Would you like to travel with me?

Hi, friends! Today's post is different from all the previous ones, but I wanted to ask you a question. Would you be interested in going on an EF Go Ahead group tour with me? I know it might sound strange, but if you love to travel (just like I do!), this could be something we can do together. I think it sounds wonderful, and I hope you'll like it too. Last week, the author of the wallet forum mentioned that they celebrated their birthday this week with a cake shaped like a wallet.

Mark and I are going to Italy in a week in April.

This trip is paid for by us and is not sponsored, but the tour will be conducted withEF Go Ahead"(affiliate link), a leader in the travel industry. For over 55 years, EF Go Ahead Tours has been making safe, authentic, and life-changing travel accessible to everyone. I've heard about their student tours that they've been organizing for many years, and now they are working with bloggers and influencers on group travel, so I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to open up travel for my community, which includes all of you, my subscribers."

My first experience visiting Italy

We will return to this topic later, but for now, let me tell you about my first experience visiting Italy. I haven't shared much about that time in my life because this blog started when I was 50, and I had a whole lifetime of experiences before I became a blogger. The wedding took place for the first time in 1990 with a former professional baseball player (pitcher), and he got the opportunity to go to Italy that same year to play in the Italian baseball league. At that time, each team hired 2 American players for the upcoming season to play for them.

• I have never told you about this part of my story, but that summer of 1990 was thrilling and life-changing.
• I was 33 years old that summer and I was working at a real estate development company.
• I asked for their permission to take a vacation in June, July, and August, and I met with my then-husband, who was already there.

First visit to Italy

Someone picked me up at the airport inRome, and I will never forget the culture shock from my first visit to Italy. The drive to our accommodation was an hour away fromRome in a small town by the beach called Nettuno, and, my God, how they drive there! That was the first thing I learned about Italy!

Italian culture and lifestyle

Italians know how to live, they know how to eat, and they have significantly slowed down their pace of life compared to us. They are such warm people, and I was delighted to meet them, to be invited to their homes for lunches, and to learn about the Italian way of life. What a priceless treasure that was?! I enjoyed every minute, from the delicious food to the almost daily consumption of ice cream.

An unforgettable experience of summer in Italy

It was a life experience that I will treasure forever, spending the summer in Italy! So much has changed to see over these 30 years. Back then, there were no mobile phones, no internet; the world we live in now was completely different.

• This summer was one of the most enriching times of my life, and I will never forget this experience.
• We traveled around Italy during the baseball team's games at tournaments all over Italy and even France. It was so much fun!
• We traveled a lot during that summer, and the following summer he came back again. I went for 3 weeks at that time, and we toured Paris and Switzerland in those short weeks.

Plans for the future and new trips

I never stopped wanting to return to Italy, but I haven't had the extra funds or the opportunity to make this trip to Europe all these years.

• Mark and I are going on a 7-day trip to Naples, the Amalfi Coast, andRome together next month. We are paying for this trip ourselves and are not being sponsored.
• We are also planning another river cruise with Viking in September, which will take place in France on the Rhône River.

Group travel with EF Go Ahead

EF Go Ahead is planning group trips around the world, and I want to organize a trip for next year and invite you to join me.

Areas of interest:

• Southern Europe (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain)
• British Isles (Great Britain, Ireland)
• Western Europe (Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland)
• Other international destinations

The tours will likely last about 7 nights, and the cost will vary depending on the destination, but the range will be approximately from $3000 to $5000 per tour, plus airfare.

Additional information

The more people join the group, the better the price will be. I'm planning a group of 20-25 people. I enjoy planning these trips because Go Ahead does all the planning work, and we just need to show up. They organize the excursions and most of the meals.

Share your thoughts on this idea and let me know if you're interested in a group trip with me!