BOE 14 day starting June 13... Who is going?

Most of the time on the RS tours you will find people are unaware of the forums, but that doesn't mean that the rest of us aren't excited for your trip! I have not done the 14 day, but did the 21 day last Fall and had a wonderful time. With your teaching background you will enjoy it even more. Just walking around the corner and seeing the Colosseum is jaw-dropping! Make sure you see the exhibit in the Colosseum with the ancient graffiti on it. So very interesting.

There was a huge temp difference between Rome and Switzerland! I had a pair of capris for Italy and wore long pants the rest of the time. I had a polarfleece vest and gloves I put under my waterproof jacket for Switzerland and it spent the rest of the trip in a compression bag in my suitcase, lol.

Are you planning to use packing cubes? They helped me stay organized and were really helpful for Venice. Some of us left our suitcases on the bus in Venice (secured parking lot and safe per our bus driver) and just took in a tote with stuff for the 2 nights. It was much easier to handle on the vaporetto and walking all the bridges to our hotel than those who were managing a suitcase. Every time you get to a bridge they would have to carry it as the bridges are steps not ramps.

I don't know if you plan to take a waterproof jacket but I suggest you do. It will act of course as a rain barrier but will also be a wind layer for you. I have a Marmot Precip that works well for me and will roll up small enough to fit in my purse.

You will thank yourself for packing light! Keep a list of what you packed, then when you get back do a critical analysis of what you really did or didn't need so you can cut back next time. For me packing light is always an evolving process. Do save some room for scarf purchases in Florence!

You will have a great time on the tour. There are always a number of folks in the teaching and healthcare fields based on the tours I have been on.

You and your daughter will have a great time!

Hi -- I agree with Pam re taking a fleece jacket and a waterproof (not water resistant) rain jacket. We did the 21 day tour in June/July, and I ended up wearing the fleece and jacket on a rainy day in Amsterdam, on a rainy day in Bavaria, and at the top of the mountain in Switzerland. We actually had such great weather in Switzerland that I didn't need the jacket for our day hike at all. The fleece also came in handy on occasion in the evenings. I wore the fleece on the plane, and my rain jacket fit into it's own pouch in my daypack.
You never know about weather. We had wonderful unseasonably cool weather in Florence and Rome, and a brutal heat wave in Paris. I took mostly lightweight t-shirts. I also saved a lot of room in my suitcase by only taking two pairs of shoes -- Merrill sandals (which were great for the warmer weather) and Merrill hiking boots, which kept my feet warm and dry on cool/wet days. Both were waterproof, so I didn't need to worry about having an extra pair in case my shoes got soaked. I'm also a real fan of lightweight travel pants. I know people are mixed on these, but I love them because they are super cool, take up no room/no weight in my suitcase, and dry quickly. I have 2 pair (I like Eastern Mountain Sports because they fit me better than Eddie Bauer) and one zips off into shorts. We did a lot of hand washing of underwear and socks. The only thing I would have done differently would be to pack a couple more light weight t shirts than I did, which would have given me more time between having to get laundry done.

You will have a blast!

Hi Louis. My family is on the BOE 14-day that starts 9 days after yours, so we'll be following your trail! Please do let me know if you intend to blog/post while on your trip, as I would love to follow you.

I'm enjoying all the posts to prepare us for our first RS tour - and first family trip to Europe!

I too have been wondering about the weather, given the broad range of countries we will be visiting (plus, we are starting a few days early in London which is even further north that Paris).

Have an amazing time!!

Thanks for the packing tips. I am packing today and using the compression bags and packing cubes. I am packing as light as possible and have my carry on at 20lbs and my backpack at 10lbs. I probably will not blog during trip because I will be busy absorbing my experience.