Hi from Rick: 40 Days and 40 Nights
 |
| I'm in London this week, immersed in book research, and energized by our new Rick Steves' Audio Europe. |
Dear Traveler,
It's that time of year when flowers bloom and travel dreams blossom into reality. In the past few days I've enjoyed a flurry of emails and chance meetings — crossing paths with friends and neighbors who are Europe-bound — and helping them sort through all their options.
And today I'm off to London, kicking off 40 days and 40 nights of travel learning. Our mantra here at ETBD is "content is king" — and that will be my focus on this trip as I update our guidebooks to London and Venice, plus chapters on northern Italy. First up: I'll spend a day with a Blue Badge guide, learning all about London's thriving Docklands and the big plans underway for the 2012 Olympics.
After the guidebook research, I'll fly to Granada to meet my TV crew and film an hour-long prime time special on Andalucía. It will air nationally this fall to kick off our new 11-episode season on public television.
But something else excites the travel teacher in me even more: our new Rick Steves' Audio Europe podcasts — an extensive array of audio files — now available for free — via iTunes. We've gathered together, sliced and diced all our audio tours and radio show interviews into sensible regional collections, so where ever you're heading, you can log on, grab and go. To learn more, check out this month's Travel News.
They say consumer confidence is picking up. America is getting back to work. America is embracing life. And, for many, that means exploring our world. Maybe I'll see you in Europe.
Happy travels,
Rick