I believe I have you beat! I leave in 94 days for a ETBD- 21 Day Europe plus extensions. See you in Paris around le douze de juin... OK?

Have a fabulous trip, Kristen.

I am going to Paris in April and am very excited too! I am also in deep planning mode for the summer--I will be heading to Vietnam for the first time.

Think I will fly to Van Nuys tomorrow and try to find that bar. Then in Sept I leave for France, Germany, Austria & Swiss for 18 days.

Just 68 days to go before I set out on a 35 day trip to Germany & Austria! I'm really starting to get excited. This will be my first time and the anticipation is awful. My thanks to Jo, Andreas, Lee, Kent, Harry, Corinna, Brad, Denise, Mary, Bob, Susan and so many others for all of the wonderful advice and informative posts. You all have really made planning this trip easier.

I just did (sort of) my practice run with our new RS backpack. I just got back from taking my sons to airport and carried my son's backpack around airport. Before anyone gets upset, he didn't want me to do it (He thought it made him look less like a gentleman), he will be carrying on plane and through airport in Ontario. Boy, you guys are right, you really need to practice and get use to carrying it. He packed very light (Only gone 2 days), but I thought it was a bit awkward and hung funny. I guess I will have to pack and adjust all those straps until I feel comfortable

Bonjour Kristen,

I haven't added up the days, but I'll be leaving towards the end of May for a RS Paris & the South of France tour, followed by some time in northern Italy on my own.

One note regarding the Backpack, if you have a longer torso length you may not be able to adjust it enough for a good fit. I believe the RS Convertible Backpack is designed for shorter torso length, as it doesn't fit well on me.

Happy travels!

Ken, Sounds like we will be in Europe about the same time. I arrive in London May 26th for 5 nights, then Paris for 4 nights and then off to Rome for 5 nights before heading home. I am 5'9" and my son is 6'1". I am one of those who carry the backpack over one shoulder, so I believe that this is part of the problem.

Kristen,

I'll be in Paris from May 29th to June 2. I'm quite looking forward to being back there!

Regarding the Backpack, torso length is only partly related to height. To determine your torso length, measure from C7 vertebrae to the top of the hip bones. The objective is to fit the Pack so that most of the weight rests on your hips rather than your shoulders. Wearing the Pack on one shoulder could most certainly be part of the problem!

One note about Rome - I've found it's a good idea to "pace yourself" as Rome can be very tiring. I had to see a Doctor on one occasion due to the amount of walking (I wore myself out!).

Happy travels!

Kristen,

I think that it is wonderful that you are so excited, and that you posted about it :-))

On our end the countdown stands at 39 days until my friend arrives from the US - her first overseas trip. I can't wait to see her face when she gets here :-)))))

Kristen,
I'm going to western Ireland on June 11. Happy travels.

Going to Belgium on 3 April for two weeks.

69 days to Spain....Yippeee!

91 days till I leave for Maienfeld, then Paris, Bayeux, Bruges, Haarlem, Milan, Varenna, Florence, and Paris again! Woohoo! 35 days on the ground. Bonnes vacances, Kristen and everyone!

I leave for Venice on April 23. 3 nights in Venice, then I join the RS Village Italy Tour. I end with 2 nights in Milan and fly home on May 12. I am going to Vancouver for 3 nights this week, then I will start the official countdown on the calendar and drive my co-workers crazy with the daily announcement first thing in the morning, of the number of days until I depart for Italy. I am searching through the library for more books on Italy, wine, food, travel, fiction, anything I can get my hands on. Have a great trip everyone. June

85 days before we leave on our trip that we have been waiting for for too long. It will be Paris, Bayeux, Bordeaux, on to Salamanca, Burgos, Madrid, Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada, then back up the coast for our final Spanish stay in Barcelona then back to Paris to drop off the lease car and home on June 8th. We're covering a lot of territory but next time we will be focusing on one particular, to be determined, area. Saludos a todos!

I have 68 days till my France/Belgium trip. We will start in Paris and then travel to Amboise, Mont St. Michel, Bayeux, Honfleur, Ghent, Brussels, Bastogne, Reims, and then back to Paris. I am also trying to learn some French before we go. Happy travels everyone.

It seems like Paris is the most popular destination this year.

Bonjour Kristen. I will go on my first trip to FRANCE and SWITZERLAND. 8<) I will fly to PARIS, 74 days from now. I got my (electronic) airline tickets for free, using my American Airlines frequent flyer miles. 8<). Kristen, I suggest : practice carrying your fully loaded backpack on your back, while walking a half mile, up hill. So you will know if you like carrying a back pack. Some people are backpack people, and some people are not. I am not.

Kristen - Congrats. I've been following your posts and hope everthing goes well. I'm at 119 days, and counting.

Only 13 days for me, then off to Paris!!

113 Days, then to Paris, Epernay, Rheims, Brussels, and Bruges.

Hope you have a great trip, Kristen. Not sure where we're going yet, my sister and her family (5 kids) want to go overseas with us, but airfare is going to be a huge chunk of money for them, so we'll see. If we go with them, we'll either go to Ireland or Germany. If we go without, we'll spend a couple of days in Mannheim before heading to the Dordogne. Caveman paintings and castles, woohoo!

Maureen, I am planning on heading to Germany and Switzerland for my next trip (hopefully next year). I am thinking of going to RS tour of Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

My wife and I are taking our adult children to Italy June 14-23 to celebrate our 50th Anniversary.2 days in Venice,2 days in Florence,2 days in the Cinqua Terre and 3 days in Rome.None of them have ever been to Italy.

Jack,congratulations on your 50th! What a wonderful way to celebrate with your family. Happy Travels.

Jodi, I am doing the same trip, minus Gimmelwald. That I am saving for my next trip. Really thinking toward taking RS Germany, Switzerland and Austria next summer. Hope economy picks up! Happy travels!
Kristen.

Sigh. No Europe for me this year, but I just got back from 4 days in Las Vegas and I'm heading to Atlantic Canada for a couple of weeks in August. And I can live vicariously through all of you!

23 days and we're off to Paris and Reims !!! We can HARDLY wait !!

Trip is March 12 through March 23.

105 days for me! Till I fly in to Stockholm to see family and then backpack all over for 3 months and nine days!!!

WOW! only 79 days till our trip! Great idea Kristen - 79 days sounds much closer than saying 'three months'...lol....first trip to Europe, we're doing London, Paris, Gimmlewald area and Rome!!Woohooo...can't wait!!

In September I will be off to London and Paris! I'm in the middle of planning everything, which is half the fun!

Kristen, how exciting. Your post got me wondering what our countdown number was... (Luckily I found one online to make it easier!) Unfortunately we have 197 days to go still. But I need the time to arrange our hotel rooms and ground transportation anyway. Oh yeah, and we're going to Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland!

4 months, 7 days, 15 hours, and 59 minutes until we leave Chicago bound for England and Italy! Have a great trip, Kristen!

Glad to see so many people traveling.

I am off To Egypt, Istanbul and Moscow - April 28!

I can't wait I am so excited, I am also breaking away at the end of May and heading to New York for a week and Peru for 2 weeks.

Thank gosh for summer vacation!

Have a great trip Kristen and everyone!

Wow Cora, that is quite a trip!

94 days until a 3.5-week trip around Western Europe! Come faster, Day 94! :-)