Paris

The first time I went to Strasbourg, France was in the late summer of 1997. I was on a fact-finding mission for my company. We were contemplating opening a European office and I was charged with determining if we should and where it should be located. That trip took me to Paris, Brussels, London, Cologne, and Strasbourg. I had only been to London before that trip.

I fell in love with Strasbourg from the beginning. Even though I was there when I received that one of my musical heroes, Rich Mullins, had been killed in a car accident, the city still holds fond memories for me.

Most people have never heard of Strasbourg, but it is the headquarters for the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s purpose is to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in Europe. It was founded in 1949 and has 47-member states.

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Often the hardest part of any trip is deciding what to carry. There are a multitude of decisions that have to be made. There are also a multitude of questions that we have to know the answer to before we can make the decisions necessary for the trip to be successful. First, remember that you are not traveling to a third world country—unless of course, you are traveling to a third world country. Even then, there are many things you can buy locally rather than packing.

The most important thing to remember is to pack light. Rick Steves, the budget travel guru, says that he has never heard an experienced traveler say, “I wish I had carried more stuff with me.” Or something like that. I find that the more I travel the less I think I need to take. I have also found it valuable—on the keep things light side—to keep my wife out of the room while I am packing. She wants to add clothes that I know I will not be wearing. I usually humor her and unpack after she moves on to her next task.

I travel heavier than most people. I am an insulin dependent person who has recently had open heart surgery. I do not let those obstacles keep me from traveling, but I do carry more supplies than the average person because of the medicines, needles, etc. that I use on a daily basis.

Strasbourg–the Hidden Jewel of the Alsace Region

What I Carry With Me When I Travel Internationally