Enjoy guest posts from IGE readers describing their best vacations ever while I’m away on mine! Check out my Italy travel page which I’ll be updating with links to videos, pictures & posts throughout my trip!

London

Name, Blog: Court & Whit, Teens Eat

Who, what, where, when and why: Hello IGE readers! Our trip to London in 2007 to visit our older sister Karstee, who was living there at the time, turned out to be the BEST vacation ever! We visited her for the summer. Everything was so beautiful and green there… and do not even get me started on the city.

My favorite part of the vacation was: Going shopping at Harrod’s, aka London’s shopping mecca. There are seven floors in this mall. Walking through the food floor was my favorite of course Walking through you will see delectable chocolates, singing pizza guys tossing dough in the air, and GELATO… lots and lots of gelato! There was no walking past this, we all indulged with no regret. YUM!

My best travel tip for this location: Take a map because you have to ride the subway and walk A LOT! lol We definitely looked like tourist with our maps and taking photos in phone booths.

The thing you MUST do at this location: See a musical. Mary Poppins was unforgettable. We even ended up scoring box seats!

The thing I want to do next time I return: Go on the London Eye again! You can see the whole city.

Europe

Name, Blog: Tina, Faith Fitness Fun

Who, what, where, when and why: After graduating college, my friend & I took the customary backpacking through Europe tour. We went for two months and hit up various spots. At the end of it all, Barcelona topped the list for my favorite. Beautiful architecture, great food, a fun city feel, green areas, and a beach. What more could you ask for?

My favorite part of the vacation was: Experiencing all the culture I had studied for years. I went to school with a dual major of Spanish and Education. Seeing things I had only previously read about made the trip surreal.

My best travel tip for this location: Don’t be shocked or offended when people kiss you on the cheek just after meeting you. It is a normal part of the lifestyle there. No reason to slap that guy across the face.

The thing you MUST do at this location: Visit the Parc de Gruell designed by Gaudi. The whole park has mosaic designs covering almost every surface from fountains to benches. The scenery will take your breath away when it sparkles in the sun.

The thing I want to do next time I return: Have more money to shop and eat on the renowned Las Ramblas. On a college travel budget, I didn’t get the opportunity for the full experience last time.