Interview with Bob and Penny Fink

1. Name
 
Penny and Bob Fink

2. Family Members (Who stayed home or who came with you?):
 
Our children are grown and the grandkids are still too young for a bike trip-- maybe in a few years.  However, we've been to Italy with all three, and Penny took the oldest to Paris when he was 8.  Travelling in Europe with children is great.  We recommend it.

3. Age (be as vague as you wish!)

Penny 67, Bob 66.

4.  Where are some of the places you've gone with ExperiencePlus! or with other groups?

We've gone from Venice to Pisa, Sardinia, Dordogne, Ireland, Piedmont, and Croatia with ExPlus.  We love the arrows: no other groups for us!
 
5. What motivates you to travel to far-off places?

Experiencing other cultures, history, architecture, foods, and wines.  Also, experiencing how things work in other places, seeing life from a different viewpoint, learning from other cultures, and bringing ideas back.  Maybe it is to question our own ways of doing things.  Simply enjoying difference.

6. Where is your favorite travel destination, and why?

We have an affinity for countries where people do business and socialize outside in the streets rather than behind closed doors.  The villages are so alive and the people so interesting.  We love countries with outdoor markets, especially Italy and France.  Slovenia was beautiful and vibrant - great street life in Ljubljana.

7. What is something you are always sure to bring along when you travel—maybe an essential item or a good-luck charm—and why?

Penny: I take my hand-woven silk blankie.  Bob likes fewer bed covers than I need and the blankie makes all the difference, and doubles as a shawl on cold nights.  It travels in my carry-on.  I tried a cashmere shawl but it wasn't warm enough at night.
Bob: a good book to read.

8. What's the most exciting adventure you've had while traveling?

Nothing dramatic but my favorite adventure was what I call "The Great Sardinian Rug Hunt" conducted by Rick during our rest day at Su Gologone.  A number of us piled into the van and Rick headed for a rug cooperative; but they mostly had sample rugs and not much for immediate sale, so he headed off into the villages, stopping to ask passersby where rugmakers lived.  Then we went to their homes and knocked on the door!  Great way to see inside peoples' houses, and some great rugs bought.

9. Do you have a particular piece of travel wisdom to impart to your fellow traveler? Any lessons learned that you would like to share?

Our formula for "denying" jet lag is to simply stay up until the local bed-time.  Going to Europe this means we're up for about 30 hours straight, possibly excepting short naps on the plane, but the excitement of arriving at an exotic places always works to keep us wide awake.  Next morning, we are dialed into local time.  Be stubborn and don't take naps unless it's a siesta culture.  It works every time for us.

10. What is the most unique or meaningful souvenir you've ever brought home from an ExperiencePlus! tour or from another trip?

We love our Sardinian rugs!  We always try to bring back a special, hand-made, craft item.  Support local artisans for the best souvenirs!

11. Describe the best meal (might have been setting, food, dinner guest(s)…) you have had while traveling?

On ExPlus trips, the food on the Piedmont trip was outrageously good, and quite varied.  In Croatia, we visited Pula before the bike trip, staying and eating at the Valsabbion.  We ordered the 12 course tasting menu for dinner and it was extraordinary - right up there at French Laundry standards - and the local wines were superb.

12. We know you enjoy sampling local wines when you travel. Where have you found some of the most interesting, delicious, or obscure wines?

Slovenia had great wine at very reasonable prices.  We went wine-tasting in the Goriska Brda region.
Croatia also had excellent wine but much pricier-- non-EU vs. EU (Slovenia)?, taxes? The countries adjoin!

13. Can you recommend a great mid-priced wine that's available in the US?

We love the Cote de Rhone wines, and many are very reasonable.

14. Tell us something about yourself that most people don't know.

Penny: I was a competitive diver in high school, winning the New Zealand Junior Championship once.
Bob: Loves Gustav Mahler's music.

15. What question do you wish we had asked, and how would you have answered?

Which was your favorite trip?: Dordogne - fabulous villages, markets, flowers, scenery.
Least favorite?: Penny's was Ireland - pretty but less varied countryside, no villages, few hills n' thrills to the bicycling.