KIDS ARE IN THE AIR

City: Athens GR (ATH)

Gate: A05

Check-in Terminal: Main Terminal
Scheduled Time: 12:00 p.m.
Scheduled Date: Tue., Jun. 22, 2010
Actual Time: 12:57 p.m.
Actual Date: Tue., Jun. 22, 2010
City: New York/Newark, NJ (EWR - Liberty)
Gate: B56

Terminal: Terminal B
Scheduled Time: 4:00 p.m.
Scheduled Date: Tue., Jun. 22, 2010
Estimated Time: 4:25 p.m.
Estimated Date: Tue., Jun. 22, 2010

couple of late postings- sorry

Saturday 6-19-2010


Text message

The tour group is in Turkey. Ephesus was cool.

Shopping available included jewelry, ceramics, and postcards.

Mykonos had jewelry worth buying too.
 
Monday 6-21-2010


7:30 AM KC time/3:30 PM Athens time



Got a call from Becca. Returned from the cruise, the Tour is in Athens and has an hour and a half for shopping (t-shirts, etc).

HOMEWARD BOUND

is anyone keeping track of the flights?  if so please keep us posted. 

one parent smarter than me...and wow talkative daughter...thanks Deb!

Wednesday 6-16-2010 Update
Late Night in Delphi:
All went to an EF Tours exclusive (more than just their tour, any EF tour that was in Delphi) Dance Party at a basement level club . The 10 Euros paid for admission and a beverage (soda). Loud music, was hot, lots of dancing fun, ending at 12:30. (note the extra sleeping opportunities below)
 
 
 
Thursday 6-17-2010
Delphi
Everyone is healthy (some a little sunburned).
 
Breakfast at the Delphi Hotel:
Bread with choices of jellies or honey, ham, feta and other cheeses, orange juice & coffee
 
In the morning they saw the Ruins in Delphi. Lots to see. Only the ruins that they had 80% of the parts were reconstructed, the rest were foundations. Saw the Temple to Apollo (the Oracle location), where only columns remain. Visited the museum where they housed the recovered statutes protected for safe keeping.
 
(Rebecca has taken a total of over 1,400 photos, many architectural for college, with her Arch. Engineering major.)
 
Delphi to Athens
3 hour bus ride (lots slept) to Athens. Had the official rest stop (driving a max of 2 hours/without a stop) and one other short stop for photos from a cliff (several slept through that minor stop).
 
Lunch was all together, and they ordering off the menu. They bought a variety of items and shared to taste test. Rebecca picked an eggplant mouska. In the near by village got an opportunity to shop (t-shirts).
 
Athens
Athens seems "crowded, crazy and dirty" compared with their other locations.
Rebecca, Libby, and Courtney are rooming together.  The Hotel has GREAT A/C, though the toilet seat in their room is not attached. One room key for all 3 girls.
 
There was 2 hours of free time in between arriving and dinner. Some went to the beach, some hung out, others (like Rebecca) took a nap. There was no shopping near by.
 
Dinner was at the hotel: salad, chicken, and rice. "All are adjusting to salads without Ranch dressing." The oil and vinegar are served in the separate containers.
After dinner they walked around and went to a cake & ice cream shop. (Pistachio for Rebecca)
 
 
Friday 6-18-2010 (tomorrow)
6:15 wake up. Bus to Port, cruise to Mikonos
They are headed on the cruise earlier than expected, and will see Athens after the cruise instead of before. Right now there is a heat wave in Athens, that should be better by the time they return.
 
They chose 3 excursions for the cruise. 2 will be on the same day (don't know the itinerary) leaving the other day to simply visit Crete without a guided tour.
1. visit the Ancient city of Ephesus (turned out to not be included in the package, cost was 60 Euros)
2. white buildings/blue roofs trip
3. a non EF tour , though set up by their EF tour guide Rachel, to include the 50 people in their group along with another EF Tour of 25 people. They will go for a boat ride and be able to dive off that boat into the water at a site.
 
Greek Night with the blue/white clothing will be saved for the last night after they get back from the cruise.
 
 
Misc. Shopping info:
Libby bought paintings the size of a piece of paper in both Florence and at the Vatican.
Michael bought a Greek pottery vase.
Rebecca bought a glass "Evil Eye" pendant. (Glass on a string) originally thought to ward off evil.
Back in Italy they all visited a wood working business where they did inlaying work and made furniture. Rebecca bought a wooden travel sized chess set.
 
Tip of the day:
Extra long phone call possible by calling the hotel directly and then forwarded to their #205 room phone. Call was FREE by using an I-touch with our home wireless internet. We had Rebecca text us when it was at the end-of-the-day open time period, and she gave us the room number.
 
 
 
 

On to Greece

From Karen (Lauren's mom)
We've heard from Lauren a few times and she said they are all having a great time. They are leaving tomorrow for their cruise and she said they are docking everyday and should have cell coverage when they dock. She also mentioned that the Italian and Greek boys do a lot of staring at the girls. She said it's kind of creepy but they always feel safe. She said the island of Capri was absolutely beautiful! While she enjoys the sites seen on the structured tours, she is really enjoying when they have time on their own just to shop, eat or go to the beach. It sounds like they are having the time of their lives!! She is looking forward to some "good 'ol American food" when she gets home!

I received a text from Chelsi this morning and while they were on the ferry they did not have service.  She told me they are in Greece and planning on going to the beach today.  She seemed excited to have a lazy day.

We've heard from Trevor several times- he is having the time of his life! Loved Pompeii, but thought the bodies were kind of creepy since they used to be real people. Has had fun seeing all the sites and learning about them from their guide. Loved Rome and the Colisseum at night. Trevor had phone trouble early out, but we were told to have him remove the battery, put it back in, and then try. It worked after that, so might have Andrew try that! Trevor sounded tired, but he is having a great time!

To eat or not to eat

Wed. 6-16-2010
 
Travelers are in Delphi
 
Breakfast on the Ferry boat.
Reported from Rebecca who didn't eat: some skipped breakfast, some didn't care for it, was something like hardboiled eggs and bread.
 
Then they proceeded to take a 6 hour bus trip to Delphi. Fortunately the law said they must stop for a break every two hours. Most of the kids then happily ate gyros at one of the stops.
When they arrived at the pebbly coastal Lunch site, still full from their gyros, many opted to eat fruit for Lunch. Another couple of hours on the bus and they arrived in Delphi.
 
From previous Italy shopping, it sounds like at least 3 of the boys have purchase fedoras Dinner in Delphi was at the hotel: Chicken and potatoes were good. The salad was a little weird, and several passed on it.
 
Rebecca is age 18 (the drinking age in Greece too) and sampled a lemon liquor. Liking it, she bought a tiny sample bottle to bring home, along with some Greek honey for a cookie recipe.
 
 

I received a text from Chelsi this morning and while they were on the ferry they did not have service.  She told me they are in Greece and planning on going to the beach today.  She seemed excited to have a lazy day.

Brindisi Italy

Finally word from James:

James called this morning around 9:30AM our time and said they were on a 3 hour bus to Brindisi.
He said Pompeii was amazing and one of his favorite sites so far as it wasn't as tour-led and so you were free to roam a bit. That's one of the same reason's he liked Florence, was the "free-time".
In Florence he went down a side street and bought a fedora hat for a $1 and thought that was fun find, as there were expensive Gucci bags & such everywhere else.
He also loved going to Capri(!), "it was awesome", and their hotel in Sorrento was much better.
He says the food is pretty much pizza and spaghetti everywhere. Also said the kids in the other group are nice and a lot of fun.
It was great to hear his voice. He's having a great time! Sarah

Tuesday

Day 6 - Pompeii • Brindisi • Night ferry

Travel to Pompeii
Take a guided tour of Pompeii
Visit the Roman ruins
Continue on to Brindisi
Board an overnight ferry to Patras

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/europe/pompeii.html

SORRENTO ITALY

yeah more followers!!!!

Anyone else out there?

Has anyone else heard from your child yet. I would love to hear any stories. Any thing funny or anything. Please become a follower, just click on the white follow button. Please join in on the fun.

From Becca

Sunday 6-13-2010 Update from Rebecca, via Deb
 
The trip to Florence included all our group, none of the Montana group (which also includes middle school aged kids), and only some of the Mississippi group.
 
Florence was fun, they did get the opportunity to shop both at stores like H & M*
and at the open air Market of sellers which has the original bronze statue of the Boar, which matches the one on KC's Country Club Plaza and at KCI.
Yes, they could rub his nose and make a wish too.
 
As scheduled, they did get to see the replica statue of David, standing on the site of the original statue.
 
They visited a Leather manufacturer. Some bought purses, others chose bookmarks.
 
Pizza Lunch was all together at a prearranged restaurant.
 
Dinner was back at the hotel in Rome.
 
 
*H & M is a Swedish women's/men's clothing department store also located in larger American cities, i.e. NY, San Fran, Chicago. Just not yet in KC.)
 
 
 

Text at 1:30 am Italy time

I had to laugh-  got a text from Libby at 5:38 pm our time.  Said some fuse kept going off, a loud crash kept waking her up and it was too hot.  Stated the hotel was bad!  She said Florence was AWESOME, better than Rome even. 

From Becca

Saturday 6-12-2010 Update from Deb, Rebecca Martin's Mom
 
Lunch was at the Vatican City Museum. She bought some post cards (but no time to fill them out yet).
Rebecca took over 600 photos. (Digital cameras are so convenient.)
Dinner was pasta.
Enjoyed the Rome at Night Tour, though some fell asleep from the busy day. The Coliseum was beautiful at night with the lights shining on it.
All are very tired and getting their rest tonight.
Wishing to do some shopping in Florence tomorrow, where they hear there should be an opportunity. 

The Italy age for drinking alcohol is now 18, instead of 16 years old.