Hi from Rick: Redefine your Comfort Zone
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| From Oslo to Rome, Europe's cities are happy to redefine your comfort zone. |
Dear Traveler,
I've just returned home from six weeks of great travel...marveling at the value of getting out and experiencing our fascinating world.
I was in Oslo, Norway last week...struck by how peaceful the city felt. It seemed a world away from the "life is dangerous" angst that comes with the evening news here in the USA. The old train station facing the fjord boat landing is now the Nobel Peace Prize Center, explaining the vision of a man who dedicated the wealth he earned inventing dynamite to celebrate peace-makers. The brick city hall — where the prize is awarded — towers serenely above the busy harbor. Matching memories I have from my childhood visits, a weather-beaten sailor stands at the stern of his boat, selling the last of the shrimp he caught before sunrise this morning.
There's a light mist. The sturdy harbor-front boardwalk glistens as if happy to be the city's dancing floor...which it is. Just a few steps away from the shrimp-seller, I marvel at about a hundred Norwegians swing dancing under the open gray sky, in what seems like a microcosm of a content society.
Then, crossing paths with one of our Scandinavia tour groups (experiencing Europe with the help of their guide as intimately as me), I savor the gratifying thought that we are helping so many people get a grip on our world by leaving home and getting comfortable outside of their "comfort zone."
In this month's Tour News, we'll take you to the classic "altered comfort zone" city — Rome — with sightseeing tips, magic moments, guide raves, and more. We'll also give you tips on dealing with the latest carry-on restrictions, the latest on our exciting lineup of 2007 tours, and help you uncover some rare gems: fall 2006 tours with seats still available.
I've finished this summer of travel more excited than ever to huddle with my tour department and make sure that the travel experiences we are organizing are the very best possible. I hope you can swing through Europe with us someday soon...you'll be glad you did.
Happy travels,
Rick