ice-breaking games?

[Disney Planner Mama]

We are thinking about doing ABD next summer and so I've been reading over the posts here.

DH is only semi-convinced about doing Europe as part of a tour group. He would prefer to do it on our own. I am pushing it because, as the trip planner, I know that it would make my life easier.

My question (the first of many, I'm sure)is about the ice-breaking games that someone mentioned in a trip report: how hokey are they? DH gets rather self-concious about things like this, and I would hate to spend the first evening after the cocktail party/get together hearing him complain about how we should have done the trip on our own....(I'm exagerating but know he would feel uncomfortable)

Thanks,

 

[3pirates]

I can't answer about the games, we haven't done an ABD. I will say that the group you are with is going to be small, so even if it is hokey, how embarrassing can it be?

I do want to share for you (and others) the reasons I am convinced that in my situation a guided tour is the way to go. I don't travel overseas often. In fact, I've been to Europe only once before, and it was 20 years ago. Things would be different if we frequented different parts of the world.

At that time, and it could have changed, things were SO different there. We were with friends who were temporarily assigned there and could show us the ropes, but here are some of the things we encountered:

In several countries, banks/businesses shut down for a couple of hours around lunchtime. If you wanted cash during that time, you were out of luck.

A lot more places didn't take credit cards. Or travelers checks.

You had to be careful about accommodations. Rooms tend to be smaller, and even in a pretty nice place you had to share bathrooms.

Pay toilets were everywhere...better have the right money!

Some places barter...some are offended at the idea.

In Germany, if you drive on the autobahn (which is what they call their interstate type roads) you had better stay in the right lane unless you are passing (and you'd better do it fast) or willing to drive 100 MPH. They had no speed limits and the left lane was reserved for cars doing crazy speeds.

Anyhow, all of that to say things can be different in these places in ways which I never imagined. Given that and the fact that my family will have a week to see and do as much as we can, I don't want to spend time waiting in lines or trying to figure things out because there was something we didn't anticipate. Not to mention the very real fact that we Americans do seem to stick out in a European Country and need to be a little careful about those that will take advantage of our lack of knowledge.

For me, I will leave overseas travel to the experts, be it Disney or someone else!

 

[awatt]

It's very benign. The first night, one person from each familt inroduces the family and where they are from, and states something unusual about your family. Then, they gave us a sheet with fill in the blanks, and you had to fill in things like "Who speaks Italian?" and walk around the room talikng to the others in our group to fill in the answers. That's all that was involved on our trip.

 

[Disney Planner Mama]

3-pirates: I agree completely -- this is why I am pushing for the guided tour. I especially don't want to have to deal with things like this with two children along!

awatt: thanks for the info -- this does indeed sound very benign (I was having visions of strange party games and such...). I think even DH could survive this

Thanks for the responses.