Contiki trips cover a lot of ground. Simple math will tell you a lot of that time will be spent in transit. The tour offers a luxury coach, seating 48 with air-conditioning and lavatory. The staff offers music selection and guide information, quizzes with prizes, and occasionally, stand up comedy.

The coach started each day out with a tour song: a nice easy going tune. Each time the bus was in range of a rest stop, a loud and roud ‘wake-up’ song would be played to rouse those drooling on themselves. At first, we were all rather skeptical of this routine. By the end though, we sang along.

The driver is required by law to take a break every two and a half hours, so the coach stops at planned rest stops for food, rest-rooms and smoke breaks. The rest stops usually last about a half hour, unless its lunch, which is about an hour. Company policy doesn’t allow hot food or beverages on the bus, nor dairy, so a typical stop usually ends in scarfing ice creams or chugging coffee.

The bus scene is a mix of social hour and sleep. Those who like early nights take the opportunity to play games and tricks. Those who stay out use the coach as their beds. From my personal experience, the coach was divided into three sections: Those at the front participated in travel tours and quizzes. Those in the middle dozed in and out. Those at the back made their own fun. Kind of like high school all over again.

Typically, the bus will wait an extra fifteen minutes if someone is late. If is a rest stop, the guide will then go looking for them. If it is in town, the tour will then assume the person is having a BTE: a 'better time elsewhere', and will allow them to catch a taxi back to the hotel with the information sheet provided.

Don't worry, they won't leave the city with out you. Contiki takes extra precautions with frequented tour paths and numbers to call, so you can always catch up-- or just join the next tour.