Contiki European Vista: Know Before You Go

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

If you’ve read my previous posts, I think it’s overwhelmingly clear that I had an amazing time on my Contiki European Vista. For those considering a trip and looking for more info, here’s my guide to all things Contiki.

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Photo credit: Contiki

Q: Is Contiki for me?

A: Maybe! I think certain types of travelers will embrace the Contiki Experience more than others. As a single female who hadn’t done any traveling abroad previously, this was the perfect option. Below is my list of pros and cons to help you decide if it’s right for you.

Pros:

You’ll see a TON of cities, sights and cultures within a VERY short amount of time. Ideal if you don’t travel often, or are lacking vacation time.
Every step of the trip is planned for you by Contiki and your tour manager. Just enjoy the ride!
You’ll always have fellow travelers to explore with. Particularly appealing for those planning to travel alone.
The tour manager and tourmates provide a sense of security. If you’re nervous about international travel, traveling with a group can help put your mind at ease.
You always have the option to do things with the group, or to head off on your own to explore. Perfect for travelers who want a bit of flexibility.
Your tour guide is there every step of the way. Get sick? He’ll help you find a pharmacy. Something wrong with your room? She’ll work out the problem with the hotel. Need recommendations for lunch? They’re on it. They’re a fantastic resource and take so much of the stress off of the traveler.

Cons:

Because you’re scheduled to see so many cities and sights, you’re not spending much time at each place. I’ve called my Contiki an “appetizer trip.” You’ll see the highlights, but won’t explore every city in-depth.
You won’t head off the beaten path. This can be a pro for safety & efficiency, but a con if you’re looking to really mingle with locals. For this type of travel, I recommend backpacking over tours.
You eat what’s served. At included dinners, there often aren’t a ton of options to pick from (i.e. you typically aren’t ordering off a menu). You’ll have more choices at Optional Extra meals.
The included & Contiki Optional Extra dinners can be a bit hit-and-miss. Some were fantastic and some were less so. Research your chosen tour to see what others have said about the extras. (Scroll down for a list specific to European Vista).

Q: How much should I pack?

A: Contiki limits your bags to 73cm x 50cm x 25cm (29″ x 20″ x 10″) & weight of 20kg (44lbs) plus one hand/day bag. Contiki does not have luggage drop service like Trafalgar and other tour groups, so you will be carrying your own bags everywhere. If you can’t lug it, leave it!

On the European Vista, you’re in hotels the whole time, so you’ll always have access to towels, some bath amenities, and hair driers. No need to pack those!

A few things you shouldn’t leave home without:

One or two dress-up outfits. If you plan to attend the Moulin Rouge, Austrian Mozart Concert, or Monaco Dinner/Monte Carlo, you’ll wish you had something nice to wear! Also, there are many other nights where people dress up just for fun. Guys should bring a button-up collared shirt and nice jeans/slacks, and ladies will do just fine in a dress (short or maxi, whatever tickles your fancy).
A swimsuit. You can’t go all that way and not go for a swim in the Mediterranean while in Nice! Also, several of the hotels have pools/spas.
Flip flops. I forgot these and regretted it. There will be many times when you’ll want to slip these on to run to your friends hotel room, or run downstairs to grab a beer with tourmates.
A power adapter. Plugs are different in Europe and England, so a universal travel adapter is really helpful.

Q: Is it awkward traveling with strangers?

A: Honestly, a little bit! But only for the first 24 hours or so. After that, everyone has started to mingle and settle into the groups they’ll be hanging out with for the trip. There’s no shortage of conversation though, because you’re all from different countries and here for different reasons. It’s fascinating to hear their stories. Conversations can get very deep very quickly when you’re on tour, so open yourself up and you’ll be just fine. By the end, we were all sobbing having to say goodbye, so trust me, the awkwardness goes away!

Q: Were there a lot of people traveling alone?

A: YES! By my count, we had 16/36 on our tour traveling completely alone, who didn’t know anyone before the tour started. I completely recommend going on these tours alone – don’t worry if you can’t find a friend from home to join you. You’ll have more fun and freedom to hang out with whomever you please, and you’ll meet others on tour more quickly.

Q: Is Contiki only for single people?

A: NO! We had six couples (both married and dating) or 12/36 on our trip and they had a blast. There was plenty of mingling and we all had a great time when out together.

If you’re in a couple, I recommend taking a couple of nights on your own to go for romantic dinners/adventures throughout the trip. I think this helps strike a healthy balance between group travel & romantic getaway. (P.S. I recommend Rome for this – one of the most romantic cities I’ve ever seen!)

Q: Which Optional Extras are worth the price?

A: It really depends on your travel priorities (are you there for outdoor adventures or cultural activities?), but below is my list of the Optional Extras and how I rated them.

European Vista Optional Extras	Cost (Euro)	Rating	Why?
Paris: Moulin Rouge	149.00	★★★★	Expensive but lovely. Fantastic cabaret show, and delicious meal.
Lucerne: Mt Pilatus	43.00	★★★★	Must-do. Fantastic experience from the cog-railway to the views from the top of the mountain.
Lucerne: Lake Lucerne cruise	22.00	★★★	Beautiful views of Lucerne and surrounding mountains. Two drinks included, pay bar for additional.
Lucerne: Swiss fondue lunch & folklore show	35.00	★★★	A slightly “cheesy” but quintessential Swiss experience. Fun time to drink and be merry with friends. Includes one glass beer or wine.
Monaco: Monaco restaurant	35.50	★★★	Delicious dinner, stunning views. Includes trip to Monte Carlo casino after dinner – worth it!
Florence: Tuscan evening	39.00	★★★★	My favorite meal! So many delicious courses of Italian favorites. Definitely a venue catering to tour groups. Unlimited wine.
Florence: Space Electronic Disco	16.00	★★	Fun night of dancing with friends, but the friends really made the experience for me.
Florence: Souvenir group photo	11.00	★★★★	Perfect way to remember your tourmates.
Rome: Imperial tour	26.00	★★★★	Access to Colosseum & Roman Forum, guided by local expert.
Rome: Vatican Tour	34.00	★★★★	Knowledgeable local expert. Access to Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica.
Rome: Cooking Class & Dinner	48.00	★★	Fun underground cooking experience. Meal was average – no protein, only pasta & sauce. Cool to eat the pasta you made. Unlimited wine.
Venice: Venetian walking tour	11.00	★★★	Knowledgeable guide, great info on history of Venice.
Venice: Gondola ride	22.00	★★★	Lovely experience. I’m told you can do this cheaper if you go off on your own.
Venice: Venetian restaurant	32.50	★★★★	Delicious dinner! Huge assortment of meats, pastas and bruschetta. Unlimited wine.
Venice: Tour t-shirts	18.50	★★★	Trust me – you’ll want a memento from the trip!
Austrian Tyrol: White water rafting	41.00	★★★★	A personal favorite. Adventure, beautiful views, fun with friends. Must be able to handle the cold water.
Austrian Tyrol: Mountain bike tour & BBQ lunch	32.00	−−−−−−	Cancelled due to weather; did not participate.
Austrian Tyrol: Tandem paragliding	123.00	★★★★	An amazing experience! If you can handle heights, don’t miss these views!
Munich: City Bike Tour	20.00	★★★★	A favorite among my tourmates. Fantastic, animated guide. Explored Munich by bicycle and stopped for beer at an outdoor biergarten.
Vienna: Old Vienna Schnaps Museum	7.00	★★★	The schnapps tasting experience was delightful (and delicious!)
Vienna: Dinner & Mozart concert	64.00	★	Least favorite meal of the tour. Concert is nice if you appreciate classical music. Concert hall is beautiful!
Prague: River Cruise with Buffet Meal	29.00	★★★	Worth it for the beautiful views of Prague! Buffet meal was average.
Prague: Ghost Walk	9.00	★★★	Delightful to see Prague by moonlight!
St Goar: Wine tasting	9.00	★★★	Fun experience in a tasting cave. Very sweet wines.
Amsterdam: Volendam restaurant	31.00	★★★★	Volendam is beautiful. Last group dinner.
Amsterdam: Canal cruise	31.50	★★★★	Unlimited beer & wine. Don’t miss this op to say goodbye to your tourmates.

*Note: Contiki periodically changes the restaurants they visit for Optional Extras, so you may visit a few different restaurants than I did. If you’re a foodie, ask your tour guide which restaurants you’ll be going to and find them on Yelp or TripAdvisor before committing to attend.

Overall, Contiki is what you make it. If you want to stick with the group, you can. If you want to go off on your own, you can. If you want a bit of both? Make it happen! It’s your vacation – make it exactly what you want it to be!

Have fun, and safe travels!

Have questions about Contiki or European Vista? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll respond here!

Check out my other Contiki posts:

Introduction: An American Girl in Europe
Day 1: Oh hey, London
Day 2: Bonjour, Paris!
Day 3: Parisian Adventures
Day 4: Lookin’ Good, Switzerland
Day 5: All Things Swiss
Day 6: Switzerland, Italy, France…oh my!
Day 7: Bond. James Bond.
Day 8: Buongiorno Italia!
Day 9: When in Rome
Day 10: That’s Amore
Day 11: Vatican City to Venice
Day 12: The Last Italian Adventure
Day 13: Hop-fer-gerten
Day 14: Soaring Over Austria
Day 15: München
Day 16: Bittersweet Symphonies
Day 17: Vienna to Prague
Day 18: Ahoj, Prague!
Day 19: St. Goar, Rhine Valley
Day 20: Amsterdamage
Day 21: Even more Amsterdamage
Day 22: Back to the Start
Day 23/24: The End of a Great Adventure

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19Aug2014

Contiki European Vista Day 23/24: The End of a Great Adventure

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 24, 2014
I woke up in London today and prepared to say some of my last goodbyes. I dressed quickly and met the last remnants of our group downstairs: Pat, Kieran, Shandi & Chantelle. We had a breakfast that was over far too quickly for my liking, and then bid Chantelle goodbye at the Contiki basement. Then, Pat and I walked Kieran and Shandi back to the lobby of the Royal National Hotel, where it all began, to say our goodbyes.

Shandi and I couldn’t keep it together. We cried like babies and went back for at least five different hugs. I don’t always bond with other girls easily, and Shandi and I had had an instant connection. It was devastating to say goodbye to her, but I know that my future travels will take me to Canada to see her someday. Kieran was next and was just as hard to say goodbye to. I cried and gripped my big teddy bear as hard as I could and made him promise that this was only “see you later.”

Then, it was over. I cried some more as Pat and I stood in the lobby, watching the very last of our tour group walk out the lobby doors and out of sight.

Our Contiki trip was officially over, but Pat and I still had 24 hours of adventure left, so we headed out to make the most of it in London. We started at King’s Cross Station (on my request – I’ll never not be a Harry Potter nerd), and then made our way to Westminster Abbey, as well as to the Tower of London to see the Crown Jewels. We got caught in a massive, but short-lived, downpour, so we huddled under a waffle cart umbrella and munched on waffles topped with strawberries, ice cream and Nutella. I think this was my favorite part of the day!

Finally, we got to go on our first real date. As much as I adored the group, it was nice to spend time with Pat on my own and wander the city with him. He humored me by agreeing to go to a Mexican Restaurant in Covent Garden, because I just couldn’t take another day without guacamole. I have a problem.

The rest of the night was spent attempting to pack the insane amount of souvenirs I had acquired, and preparing for my long journey home.

May 25, 2014
This morning I woke up with a heavy heart. My adventure was officially coming to an end today.

I grabbed my things and left my very last hotel room. Then, Pat and I made a quiet trip to London Heathrow Airport on the Underground. It felt odd to be returning here in tears, to the very place I had been so excited to set foot in 24 days ago.

I checked in (Pat stayed at the airport with me even though my flight was in the morning and his wasn’t until nearly evening), and then had a rushed breakfast which I couldn’t really stomach. All too soon, I was standing at security, saying a tearful and difficult goodbye to Pat. This was without a doubt the hardest goodbye of all, and at this point, I had no idea that I would be seeing him again only a week later. Finally, we’d had enough tears and I passed through the security line.

There’s nothing much to say about this day, because I boarded a flight and finally returned home. The flight was fine, the food was fine, the movies were fine. But after 24 days of adventure, everything seemed very dull, like I was looking through blurry glasses. I passed the time by reflecting on the amazing things I’d seen, tasted and experienced in the last few weeks. As hard as I tried though, I could barely name or even picture some of the landmarks I’d seen along the way. That was the moment I realized that I would be forever changed by this experience, but it wasn’t Europe that had changed me. It was the amazing and incredible people I’d met, and how they’d contributed to making every moment a memory.

The fact was, I hadn’t just seen the Eiffel Tower, been to the top of Mt. Pilatus, and tossed a coin into the Trevi Fountain. I had lost my breath catching sight of the Eiffel Tower for the first time while giggling with Emily, and I had gazed out over Lucerne from the top of Mt. Pilatus while laughing and joking with the Canada boys, and I had made a wish for a bright future sitting side-by-side with Pat on the edge of the Trevi. I shared coffee and stories with a gorgeous stranger in London, whisked across the dance floor with Jon Snow at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, and ran off the side of a mountain in Austria to the tune of Shandi’s shrieks as she soared through the air while paragliding. I shed tears over the horrors of our past at Dachau and Anne Frank House while walking hand-in-hand with Pat, and laughed so hard I could barely breathe because of a joke Dicky cracked after a tipsy night in Amsterdam. I sipped a 16€ whiskey while gambling at the Monte Carlo with Tommy, and clinked glasses a million times over in ten different countries with once-strangers who became my brothers and sisters over the course of 24 days.

For all of those memories, my life is infinitely more rich. I spent a fair amount of money on this trip, but as I look back, there wasn’t a single second that wasn’t worth every penny. The friendships and memories made will undoubtedly be with me for a lifetime, and there hasn’t been a day that’s passed since I got home that I don’t smile thinking about the most amazing 24 days of my life, and the greatest people I’ll never forget. #NoRegrets

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Next Up: Contiki in a Nutshell: Know Before You Go

Check out my other Contiki posts:

30Jul2014

Contiki European Vista Day 17: Vienna to Prague

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 18, 2014
We packed up early this morning and drove into the center of the city for a morning walking tour. The weather was crummy again, so we all bundled up and drew our hoods before heading off into this rainy Vienna morning.

Jon Snow led us around some of the main sights in Vienna before turning us loose for a bit of free time to explore. Shandi, Alex and I ditched the boys and went straight to Hotel Sacher Café, home of the original Sacher torte, a delicious chocolate cake. We wanted to cuddle up with come coffee and cake and enjoy this rainy morning from indoors.

Café Sacher will go down in (my) history as the place where I had the single best cup of coffee I’ve ever had in my life there. This mocha coffee came with a shot of cherry brandy on the side, which you could add to your taste. I added the whole thing, because of course I did, and it was the single most delicious coffee in the world…I’m pretty sure.

After this amazing coffee and cake, we rejoined the group on the bus and hit the road. Today, we would head to Prague in the Czech Republic. This would be an interesting stop – we would need to get new currency (switching to the Czech Crown), and switch to yet another new language.

Our first Czech experience was an interesting one. We rolled up to a rest stop that was completely different from the others we’d experienced on tour. This one had dragons and castles and airplanes, and no, I’m not kidding. It felt like a mega version of a miniature golf course. Confused, I grabbed lunch with the girls before jumping back on the bus.

Czech countryside.

Soon, we were rolling into Prague. Our first stop was Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. The hill where these sit also offers an absolutely amazing view of the city.

We caught the cathedral five minutes before it was supposed to close for the day, so we ran in for a few photos. I was mesmerized by the stained glass – some of the most beautiful I’d ever seen.

Never take them inside a church.

We checked into Ibis Praha Mala Strana, our hotel for the next two nights. After getting into our rooms and freshening up, we went downstairs for an included dinner at the hotel. Dinner was pretty good, with a salad bar and buffet spread, featuring meats, pastas and plenty of sides.

After dinner, we walked to a shopping mall next to the hotel, where Jon Snow had booked us for a couple games of 10-pin bowling. We had a blast playing – I forgot how much fun bowling can be!

After bowling, we all jumped on the tram and went into the city to find a club. Pat and I got separated from the group and ended up getting momentarily lost in Prague. We couldn’t get ahold of anyone without having wifi, so we packed it in and took a cab back to the hotel and got to bed early. I was actually thankful for this the next day, since I ended up being plenty awake for a day filled with fun as we explored this unique city.

Next up: Cruises, sex museums and ghost stories

Check out my other Contiki posts:

29Jul2014

Contiki European Vista Day 16: Bittersweet Symphonies

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 17, 2014
Another amazing breakfast this morning at the Comfort Hotel Munich Ost. I’ve gotta say, Eastern Europe definitely knows where it’s at when it comes to breakfast. Bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits…the works.

After breakfast, we hit the road. Today we would cross back into Austria to visit the country’s heart: Vienna. The views along the way were gorgeous as usual, but the weather was pretty crummy.

My absolute favorite thing about the bus rides through Austria were the rest stops. Oh…my…God. Each had counters and counters of some amazing looking food. Salad bars, breakfast bars, dessert bars, juice bars, seafood bars…these rest stops definitely do not deserve their name. I had an amazing salmon and veggie dish on the way to Hopfgarten at our first stop at one of these. On this day, I wanted to eat lighter, so I got a breakfast pastry and a fresh-squeezed orange/peach/mango juice blend. So good.

The dessert bar at this Austrian “rest stop.”

After this rest stop, we made our way into Vienna. Jon Snow and Kev pulled over at Schönbrunn Palace to give us a chance to stretch our legs and explore this beautiful former summer home to the royals.

After the palace, it was time for schnapps. Because of course it was.

Kev drove us to the Alt-Wiener-Schnapsmuseum, where we were given a brief history of the heritage of schnapps in Vienna, as well as a quick demonstration on how they’re made. Then we were taken to the tasting room, where they had all types of schnapps for us to try…ranging from creamy, sweet varieties like caramel cream, to Absinthe. After the tasting, I bought two bottles of the cream variety, as well as a bottle of “Vienna Gold,” an orange-flavored liquor with real gold flakes in it. I’m told that this is great to mix with champagne for a special occasion.

After our tasting, we drove to our hotel, the Austria Trend Event Hotel Pyramide Vienna. Another great quality hotel, this place had a full indoor pool and sauna, plus an expansive lobby and bar area.

Those of us doing the evening activity had about two hours from this point to get as spiffy as possible for our fancy evening in Vienna. We would start with dinner at the Wiener-Rathauskeller, and then head to a concert hall for a classical music concert, featuring compositions by Mozart & Strauss. This optional extra would cost 64€, or $85 USD.

We walked into the Wiener-Rathauskeller and I was immediately impressed. The room where were would be having dinner was ornate and absolutely beautiful…the photo below really does it no justice at all.

Unfortunately, that was where the good stopped. We were served our dinner: Some sort of broth soup with fake, recently-frozen meat floating in it (maybe chicken? maybe veal?), dry chicken schnitzel, and some kind of odd dessert that I can’t even describe to you. I was so looking forward to this meal, and it turned out to be such a big disappointment. I don’t think I even ate half of what was served. The best part was the wine, which was not even that good. Boo.

Pat and I all spiffed up for dinner in Vienna!

After dinner, Kev coached us over to the concert hall, where we were seated for the orchestra show. Once again, the room was absolutely beautiful. It was the kind of ballroom I used to daydream about playing Cinderella in as a kid. I felt like someone should have announced each of us as we walked in, in true royal style. The ballroom was just that fantastic.

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Unfortunately, the ballroom was the best part of the orchestra show. Now, I had to admit that I may be reviewing this unfairly, because I’m not a fan of classical music in general, and perhaps if I was, I would have loved this experience. As it was though, I was bored after only a few minutes.

It didn’t help that we had our own Contiki symphony going from the back of the concert hall. Our coughs were so bad by this point, that ten seconds didn’t pass without one of us hacking up a lung. We were trying to stifle them, but we got quite a few dirty looks from the “antique-ees” (Jon Snow’s word for older tour groups) around us. We ended up passing around cough drops like they were candy.

After the show, we had to make a mad-dash to the bus so that Kev could park in time to get his full legal break between now and when we left the next morning, since tour drivers in Europe must “clock in” and “clock out” on a device to ensure that they’re resting enough between drives. We ran through the freezing weather and cold Vienna rain (why did I wear a skirt??) as fast as we could, and finally made it back to the warm bus, and finally, the hotel.

Overall, this night was one of the few “optional extras” that I would not recommend. The food was bad and the concert was boring, though keep in mind, I’m not a classical music fan. I had fun that night, but only because I was spending time with awesome friends. If I could go back, I would have skipped this extra and headed off to explore Vienna on my own that night.

Next up: The single best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. Oh, and we went to Prague.

Check out my other Contiki posts:

28Jul2014

Contiki European Vista Day 15: München

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 16, 2014
I woke up this morning to another amazing breakfast at Haus Lukkas, and a noticeable change in the mood of my fellow tour-mates.

I forgot to mention in the two previous posts that all of that Emergen-C didn’t help: Myself and nearly all of my fellow Contiki-ers had gotten the plague. We were coughing and sniffling all over the place. This, combined with the fact that someone mentioned over breakfast that we were 2/3rds done with our tour and only had a week left, and suddenly we were all a bunch of Debbie Downers.

Our spirits weren’t lifted when we said goodbye to Hopfgarten this morning and went straight to Dachau Concentration Camp, the first of the Nazi concentration camps opened in Germany pre-World War II.

Entrance into the Dachau courtyard

While visiting Dachau is an experience that I would recommend to anyone, it’s not because it’s “awesome” or beautiful, like the other places we visited on tour. I recommend this because I think every person living today should understand the terrifying and hateful acts that humanity is capable of. Without knowing our past, we risk walking into a very dark future.

Dachau courtyard, where prisoners would stand at attention for hours at a time for roll call.

My last photo at Dachau was the one you see above. It felt odd to me to keep snapping photos like I did at other stops…we were essentially walking into the grave site of so many.

Pat and I wandered into the museum, where the entire history of both Dachau and World War II was laid out in pictures and stories. After the museum, we walked through the barracks, including rooms packed tight with bunk beds (each twin-sized mattress could sleep up to four people when the camp was operational), and the bathrooms, which consisted of a dozen toilets all facing each other.

Dachau weighed very heavy on my heart, and Pat and I opted to forgo visiting the gas chambers, where prisoners were told they would be going for a “shower” before meeting their end. Many others were tortured or experimented on, or they deteriorated from sickness or starvation.

We all met back at the bus after about an hour, and had a very somber bus ride to Munich. We had to work pretty hard to shake off the down mood, but as we embarked on a walking tour with Jon Snow, we started to come back to our usual energy level.

Rathaus-Glockenspiel

Jon walked us through downtown Munich, and directly to the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, a clock that chimes and depicts old Bavarian stories from years past. It wasn’t a must-see, but it’s nice to say I’ve been there.

After this, we had a short time to wander and grab some food before heading to Mike’s Bike Tours for a spin around the city. A group of us stopped in at a market, where we got sausages and bread. I had the best sausage hot dog I’ve ever had in my life! Delicious.

Next up was Mike’s, where we each grabbed a bike and pedaled out into the city with an awesome guide who kept us laughing at every turn. This optional extra cost 20€, or $27 USD, and was definitely worth it! We saw all the sites of Munich before pedaling into a biergarten in the middle of the city. We stopped for a beer and relaxed for a bit before jumping back onto our bikes and finishing the tour.

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Most of the swastikas in Munich were removed during the Denazification, but a few are still hidden around.

After the bike tour, we had some time to head to the hotel to check in (Comfort Hotel Munich Ost) and get ready for our night out in Munich. This was the nicest hotel we’d stayed in so far…it reminded me of the quality of a Marriott or similar in the states. The outside was not impressive, but the inside was ultra-clean and seemed newly refurbished.

Once ready, we went straight to the famous Hofbräuhaus in the center of the city. This was definitely one of my favorite nights out on tour. After about an hour of trying to find a place to sit (we were there on a Friday night and it was absolutely packed), we settled in for a fantastic meal. I got the HB sausage platter (pork, Viennese and pfälzer sausages with sauerkraut) and a dark beer, and both were absolutely delicious.

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Photo credit: Sam K.

We found the rest of our group after and spent the rest of the night drinking beer and chatting with the locals. I met one couple who lived in the SF Bay Area for years before moving back east (seen above), and it was so nice to chat with them and feel connected to home for a few minutes. It’s so odd to me that when you’re living life here in the Bay Area, you really don’t make time to talk to strangers, yet as soon as you meet in another country, you’re like family. Another one of the benefits of traveling.

Next up: Schnapps and Viennese symphonies

Check out my other Contiki posts:

26Jul2014

Contiki European Vista Day 14: Soaring Over Austria

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 15, 2014
This morning we woke up to more rain…and the most fabulous breakfast we’d had on tour so far. I had planned on sleeping in (I would forgo the mountain biking excursion this morning because of my bruised bum), but the smell of bacon woke me up and drew me downstairs. When I got there, I found hot scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast sausage, toast, fruit, and more. Definitely more substantial than the continental breakfasts we’d had in Western Europe!

As it turns out, the company running the mountain biking tour cancelled because of the rain and resulting ice, so everyone had the morning free to explore Hopfgarten, an adorable village in the Austrian Tyrol. We all went different ways – Some chose to rent bikes and cruise around the town in the rain, others went to a local fish farm to fish in a pond and eat their labor for lunch, and others went on long walks or hikes around the village. I chose to wander into town a bit, and then I had some girl-time with Shandi when we walked to a local pizza shop for lunch.

We were worried that paragliding would be cancelled too because of the weather, but we were still on! Those doing the excursion, which was one of the more expensive optional activities at 123€, or $165 USD) piled into vans and left for the mountain. I say “vans,” but we referred to ours at the “death cab.” Our driver was absolutely nuts, whipping around turns and speeding up a one-lane road. We joked that if paragliding didn’t kill us, this ride would.

Me, Jenna & Shandi riding the death cab up the mountain.

Once we got to the top, we had to wait around a bit for Group #1 to take their ride down. It was fun to watch them soar above us, but it also just gave us plenty more time to be nervous! I’m not a fan of heights as it is, but I wasn’t going to miss out on this opportunity. Still, I had plenty of anxiety in the half hour we spent waiting.

Next, it was our turn to head up the mountain. Our instructors (who had just landed with our friends in the first group) came over to greet us and hand us our gear. We would ride the ski lift to the tip-top, and then suit up and run off the mountain. Easy right?

Ski lifts heading up the mountain…towards the snow

Signing our lives away!

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Pat & me with our instructors

Finally, we made it to the snow-covered top of the mountain. The wind was pretty fierce, which I learned can be both good and bad for paragliding, but the main problem was visibility. The fog was thick up there, and our instructors weren’t comfortable taking off without seeing where they were going (thank God). So we had to wait it out.

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We wandered into a tiny little chalet at the top of the mountain that served hot soup, coffee and tea, to wait it out. We were all way too anxious for the big leap we were about to take (literally) to eat anything, so we sat around chatting nervously for the next 45 minutes.

Finally, our instructors came inside and told us it was time to go! We walked out into the fog and right up to the edge of the mountain to suit up.

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This weather though…

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My instructor attached to my pack, and gave me instructions for take-off. The conversation went something like this:

Instructor: Run off the edge of the mountain. It will be hard. It’s hard to run in snow, and you’ll feel the resistance from the parachute. DO. NOT. STOP. RUNNING. If you stop running, we’re in trouble.
Me: What kind of trouble?
Instructor: Don’t worry about it. Just run.
Me: ……..

I didn’t have time to think, I just nodded nervously and put my game face on. And then…it was go-time! I started running, and didn’t stop until my feet couldn’t touch the ground anymore. Then, we were flying.

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I was shocked at how easy this was! I thought I was going to be a wreck up there after my episode on the Eiffel Tower the week before, but this was such a thrill. I squealed at the weightless sensation and the twists and turns, and took in the absolutely incredible view. It was amazing to look down over those mountains with absolutely nothing between you and the ground.

“Do you want the roller coaster ride?” my instructor asked. “Might as well!” I yelled back. Within seconds, we were spiraling towards the ground in a corkscrew. What a rush! Within what seemed like only a hundred feet to the ground, my instructor pulled up and into a series of butterfly-inducing dips and turns. So. Much. Fun.

After around 10 minutes, we drifted easily towards the ground. I was instructed to curl-up into the fetal position, keeping my feet as high and close to my head as possible. Soon, I felt my bum touch the grass (ouch on my bruise) and we were safely back on the ground!

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After my entire group was down, we climbed back into the death cabs and drove back to the hotel.

We had a bit of free time to nap and explore before another delicious included dinner: Turkey schnitzel with cranberry sauce, veggies and potatoes…and more schnapps. I think we had tried nearly every flavor at this point!

We spent the rest of the night laughing and chatting and testing schnapps. It was so nice to have these relaxing nights in Hopfgarten…up until this point, we had been on-the-go nearly every night, and we would be for most nights from here on too. This stop was such a nice change of pace, and a wonderful chance to spend more time with the amazing people I was traveling with. The next day would be a busy one…and another late night!

Next up: Dachau, biergartens, and the Hofbrauhaus

Check out my other Contiki posts:

25Jul2014

Contiki European Vista Day 13: Hop-fer-gerten

Posted in Adventure & Outdoors, Life List, Travel by hunterly

May 14, 2014
This morning we said arrivederci to Italy, as we left Venice and headed towards Austria.

My bruise had popped up overnight, and I freaked out when I caught a glimpse of it in the mirror of the hotel room. I’ll spare you the photo here, but it was about the circumference of a coffee mug – huge! Normally, I wouldn’t have been concerned about a bruise, except that it was in a very inconvenient position for sitting (right under my bum), and I had a five hour bus ride to endure that day, plus white water rafting, a mountain bike ride, and paragliding were waiting for us in Austria. Bad timing!

I was already considering backing out of the white water rafting, when yet another reason popped up. The temperature had been pretty moderate when we left Venice, but that didn’t last long. Just a short time after we crossed the Austrian border into the Tyrol region, the snow started.

I figured they would cancel white water rafting if it was snowing, right?! Nope. As the snow cleared up, we trotted off the bus and down to the equipment pickup at Feelfree, who would be hosting our rafting adventure. (Edit: This activity was an optional extra, and cost 41€ or $55 USD). Jon Snow and the others had talked me into trying the rafting (“Hey, the cold water will probably feel good on your leg!”), so I slipped into the wet suit and the rest of the gear and gave myself a little pep talk. I had been looking forward to this excursion, so while I was here, I would enjoy it for all it’s worth!

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“I feel like we’re suited up to go into space. Armageddon-style.” – Shandi

After a quick lesson from our guides, we were lugging our boats down to the river and jumping in. I was in a boat with Canada (Brett, Geoff, Mark and Craig), as well as Shandi, Alex and Krista. In the other boat were Pat, Dicky, Chris, Ashlee, Emily, Jacinta and Paul.

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We got to rolling down the river and had so much fun! The commands were easy enough to follow, and soon we were hitting our first rapids.

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We had fantastic guides for this adventure as well. They kept us out of trouble, and kept us laughing the whole way. (“Hey, you see that Church up on the hill? Have you seen the Sound of Music? Yeah, it wasn’t filmed there.”)

The scenery was pretty incredible along the way. I didn’t have a waterproof camera, so my friends Krista and Chris provided these snaps:

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I hung in there just fine at the beginning of the trip, but after being dunked into the icy water a few times, my body was completely frozen. I had the time of my life, and I wouldn’t have opted out if I could go back, but I sure was glad to step off that boat and into the hot shower once we stripped off the wetsuits.

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We cleaned up in the showers at Feelfree, before heading into their snack shack for hot coffee and hot pizza. Despite the hot shower and dry clothes, my hair was still soaked and I could just not warm up! I cuddled up to Pat on the bus ride into Hopfgarten, hoping that would help, but I wasn’t truly warm again until I finally climbed into bed that night.

We arrived in Hopfgarten shortly before dinner, and were greeted by other Contiki staffers at our hotel, Haus Lukas. Our group would have the hotel to ourselves that night, and we would have another included dinner downstairs in the dining room. The hotel had a full bar serving schnapps (an Austrian specialty) in just about every flavor imaginable!

That night, we feasted on a roast, veggies and potatoes, accented by schnapps, and turned in a bit early. We’d had so many late nights out in the last week that it was nice to sit around and relax, and get a decent night’s sleep. I climbed into my warm bed and listened to the rain outside until I fell asleep in yet another amazing country.

Next up: Soaring Over Austria

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European Vista Optional Extras

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