The Eternal City

Friday, June 13

We started early this morning to make our appointment to the Vatican. Our guide's name was Marco and he was very knowledgeable. He explained the important things to notice in the Sistine Chapel then took us on a walk through the museum on our way to see that important site. Afterwards we went to St. Peter's Cathedral and Marco explained that as well. We got right up to Michelangelo's Pieta which is usually surrounded by a huge crowd. We had a little bus issue and the kids were great about waiting for a new one to come. Then we headed down to the Piazza Navona and saw the Fountain of Four Rivers and the street performers. It's been really hot and muggy so gelato tastes especially good! We ended the night back at the Spanish Steps and were lucky to catch a spectacular sunset!

Next Stop...

Thursday June 12

Crazy busy today. We got up early and had our last breakfast looking over the water from the hotel terrace. We then loaded the bags and took a quick shuttle boat over to Galatas on the Peloponnese peninsula. From there we caught a bus which drove us to Corinth. There is a canal that is almost 4 miles long and 108 feet deep. We stopped to take pictures but it started to rain so didn't stay very long. While there we ran into a woman whose tour had left her. I think it was at that point the kids realized roll call isn't so stupid. Christiane helped the woman call the tour leader to bring the bus back. Then we headed the rest of the way to the Athens airport and after a leisurely lunch headed to Rome.  As soon as we landed we headed to the Spanish Steps and found Kate and Abby. Yay! It's nice to have the whole group together. 

Another Day in Paradise

The kids had a free day to explore and enjoy the island. A big group rented some ATV's, buddied up and went to see what they could of Poros. What they found were more beautiful beaches, hidden trails and the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. The next fun activity was water sports. A bunch went tubing and others waterskiied. There was still plenty of time to hang at the beach, hang at the pool and enjoy the beautiful Greek sunshine. Even the chaperones spent part of the day in the water. (But we also hit the town and shopped too!) Tonight some of the guys played a pick up game of soccer with the locals.  This has been a great opportunity to relax, catch up to the new time zone and get ready for some heavy days of touring. We have loved Poros!

A Little Bit of Paradise

Departure from the hotel was 8:30 to catch our transportation to Poros which is the name of both the island and the town. The bus took us to the port town of Pireaus and we caught a "Flying Dolphin" hydrofoil to the island. Our hotel looks out over the Sardonic Gulf and I think every room has a balcony that faces the water. Beautiful! The kids found a great little cafe just down the road from the hotel for lunch. We thought it was a good enough find that we joined them. It was a peaceful and pretty setting so we sat for about two hours enjoying good food and watching the kids play at the beach.

We figure since we're on an island the kids are trapped so we let them have the entire afternoon free. Most stayed at the beach swimming, sunning and playing ball (soccer, volley, paddle) but some walked in to town to pick up a snack or do a little shopping.

This evening we had an amazing race competition. Christiane put together a list of sites to find. We took a boat from the dock at our hotel over to the main harbor and let them loose. They did a great job. Most figured out that it was best to ask the locals for help so they got to meet some real Greeks as they searched for the treasure. They are a pretty competitive bunch and finished much more quickly than I expected. Tonights winners were, Adam, Jake K, David, Nick, and Henry. They won a kilo of baklava.

Birthplace of Democracy

We had a great day. We are carefully battling a little jet lag while we hit the tour full blast. We started the morning at the Acropolis. Our city guide Rebecca was very thorough educating us about the site and Greek mythology. We had about half an hour to wander and then headed on a bus tour of the city. After enjoying a typical Greek lunch (yes, many of the kids ate moussaka) we visited the Acropolis museum. This does a great job of showing and explaining how the Parthenon should look. The kids then had a few hours to shop in the Plaka and walk around the city.
Many found fun souvenirs and a bunch went to the "Fish Doctor" where you put you feet in a little pool and the fish give you a pedicure!

We've just come back from our Greek dinner show (yes, our day went from 7:45am-11:15pm) Tonight was souvlaki and a sampler of traditional Greek appetizers. Then the show... there was singing and dancing. Tradtional folk tunes and dances, then a sing along with some current popular 'show' tunes. Maddie Foote did an impressive job with her solo! Then the kids were coerced on to the stage to dance! I have so many blackmail pictures! I'm not sure how worried I should be that the boys favorite part of the show was the belly dancers!. It took a while for the kids to loosen up and participate but by the end of the evening they wouldn't leave the stage. They even got to throw plates at the end of the night!

We're All Here

First things first... we've all arrived safely at the hotel in Athens!  I'm grateful for how well the kids handled the stress of the day. Annie got off first and navigated her way to Amsterdam all by herself. Then Maddie - she handled a last minute flight change like a champ. My big worry for the large group was the transfer at the Minneapolis airport. They were off the one and on to the other with time to spare!

We have met our tour director Christiane. (We're still trying how to pronounce it properly. When she introduces herself it sounds lik Christiana.) She is nice and personable with a bit of humor peeking through. She got us to the hotel and fed so we're feeling a bit better. Dinner was a collection of traditional Greek foods. Salad with cucumber dill dressing, fresh bread with cheese dip and cucumbers, Pork stewed with tomatoes, dolmatas (stuffed grape leaves), rice with zucchini and red peppers, roasted potatoes, green beans and for dessert a vanilla/cheese custard with a cinnamon honey topping. They let the kids come back for seconds so everyone was happy. 

The kids have gone for a walk to explore the neighborhood. We are in a residential area so it's pretty quiet. We just went to a park the next block over and watched a group of local kids playing soccer. The square was surrounded by little shops so all the adults were sitting at tables drinking iced coffee and watching their kids. 

I think everyone is back and ready for bed. It's only 9pm but it's been a huge day. We want to be ready for tomorrow's excursions.

The internet service it spotty - sorry the pictures won't load....

Picnic!

Thanks to everyone that came and helped with the picnic tonight. It was fun to have the kids in a setting that was more relaxed then the regular meetings. I can tell this is going to be a fun group.

There were lots of questions about money, packing etc... I'll use those questions as the topics of the day until we leave. Look for the official flight plans tomorrow.












We did a much better job of a group photo today. Cute kids!

Munch, munch

17 Days!.... One of the fun things about travel is experiencing the culture of the places you visit. An integral part of any culture is it's food. We will get a chance to eat some typical meals in each country but there are a few things to remember...

Breakfast is continental style which means bread, jam, and juice, then maybe cereal with yogurt or warm milk. Dinner is usually 3 course but portion sizes are smaller than what we're used to. Drinks cost extra and there are no free refills. 

Lunch is on your own and some would rather spend their hard earned cash on something other than their mid-day meal. (I usually find a market and buy a roll, cheese and a piece of fruit and have a great cheap lunch.)

This means often we are eating enough to keep our energy levels up but some feel they aren't completely satisfied. To prevent going hungry it's a good idea to pack some snacks. 

Traditional European meals tend to be a little light on vegetables so I like to pack some dried fruits. Apricots, raisins and mango are my favorite. (Yes, I know that dried mangos are actually candy.) I also pack granola bars. I use these as a mid-day pick me up or instead of lunch. I prefer the hard, crunchy kind instead of chewy. The chewy get smushed in my luggage. My brother in law swears by protein bars. Trail mix or mixed nuts is another thing I pack. I like trail mix because there is a little sweet thrown in with the salty. Last thing is a little sugar. There are plenty of amazing treats unique to the countries to pick up along the way so when I say a little I mean little. But, whatever you pack avoid chocolate. It doesn't survive the heat and messes up whatever is in your suitcase!

Once you've munched on all those snacks there is extra room in your bag to pack those souvenirs you pick up in your travels!

Chaperon 6

Hello,
My name is Whitney Fauver. I was born in Price, Utah. My parents are Jim and Jennifer Fauver. I was raised on a farm in Orangeville, Utah. I am the oldest of four sisters. Miranda (Aldo) Gutierrez and their son Atlas, Tennyson and Banner. My Mom stayed home with us, and we spent our days roaming around the fields or at my Grandparents house. I think it could be said that I had an idyllic childhood.  In the morning before I went to school I had to feed the cows. My sisters were not strong enough to do all the heavy lifting so I was my Dad's go to girl. He taught me to drive when I was nine, I thought I was freakishly tall for my age( no girl likes being taller than their male Principal in 6th grade) but my Dad used it to his advantage. When we weren't working hard, we were playing hard.

Me, Miranda and Dad (take note of my killer fanny pack)

 I love spending time with my family. The day after I graduated from High School I moved in with my Grandpa Jorgensen. He was in declining health so I opted to stay with him, and attend a community college. The day I started my first classes, he got really sick. I ended up spending my first two weeks of college sleeping at the hospital and attending classes during the day. He passed away, and I lost my best friend. We were kindred spirits, so I decided that I would pattern my life his. It was for that reason that I studied History at the University of Utah. I graduated with a degree in History and Spanish in 2011. I am currently working on my Masters of Education. I like to think that he is so happy that I chose a path similar to his.

 When I was 21, I was called to serve a mission in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. If you want real adventure stories, I suggest living in a third world country. Honduras is definitely my second home, the people are kind but life was difficult. We lived as they did, that meant no running water, very little food, cooking over a fire, and living in tin roof shacks. It was a shock for me, I was high maintenance, but after  "camping" for 19 months I started to live on the edge. The edge consisted of no makeup, washing my clothes by hand and smelling the worst smells imaginable (sometimes me) and keeping a smile on my face. My motto was, "Come What May and Love It." It was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but it was well worth it.

Disneyland

I grew up with a Mother who loves sports. We spent our weekends watching football, basketball, tennis, golf and whatever else happened to be playing at the time. Olympics are a must. I may have a certain family member who takes a week of vacation time to stay home and watch the Olympics. Our family Opening Ceremony Parties are legendary. The one sport we didn't ever get into was soccer.Needless to say after living in Central America, I learned to be a Futbol enthusiast. That happens when you are surround by people who are obsessed with everything about it.

 I came home and got back into the groove of life. The groove for me is work, family and travel.
 My travel buddy (Aunt Sara) and I, try to visit Disneyland (we are obsessed) and a new destination, every year. We have had countless adventures and disasters as we have trekked across the globe.

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park

Paul McCartney Concert. Sara and Me

Jonas(Luke Skywalker) and Me(Princess Leia)

 I spend a lot of time with my family. You may laugh but I love Star Wars, LOTR, and all Regency Era (Jane Austen, etc..)books and movies. I love to read a good book and listen to my tunes. If someone ever found my Ipod on the street based on the music, they would never guess it was mine. I like to say that I have an eclectic taste in music. I was heavily influenced by Sara and my parents. I love music from the 60's,70's, 80's and of course throw in some good old N*Sync and I'm in heaven.

Me and Lily

 To get through school I worked as a Nanny. I worked for a family with 9 boys and 1 girl. I have learned all I ever/never wanted to learn about boys by being a nanny and working at a Middle school and now High School. My Dad's favorite thing to preach was, "boys are gross!" He always said he was blessed to have all girls, I disagreed when I was a teenager because that meant we had to work like boys, but I wholeheartedly agree now that I have experienced their mischief first hand!

Dad, Mom, Tennyson, Me, Banner, Miranda and Aldo

 I worked in the Counseling Center at Union Middle School until 2012 when I was hired to be a Secretary at Highland High. I consider being hired at Highland to be one of the most fortunate things that has ever happened to me. I love Highland, and I am very grateful to work with great kids. I am currently the Girls Basketball Assistant Coach, and Throwing Coach for the Track team.
 In December my sister had a baby (the first boy), and we were all so excited. Little Atlas, or Young Sir (as I call him) has been such a fun addition to our family. I will miss Him while we are gone, but not as much as Katie will miss Kawika.

My Mission President and Wife, with my family.

I hope you got to know me a little better, I left out most of the really good stories, but I figure I will share those with the kids as we travel through Europe!!

Little Bites

55 Days!  I've decided that if I pack or prepare one or two little things each day I'll have everything I need and won't have a stressful crunch trying to get ready at the end. I just need to be careful that I don't add to the list because now there is extra time to talk myself into buying extra stuff. Remember to pack light!

Today I put my laundry kits together. I have one with washing machine size packets of Tide (.97 each @ Target) and a few dryer sheets. That one is to grab as I go to the laundromat/launderette. The other has a sink stopper, braided cord, and sink size packets of Tide and Woolite. This is for when I need to wash a few things in the hotel sink. We can't always find a laundry and have to wash by hand. Tide works great for shirts and socks but Woolite is good for my delicates. If you can't find little packets just transfer detergent and/or woolite into a small squeeze bottle. A little squirt will do a load in the sink. And pods work as well as the large packets.

I also carry Shout wipes and Bounce with me. Shout takes care of the little stains right as they happen. Dryer sheets are amazing. One in the suitcase keeps clothes from smelling like musty luggage, tuck them in shoes at night to get rid of odor, rub them on clothes to get rid of static, use them to tame fly away hair, and you can even rub on your skin as insect repellent.

Enjoy Spring Break!

Meet the Leaders 4 & 5

Hi! This is Kalani and Katie and we are so excited to head out the Europe in 67 days!  Although we are a little anxious leaving our new son Kawika Gary, we know he will be spoiled like crazy while he stays stateside with his Grandma Noni (who chaperoned in Europe last time) and Great-Grandma Mary. 

Kalani -- Kalani grew up on the beautiful island of Sandy, Utah where he graduated from Jordan High School in 2000. He went on an LDS mission to Manila, Philippines where he learned Tagalog as well as to love balut.  In high school he played both football and basketball and still loves a good game of pickup basketball anytime.  Kalani worked for many, many years in the banking industry but finally decided that sitting behind a desk wasn't for him.  Kalani currently works for the Post Office as a mail carrier in Holladay. Kalani's mom, Nani, lives in Oceanside, California. He has two younger sisters: Lia, her husband, Spencer, and their daughter Nohea live in Huntington Beach, California and Kalei and her son Mykah live in Orem, Utah. Kalani traveled to Europe for the first time two years ago as a chaperone on this trip.

Katie -- Katie grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah where she graduated from Highland High School in 1994.  She attended the University of Utah where she graduated with a double major in Literature and Secondary Education. Then she attended Western Governors University for her two Masters degrees. Katie has been teaching at Highland since 2001, has been Athletic Director and now is Assistant Principal.  Katie's mom, Noni, lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and Katie caught the travelling bug from her parents (Katie's Dad, Gary, passed away 15 years ago). Katie has two younger sisters: Betsy, her husband, Ben, and their kids Michael, Emma, Sarah and Nate live in Midlothian, Virginia and Barbie, her husband, Colby and their son Ollie live in Salt Lake City, Utah. Katie has been to Europe six times as a chaperone on this trip.

Kalani & Katie were married in March of 2012. They love to spend their summers at their cabin at Bear Lake and to travel all over the world together.  They both have a close extended family and spend a lot of time with them.

Who Are You?

We had a fun meeting last night. We spent some time putting names to faces and then learned about Heidelberg and Luxembourg. We also learned the rules of group metro travel. 1)Figure out where we are going and which stop is ours before we get on. 2)Get on as a group and with a group this big it means get on fast. Use 2 cars if necessary and help your buddies get on with you. 3)Pay attention! Count down to our stop watch for it. 4)Jump off, move away from the train and then wait on the platform for roll call. 5)If you miss our stop get off at the next stop and wait on the platform so you can be seen. One of the chaperones will come for you to get you back with the group.

Our final lesson was group photos. These are important. They are posted on the blog so your parents can see that you are still with us and having fun. Tips for a good picture... Tall people in back, scrunch together, make levels and make sure no one is in front of your face. If you can't see me the camera can't see you. Here is our first attempt - not bad but needs to be balanced left to right just a little. The photographer also needs to pay better attention to things in the foreground and background. Remember - left click to enlarge, right click to download. See you in April!

Meet the Leaders 3

I am Todd Wright and am one of the chaperones coming on the 2014 Europe trip! 

I was born and raised in Layton, UT, the youngest of 4 kids. I have 1 sister and 2 brothers, anywhere from 10-6 years older than me.

I graduated from Layton High in 2005. During high school I was in the show choir which performed all over the wasatch front and even took tours to southern California every spring where we would perform in Disneyland and various places in San Diego. After high school, I served an LDS mission in Fort Worth, TX, speaking Spanish. There I developed an appreciation for spicy food and a love of other languages and cultures. When I returned, I continued my education at Utah State University, originally as a mechanical engineering major, then changing to Spanish and Secondary education. I want to share my passion of the Spanish language and the cultures surrounding it with others.

While at USU, I met my lovely wife Christine. We will have been married for 5 years this August. We do not have kids yet, but have an awesome 4 year old Border Collie named Lily that keeps us on our toes. We love taking Lily out for walks and to play ball. 

As for my own hobbies, I enjoy reading, writing, and drawing. This past year I took my drawings and began selling them through my own small business. I also enjoy crochet and am selling some of the items I make as well. I like to play video games in my spare time, mainly shooters, adventure games, or racing simulators. I also enjoy movies and consider myself a bit of a popcorn connoisseur. I am a bit of an adrenaline junky and enjoy biking, hiking, longboarding, and skiing. In the last few years with coaching from my wife's family, I have started to autocross race with them and have developed a great passion for this sport. I look forward to continuing my experiences and spending time with them on the weekends this summer. 

My travel experience is mainly here in the United States, having been to 21 states in the continental US and Hawaii. I have also traveled to British Colombia on the west coast of Canada, which really was not that much different from the US.

So, I am VERY excited to come with all of you to our various stops in Europe and learn more about those countries, their languages, and their cultures.