Family Trip to Greece: Interview with the Travelers

This summer my ENTIRE family left Tyrell and I behind to go to Greece. I don’t just mean my dad and step family. It was my dad, step family, aunts, uncles, grandma, cousins, and probably someone else I forgot.

There were points of the trip where they were trying to coordinate 18 people! It was definitely a learning experience for everyone involved. Despite any struggles, they all had the most amazing time.

Since Tyrell and I plan to travel Europe next year with a majority of time spent in Greece, we asked ALL the questions when they got back! I also realized that although we don’t have kids yet, I could get some great insight about what family travel will look like one day. So I decided to interview 5 members of my family that went to get the perspective from different ages!

This post is a little longer than our normal posts but for anyone seriously considering traveling to Greece/Europe there is such great information here! I also thought it was important to ask each question to 5 very different members of my family with very different perspectives.

Quick Introductions

I thought it would be important for you to know who is answering these questions!

Chris: This is my dad and the one who sparked my love for traveling! He has backpacked Europe, lived in Greece, lived in Costa Rica, visited all 48 lower states, and so much more! He’s the experienced one.

Nancy: My Yiayia (grandmother) is probably the most wonderful woman you will ever meet. She is kind, generous, and, not to be bias, the best grandma EVER! She is also almost 78 and was worried about how she’d handle the traveling on this trip! Age never stops you from traveling!

Tina: This is my aunt who due to lack of medical advancements had her foot and ankle fused together about 30 years ago. She now has a very hard time getting around and was also concerned about all the walking she’d have to do in Greece. But if she can do it, anyone can do it!

Katie: One of the twins which I will be interviewing is literally my mini me. She is 14 and yet an exact carbon copy of 25 year old me. Katie loves to travel so much she volunteered herself to go on this vacation with my dad which meant being away from her mom for 6 weeks. She was also the most organized and responsible person on this vacation.

Gracie: The other twin… I love Gracie with my entire heart and soul. However, do I think she will pick up after college graduation and backpack Asia with me on a whim? No. She does not have that wanderlust gene in her spirit and that is okay.

Okay, so now you know the interviewees and can hopefully start to see each of their perspectives as we begin this interview!

Planning the Trip

What was involved before leaving to coordinate this trip with all the people and all the places?

Chris: I went online and purchased all tickets and hotels for every person involved and broke them into groups (Tina & Nancy, The kids, myself and my wife & Athena). Then I gave my wife an idea of things to buy for the different climate and culture. I also saved a lot of money for this trip!

Tina: Chris booked everything for us so really all I had to do was get the time off work! I also had to get the kids out of school a few days early, make sure everyone was packed, and the kids were ready to travel solo!

Nancy: Just buy new clothes to take for the weather and ensure all my bills would be paid while I was away. I also went to US Bank to take that had no foreign transaction fees.

Katie: I had to pack and inform all of my friends I was going on vacation! I also had to learn how to get through the airports since we weren’t going to have an adult with us.

Gracie: I did nothing before the trip. Mom did most of my packing too.

What would you have done differently in the planning process?

Chris: I would have tried to save some money by booking hotels farther away from the lamani next time! But with kids and grandparents it was nice to avoid the longer walks.

Also, booked earlier so that we could all stay at the same hotel for the entire trip. We ended up having to move hotels a few times because none of them had availability for the whole trip. Book a year in advance with a large family!

Oh! And, make sure you book at the correct airport! When flying through Paris I booked through an airport that was much farther out of the city than we anticipated.

Tina: Nothing! My part of the planning went well. Let your brother do all of the work 😉 Also, make sure you get your passports very far in advance!

Nancy: Next time I will pack compression stockings for my legs!

Katie: Nothing!

Gracie: Nothing.

What was one item on your packing list that people might not think of?

Chris: Kind of the opposite but never pack a towel! Always buy a souvenir beach towel when you arrive. Also, don’t forget electric plug converters!

Tina: I got a lightweight backpack to make hauling all the things around so much easier. We also all used passport and money holders to avoid pick pockets in the airports.

Nancy: Well, the compression socks that I didn’t know I needed!

Katie: My portable charger was essential in airports.

Gracie: Batter operated eyebrow razors!

What do you wish you would have done differently while packing?

Chris: Pack way less stuff! My wife overpacked and we both agreed we had too much.

Tina: I think I am pretty good at packing so, nothing! But some tips: bring an extra outfit in your carryon in case your luggage gets lost and don’t pack things you can buy there like razors, soap, etc..

I do wish my kids would have packed lighter! In the future I hope they take my advice and take it easy.

Nancy: I would not do anything different! I made sure I stayed within the weight limit and had everything I needed.

Katie: As a whole family I wish we had less suit cases. It was a lot while traveling and like on the boat and stuff.

Gracie: The box the shampoo and conditioner were in fit them when they were closed buy not once we opened them! So once the tops were popped we couldn’t use the box.

Traveling To Greece

Please tell me about your flights, lay overs, and connections…

Chris: Me, Angela, and Athena left from Salt Lake City to Nashville. We had a one night layover in Nashville and enjoyed it! Then we flew from Nashville to London and had another overnight layover. We stayed in our hotel that night because London was a little out of our budget for having fun.

Then we met up with up with the kids in Athens and all took the ferry boat to Crete. Keep in mind that the boat is an overnight trip so you leave around 9pm and arrive at 6am so the nice thing is not needed a hotel for that night!

From the Athens airport just catch the metro to the boat or anywhere you are going! Don’t waste the money on a taxi from the airport.

Tina: We did the SLC –> NYC –> Athens! We booked plenty of time between flights to ensure we didn’t miss any connections. I flew with Nancy and we both rented wheel chairs because we felt it would be too difficult walking across large airports. That saved us time because they knew exactly how to get to the next gates!

Nancy: I flew with my daughter Tina on the SLC to NYC to Athens track. I HATED the flight from here to NYC because the seats are so narrow and no leg room! Next time I would fly at least business class.

From NYC to Athens they had better food so that helped! But it was still crowded and I would have to fly a better class next time.

Katie: We left Salt Lake City for New York City and didn’t get to NYC until 5pm. We had to get on the shuttle to our next gate and then we immediately found food. There was only about a half our after eating before boarding the next flight!

We went straight from NYC to Athens and just watched movies the whole time. It was a bit of a challenge to find our luggage and our family was delayed so we just walked around until we found them.

The rest of our family was even more delayed because of luggage issues and it took about 3 hours to figure that out. So don’t make that mistake!

Finally, we all got on the boat and the boat ride was fun! There was good food and the rooms were nice enough so we got some sleep.

Gracie: I was just with my sister Katie and Jarod so that was nice. They did a great job leading us through the airports. The planes had good movies but the food wasn’t great!

What suggestions/tips do you have for people for those long 12 hour flights?

Chris: Try not to do the whole thing in one day! If you get on that 12 hour flight after already flying all day, it is even worse. That is why we planned the overnight layovers to get a hotel and get out of the airport/airplane environment. Also, it is worth it to save up and get first class for that longest flight!

Normally you will fly JFK to London so plan a few days in New York City before getting on that flight! And then enjoy London for a day or two to relax after the flight.

Tina: First things first: I bought a horse shoe shaped neck pillow but instead of putting it on my neck I sat on it! With the open side facing the seat. This took pressure off my tailbone while flying!

Nancy: The compression socks would have helped with my circulation a lot.

Katie: Pack snacks, watch movies, and don’t expect to sleep because that does not really happen! Also, I lost my Duolingo streak because I couldn’t keep up with all the time changes! So keep an eye on things like that.

Gracie: Don’t pack books! They were heavy, took up space, and I did not read them on the flights.

Would you do the traveling part any differently next time?

Chris: I would see what else was available other than arriving in London first. We found that we enjoyed Madrid or Spain more and even if it was a little longer flight or slightly more expensive I’d rather go to a destination I enjoy.

Tina: I was very nervous about the situation and not knowing if I could handle all the travel. Luckily we have a good friend that works at an airport and sat done with me and gave me every tip and ounce of information that I needed to feel comfortable. So while I wouldn’t change anything, I would recommend doing your research if you aren’t comfortable with traveling!

Oh, and make sure to download mobile passport app! It is a lifesaver when coming through customs on the way home.

Nancy: Yes, business class at least.

Katie: Nope! I was in charge of the kids and we made it just fine! We asked airport employees a few times where we needed to be but they were always very helpful.

Gracie: I don’t think so!

Being in Greece:

What was the main reason you decided to take this trip?

Chris: To visit family!

Tina: Because I wanted my kids to meet family and see where our family is from!

Nancy: To see family in Greece!

Katie: For fun! Everyone was doing it and I was not about to get left behind. And I love to travel!

Gracie: To be with Katie!

What was your absolute favorite activity?

Chris: Honestly, just hanging out on the beach.

Tina: Going to the beach!

Nancy: I absolutely loved going with family to visit Lake Marathi! It was so nice. And of course being in Chania is my favorite place to be.

Katie: Eating and shopping! Seeing family and going to the beach was fun too.

Gracie: Eating ice cream! And being able to walk around alone and feel safe.

What was something you didn’t love/would not recommend?

Chris: I wouldn’t recommend going to the Palace of Knossos. It is very damaged and there isn’t much left to see.

Tina: For me, the only thing I didn’t enjoy was not having an elevator in our hotel. So if you have issues walking make sure you get on the main floor or have an elevator!

Nancy: I agree that the Palace of Knossos was not as nice as everyone said it would be. It had changed to much over the years. Also, try not to go in July! It was extremely hot weather.

Katie: Balos Beach! A few of us got sick on the boat ride there. It was cold and windy and the water was freezing. The wind was blowing the sand into you and it was so painful! Not worth the money.

Gracie: Going during the hottest month I hated the hot sun! I only wanted to go out at night.

How was the food and what would you recommend to eat?

Chris: All of the food is fantastic! I recommend trying everything. Gyros, papoutsakia, Greek salad, pork chops, it is all wonderful. It also makes your body feel so much better. You feel full but not stuffed. It is organic and delicious!

Tina: OH MY GOSH THE FOOD IS AMAZING!!! Greek salad with the wonderful vegetables was my favorite. It is so unlike the Greek salad we can make in America because the veggies are so fresh!

Nancy: The food is excellent; Greek salad, the fish, calamari, and the local beer! Those are my recommendations for food.

Katie: The French fries and the soda pop! Way better than in America.

Gracie: Food was great! I loved the tomatoes and the souvlaki.

What is one major cultural difference you think tourists need to know about?

Chris: Stay away from the cars! They will run you over. Pedestrians do not have the right of way.

Tina: As a Greek family we are used to the culture but for tourists…. the plumbing is what I would inform them about! You cannot flush toilet paper. You throw it in the garbage.

Nancy: Sometimes the wait staff at restaurants can be a bit brisk and matter of fact rather than the friendly and accommodating waiters/watiresses we have at restaurants in America.

Katie: It is definitely the cars. Your kids cannot run wild, there are motorcycles everywhere and they will run you over!

Gracie: Cars have the right of way.

What are your financial recommendations for this trip?

Chris: Stay off the beach to save money on room&board! The food across Europe is expensive but in Crete it was a much better value. So I recommend spending majority of time on the island and enjoy the good food. You can eat Gyro sandwiches every day for less than $3. Pizza is also a very reasonable meal in Crete!

Don’t waste your money on excursions. There is enough to do in Chania that you can always find something to do. The lamani is a wonderful atmosphere and reasonably priced!

Take the bus whenever you can rather than a taxi, especially with a large group. Spend your money on coffee, food, and beach time. That’s what it is all about.

Tina: I definitely recommend spending money the food! Do not save money by buying groceries. The food is so worth it. Buy coffee every morning. Every penny you spend on food and coffee is worth it.

Also, you can save money on travel by taking busses and not taxies!

Nancy: Buy your tickets and eat the food! Everything else is not worth the money. You can enjoy so much for free as long as you indulge in the food.

Katie: Spend your money on clothes! They have different styles than we have in America. Also, buy Kanken backpacks! They are so much cheaper in Europe.

Gracie: I took way more money than I needed! Things there at least in Crete are not as expensive as expected.

What was the hardest part about coordinating so many people?

Chris: Everyone whines and cries about little things. Making everyone happy is nearly impossible. Just accept that. And finding places when there are picky eaters in your group can be a challenge so be prepared!

Tina: When you are in such a large group you can’t be worried about being together for every single thing. You don’t have to have breakfast together EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Be okay with not being together 24/7. We still spent plenty of time together as a family.

If a group wanted to go to a beach and a group wanted to go shopping, it is 100% okay to split up! Just relax and go with the flow.

Nancy: When everyone was not staying in the same house it became difficult to meet up if there was no set plan.

Katie: Trying to get everyone out of the house was a challenge so we started just leaving them behind. If someone didn’t want to get up in the mornings or go to a certain activity then they could stay behind at the hotel!

Gracie: Getting everyone ready!

Would you recommend Greece to other travelers?

Chris: Yes! Definitely! Specifically the island of Crete and the town of Chania.

Tina: Absolutely.

Nancy: Yes. No doubt about it.

Katie: Uh, yes! I loved Crete. I recommend Chania and the Lamani the most because it is amazing. You can sit and look at the ocean, lots of shopping, and good food.

Gracie: Probably.

Coming Home:

How did you pack up your souvenirs?

Chris: We wrapped them in clothing and put them in our main suit cases.

Tina: I put all of my souvenirs in my carryon so that it wasn’t getting tossed around. And breakable ones were of course wrapped up in clothes!

Nancy: I wrapped them in clothes and sent them in my checked bag. I also bought souvenirs that didn’t take up much space like bookmarks!

Katie: My ukulele had to go in my backpack. Breakable souvenirs we would wrap up in clothes and we had one carryon that was full of souvenirs to try to avoid things getting broken!

Gracie: My mom packed them all up in a souvenir suitcase.

What tips do you have for returning to regular scheduled life?

Chris: It is hard to get back to work so again, be prepared. No matter how much time you take to get acclimated, it still sucks.

Tina: We flew in on Thursday night giving me 3 days to recover. Make sure to schedule those days into your time off! I got laundry done and my life back in order.

Nancy: Plan a few days to change your sleep schedule but mostly just accept that you have to come home.

Katie: Don’t get jet lagged. It is all about will power. And get back to your normal sleep schedule asap.

Gracie: Get right back into normal life! We went to drama camp the very next day after getting home and was fine!

What did you learn from this experience?

Chris: Yes, more is not better when traveling.

Tina: I definitely learned that this trip was doable for me physically! I didn’t even want to go because I did not think I could handle it. But now knowing it’s possible lets me know I could do it again.

Nancy: I learned that I need to book better flights, take water pills, and buy compression socks!

Katie: You learn A LOT about people traveling with them. Especially family. Also, Netflix in Europe is different than in America! Even if you are on the same account it is different because of the location services!

Gracie: I don’t like to travel and spend that much time with people. If I travel again I would like to travel alone or just with Katie.