# GB Privilege tour Italy June 2011



## PhilK

Hi all, we are looking to book the above tour for 2011. I have seen great reports on here so am not questioning GB at all. But, we are 48 and are a little worried that we may be young among the group. 
To be truthful we had a bad experience on a Rhine cruise with 300 Italian pensioners. 

Is anyone going? How old are people on the tours? 

Phil K


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## PhilK

*gb priivilege*

bump


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## BillCreer

It wasn't a family outing of the Berlusconi family was it?


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## barryd

Why dont you just go on your own? Looks an expensive way to see Italy to me. Easy enough to plan your own agenda, plenty of free or cheap Sostas to stay on where you are bound to meet loads of other like minded motorhomers.

I can sort of understand a guided tour of places like Africa or the far east but Italy?


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## Rapide561

*Italy*

I agree with Barry. Do you own thing. It is really easy and if we get stuck, we are all here.

I am away now in week two of a long trip and keep asking for help on here as needed.

I much prefer the freedom etc.

If you want suggestions about what to see in Italy etc, start a new thread giving your timescales etc.

We are heading for Italy next week from Spain and all details will be in our blog.

Russell


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## barryd

Yep, If I can bumble my way around Europe anyone can!  

I know if I break down Im covered by the AA and when I inevitably break something in the van (which I always do) help on here is just a click away!


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## PhilK

*Italy*

We have toured Europe under our own guidance for the last 19 years. This is a 25th wedding anniversary holiday and we have booked. In addition to everything being arranged, there are lots of meals/visits and cultural things included, things which we would not do on our own.

In principle, we agree with all of you and it would be my reply as well, but just this once....

Phil


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## metblue

*Italy*

Hello Phil, we have priced GB Privilege tours and found them to be very expensive so have never booked one.
We usually do our own thing,this year being no excemption,in six weeks we are off (for the first time) to Greece.
Checked on here to gain info re routes/stops ect (mag baz travels,plus some other helpful souls,much appreciated too !)
Anyway we leave Scotland on 23rd May to head towards Ashford for the Eurotunnel, we are stopping at friends en route. Our actual train time is 18;30 on May 27th. 
Then a slow drive through Europe to Ancona In Italy where will get the ferry (camping on deck in our own motorhome !! )to Patras in Greece. 
Once there we intend to tour around visiting the sights before heading to Prevaza to visit our niece for a week.
Our return journey is Igmounista - Ancona and the three weeks slowly heading north via Italy into France then via, Lyon Clermont Ferrand and onto Aubigny sur Nere where we are stopping for another two weeks so we can attend the three day "France- Ecosse
tartan event.
We are really looking forward to this as we gave it a miss last year as we had been away for the previous 6 years.
So do your own thing,make careful planning and enjoy your trip abroad.


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## Sonesta

Hi Phil,

I am 55 and so not quite pension age yet - but if we were considering booking a motorhome guided tour, I would not worry about the age of the other clients at all. I think generally, most motorhomers; regardless of their ages, are really young at heart and have a zest for life and adventure that puts many a younger person to shame! 

Go ahead and book this tour if that's what you fancy doing and my bet is that you will return back from this tour full of fabulous and exciting memories and the ages of your fellow travellers will have very little bearing on your overall experience. 

Sue


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## PhilK

*Italy*

Hi Sue,

Thanks for the sensible words. We booked this months ago, we just fancy doing something different. We normally move from aire to aire with a few days on a nice site thrown in for good measure, in fact I have a couple of photos in All the Aires 2 

From what I can gather, the tour is nearly full, which means upwards of 20 units. My question really therefore was intended to make contact with people we will be travelling with.

Maybe Sue that the average person on the tour doesnt partake in a little banter on here, who knows?

Cheers

Phil k


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## Sonesta

*Re: Italy*



PhilK said:


> Hi Sue,
> 
> Thanks for the sensible words. We booked this months ago, we just fancy doing something different. We normally move from aire to aire with a few days on a nice site thrown in for good measure, in fact I have a couple of photos in All the Aires 2
> 
> From what I can gather, the tour is nearly full, which means upwards of 20 units. My question really therefore was intended to make contact with people we will be travelling with.
> 
> Maybe Sue that the average person on the tour doesnt partake in a little banter on here, who knows?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Phil k


Hi Phil,

Approx 6 years ago now we toured Morocco for 6 weeks and although we did it independently, Ray who posts on this forum and runs Desert Detours; very kindly offered to help us with crossing the border etc as he was taking a Tour Group across at the same time as we were going.

We met up with Ray and the group he was taking across the evening before the ferry crossing and spent 2 nights with them all and they were a lovely, lively crowd with a great thirst for adventure and I would say the vast majority of that particular group were pension age or over.

To be honest although we wanted to do the Moroccan trip independently, especially as we were new to motorhoming at the time and keen to just get out there and just find our own way and do our own thing etc - when it came time to say goodbye to everyone, we felt a sense of sadness as they all waved us off. We both said that after our little bit of experience of being amongst a group all travelling together, we would definitely not have any qualms about signing up for such a tour in the future and although we haven't done so as yet, it is something we would like to do one day for sure. I guess will always be a least one in the group that irritates or annoys and I suppose that is inevitable when you get a group of strangers all thrown together - but by and large, our first impressions were that most people on that trip were fun lovers with a twinkle of adventure in their eyes!

I think you will soon make friends on the trip and if you are anything like me, you will probably naturally gravitate towards the jovial ones who are always up for a giggle and don't tend to take life and people too seriously! :lol:

Not long until June though now - so I bet you are both getting excited? We toured Italy ourselves 3 years ago and it was a fabulous country and we got as far as Sicily before tragedy stuck and our little 18 month old dog was tragically killed. Sadly, we were too traumatised to continue on with our journey, so we returned home early as we couldn't cope with our loss. However, we have since got 2 more little dogs and so we would love to return to Italy and finish what we started.

Have a great trip and I will look forward to reading all about it on the forum.

Sue


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## PhilK

*Italy*

Thanks Sue, I am prepairing my report in advance, I have Googled and learned about models of Zimmer, Earing Aids....etc

I am only kidding. Yes its closing in but we have a couple of breaks, Dublin and Somerset in between.

I am though still surprised that of god knows how many thousand on here, that no one has shouted OH YEAH I AM ON THAT. :?

cheers

Pihl


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## Sonesta

*Re: Italy*



PhilK said:


> I am though still surprised that of god knows how many thousand on here, that no one has shouted OH YEAH I AM ON THAT. :?
> 
> cheers
> 
> Pihl


Ooh heck .... perhaps they are out of touch with the modern world and find all this computer technology malarchy too complicated to understand?

Still never mind - you will have a taste for cocoa and horlicks by the time you return home! :wink: :wink: :wink:

Sue


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## PhilK

*Italy*

Eh Ekk Sue,

Your supposed to be filling me with enthusiasm here !!!!

Phil


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## Rapide561

Sue has raised a valid point re ages. I am late thirties and my travelling companion on this long trip is some years younger. We are surrounded by older people but we don't care - we were playing bowles earlier with some Dutch and German folk. At the end of the day, we have a common interest - the motorhome! 

Russell


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## hmh

*GB Privilege Tour Italy*

Can't resist commenting on this one . . .

I would think they might be people who are
- pretty well-heeled
- wanting culture, organised visits etc 
- beginners, and tentative about the mechanical side of 
motor-homing

We met a group when we were boarding a boat for Morocco, they weren't particularly elderly, in fact they were youngish retired, had not been doing this very long.

Perhaps this is why no-one on the forum has put their hand up?

Hope tha' finds that a bit more encouraging-like . . .

Helen

P.S. No doubt you will let us know in due course . . .!


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## PhilK

*GB privilege tour Italy June 2011*

Hi Helen,

Of course I will let you know. We are late 40's but have been motor homing for 12 years with 10 years caravanning before that. We are experienced and independent.

Your summation sounds pretty accurate. I have people I know who have retired and bought a motor home, because they have waited until they are older the lack confidence and and are scared of aires, this option offers them protection and safety in numbers, with a little culture thrown in for good measure.

From our point of view, I like older people who are like minded and they find my wife interesting because she understands their pensions.

Phil


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## ceejayt

We have been on three GB Privelige Tous -

Christmas at Valkenburg - only one other motorhome booked so we were left to our own devices with no guide but made friends with the other couple and had a good time - we were all in our early 50's

le Mans - also ended up being an unguided tour - we just got the tickets and were completely on our own bt enjoyed it.

Rhine in Flames at Rudesheim - about 10 other motorhomes - varying ages, all nice people, we had a good time but paid alot more than we would have done if we had just organised it ourselves - having said that, no stress and we were already in Germany and joined for the 5 days.

We have also done Desert Detours once and loved it and have booked it agin for this year for a different tour and loved it. Would highly recommend doing Morocco in a group as you are all like minded and have a great time even if you find you don't take to everyone. as for Europe and GBP - I think the only benefit is the ebing thrown together in a group and having a few beers and a laugh as a group - otherwise, do it yourself.


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## ICDSUN

Phil

I would just go and enjoy the experience, as you mentioned it is a special occasion for you both and sometimes it is just as nice to get a few things in place where you just have to turn up on time and enjoy.

The age thing has never been an issue for us, there are a lot of miserable sods in their 30's,40's,50's,60's etc, it does not take long to find them but it is real easy to ignore them, life is too short to make it a concern Enjoy

Chris


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