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[zzz_p12inc3z210]

I went on the Simply Italy tour with Contiki during Winter Break 2004 and it was the best traveling experience ever. I was able to see all of Italy in 13 days and it was fun, inexpensive, and safe. The best thing about this trip is that you are not traveling alone and you meet people your age from all over the world.

Everyday is planned out for you and you won’t have much time to feel lonely or homesick. On a typical Contiki day, you will wake up early, perhaps still woozy from the night before, eat breakfast and board the bus for a long day on the road. After a recovery nap on the bus, a couple of pit stops for food, and some breathtaking scenery, you arrive in town in the evening.

The places that I visited are Rome, Florence, Lake Como, Venice, Assisi, and Sorrento. Florence and Venice were my favorite cities. And no trip to Venice is complete without a gondola ride through the canals! I had so much fun shopping and bargaining with merchants on the streets. I was amazed and fascinated with everything that I saw (Trevi Fountain, Vatican city, leaning tower of Pisa, fresco paintings at St. Francis Basilica, Juliet’s balcony, and many many more). Contiki, Simply Italy tour was everything that expected and more. I enjoyed every minute of the sight seeing and I truly treasured this memorable Italian experience. For this summer, I am definitely looking forward to booking my next Contiki trip!

I would definitely recommend this trip or any Contiki trip to anyone who loves to travel and are 18-35 years old. Please visit www.contiki.com or contact me if you would like more information about Contiki.

[Rosie]

I have been to Italy twice, both times with an Italian born immigrant male who came to Canada many years ago.

Especially the first trip was the most wonderful time I have ever had travelling. Of course he spoke fluent Italian, as well as English and French, and was well able to decipher the train timetables which I could never have done, get us from one train to another without problems, find the most interesting places I wanted to see, and even took me to his home near Venice to meet and enjoy his relatives. I feel I was very lucky to have such a wonderful guide, and would have been lost and confused without him.

A special bonus for me was, being interested in all things historical, after I'd dragged him through a few museums and art galleries in Rome, Florence, Venice, he became very aware of his own wonderful culture for the first time and began to realize just how much Italians have contributed to culture, and that made him very proud of his heritage. So we helped each other to enrich our lives.

As we were madly in love at the time, this was an extremely romantic and memorable trip as well.

Do visit especially Florence and Venice. Florence is remarkable in its' huge variety of art, especially Renaissance art, and Venice is a sight no one should miss. It is unique in all the world, and never have I seen the light that is in Venice. It is impossible to explain this, you have to see it for yourself.

Enjoy Italy. It is the most beautiful country in the world.

[radsolv]

As we were madly in love at the time, this was an extremely romantic and memorable trip as well.

Rosie, "at the time" for me gives your experience a special poignancy. It suggests that you are now no longer "madly in love" and maybe no longer 'with' your guide. And yet you express no ambiguity about the experience.

[Guest]

No offence, and I love Italy, but that OP sounds like it came straight out of Contiki's marketing department...

[Rosie]

As we were madly in love at the time, this was an extremely romantic and memorable trip as well.

Rosie, "at the time" for me gives your experience a special poignancy. It suggests that you are now no longer "madly in love" and maybe no longer 'with' your guide. And yet you express no ambiguity about the experience.

Well radsolv, you are right that he and I are no longer madly in love, but we are good friends with many happy memories between us.

After our second trip to Italy he asked me to move in with him (we are both divorcees), and for a year it was wonderful. One day out of the blue he told me he wanted to live alone again and that he no longer had deep feelings about me. It was the most hurtful experience in my life and I couldn't believe he would ever do such a thing. It took several years to get over it. I did want to remain friends in spite of all this, because I knew that never again could he or anyone else hurt me so deeply, and also because I still had deep feelings for him. As it turned out we are both still single and happy, so all's well after all.

During our exciting five-year romance we enjoyed two trips through Europe and two vacations in Hawaii, and I've never had such a great travel partner.

[radsolv]

to Unregistered Rosie,

Your reply to my conjecture was very touching. Wanted to know a bit more about you so did a search on "Rosie" and it turned up a Forum comment by an "Unregistered Rosie" just yesterday.
Trav Podium > Travel Talk > General; discussion - Anything and Everything > How often do you visit your parents?

It sounds like this is a different 'Rosie' than you.

Would like to hear from you:
radsolv@pobox.com

or check my Travel logs at .../members/radsolv

Art Rom...

[Rosie]

Hi radsolv,

Nice reply, thank you. And yes, the Rosie on the parents subject was me too, guess I was having a feeling-sorry-for-myself moment!

I can't PM you because I am not registered, and don't want to answer all those questions, not because I have anything to hide.

Also, sorry rad, but I don't give out my personal email address to strangers so won't use your personal email because then my addy would be exposed.

Couldn't you just ask me whatever it is you want to here?

[radsolv]

Well, I guess that ends it then, Rosie the Unregistered.

There were some private thoughts about lost loves and other personal experiences or hurts that I might have been willing to share on an individual basis but I am not inclined to carry on such a dialogue in a public forum.

On the other hand you give me the impression of being so overly cautious almost to the point of paranoia. Yes there are 'crazy exploiters' infecting the Web and I'm not suggesting ignoring caution but some of us sufficiently trust our own instincts about people to take some calculated risks. So suppose someone got your e-dress. What is the worst they could do with it? You do have a Spam filter and Virus protection don't you? My travel logs should give you some impression as to my character and personality and interests.

I shall read with interest other posts you may make should I happen upon them.

All the best. Hope your boys learn to appreciate you before it's too late.

Art Rom...

[Rosie]

I have obviously hurt your feelings, radsolv, and I am very sorry about that. I do trust my instincts and feel that you are most likely an extremely worthwhile person to get to know.

I will email you at pobox.

[uncle_davros]

I hope this does not sound to nasty but

I went on the Simply Italy tour with Contiki during Winter Break 2004 and it was the best traveling experience ever. I was able to see all of Italy in 13 days

Is there not more to Italy than

The places that I visited are Rome, Florence, Lake Como, Venice, Assisi, and Sorrento

What about Sicily or Verona, Milan, Turin, Pompeii. The list is endless.

I love Italy, and I hope in the future you return and see more of Italy

[steph_444]

I agree, it does kind of sound like something out of a marketing book, but whatever. Everyone travels differently. I prefer to see places for a little longer and would likely never consider doing an organised tour like that, but if you only have a short time, then Contiki is one of the most popular tour companies to look into.

There is also so much more to see in Italy though, and we should consider ourselves lucky that those big tour buses stick only to those big cities for the most part.

I also really liked Torino, and Verona may be the most beautiful Italian city I've visited. I absolutely loved it, and in February it was vitually tourist free! Milan is definitely not on the main tourist trail in the way that Florence, Rome, and Venice are, but it does have some good galleries and the Duomo is stunning.

I've spent about 5 weeks there in total and have yet to get south of Rome, so I will definitely go back. One of my favourite European countries by far.

[uncle_davros]

Torino I love, and when there, do your own Italian Job tour. And when I say Italian Job, I mean the original

[koontzfan]

You know my very first trip to Italy was this exact tour but many many moons ago (ok, I'm not that old but it feels that long ago). I was traveling by myself so it was a great taste of European travel, but having been back without any type of tour group far surpasses the tour experience. Nothing like the sense of accomplishment after navigating the train system, finding a hotel and finding your way around the city all by yourself.

I hope the contiki traveler gets back again someday and trys it on their own!!!

[uncle_davros]

Good words. i agree with you totally

[phpcoder848]

and what you say about milan, did you liked?




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