Do I have to read The Blog?

We're all very busy these days...  And, after we start sending out emails, usually someone asks:  "Do I really have to read The Blog?"

Tommy - The Mad Blogger

And the simple answer to this is: No, of course not...  You've booked a Tour, and all you really have to do is show up!  But why wouldn't you want to read it...  You've got some big bucks invested in what many people would call the trip of a lifetime! The Blog is written just as a resource for your convenience... It's an added value that we provide for guests that are excited to learn about Italy and are eager to get the very most out of their vacation... So sometimes folks tell us "We've traveled a lot, we don't need this..." and we say that's great! That makes our job easier... We'll see you in Tuscany in September!

But we'll tell you this;  After 23 years of taking Tour Groups to Italy several times a year, we can always tell who's read The Blog and who hasn't...  The folks that haven't, usually feel slightly uneasy because they're in a foreign country and they don't know the language, they don't exactly know what's going on... and they either have lots & lots of questions, or they just kind of disengage while we're over there and follow whatever others are doing!

You see, The Blog is designed to answer all the questions you might have way before you ever get there...  So, as our Tour Guests, we'll of course be polite to you either way...  But know that after all the years of doing this, and seeing the patterns of hundreds and hundreds of our guests, it's so very obvious to us that the folks that follow along and read The Blog actually end up having a much better time and hence get a much better value from their vacation! You may have seen that we often use phrases like "deeply immersive" and "culturally explorative" to describe our Tuscany expeditions... And the BLOG is the initial part of that deep cultural immersion... Many of the mass-market bus tours of Italy, for many decades, were specifically designed to shield you from cultural un-comfortability... Because they thought people just wouldn't understand, or wouldn't want to know... But today, it's just the opposite...  many people truly want to not just know about cultural differences, but to truly understand them and be immersed in them...  And of course you're not going to be shielded on a bus, so it's a little more important that you understand what's going on around you, especially if you're extending your trip by coming over early or staying late... 

Lady & The Tramp...

Those that follow along daily are just much better prepared... they know what's going on and they have what they need... They know what the weather's going to be, what to pack, casual or dressy clothes, what kind of footwear, how to get to The Villa, when to arrive, do we need a voucher... how much money do i need... they know whether or not to tip, how much to tip, do you tip in a trattoria, do you tip a taxi driver, where we're going, what we're doing, why don't they take US currency... how to get Euros, the least expensive ways to exchange currency, how many Euros they need, do they need a map... will i need my cell phone.. what kind of calling plan is best for  my cell phone, which airport do we fly into... what's the best source for air tix... which airline should we use... how to get a rental car, what type of car, what the Italian road signs mean, where to get gas, how to get gas, how to get an International Driver's License, what about parking in the villages, where to park, how to get a parking disc, which lane do we get in at the toll booth... will my EZ Pass work... what about a GPS... where the Tourist Offices are... how to order a coffee in a bar... can i sit at a table... why is everyone standing at the counter... Is lunch included... why are we going there... Is it true Sting and Trudy live next door...  what's all this about two-way radios... Do I need a guidebook... what do i do if i get separated from the group...  can we get married in Tuscany...  What about a Vow Renewal Ceremony... what if I need to see a doctor... do we really need travel insurance.. is there a hospital nearby... does my travel insurance cover that... Do  i need to carry my passport... why is my credit card being declined... what credit cards do they take?  can i bring my iPad... How come they don't give us any ice? will netflix work on our phones... how come everything on GOOGLE is in Italian... How do i get the wi-fi signal...  do i need a power converter? where do i get those little adaptors... Which one is gasoline and which one is diesel... what's all this about a white party... why don't they speak any english...  what do we do in the evenings...

This list could go on forever, but you get the idea...  We'll post, on average every other day from now until about a month before you depart for Italy... so we usually write about 120  - 130  posts... and each day we post there will usually be several new bits of information, between the post and the side-bar, that's specifically designed to enhance your understanding and make it easier for you to enjoy your vacation!  So there's lots and lots of info that we pass along here on The Blog!  And that's why we spoon-fed it to you usually no more than one post a day... and we suggest that you consume it exactly that way... just click on the link we send you and check in... read the most recent post... it usually takes just 2 - 3 minutes!   We want you to have the trip of a lifetime!  And we know that the better mentally-prepared you are for this, the better time you'll have!  There one additional thing that our guests tell us The Blog does for those that read it religiously; it greatly enhances your anticipation for your vacation, and ultimately extends your experience from a week or two to almost 10 months!   Choose to be happy and choose to make this the best vacation ever! As always, if you have any questions about your upcoming trip, or if we can improve your experience in any way, please reach out to us...  We're always happy to help!