You’ll not get beyond the check-in counter at the airport without a valid passport… if your destination is outside the United States of America. Americans are even required to show their passport when traveling to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. Applying for a US Passport is the most important item to consider once a decision to travel has been made. The US also issues a “passport card,” which is about the size of a credit card. This card can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border crossing and sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It cannot be used for international air travel, so we’ll not discuss this option any further here.
If you have a passport, it must be valid for six (6) months after your travel is complete, that is, the day of your return to the USA. Rules differ by country, but for European countries, this is the case. Additionally, your air carrier will not allow boarding for an international flight unless your passport is valid for six (6) months beyond your travel dates.
I have witnessed several passport-related events that have caused stress and even canceled trips. I recall a young lady signing up and paying to travel to Europe with her French teacher and friends. She (and her mother) waited a long time to apply for her passport and then worried daily when checking the mail, hoping it would arrive shortly. Unfortunately, her passport did not arrive before her travel date, and she had to stay behind and watch her friends go to Europe without her. On another occasion, a friend realized his passport would expire during his scheduled trip to Europe. To make matters even worse, he realized this only a couple of days before his trip was to begin. Thankfully, he called the National Passport Information Center, made an appointment, and drove 500 miles to renew his passport in person.
Applying for a new US Passport
Applying for and obtaining a US Passport, or even renewing an old one, can take some time. The average standard delivery time is 4 to 6 weeks. For an adult (18 years or older), the application and service fee is $165 for a passport with a validity period of 10 years. Children under 16 are only eligible for a passport with a validity period of 5 years, and the application fee is only $130. Forms and Information are available at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html
When applying for a new passport, it must be done in person at an Acceptable Facility or US Passport Agency. Applicants must complete Form DS-11 and bring it with an approved original document showing evidence of US citizenship, a photo identification document, and two recent passport-sized photos. Full details and online printable forms can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html.
There are many agencies where you can apply for a passport. Some include:
Federal, state, and probate courts,
Clerk of the Court Offices,
Post offices, and
Some public libraries.
For a complete list, search here.
When applying for or renewing a passport, why not asked for extra pages? You can request 52 pages instead of the usual 28, and it won’t cost a dime. This can only happen when requesting a new passport. See the details here.
Renewing a US Passport
If you have a current passport no older than 15 years, you can renew it by mail without having to visit an agency in person. You will need to complete Form DS-82, pay the application fee ($130), include two recent passport photos, and send it by mail to the passport agency. There are restrictions to this process, so it is a good idea to read all the applicable information at: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/renew.html
Faster Service on the Application
For an extra $60, passport renewal or a new application can be expedited. See the websites mentioned above for rates and details.
You have your passport, so now what?
Once you have received your passport, there are a few things you should consider.
Make copies of the first couple of pages of your passport. Give one copy to someone at home and bring another copy with you on tour stuffed in an inner pocket of your suitcase.
It is also a good idea to keep two extra original passport-sized photos on hand with you when traveling.
When traveling, keep your passport with you at all times. The safest and best way to do this is to keep it in your moneybelt. I put mine in a small plastic sandwich bag to keep it dry. Keeping your passport safe is very important. If it is lost while out of the country, you’ll be stuck for several days trying to get a replacement. Replacing lost passports requires a trip to the U.S. Embassy, which will take precious time away from your tour experience.
Many countries, especially outside of Western Europe, require a VISA. A VISA is an official document attached to one of your passport pages. It takes some time to apply for and receive a VISA, and it requires that you send in your passport to have the VISA officially attached to your passport. This means that your passport will not be in your possession for some time. Be sure to do your homework, check the US Department of State to find out if you need a VISA, and leave yourself plenty of time to complete the VISA process before your departure date.
Be frugal with your blank passport pages. Often an immigration office will open a passport to the first blank page he encounters and stamp it. This is ok if you seldom travel and have plenty of blank pages. But for frequent travelers, this wastes a lot of useful passport “real estate.” Consider placing sticky notes on blank pages to help direct the agent away from the useful blank pages.
If you are a frequent traveler, consider applying for Global Entry. This is a program for US citizens to expedite their re-entry back home at a US airport. There are fees and an extensive application process, but if you travel a lot, it is worth the effort.
Enroll in the S.T.E.P. program, an acronym for Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. This is a free service for US citizens traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest US Embassy or Consulate. Their motto is “stay informed, stay connected, stay safe!” Enrollment is a simple process. Each time you leave the USA on a trip, visit the S.T.E.P. website and register your trip, destination, and duration. Should a problem arise, you’ll be contacted by the Embassy in your destination country. Additionally, the Embassy will contact you or family members in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
Traveling Americans and Passports
There are about 340 million people in the USA, and according to the US Department of State, there are 149,359,051 American citizens who possess valid passports. That’s only about 48% which means there are a whopping 52% of us that have never left the USA! Just imagine the cultural shift if those numbers bumped up to 75% or more. We might have a better understanding of other people groups and a more tolerant outlook on the varied cultures in the world today.
If your Spouse or Travel Partner has a Passport… you should too!
Recently, we were touring with a group around London, and one of our passengers became so sick he had to be admitted to the hospital. This gentleman had a US Passport (obviously) and travel insurance. The hospital wanted to keep him for several days. We contacted his wife at home in the USA and suggested she take advantage of the travel insurance feature and fly to London to be with her husband. To our shock, she informed us she could not fly over because she did not have a passport. Luckily, the gentleman was in good care at the hospital and flew home in a few days.
Summary
A passport is essential to travel outside the USA, and it takes a bit of work to jump through all the hoops to get one. Apply for or renew a passport as soon as you think you might travel internationally. Passports must remain valid for at least six months beyond your travel period. For a fee, expedited service can get your passport issued in as little as 2-3 days. It is a good idea for all US citizens to hold a valid passport just in case an emergency arises. Unfortunately, only about 37% of us do. Once you have a passport, keep it in a safe place, make several copies, never carry it in your back pocket, and consider getting extra pages with your application.
On October 21st, 2020, we will participate in the first-ever Virtual Travel & Adventure Show! This virtual event focuses specifically on European travel, featuring the top destinations, tour operators, and travel suppliers from around the world that specialize in travel to Europe. All of this is “virtual,” and it has been an adventure building out my booth in the last few weeks. I hope you drop by for a chat or a zoom meet-up.
I’ll be speaking on the DESTINATION STAGE about my favorite destinations, travel tips, and tours for 2021 and 2022. This is pre-recorded and available to view during show hours (5:00 pm-10:00 pm).
I am also featured on the new OTT channel, TRAVELSHOWS.TV! Additionally, that other travel guy, Rick Steves, will be speaking as well.
Of course, it would be great if you’d sign up for one or two of my 2021 and 2022 tours to Europe. It only cost $25 to hold your seat, and it is totally refundable should you decide not to travel.
As a bonus, I am offering a $100 discount on any tour booked during the Virtual Travel and Adventure Show and a $200 discount on any of my new Eastern Europe and Balkans tours. This is in addition to any other “alumni” discounts to which you are entitled. And by the way, this is the only time my complete tour line-up will be discounted in the foreseeable future. So signup for a tour. You have nothing to lose!
Finally, at 7:00 pm, I’ll be at my booth for a live zoom meeting discussing my new Eastern Europe and Balkans tours as well as chatting you up and answering questions. Get your favorite apertivo, and join me!
Since I consider you one of our VIP travel partners, I’d like to pass along this exclusive code that allows you free tickets to visit our virtual booth and experience the entire show. Follow this link and enter promo code: VTAS100DMEE on the ticket selection screen to unlock the free ticket option.
I’m looking forward to seeing you next Wednesday, October 21st, at the Virtual Travel & Adventure Show focusing on Europe!
Are you itching to travel in 2021? I am too! We’ve rolled out all twenty of our tours visiting 13 countries in Europe, hoping this pandemic will be in the rearview mirror by Spring 2021. I’ve participated in more than my fair share of tourism-focused zoom calls and webinars in the past months. Early on, the news was dismal. No tourists anywhere! But, after almost eight months of a travel lockdown, surveys indicate Americans are ready to get out there and get back to traveling. But, they want to do it safely and sensibly!
Like many, I want to get out there and go, but I want to be safe at it. That probably means holding off until a vaccine is developed and widely available. However, we’ve prepared all or departures, booked hotels, and have transportation standing by, in hopes that we all can get back to traveling early next year. With that hope, why not take a look at the tours we are offering for 2021 and provisionally sign-up for one? It will cost you a mere $25 to sign-up, and that is fully refundable up until 30-days before your tour departure. I’ve put all my tour resources online, in one place. You find all of this and more at https://davidmcguffin.com/tours/.
Check out my tours and departure dates,
browse digital scrapbooks from our alumni,
find out about the McGuffin travel style, and why it’s different (and better) than most others,
experience what it is like being on tour by following the day-to-day activities of a David McGuffin group in Ireland,
Browse or print my entire tour catalog.
Finally, I’ve got several projects cooking on the front burner and about ready to premiere. Stay tuned to my website, this newsletter, and my social media pages for more information in the coming week. Until then, I wish you all the best. Stay safe, be sure to social distance, wash your hands often, and wear a mask.
Since we cannot travel to Europe right now, I am bringing a bit of Europe to you. I yearn for the day when I can hop on a plane and fly to Europe, but, for now, I’ll have to settle for my memories. So, as much for me, as for you, I’ll share David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe.
This week, David’s Weekly Wanders in Europe features a video, David McGuffin Explores Volterra! It is the third of several episodes chronicling the experiences and adventures on David’s Best of Italy Tour route. Along with his producer, Abby, and their travel companions, David visits this charming Tuscan hilltown to learn about its history, sample wine, and dine in style.
Video is at the bottom of this page, but first, a little about Volterra.
Volterra is my favorite Tuscan hill town and the perfect place for a visit. Not too big, not too crowded, and certainly not loaded with tacky tourist shops; it is authentic in every way. It is a beautiful town surrounded by ancient fortifications, guarded by an impressive fortress, and perched high on a hill overlooking the fertile fields of western Tuscany. Visiting here tends to make you forget about touring and focus on settling into the laid-back lifestyle of the local folks.
It’s hard not to “go local” with a visit to the market or a stop at the neighborhood bar to knock down an espresso. Engage in conversation with the shopkeepers and get lost wandering the narrow, cobbled streets. On the town square, enjoy a crisp glass of wine at a café and then hang out for the late afternoon passeggiata where everyone gets out to visit. Finally, enjoy a tasty dining experience featuring some of the best restaurants in Tuscany. Embrace Volterra and experience la dolce vita!
Here it is mid-August, and I’ve not left the USA in eight months! For many, that is not uncommon, but Europe is my office, my job, and my livelihood. This Pandemic has affected everyone in the world in one way or another, but the hospitality, travel, and tourism industry has taken quite a blow. What was to be a record-breaking year for Exploring Europe came to a screeching halt on March 10, 2020. That’s when I contacted COVID-19, and shortly afterward, all travel shut down in and out of the USA.
Since mid-March, we have postponed, pushed back, rescheduled, or canceled almost every Exploring Europe tour scheduled for 2020. That’s terrible news for us and those who were looking forward to exploring Europe with us. The good news is that we are still in business and ready to show our friends around Europe when travel becomes possible again. I’ve given up trying to guess when that might be, but whether it is in one month or many, we will be ready!
Looking to the future
However, just because it is possible to travel to Europe without going into quarantine upon arrival, does not necessarily mean we will rush into it. A David McGuffin tour is a unique, interactive, and personal travel experience. One of the aspects that sets our tours apart is the opportunity to meet, interact, and become friends with locals living and working in our destinations. Our trips will not be the same if we have to adhere to rigid social distancing rules, wear masks 24/7, and worry about being infected by the Coronavirus.
On our tours, we love to spend time with our traveling guests experiencing the sights, museums, and attractions in a sensible fashion, and having some downtime to relax and enjoy the locale. Attempting these things from behind a mask or at six-feet intervals would invariably take some spontaneity and adventure away from the total travel experience. I’ve spent the last twenty years honing our travel and tour style to come up with the perfect combination of cultural immersion, history and art lessons, engaging experiences, and unstructured free time. I’ll not schedule any tour until these experiences are again possible, reasonable, and safe.
Check out our tours to Europe.
However, we are actively planning for that day when it is possible to hop on a plane, fly to Europe, and travel freely.
You can sign-up for any of our tours online, by mail, or by email, by completing an application and paying a fully refundable $25 deposit. No other investment is required until the final payment due date, which is about 45 days before departure.
Want to travel on your home turf?
Many of you have contacted me during this Pandemic, suggesting I begin offering tours in the USA. I appreciate your ideas and concern, but I’m getting too old to learn a new continent! However, if you have a hankering to travel on your home turf, I want to introduce you to MOLLY’S OLD SOUTH TOURS. Molly Verlin is a wonderful young lady who leads tours for me in Italy. Since there is no work in Italy this year, she’s taken her love for the South, and designed some wonderful travel experiences. On Molly’s tours, you’ll discover the hidden history, culture, hospitality, and down-home cooking of the American Southeast. Molly will guide you through the ancient Spanish city of St. Augustine, the pristine beaches of Georgia’s Golden Isles, the elegant squares and parks of Savannah’s historic district, and the unique history, and charm of Colonial Charleston. I hope you’ll have a look at her website and consider a tour closer to home!
October 4 – A walk around Trastevere – Earlier today, I took the Frecciarossa, the fast train, down from Milano to Rome. From Termini Station, I took a taxi to my B&B in the neighborhood of Trastevere. Le Clarisse e Trastevereis located just off the main drag (Viale Trastevere) in an old convent surrounded by a quiet courtyard filled with olive and lemon trees. Although the building is ancient, the rooms and public spaces are updated for the 21st Century traveler.
That evening, I struck out for a walk around Trastevere, the historic old neighborhood. The cobbled streets are narrow, and many are for pedestrians only, which makes wandering around easy and stress-free. Tonight, there was a festival celebration. October 4 is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It marks the day in 1226, when the saint from Assisi, Umbria, died. Just by chance, I came upon the procession and joined in for a few blocks toward the church.
Later, I drifted towards the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, a vast outdoor square, with a fountain, bell tower, and church. The Basilica is old! The floor plan and walls date from the mid-4th Century, and practically everything else was renovated in the mid-12th Century, making it one of the oldest churches in Rome. Medieval mosaics dominated both the interior and exterior, with scenes from Christ’s and Mary’s life. But tonight, there was a festival happening in another part of the neighborhood. October 4 is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. It marks the day in 1226, when the saint from Assis, Umbria, died. Just by chance, I came upon the procession and joined in for a few blocks toward the church.
I don’t even remember the name of the pizza place I chose. I was working on instinct, and notice this place was packed with mostly Romans, not tourists. Families and groups of young people filled all the tables, and they all seemed to be enjoying their pizza and having a good time. I joined the queue at the door, and after about ten minutes, I got a table. A fast-talking/fast-moving waiter came by and dropped a menu on my table. I quickly ordered my drink before he ran away to help someone else. Sitting back and looking around, I noticed the patrons were enjoying watching the swift and gruff waiters hustling from one table to the other. A lot of action, but not too much service. A young guy at the next table leaned over saying, “We come here to drink and watch the waiters run around, if we get pizza, it is a bonus!”
Checking back in my journal, I found this entry, It is fun to note that even the local Romans are “entertained” by the fast-moving waiters and their super-slow service. If I were here with a group, this would be bad. But, for me tonight, it is entertainment.
Ultimately, I did get a pizza, and it was good. The pizza, mixed with the wine, ambiance, locale, and festive atmosphere, made for an enjoyable evening! You never know what you are going to come across when you wander.
Even though I did not get the name of the restaurant, I did make a sketch. Maybe next time I am in Rome, I’ll try to find this place again!
Scoula Italiano Pizzaoli – Molto Importante
It is important to note that the pizza makers here must have an education at the school for Italian pizza makers.
You’ll not get beyond the check-in counter at the airport without a valid passport… if your destination is outside the United States of America. Americans are even required to show their passport when traveling to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. Applying for a US Passport is the most important item to consider once a decision to travel has been made. The US also issues a “passport card,” which is about the size of a credit card. This card can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border crossing and sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It cannot be used for international air travel, so we’ll not discuss this option any further here.
