Hi from Rick: 80 All-Star Travel Teachers
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| Pat O'Connor is one of many guides eager to take you on 'test drives' of our tour itineraries next month. |
Dear Traveler,
Here at Europe Through the Back Door — in our guidebooks, newspaper articles, TV series, radio shows, website, audio tours, and fully-guided tours of Europe — teaching is at the heart of our mission.
Teaching travel skills lays the foundation. The payoff is the thrill of travelers really connecting with the people, cultures and rich history of Europe. For this, nothing works better than having a talented tour guide by your side, for an hour, a week, or even longer. And I'm lucky to employ 80 of the best and brightest.
Even if you plan to travel independently on your next European trip, it can be informative, eye-opening — even inspiring — to meet Americans and Europeans for whom "teaching Europe" is their way of life. You'll have just that opportunity here in Edmonds next month, as 80 of my tour guides (50 from Europe) will be flying in to reconnect with several hundred of their former tour members — and to share their favorite European itineraries and discoveries with you.
We call it Test Drive a Tour Guide — a full day of free lectures (from a dozen guides, including me) and travel hobnobbing (with all 80 of them) on Saturday, January 16th.
In this month's Travel News you'll learn more about this fun event (including how to save your seat). You'll also find articles on the Eurostar train, Ronda in Spain, Athens' gain, and a tale of Dingle one couldn't contain. Then watch this month's special video clip from Scotland, and see how December's Tour News can help get you acquainted with Turkey and Greece.
And if that's not enough, would you like to participate in my radio show? We'll be recording next week, and I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks for being part of our traveling family. All of us here wish you a Merry Christmas, and a New Year filled with happy adventures.
Rick Steves