Above: The Icarian Sea laps at the sweeping half-moon of Samos Town on the Greek Island of Samos.

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TOUR DAY 13: GüLE GüLE (BYE-BYE) TüRKIYE - WE'RE ON TO SAMOS!

Steps: 8,891

Let us Sleep. Ino Village Hotel, Samos Town, Samos  (3 nights)
Let us Savor.​​

• ​Welcome Bar Restaurant right on the water, this was so delicious we ate there twice!
• Ino Village Hotel Restaurant
• Sunset Restaurant Cafe, Karlovassi

Let us Go See.

• Samos: Full-Day Guided Island Bus Tour our suggestion is to book ahead. If you're staying in Samos Town, end your tour at Kokkari, enjoy dinner on the beach and taxi home after sunset.
• Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos, UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Theorema Olive Oil, Ydroussa - organic olive oil farm
• Vakakis Domaine Winetasting Experience, Megali Laka

​Our must-haves for a post-tour hurrah!

We make a distinction between "travel" and "vacation".

​Travel is the joy of learning and experiencing new cultures. It involves sightseeing, exploration, navigation, barrier-breaking and getting out of your comfort zone. Travel is fun, for sure, but travel (especially after a month) can be exhausting. We always try to end a time of travel with a few vacation days. Vacations are where you sit, sleep, go at a slower pace and relax! A few post-tour days also provide a great opportunity for reflection and absorbing all that we've seen and done in our travels. I need at least a day (two is better) to process, journal, and think about all we've experienced before being thrust back into the hubbub of normal life. 

Here are our criteria for a post-travel vacation...
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• Choose a hotel with a lovely view, and splurge for a room with one if you can afford it!
• Easily accessible and delicious food. Not that we don't mind a bit of walking, or taxiing, but for the most part we want to eat well without having to cover a lot of ground.
• Peaceful atmosphere for rest, reflection and relaxation
• Allow at least one full day with nothing to do. Let your heart and soul lead the way ...

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BACK2BACK POSTLUDE: SLOWING DOWN ON SAMOS

​Steps: 10,137

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BACK2BACK FINALE: AMAZING ANCIENT ATHENS!

Steps: 10,580

Let us Sleep. Home of our friends in Rafina (2 nights)
Let us Go See.​

• Acropolis, Athens, UNESCO World Heritage Site

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​A BACK2BACK POST-TOUR POST-SCRIPT!
​
Thank you for sharing in our travel adventures.

While this scrapbook is a passion project of sorts for me, I hope that in some small way, you find your own wanderlust stirred and your feet restless for your next wonderful escapade in this big, wide, beautiful world!

Travel is a privilege. Travel is oxygen. Travel is formative.

​Hope to cross paths with you in Europe soon! Let's go!!!

With joy for the journey,
Kristi

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