Untourists of the Week: Paul & Freddy Welty

April 24, 2013 by Mtaussig

1. Tell us a little bit about your most recent Untour.

We visited Venice for the 5th time, the 3rd time with Untours. We had a great apartment in the non tourist section of Venice. There were excellent eating places near by, close to the vaporetto stops.

2. Why did you choose to go there?

We had been to Venice for a few days in the past. When the “Boss” suggested that we go for a two week visit, I was skeptical, but agreed. After a week into the trip, I was hooked and as a result we went for our 5th visit. Why? The fun of getting lost and arguing which way to go. The friendly people, looking for the non tourist restaurant off the beaten path. The art, in situ as opposed to it being removed to a remote museum. And people watching.

3. What is your favorite Untours memory?

That’s a tough one since we have made 16 plus trips with Untours. But on our first trip, I will never forget Hal Taussing riding madly down the street in Switzerland on his bike wearing a blue stocking cap with a tassel on it. Yeah, I bought one and am still wearing it on cold days. But the highlight of all our tours was the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary at Le Chiuse with our family. Our grand daughter and her Dad would walk up the hill to Montalcino in the morning for an expresso and to buy a newspaper for “Granddaddy.” Then, as families returned from their day excursion, we gathered outside for some cheese and wine. As the sun went down on another gorgeous day, our granddaughter played her violin for all.

4. How is taking an Untour different from other ways of travelling?

It eliminates the rush, the need to pack and unpack for the next day. Thus, we can go at our own pace. We know that we will have a good “home base” for our explorations. I can not say enough about the support system. My mother broke her hip and I got word from my daughter on a weekend. We were in Austria at the time and there was no English being spoken. We called our local contact who changed our plane tickets, and had a taxi at the front door the next morning to take us to the airport. It is impossible to put a value on this kind of help when you are stressed.

5. If you could describe an Untour in just three words, what would they be?

Better than psychotherapy