The noon sun is high in the sky. You’ve hiked six miles along a serpentine seaside path and your stomach is rumbling. You have been eagerly anticipating lunch at the small taverna nestled in a historic village you read about on TripAdvisor. But – alas! – when you arrive, you find a hand-written sign on the door saying the family is on vacation this week. Don’t fear – you’re on a Parallel trip! That means you’ve got a picnic kit ready to go and stocked with everything you need to create a great trail-side meal.

You find a shady spot in the plaza and pull out your picnic kit to investigate. You are delighted to find just the right picnic tools inside, a small cutting board, knife, cute little cooler pack, and even a cork screw (you never know when you’ll need to open a bottle of wine on one our trips!). Tucked alongside is an assortment of local products including a locally cured sausage, a tin of smoked fish, some toasted nuts, olives and seeded crackers, and (of course!) a small chocolate bar. It appears you shall not starve after all. There’s also a little market on the corner where you supplement with a bit of fresh bread, fruit and cheese, and a bottle of wine (you know, just in case…).

Just as you’ve finished provisioning at the market, around the corner comes the trip-mate you’d planned on meeting for lunch, having hiked the same path after spending a bit of extra time in town this morning. Your trip notes mentioned a set of stairs down to a narrow beach just around the bend. Here, you spread out a towel, unpack your picnic and enjoy your feast. You pack the leftovers in your kit’s brightly colored snack bags and tuck them away before taking a quick swim. Refueled, you’re ready to hike the last few miles to your day’s destination. Who needs TripAdvisor and their tavernas, after all?? Vamos!