Note: This was a review of the original Book, published in 1973. I am waiting to get reviews of the new book, once it is published in November 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars I read this book back in the 70's and the concept is still valid--and it inspired our 6-week trip!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2022
This book served as our inspiration for a 6-week trip via VW Pop-Top Van around Europe in 1976. What a glorious adventure it was! The concept still has relevance, many decades later. The more we travel around the world, the more we understand how important it is to make friends around the world when we travel and to better understand cultures other than our own. Can't recommend it enough, even after all these years as international travelers!
Sher Davidson’s new release is so entertaining. It’s nostalgic, but at the same time full of information for anyone interested in taking their family on an adventure-packed trip to Europe. I especially liked the vintage photos of Sher’s young family on their once-in-a-lifetime trip!
This book is a must for anyone contemplating taking trips through Europe with kids in tow! Even grandparents may want to give their grandchildren a unique experience. Although the original book was written in 1973, this theme of experiencing the world with your kids is quite popular today. I recently learned of a fellow teaching couple who decided it was "now or never" and retrofitted a camper to travel all through Africa with their teenage daughters. Sher's story of their equally daring step to take a 3 and a 5-year-old camping in a VW Van throughout Europe in 1973 may have been considered as equally daring then. Her book's Guide section has been updated to help those wanting to do the same or a similar trip today.
For older generations like me, you will recognize many of the funny nostalgic moments that capture your heart. The scene where Sher does her own sewing of the kid's clothes for the trip to make their money last longer could have been straight out of The Sound of Music (where Maria makes the children's play clothes out of drapes). My mother used the same material for our clothes. In the early years, my brother and I looked like twins. You’ll see photos of the Davidson girls in matching outfits. Mix this in with the foods of the various European countries and one has a tale of adventure that is pure fun and nostalgia. It's also a great book for those young families wishing to travel to Europe with their kids in general with great tips for each location as well as for families looking for a great read to escape the fast-paced world we live in today.
