aboutus
We grew up in central Illinois and reside in Eureka, Illinois. Teri is a semi-retired freelance graphic artist and photographer. Kevin is a retired electrical engineer. Our hobbies include biking, gardening and woodworking. We love spending time with family, especially our children and grandsons.
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Neither of us grew up traveling much but we discovered a love for it as adults and tried to give our children a variety of travel experiences over the years. We watched Rick Steves on PBS and heard rave reviews about his tours from others so in 2014 we booked our first Rick Steves' tour and truly enjoyed it! Now that we've hit retirement age, we are traveling to Europe twice a year. We want to keep on travelin' as long as we are fit and able!
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traveltips
These are some travel tips learned from our past adventures:
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Don't wait for retirement, TRAVEL! You won't regret it.
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Follow Rick's advice of packing lightly using a carry-on bag and backpack. Plan to do laundry. We pack for 5-6 days and either wash items in the sink or pay for laundry.
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Arrive at least one day early and consider adding a day or more to the end of your trip.
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Get Global Entry. It's worth it and includes TSA Pre-Check.
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We managed with WiFi for most of our trips. However, we purchased data plans on our 2025 trips so we could utilize maps and WhatsApp when we are off on our own. I recommend Airalo for affordable eSIMs. We also bring a portable battery charger.
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Use a money belt or neck wallet. (One of our travel mates was pick-pocketed before the tour even began.)
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Take your Rick Steves book with you. It will be used on the trip!
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Hopefully you can bring an adventurous appetite. It's so fun to try new foods! If you aren't adventurous or are on a restricted or special diet, you won't go hungry. Your guide will do their best to accommodate your needs.
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Magnets, postcards, and ornaments make great souvenirs when packing lightly.
Most of the photos used in this scrapbook were taken on my Canon EOS 6D camera using my favorite lens, an EF 24-70 f2.8 L USM. Kevin and I also use our iPhones, and he brings along a small Sony video camera to capture fun sights and sounds.