New Zealand Travel Package Article

Carefree Tuscany

I thought of my journey as a chance to open a window that had been inadvertently painted shut. I attended a predominantly Black high school and university, and because I work at ESSENCE and live in Harlem, I've had few experiences outside my culture. So I was thrilled to discover that my group was culturally and racially diverse. They came from all over: Australia, New Zealand, England, Malaysia, Canada and the United States. The twenty- to thirty-something age range kept the spirit of the trip more like Friends than Everybody Loves Raymond. My window had cracked open.

For anyone who hasn't sampled overseas travel, trips like these provide an instant circle of friends as well as a sense of security. Tour managers are knowledgeable about local customs and neighborhoods, so you're less likely to wander into uncomfortable or unsafe situations.

Our tour package,included airfare, accommodations, meals (all breakfasts and most dinners), guided tours and maps. Amanda, our tour leader, read us stories about the region, pointed out landmarks and even reminded us to carry Euro coins for the public bathrooms (it's a courtesy to tip the attendants). She also encouraged us to "do as the Romans do"--that is, to interact with Italians in Italian. My phrases of choice: "Ciao" (which can mean hello and good-bye) and "Un cappuccino per favore." Capisce?

Most Contiki tours are more leisurely paced, but ours was compressed into 13 very active days. This had its disadvantages. We visited 20 towns, and the pace was often exhausting. If we weren't touring some medieval fortress, drinking delicious red wine or visiting a duomo (cathedral), we were on the bus headed to our next destination.

Still, there were many memorable moments. As I walked through the Basilica of St. Francis in the town of Assisi, it was clear that I was in one of the most revered places on Earth. In Rome, I ran my hands over the stones of ruins I'd read about in history class. We took an exhilarating bike ride through the Chianti region (between Florence and Siena), then stopped to sip the local vino. We visited Carrara, the coastal town where Michelangelo bought marble for his sculpture of David. And dinners were always wonderful, a time when the whole group, including Amanda and our bus driver, Luigi, relaxed and enjoyed one another's company. Throughout, we ate the delicious Tuscan fare--thin-crusted brick-oven pizzas in Viterbo, spit-roasted pork at an open-air farmers' market in Orvieto, cannellini beans with bread at a wine tasting in Chianti.

In the end, I was grateful for the jam-packed itinerary. I felt as if I had spent a month in Tuscany instead of two weeks. During that time, my world grew beyond its southern roots. On a walking tour of Bagnoregio, a little-known village accessible only by footbridge and occupied by a sprinkling of residents, I realized it would take a lifetime to see the treasures of the world. And I'm just beginning.

DON'T STRESS IT

Tips to keep your trip hassle-free, no matter where you're headed:

* If you're on your own, research your destination(s) so you have an idea of what you want to do or see. Otherwise, you'll feel overwhelmed by the choices.

* Remember that you can't see everything. Interesting places may take many visits to get to know.

* Make sure you have downtime during your trip. Cramming your day with activities will only increase stress and leave you exhausted. If you're going with a group, be sure the itinerary gives you free time to explore on your own or just relax.

* Pack lightly and leave space for souvenirs!

* Streamline your hair care and beauty routine so you don't have to tote tons of products.

* Remember that you can withdraw cash using your ATM card in most foreign cities nowadays, so the hassle of traveler's checks--and of carrying large sums of money--is unnecessary.

Cori M. Murray is arts and entertainment editor of ESSENCE.