DRIFT Travel Spring 2021

I
am a contrarian traveler. I
prefer to visit places off season
so that I can become one with
the locals, and not stand out like a
tourist. I choose to design my own
itineraries, so that I am certain that
I get the most authentic experience
in any city or country. As a rule,
I don’t like group tours, and I
especially loathe city sightseeing
tours planned for the masses, where
you are crammed onto odorous
buses and asked to follow a bobbing
flag. So, it still baffles me somewhat
that in the tail end of 2019, just
before the pandemic shut down
the world, I ended up taking three
tours in Paris, in a single week, and
absolutely had the time of my life.
Paris was in the midst of a national
transit strike during our visit, getting
around the City of Lights was nearly
impossible and we had eight days to
see it all. We stayed at the Novatel
Tour Eiffel Hotel, overlooking the
Seine River and walking distance
to the Eiffel Tower, Trocadero
Gardens, and several of the most
famous Parisienne bridges. Walking
so much, due to demand for taxis
during the transit strike, introduced
us to many unique little cafes,
patisseries, and boutiques that we
might have never discovered.
The Tour Guy came highly
recommended and we decided to
give it a try. It is a tourism company
that began in Italy when a man
who loves to travel fell in love with
an Italian woman and never left.
The Tour Guy is made up of many
expert guides in many countries.
We booked three experiences – Le
Marais Food tour, Louvre Under
the Night Stars tour, and Golden
Versailles Palace and Gardens tour.
Groups are very small (our largest
group was 8), and the guides are
incredible – friendly, funny, and so
knowledgeable.
TRAVEL OFTEN . LIVE WELL . 41