We finally managed to return to the US late last night after a 17 hour series of flights from France. (The tour company would not let me rebook those horrible flights since they have some contract with the airline.) Also, unlike our last trip, when we paid for premium economy seats we only got the upgraded seats on the overseas flights. Last time we also got the better seats on the other flights. Really have to rethink if we will ever use Globus tours again. A few of the hotels were really questionable 4 star hotels. At one place I wanted some ice for my drink in my room and they told me to go another hotel 2 blocks away to get some. Really??

After having my passport stolen 2 minutes after going thru immigration at Charles De Galle in Paris I had to leave the tour on Friday to go to the Embassy in Paris to get my emergency passport. That means that I missed most of the sights in Lyon and all of Dijon. So my mistake of putting my passport in my back pocket so I could put my other paper work in my carry-on cost me a $100 train trip, a $30 cab ride, a $30 Covid test (required to get on the train) and a $175 hotel room. Oh yeah, the passport cost $145. DUMB MOVE! The only good news is that I did not have any problems getting it and I managed to get an extra day in Paris at the Louvre. And the horror stories just never ended on this trip. Not only was it my passport and neither of us getting our luggage for 6 days but one guy fell in a restaurants wine cellar and cut his fingers really badly and had to go to the hospital. He refused to have surgery done and I guess after a few days his fingers were not looking very good. Then one hotel did not put our tour directors suitcase on the bus as instructed so she did not have her luggage for 5 days. We will not even mention my stomachs reaction to two different greasy dinners (the food tasted great) that I had. And how many casino chips did I pick up on this trip? How about ZERO! I was refused entry to six casinos either because I did not have the European Covid QR code (despite having my CDC vaccination card) or my lack of passport. UGH!

Despite everything we actually had a decent trip and saw the sights that we wanted to see. If anyone is planning on a trip overseas I would suggest putting it off just because of the hassle factor due to Covid. At least in France you can not go into any building without having your mask on. You have no idea how tired I am of wearing a mask 24/7. At airports, on planes, on the tour bus, in any buildings (including the sites we visited) you need the mask. In France you can not enter a restaurant without showing your vaccination card. (They should have this in America just to promote the vaccination.) I sure hope that this thing dies out before our next trip in May.