13 Little Blue Envelopes... oh, the places you'll go!

Hi girls out there,
13 Little Blue Envelopes is a story about a whirlwind, mysterious adventure one girl takes through Europe. No wonder it's one of our most-requested books!

In the book, seventeen-year-old Ginny receives letters from her aunt Peg, instructing her to travel to foreign lands and complete a series of tasks there. The rules Ginny must follow are:

• Rule #1:

You may bring only what fits in your backpack. Don't try to fake it with a purse or a carry-on.

• Rule #2:

You may not bring guidebooks, phrase books, or any kind of foreign language aid. And no journals.

• Rule #3:

You cannot bring extra money or credit/debit cards, traveler's checks, etc. I'll take care of all that.

• Rule #4:

No electronic crutches. This means no laptop, no cell phone, no music, and no camera. You can't call home or communicate with people in the U.S. by Internet or telephone. Postcards and letters are acceptable and encouraged.

Ginny must maneuver her way across the globe to find out what surprise is awaiting her in the 13th envelope. Though the rules above seem pretty daunting (no cell phone? How does a person get anywhere without a cell phone?), I think Ginny's journey seems like a blast. I've done a little traveling, and it's always an adventure that forces you to think fast, solve problems and be flexible.

 Have any of you had any crazy experiences while out on a trip? For those of you that have read the book, have you ever encountered any of the strange predicaments Ginny has?

Oh, and for those of you that are planning on making a trip sometime in the near future, Maureen Johnson, the author of the book, has a fun set of travel tips . Check them out, and bon voyage!