Transcript Slide 1

The Sights and Stories of
St. Paul in Greece
April 21 – May 4, 2014
Hosted by:
Pastor Cheryl Mathison
St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church
Valid U.S. Passport
 Do not pack in your
luggage
 Sign your passport
 Photocopy the inside
cover pages, keep
separate from your
passport
Vaccinations
 None required but it’s wise to have a
tetanus shot up to date
 See the CDC website for more
information http://www.cdc.gov/
 Check with your physician
Final Documents
Your documents will include:
 PocketDocs™
 U.S. Customs information
 Leave-at-Home
Accommodations/ Contact List
 Luggage tags
 Luggage handle gripper
 Name tag
 E-Ticket itinerary and receipt
Group Flights
Apr 21 Delta 171
Apr 22 AF 1532
MSP / Paris
Paris / Athens
May 3 Aegean 111 Thessaloniki / Athens
May 3 KLM 1576
Athens / Amsterdam
5:10pm – 8:35am
9:50am – 2:05pm
11:30am - 12:25pm
5:15pm - 7:45pm
(Overnight in Amsterdam)
May 4 Delta 259
Amsterdam / MSP
10:25am - 12:33pm
Frequent flier miles on Delta Airlines
now limited to up to 50% accrual
Baggage Allowance
 1 Checked Bag
 44 lb maximum (Aegean
Airlines requirement)
 62 linear inches maximum
Tip: Place the tour
itinerary in the outside
pocket of your suitcase in
case it’s misdirected
 Aegean Airlines will only allow
1 piece of hand luggage and it
must weigh under 17 pounds and
cannot exceed measurements of
21” long x 15.74” high x 7.87”
wide.
Departure Day
 Arrive at the airport by 2:30pm on Monday, April 21.
 Janet Tollund and Pastor Cheryl Mathison will meet you
at the Delta Airlines group check-in counter on Level T,
one level below the baggage claim
 Have your passport ready to present
 Be prepared to show TSA officials your quart-size bag
of liquids if you have one
 Check luggage all the way through to Athens
MSP, Level T1
TSA Security Requirement for
Carry-on Luggage
All liquids and gels in your carry-on bag must be put in a quart
size zip-top bag. Note: Each item may not exceed 3 oz.
Arrival in Athens
 Before leaving the plane gather belongings
 Proceed to Immigration – present passport
 Pick up your baggage at Baggage Claim
 Go through Customs (Nothing to Declare exit)
 Your guide will be waiting on the other side of
the doors after Customs. Look for a sign that
reads “St. Philip the Deacon”
Personal Health
 Pack medicines in your carry-on
 Carry your prescriptions with you
 Bring extra eye glasses or contact lenses
 Pack your own over-the-counter medicines: pain
killer, cold medication, first aid cream, tissues,
Band-Aids, etc.
Packing
Clothing
 Daytime casual
 Most evenings onboard ship are casual
 When visiting places of worship, shorts are not allowed
and shoulders should be covered
 Dress in layers for cooler evenings
 Sturdy walking shoes
 Wash cloth or scrubby – some hotels don’t provide them
 Refer to the packing list in your final documents
Dress Code at Monasteries
Dress codes are strictly observed in the
monasteries. The monasteries will provide
skirts and pants at the entrance If you
arrive not wearing proper attire. Women
must wear long skirts and men must wear
long pants. Sleeveless attired is not
allowed.
Weather
Average April temps:
Low
Athens
53F
Ephesus
48F
Thessaloniki
50F
High
67F
66F
70F
Average Precipitation:
9.7 days in Athens, 7 days in Ephesus, 11 days in Thessaloniki
Communicating with Home
 Bring a Calling Card or a Pre-paid Phone Card
 Many U.S. cell phones won’t work in Europe
without a special SIM card (check with your
provider) or purchasing an international plan
 Be VERY careful about using data if you
purchase an international plan. Turn your phone
on to Airplane Mode to avoid high charges
 Some hotels may have a computer for emailing
What Time Is It?
 Greece is 8 hours ahead and
 Amsterdam is 7 hours ahead of Central
Daylight Time
 Bring an alarm clock to wake up; your cell
phone clock may not work abroad, and
hotel wake-up calls are not always reliable
Electrical Connections
 220 Volts
 You’ll need an adapter (plus
a converter if your appliance
is not dual voltage)
Money
 Greece - The Euro
 1 Euro = $1.32 (approximately)
 Turkey – Turkish Lira TRY
 It’s possible to use foreign
currencies in some places
(Euros are best; US dollars OK,
too)
 1.00 TRY = $0.55
Money, cont’d
 ATMs prevalent; not all may work with your credit card
 Bring some U.S. cash as back-up ($5, $10, $20)
 Plan on an average $15-20/day for lunches
 Charge cards may be used in larger stores; otherwise
currency is recommended
 No Travelers’ Checks – too expensive to cash
 Call your credit card companies before leaving to inform
them of your travels
Shopping
Greece
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Grecian Urns
Olive oil products
Komboloi (worry beads)
Embroidered linens
Figurines
Jewelry (Hellenic Gold)
Leather Apparel
Olive oil
Turkey
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Alabaster
Brass
Carpets
Ceramics
Copper
Jewelry
Leather Apparel
Inlaid Wood
Silk
Duty Free Allowance
 What is “Duty Free?”
 Each traveler is allowed to bring up to $800
of duty free items into the U.S. from a
foreign country
General Travel Security
 Secure your belongings at all times
 Call your credit card and tell them when/where
you are traveling
 Make copies of passport, credit cards and keep
separate from originals
 Use a money belt or passport pouch
 Travel in groups during evenings
Group Travel Courtesy
 Advise your host or guide if you need
assistance
 Rotate seats on the bus
 Be on time
 Please & Thank You…..go a long way!
Essential Words to Know
Greece
 Good morning
 Good evening
 Please
 Thank you
Turkey
 Good morning
 Good evening
 Please
 Thank you
kali’me̞ra
kali’spe̞ra
pa,raka’lo̞
e̞f,xari’sto̞
günaydın
İyi akşamlar
lütfen
sağ olun
Cuisine - Common foods include:
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Vegetables and fruits
Chicken and Lamb
Kabobs
Fresh salads
Olives
Baklava
Sodas, beer, wine, water
Athens: Herodion Hotel
86 air-conditioned
guest rooms in the
heart of Athens with
private bath, TV, inroom tea and coffee,
turn-down service,
hairdryer, mini bar, inroom safe, and wifi.
Cruise: Louis Olympia
For a description of the ship and its cabins, go to:
http://www.fodors.com/cruises/louis-cruises-712308/ships/louis-olympia-712310/
Note: Cabin quality is similar to superior tourist class hotels and smaller than
cabins on the mega cruise ships.
Delphi: Apollonia Hotel
 Private bath
 TV
 In-room safe
 Hairdryers
 Wi-fi available
Kalambaka: Hotel Divani
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Indoor and outdoor
pools
Sauna, gym
Hairdryers in rooms
Wifi available for a fee
Thessaloniki:
Hotel Mediterranean Palace
111 air-conditioned rooms
with private bath, mini bar,
satellite TV, in-room safe,
direct dial telephone, wifi,
and a hair dryer.
Amsterdam: Hotel Chariot
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Hairdryers in rooms
Free wifi
Flat screen TV
King sized beds
Shower and tub
Minibar
Departing Athens
The guide will reconfirm the return flights for
travelers ticketed by Group Travel Directors
 Upon arrival at the airport go the KLM ticket
counter. All bags should be checked through to
Amsterdam
 Go through security and proceed to the
departure gate
 Never, never make jokes about security
U.S. Customs and Border
Protection Declaration Form
 During your flight complete
the form (front and back) and
sign it.
 Put it in your passport, as
you’ll need to present both
upon re-entry into the USA.
Upon Arrival in the USA
You will go through U.S. Customs upon arrival in
Minneapolis/St Paul.
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Before leaving the plane gather all of your
belongings.
Proceed to Immigration (U.S. Citizens Line).
Retrieve your baggage at Baggage Claim.
With your luggage, proceed through U.S.
Customs.
Questions?
Bon Voyage!
Group Travel Directors
Janet Tollund
952-885-2133
[email protected]
Janelle Ekstrom
952-885-2129
[email protected]
www.gtd.org