Leaving home this morning I did something I’ve never done before: I actually tried to unlock our front door with my remote car-key button. It occurred to me that I’ve got too much on my mind. A new blog entry is just one extra thing. Here’s a hasty run-down of my schedule for the next two days: Today I have five hours of radio interviews — we’ll be generating raw interview recordings for our radio producer, Tim, who’ll make new shows with them. (Listen live to these raw recordings here.)
- 10:00: Ireland, with tour guides Stephen McPhilemy and Pat O’Connor (topic: What happened to the Celtic tiger?)
- 11:00: Spain, with tour guide Federico Barroso and Seville local guide Concepción Delgado
- 1:00: Art appreciation outside museums, with Gene Openshaw (topic: Is art better in situ than in a museum?)
- 2:00: What’s new in the Netherlands, and how to connect with Dutch culture, with tour guide Rolinka Bloeming
- 3:00: Panel on European Union, with guides from Hungary, Spain, Ireland, and Italy
- In the evening, I’ll host a party with our visiting European guides at Edmonds’ only spit-and-sawdust pub.
Tomorrow I’ll be busy hosting our annual tour-alumni reunion, where those who’ve traveled with us in the past can reconnect with each other and with the guides who’re in town. As a thousand travelers converge in our little town to celebrate their past and (we hope) future travels, I’ll give a series of promotional talks at our theater (to be filmed, and then shared on our website) and host get–togethers of alumni from our various tours. I just reviewed my schedule for tomorrow, to be sure I know where to go and when and have my “ducks in a row”:
- 9:00-10:00 give talk: Best of Europe tour
- 10:15-10:45 host reunion party: Italy tours
- 11:00-11:20 quiet
- 11:30-12:30 give talk: Italian Cities tour
- 12:45-1:15 host reunion parties: France and Spain–Portugal tours (to be filmed)
- 1:20-1:50 quiet, lunch
- 2:00-3:00 give talk: Italy tour
- 3:10-3:40 host reunion party: Best of Europe tours (to be filmed)
- 3:45-4:15 quiet, coffee break
- 4:30-5:30 give talk: Spain–Portugal tour
- 5:45-6:15 host reunion parties: Britain, Ireland, Greece, and Turkey tours
- 6:15-6:30 quiet, dinner in office
- 6:40-8:00 give talk: Irreverent history of ETBD tours
Then I go home and pack – the next morning I’m flying to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration. I just learned to tie my tie, I have a new suit, and I’m excited to pack into the National Mall with several million people to welcome our new president.
A very busy schedule, but what a great ending in our nation’s capital. When you say “to be filmed” do we find that on the website or is it for TV? Also hope you film the irreverent history of ETBD tours.
Hope we can meet and maybe have a photo op tomorrow in Edmonds. I didn’t do any major travels in 08, but I’ve done 5 of your tours in 06 & 07. I’ve also encouraged friends to come up and see some of the talks (4 are confimred). An opportunity to hear Francesca speak should not be missed. Phil in Seattle
Rick…… Sounds like nothing a stay at home mom couldn’t handle! :-)
Rick, I hope you do some filming of your trip to Washington DC. This would be great to see on your website since many of us will not be at this historic time in history. Thank you for all the wonderful information you pass on to us. I thoroughly enjoyed your TV program on Iran. What an eye opener. Also congratulations on your award coming up in two weeks. Will Andy and Jacquie be with you on both trips? Also, how is your dad doing? – and mother. Thanks to all of your group for the splendid jobs they do.
Rick, I had a great time today listening to several of your talks and meeting you at our reunion. I flew here from Colorado to hear you and it was well worth the expense of the trip. I am more excited about going on other tours with your team. Although these are frantic times for you as noted in your blog entry, I want you to know it meant a lot to me to hear your inspirational talks. Thank you very much for allowing me to introduce myself.
I really enjoy your occasional behinds-the-scenes blogs that help us appreciate how much hard work and dedication go into making our travels, whether using a guidebook or on a tour, so much easier and better. It would have been fun to be in Edmonds on Saturday to renew acquaintances with tour buddies, guides and ETBD staff, but I had an equally rewarding day attendng the Obama Express stop in Wilmington DE. With an “inimate” crowd of only about 10,000 people, I got to see the president-elect speak from just 100 feet away. Not quite as exciting as being in Washington DC on Tuesday, but an experience I’ll always remember.
My husband and I enjoy watching your travel show every Saturday morning. We were captivated with your Iranian travel story yesterday. Thank you for educating the American public about the greatness of the Iranian people and culture. People to people movements are certainly the way to maintain peace in the world today.
Rick, I’d be interested what you were not allowed to film in Iran. I noticed all the “nice” areas of the country. Are you allowed to say what you were restricted from filming? It was all positive – nothing negative so it doesn’t really tell the story but the program was very interesting and informative. Thank you. I also saw Karl on the Burt Wolf show as the camera man. Does this sometimes put a “crimp” in your filming schedule when you want to use Karl?
I am so energized by the trip to Iran. Very surprised, of course. This country is the kingpin, the focus of Middle East balance of power and peace. Knowledge is power. So to be uninformed leaves a vacuum. It is far better to learn what you can and leave open the door to communication. The knowledge you shared helps my prayful watch over Iran. Let there be peace.