The Sights and Stories of St . Paul in Greece April 21 – May 4, 2014

1. The Sights and Stories of St. Paul in GreeceApril 21 – May 4, 2014 Hosted by: Pastor Cheryl Mathison St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church

2. Do not pack in your luggage Sign your passport Photocopy the inside cover pages, keep separate from your passport Valid U.S. Passport

3. 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

4. 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

5. Group Flights Apr 21 Delta 171 MSP / Paris 5:10pm – 8:35am Apr 22AF 1532 Paris / Athens 9:50am – 2:05pm May 3 Aegean 111 Thessaloniki / Athens 11:30am - 12:25pm May 3  KLM 1576     Athens / Amsterdam      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

6. Baggage Allowance • 1 Checked Bag • 44 lb maximum (Aegean Airlines requirement) • 62 linear inches maximum • 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. Tip: Place the tour itinerary in the outside pocket of your suitcase in case it’s misdirected

7. 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 Departure Day

8. MSP, Level T1

9. 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.

10. 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”

11. 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. Personal Health

12. 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

13. 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.

14. Weather Average April temps: Low High Athens 53F 67F Ephesus 48F 66F Thessaloniki 50F 70F Average Precipitation: 9.7 days in Athens, 7 days in Ephesus, 11 days in Thessaloniki

15. 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

16. 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

17. Electrical Connections • 220 Volts • You’ll need an adapter (plus a converter if your appliance is not dual voltage)

18. 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

19. 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

20. Shopping Greece • Grecian Urns • Olive oil products • Komboloi (worry beads) • Embroidered linens • Figurines • Jewelry (Hellenic Gold) • Leather Apparel • Olive oil Turkey • Alabaster • Brass • Carpets • Ceramics • Copper • Jewelry • Leather Apparel • Inlaid Wood • Silk

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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!

24. Essential Words to Know Greece • Good morning kali’me̞ra • Good evening kali’spe̞ra • Please pa,raka’lo̞ • Thank you e̞f,xari’sto̞ Turkey • Good morning günaydın • Good evening İyi akşamlar • Please lütfen • Thank you sağ olun

25. Cuisine - Common foods include: • Vegetables and fruits • Chicken and Lamb • Kabobs • Fresh salads • Olives • Baklava • Sodas, beer, wine, water

26. Athens: Herodion Hotel 86 air-conditioned guest rooms in the heart of Athens with private bath, TV, in-room tea and coffee, turn-down service, hairdryer, mini bar, in-room safe, and wifi.

27. 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.

28. Delphi: Apollonia Hotel • Private bath • TV • In-room safe • Hairdryers • Wi-fi available

29. Indoor and outdoor pools Sauna, gym Hairdryers in rooms Wifi available for a fee Kalambaka: Hotel Divani

30. 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.

31. Hairdryers in rooms Free wifi Flat screen TV King sized beds Shower and tub Minibar Amsterdam: Hotel Chariot

32. 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

33. 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.

34. Upon Arrival in the USA • You will go through U.S. Customs upon arrival in Minneapolis/St Paul. • 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.

35. Questions?

36. Bon Voyage! Group Travel Directors Janet Tollund 952-885-2133 jtollund@gtd.org Janelle Ekstrom952-885-2129jekstrom@gtd.org www.gtd.org