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Our Southern Italy and Sicily Trip

WinniWoman

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Well, we returned from our 16 day journey on Tuesday night and are still recovering from jet lag, two daylight savings time changes, and exhaustion from walking steep hills, stairs and cobblestones for several hours every single day.



First off I have to say that Odysseys Unlimited was fantastic- professional, treated us like royalty, attention to detail, on time itinerary schedule, etc. Our Croatian tour guide, Eva, was awesome. Caring, knowledgeable, attentive, excellent communication regarding each day’s expectations, and flexible.



It also helped that we were a group of 24 cooperative, friendly people. No trouble makers or complainers. We bonded immediately. Almost half of the group was comprised of 10 women from a Bowling Green, Ohio book club. One woman took her 31 year old daughter with her and another took her 29 year old developmentally disabled daughter, who was great- kept up with the group and no trouble at all - and the rest were couples from Massachusetts and Minnesota and New Jersey, a few single women from NYC and one from Washington DC. Most all of us were in our late 60’s and 70’s.



The flight going to Munich for our 6 hour layover before heading off to Catania was torturous for me. I think the fact that it was a red eye, plus that it seemed it was an older plane so the premium economy did not feel premium at all was a big issue. I could not get comfortable or sleep and I was about to be on the news screaming to be let off the plane at any moment. When we finally got to Munich I laid down on several seats at the gate. I was so wiped out and my body was suffering. I had to lay down! Later we had lunch and then took off for Catania and the economy seats in our connecting plane were actually more comfortable than the ones in Premium economy on our prior flight! Our transfer car was at the airport waiting for us and we were finally on our way to the hotel in Taormina.



Anyway- all the hotels were rated First Class except the one in Lecce which was rated Super First Class. Each hotel had something special about it. The one in Taormina was set on a cliff with sweeping views of the Ionian sea and coastline, with Mt Etna steaming in the distance, all seen from our balcony. In Matera, caves were converted into the hotel and rooms and we had an awesome view of the ancient city right outside our door. Heck, we were in the heart of it! In Lecce and Sorrento the hotels were exquisite and located right in the main squares.



This all said, all the rooms were – well-ok. Some of the beds were like 2 twin beds put together to make a queen or double. We left everything in our suitcases as there was not really a lot of room to put anything. So it was tough getting stuff out of them every day as they had to stay on the floor. All the showers except the one in the cave were in bathtubs requiring us to step into them. One tub was so narrow we had to stand sideways to shower.



Anyway, the schedule was essentially breakfast at 7am+, depart around 8:15-8:30 or 8:45-9 am, back at the hotel around 3, 4 or 5 and then out again for dinner around 7pm- if it was an included meal that day. There was a lot of free time but if we were out and about that meant mostly shopping and we don’t shop so we spent that time resting or people watching and taking in the scenery. Maybe having a gelato, which I have had better in the states. To me it was simply ice cream and nothing special and we had it several times in different places.



As for the rest of the food, we had some fantastic meals and some were just ok for me. I missed having a glass of Orange Juice each morning as they did not have what we consider OJ juice. More like Tang. And also my husband missed having a nice big hot mug of coffee each morning. Seemed everything was always luke warm and not hot and small. I never got used to having pastries, cold cuts or cheese, etc. for breakfast. Thankfully we could have eggs and toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit.



After a while I tired of olives, hearing about olive oil, lemons and lemoncello and all that. I have lost my taste for wine the past few years and I did drink it there, but after a few days I decided to refrain because between eating late and the wine it was not helping me sleep at night.



I also never want to see a public toilet again if I can help it. No seats on the public toilets. Heck my husband said in one men’s room there were NO toilets only urinals! LOL! Thankfully our tour guide always paid for us to use the toilets except when we were out and about on our own. I think I paid the 50 cents just once.



We only took 100 in Euros with us and never had to use an ATM or take out a physical credit card as we were able to use apple pay everywhere. Came home with 1.50 Euros in coins.



So now for the good stuff: We loved seeing the ancient Greek theater and public garden in Taormina and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. We went up 6000 ft to Mt Etna and hiked around the craters.. The Sassi area in Matera where we stayed was magical. The trullies, Capri and the Amalfi coast, Pompei. Wow!!! Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



We all voted to take a private small boat ride around Capri on the Tyrranean Sea and it was definitely a highlight.



We also had a couple of meals at farms, a winery and also took a cooking class making gnocchi and a marmalade tart as part of our meal. Also dinner and dancing at the home of a Baroness, whom we met.



Our last night we were treated to a Michelin rated restaurant in Sorrento with an Enrico Caruso theme for our farewell dinner.



I have to say I was nervous about the flights to get home, but it helped that some people in our group were on the same flights. And thankfully the long haul to Boston was on a newer plane and the Premium Economy was way better than the first one. It helped that it was an afternoon flight and also I sat in the aisle seat so I did much better. Turns out though our plane heading for the connecting flight was 10 minutes late we still made it with the less than hour connection time and in fact the plane waited for other people who’s planes were delayed so it took off later than scheduled. And with all that the plane still landed on time in Boston. Go figure.



Did not use a wheel chair once. Did not have the patience to try to find how to get one and the only time there were wheel chairs waiting as we left the plane was on our arrival back in Boston and at that point I skipped it.



In summary, I’m glad we did our first and only trip to Italy this way, avoiding the big cities and crowds. Plus we got to see the diversity of the culture with all the Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Arab, Norman, North African, etc. influences.



Yes- there were some crowds but we started out early each day and avoided the worst of it. I’d say Pompei was the most crowded, but again, our guide got us through effortlessly.



Italy is experiencing an influx of tourists and the problems that brings with it and it has forced them to put restrictions of road access, parking, etc., and balance it with the much needed revenue.



We had the absolute best weather you could ever ask for- 70 degrees and sunny every single day! Actually the direct sun made it feel hotter than that since there was barely any shade anywhere. There were people on the beaches and even swimming in the sea in November!



Glad we got to do this. The first week was rough between the flight and with adjusting to everything. The first week I actually wanted to go home. By the end of the second week we were both ready to go home, as were other members of our group, though some were heading off to Rome afterwards. I think also that I have not aged as well as some other people who seemed to have more energy than me. So this trip for me was hard. I still prefer a condo and staying in one place and doing a few day trips here or there- more slower travel. But I also do not want to fly anywhere either. I hate airports and the planes and their bathrooms and all of it.

I realized how American I really am. I could not see us living in a country like Italy or any foreign country actually and really have no desire to visit any other countries or fly anywhere again.

This doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate what we saw and did. It was great, but I guess I am satisfied now and happy to be comfortably home.

I will try to post some photos from my phone here under this thread. Sorry I rambled on and this is so long.
 
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WinniWoman

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Here’s just a few out of hundreds of photos I took.

I just want to mention the altar in the cathedral is made out of paper mache. I kid you not! In fact- the entire inside of this cathedral with columns and numerous altars and sculptures everywhere is made of paper mache! We couldn’t believe it! You’d never know unless you were told. It’s incredible!

I don’t know why my photos come out blurry on here but if you click on the photos they will be clear.
 

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Passepartout

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Thanks for the report, Mary Ann. Glad it was a good trip for the most part and that you got to see so much. Can't wait to see your pictures. And, in the end, that there's no place like home!

Welcome back!

Jim
 

klpca

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I was just thinking about your trip the other day and I was happy to see your trip report this morning. It honestly sounds like a great trip and I am glad that you were able to make it. You should make one of those beautiful albums for your photos. Then you will be able to revisit them any time.

For me, difficult travel is much like childbirth. I need a bit of time to forget the pain endured. I love Europe but the food always upsets my stomach. I get really tired of not understand the signage. I get tired of trying to speak a bit of a foreign language all of the time. The toilet situation is always tricky. In Ireland the one thing that drove me nuts was that a lot of the taps in the bathroom were one hot tap and one cold tap, so washing your hands was an exercise in frustration. (Clearly, I am a delicate flower). When we flew home from our last trip, I told my husband that I was never going back to Europe lol. But we always do. :)
 

WinniWoman

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I was just thinking about your trip the other day and I was happy to see your trip report this morning. It honestly sounds like a great trip and I am glad that you were able to make it. You should make one of those beautiful albums for your photos. Then you will be able to revisit them any time.

For me, difficult travel is much like childbirth. I need a bit of time to forget the pain endured. I love Europe but the food always upsets my stomach. I get really tired of not understand the signage. I get tired of trying to speak a bit of a foreign language all of the time. The toilet situation is always tricky. In Ireland the one thing that drove me nuts was that a lot of the taps in the bathroom were one hot tap and one cold tap, so washing your hands was an exercise in frustration. (Clearly, I am a delicate flower). When we flew home from our last trip, I told my husband that I was never going back to Europe lol. But we always do. :)
All of my photos I store on Amazon photos and then Alexa (ECHO SHOW), which sits on my kitchen counter top, randomly shows them to me! LOL! I am also going to put them on a USB and put them on my digital frame.

I hear ya on the language thing. I got mentally tired listening to the accents- even our tour director's and the guides. It takes a bit of work to understand them. (I'm sure they feel the same about us! LOL!)

It's true- it's all the logistics to navigate in a foreign country. And yes- every bathroom seemed to be different in how to turn the water on (some had foot pedals). Even flushing took effort. Ha! Ha!

Unlike you, however, I know for sure I will not go back to Europe. I knew it when I hesitantly booked this trip last year. Just like I knew I was only going to have one child and that was after 10 years of refraining from getting pregnant.
 

susieq

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I'm so happy that everything went so well for you! Your trip report was great and your pictures beautiful!!! Welcome home ~ such beautiful memories to relive over and over!!
 

TheHolleys87

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Thank you for this trip report - all very pertinent information of interest to me.
 

PcflEZFlng

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Thanks for trip report, Mary Ann. As soon as I opened TUG, I saw your post and went right to it. I'm so glad that you saw beautiful sights, had great experiences, and overall, were satisfied with your journey. Now you can savor the memories of the best parts!
 

Glenn2

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Wow! You really had a lot of luck on your trip, given the weather, travel companions and the tour company. You have more stamina than you thought! But I know I couldn't have kept up that daily pace. I think by day 3, I would have been opting out of things left and right.
 

WinniWoman

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Wow! You really had a lot of luck on your trip, given the weather, travel companions and the tour company. You have more stamina than you thought! But I know I couldn't have kept up that daily pace. I think by day 3, I would have been opting out of things left and right.
It was challenging. To add to it, the buses- even the small ones- cannot bring you to the hotel and site entrances so we always had to walk to them and back.

We thought it was funny when the first night we arrived, the porter loaded our suitcases into the van up on the road we were dropped off at and drove away. There we were having to walk way down an incredibly steep hill to the hotel I mean- he couldn't have taken us with him?

We were at that hotel for 6 nights and every day and up and down that steep hill to get out for sightseeing. We thought we'd have a heart attack early in the morning doing it but we're still alive! Photos of this attached.

After a full day each day we'd get back to the hotel and take a shower, but then had to go out again for dinner. I will tell you if there was not an included dinner/activity at night- we stayed in the hotel room and skipped dinner. Just wanted to put our feet up! LOL! We are not night people as it is, never mind after a full day.
 

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silentg

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Well, we returned from our 16 day journey on Tuesday night and are still recovering from jet lag, two daylight savings time changes, and exhaustion from walking steep hills, stairs and cobblestones for several hours every single day.



First off I have to say that Odysseys Unlimited was fantastic- professional, treated us like royalty, attention to detail, on time itinerary schedule, etc. Our Croatian tour guide, Eva, was awesome. Caring, knowledgeable, attentive, excellent communication regarding each day’s expectations, and flexible.



It also helped that we were a group of 24 cooperative, friendly people. No trouble makers or complainers. We bonded immediately. Almost half of the group was comprised of 10 women from a Bowling Green, Ohio book club. One woman took her 31 year old daughter with her and another took her 29 year old developmentally disabled daughter, who was great- kept up with the group and no trouble at all - and the rest were couples from Massachusetts and Minnesota and New Jersey, a few single women from NYC and one from Washington DC. Most all of us were in our late 60’s and 70’s.



The flight going to Munich for our 6 hour layover before heading off to Catania was torturous for me. I think the fact that it was a red eye, plus that it seemed it was an older plane so the premium economy did not feel premium at all was a big issue. I could not get comfortable or sleep and I was about to be on the news screaming to be let off the plane at any moment. When we finally got to Munich I laid down on several seats at the gate. I was so wiped out and my body was suffering. I had to lay down! Later we had lunch and then took off for Catania and the economy seats in our connecting plane were actually more comfortable than the ones in Premium economy on our prior flight! Our transfer car was at the airport waiting for us and we were finally on our way to the hotel in Taormina.



Anyway- all the hotels were rated First Class except the one in Lecce which was rated Super First Class. Each hotel had something special about it. The one in Taormina was set on a cliff with sweeping views of the Ionian sea and coastline, with Mt Etna steaming in the distance, all seen from our balcony. In Matera, caves were converted into the hotel and rooms and we had an awesome view of the ancient city right outside our door. Heck, we were in the heart of it! In Lecce and Sorrento the hotels were exquisite and located right in the main squares.



This all said, all the rooms were – well-ok. Some of the beds were like 2 twin beds put together to make a queen or double. We left everything in our suitcases as there was not really a lot of room to put anything. So it was tough getting stuff out of them every day as they had to stay on the floor. All the showers except the one in the cave were in bathtubs requiring us to step into them. One tub was so narrow we had to stand sideways to shower.



Anyway, the schedule was essentially breakfast at 7am+, depart around 8:15-8:30 or 8:45-9 am, back at the hotel around 3, 4 or 5 and then out again for dinner around 7pm- if it was an included meal that day. There was a lot of free time but if we were out and about that meant mostly shopping and we don’t shop so we spent that time resting or people watching and taking in the scenery. Maybe having a gelato, which I have had better in the states. To me it was simply ice cream and nothing special and we had it several times in different places.



As for the rest of the food, we had some fantastic meals and some were just ok for me. I missed having a glass of Orange Juice each morning as they did not have what we consider OJ juice. More like Tang. And also my husband missed having a nice big hot mug of coffee each morning. Seemed everything was always luke warm and not hot and small. I never got used to having pastries, cold cuts or cheese, etc. for breakfast. Thankfully we could have eggs and toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit.



After a while I tired of olives, hearing about olive oil, lemons and lemoncello and all that. I have lost my taste for wine the past few years and I did drink it there, but after a few days I decided to refrain because between eating late and the wine it was not helping me sleep at night.



I also never want to see a public toilet again if I can help it. No seats on the public toilets. Heck my husband said in one men’s room there were NO toilets only urinals! LOL! Thankfully our tour guide always paid for us to use the toilets except when we were out and about on our own. I think I paid the 50 cents just once.



We only took 100 in Euros with us and never had to use an ATM or take out a physical credit card as we were able to use apple pay everywhere. Came home with 1.50 Euros in coins.



So now for the good stuff: We loved seeing the ancient Greek theater and public garden in Taormina and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. We went up 6000 ft to Mt Etna and hiked around the craters.. The Sassi area in Matera where we stayed was magical. The trullies, Capri and the Amalfi coast, Pompei. Wow!!! Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



We all voted to take a private small boat ride around Capri on the Tyrranean Sea and it was definitely a highlight.



We also had a couple of meals at farms, a winery and also took a cooking class making gnocchi and a marmalade tart as part of our meal. Also dinner and dancing at the home of a Baroness, whom we met.



Our last night we were treated to a Michelin rated restaurant in Sorrento with an Enrico Caruso theme for our farewell dinner.



I have to say I was nervous about the flights to get home, but it helped that some people in our group were on the same flights. And thankfully the long haul to Boston was on a newer plane and the Premium Economy was way better than the first one. It helped that it was an afternoon flight and also I sat in the aisle seat so I did much better. Turns out though our plane heading for the connecting flight was 10 minutes late we still made it with the less than hour connection time and in fact the plane waited for other people who’s planes were delayed so it took off later than scheduled. And with all that the plane still landed on time in Boston. Go figure.



Did not use a wheel chair once. Did not have the patience to try to find how to get one and the only time there were wheel chairs waiting as we left the plane was on our arrival back in Boston and at that point I skipped it.



In summary, I’m glad we did our first and only trip to Italy this way, avoiding the big cities and crowds. Plus we got to see the diversity of the culture with all the Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Arab, Norman, North African, etc. influences.



Yes- there were some crowds but we started out early each day and avoided the worst of it. I’d say Pompei was the most crowded, but again, our guide got us through effortlessly.



Italy is experiencing an influx of tourists and the problems that brings with it and it has forced them to put restrictions of road access, parking, etc., and balance it with the much needed revenue.



We had the absolute best weather you could ever ask for- 70 degrees and sunny every single day! Actually the direct sun made it feel hotter than that since there was barely any shade anywhere. There were people on the beaches and even swimming in the sea in November!



Glad we got to do this. The first week was rough between the flight and with adjusting to everything. The first week I actually wanted to go home. By the end of the second week we were both ready to go home, as were other members of our group, though some were heading off to Rome afterwards. I think also that I have not aged as well as some other people who seemed to have more energy than me. So this trip for me was hard. I still prefer a condo and staying in one place and doing a few day trips here or there- more slower travel. But I also do not want to fly anywhere either. I hate airports and the planes and their bathrooms and all of it.

I realized how American I really am. I could not see us living in a country like Italy or any foreign country actually and really have no desire to visit any other countries or fly anywhere again.

This doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate what we saw and did. It was great, but I guess I am satisfied now and happy to be comfortably home.

I will try to post some photos from my phone here under this thread. Sorry I rambled on and this is so long.
Sounds like a great trip, thanks for sharing!
 

easyrider

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Well, we returned from our 16 day journey on Tuesday night and are still recovering from jet lag, two daylight savings time changes, and exhaustion from walking steep hills, stairs and cobblestones for several hours every single day.



First off I have to say that Odysseys Unlimited was fantastic- professional, treated us like royalty, attention to detail, on time itinerary schedule, etc. Our Croatian tour guide, Eva, was awesome. Caring, knowledgeable, attentive, excellent communication regarding each day’s expectations, and flexible.



It also helped that we were a group of 24 cooperative, friendly people. No trouble makers or complainers. We bonded immediately. Almost half of the group was comprised of 10 women from a Bowling Green, Ohio book club. One woman took her 31 year old daughter with her and another took her 29 year old developmentally disabled daughter, who was great- kept up with the group and no trouble at all - and the rest were couples from Massachusetts and Minnesota and New Jersey, a few single women from NYC and one from Washington DC. Most all of us were in our late 60’s and 70’s.



The flight going to Munich for our 6 hour layover before heading off to Catania was torturous for me. I think the fact that it was a red eye, plus that it seemed it was an older plane so the premium economy did not feel premium at all was a big issue. I could not get comfortable or sleep and I was about to be on the news screaming to be let off the plane at any moment. When we finally got to Munich I laid down on several seats at the gate. I was so wiped out and my body was suffering. I had to lay down! Later we had lunch and then took off for Catania and the economy seats in our connecting plane were actually more comfortable than the ones in Premium economy on our prior flight! Our transfer car was at the airport waiting for us and we were finally on our way to the hotel in Taormina.



Anyway- all the hotels were rated First Class except the one in Lecce which was rated Super First Class. Each hotel had something special about it. The one in Taormina was set on a cliff with sweeping views of the Ionian sea and coastline, with Mt Etna steaming in the distance, all seen from our balcony. In Matera, caves were converted into the hotel and rooms and we had an awesome view of the ancient city right outside our door. Heck, we were in the heart of it! In Lecce and Sorrento the hotels were exquisite and located right in the main squares.



This all said, all the rooms were – well-ok. Some of the beds were like 2 twin beds put together to make a queen or double. We left everything in our suitcases as there was not really a lot of room to put anything. So it was tough getting stuff out of them every day as they had to stay on the floor. All the showers except the one in the cave were in bathtubs requiring us to step into them. One tub was so narrow we had to stand sideways to shower.



Anyway, the schedule was essentially breakfast at 7am+, depart around 8:15-8:30 or 8:45-9 am, back at the hotel around 3, 4 or 5 and then out again for dinner around 7pm- if it was an included meal that day. There was a lot of free time but if we were out and about that meant mostly shopping and we don’t shop so we spent that time resting or people watching and taking in the scenery. Maybe having a gelato, which I have had better in the states. To me it was simply ice cream and nothing special and we had it several times in different places.



As for the rest of the food, we had some fantastic meals and some were just ok for me. I missed having a glass of Orange Juice each morning as they did not have what we consider OJ juice. More like Tang. And also my husband missed having a nice big hot mug of coffee each morning. Seemed everything was always luke warm and not hot and small. I never got used to having pastries, cold cuts or cheese, etc. for breakfast. Thankfully we could have eggs and toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit.



After a while I tired of olives, hearing about olive oil, lemons and lemoncello and all that. I have lost my taste for wine the past few years and I did drink it there, but after a few days I decided to refrain because between eating late and the wine it was not helping me sleep at night.



I also never want to see a public toilet again if I can help it. No seats on the public toilets. Heck my husband said in one men’s room there were NO toilets only urinals! LOL! Thankfully our tour guide always paid for us to use the toilets except when we were out and about on our own. I think I paid the 50 cents just once.



We only took 100 in Euros with us and never had to use an ATM or take out a physical credit card as we were able to use apple pay everywhere. Came home with 1.50 Euros in coins.



So now for the good stuff: We loved seeing the ancient Greek theater and public garden in Taormina and the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento. We went up 6000 ft to Mt Etna and hiked around the craters.. The Sassi area in Matera where we stayed was magical. The trullies, Capri and the Amalfi coast, Pompei. Wow!!! Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites.



We all voted to take a private small boat ride around Capri on the Tyrranean Sea and it was definitely a highlight.



We also had a couple of meals at farms, a winery and also took a cooking class making gnocchi and a marmalade tart as part of our meal. Also dinner and dancing at the home of a Baroness, whom we met.



Our last night we were treated to a Michelin rated restaurant in Sorrento with an Enrico Caruso theme for our farewell dinner.



I have to say I was nervous about the flights to get home, but it helped that some people in our group were on the same flights. And thankfully the long haul to Boston was on a newer plane and the Premium Economy was way better than the first one. It helped that it was an afternoon flight and also I sat in the aisle seat so I did much better. Turns out though our plane heading for the connecting flight was 10 minutes late we still made it with the less than hour connection time and in fact the plane waited for other people who’s planes were delayed so it took off later than scheduled. And with all that the plane still landed on time in Boston. Go figure.



Did not use a wheel chair once. Did not have the patience to try to find how to get one and the only time there were wheel chairs waiting as we left the plane was on our arrival back in Boston and at that point I skipped it.



In summary, I’m glad we did our first and only trip to Italy this way, avoiding the big cities and crowds. Plus we got to see the diversity of the culture with all the Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Arab, Norman, North African, etc. influences.



Yes- there were some crowds but we started out early each day and avoided the worst of it. I’d say Pompei was the most crowded, but again, our guide got us through effortlessly.



Italy is experiencing an influx of tourists and the problems that brings with it and it has forced them to put restrictions of road access, parking, etc., and balance it with the much needed revenue.



We had the absolute best weather you could ever ask for- 70 degrees and sunny every single day! Actually the direct sun made it feel hotter than that since there was barely any shade anywhere. There were people on the beaches and even swimming in the sea in November!



Glad we got to do this. The first week was rough between the flight and with adjusting to everything. The first week I actually wanted to go home. By the end of the second week we were both ready to go home, as were other members of our group, though some were heading off to Rome afterwards. I think also that I have not aged as well as some other people who seemed to have more energy than me. So this trip for me was hard. I still prefer a condo and staying in one place and doing a few day trips here or there- more slower travel. But I also do not want to fly anywhere either. I hate airports and the planes and their bathrooms and all of it.

I realized how American I really am. I could not see us living in a country like Italy or any foreign country actually and really have no desire to visit any other countries or fly anywhere again.

This doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate what we saw and did. It was great, but I guess I am satisfied now and happy to be comfortably home.

I will try to post some photos from my phone here under this thread. Sorry I rambled on and this is so long.

Thanks for making this easy to read by spacing the trip report out. Sounds like good times.

Bill
 

Patri

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Time flew! You were gone and back before we realized it. Thanks for the report. You are a survivor. How did your husband like it?
 

WaikikiFirst

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buses- even the small ones- cannot bring you to the hotel and site entrances so we always had to walk to them and back
Ah, memories. Staying in "old town" Girona. :) For all those "old towns" areas, have to remember that around the Mediterranean, "old" means OLD, VERY OLD. And in VERY OLD days, they didn't have buses, not even small ones. They had small donkeys, but would you put your luggage on one?
 

WinniWoman

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Time flew! You were gone and back before we realized it. Thanks for the report. You are a survivor. How did your husband like it?
Oh, my husband liked it. He especially loved Sicily. He was also brown nosing the tour guides throughout the trip- which made me nuts! He did much better than I did. Nothing bothers him. LOL! But he was tired just as I was.

The tour guides got a kick out of him. The fact that he was of Sicilian decent. They called him Antonio. Interestingly there was just one other "Italian" in our group. So just 3 of us out of 24.
 

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jp10558

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I'm glad you had a mostly positive trip, and it sounds amazing to me. I think I'm basically the opposite of @WinniWoman - I have lived in the same place basically my entire life and am pretty bored of it. I think I've almost memorized much of the accessible 103 acres, and the rest I have a pretty good idea about. COVID really gave me weeks worth of reacquainting myself. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to move or give up my family property - but I'm now constantly looking forward to the next trip to a timeshare or location.

That said - I am also opposite in that I'm a night owl. On vacation I struggle to make an 11AM breakfast cut off - it'd be nice if it was like 1:30PM lol. I get up "early" to make my 9:30 work meeting. So I'd pretty much see it as work to get up and be at breakfast by 7AM every day. This is a major reason we never book tours - I think we mentioned here before somewhere that they really could consider people who'd much rather start at noon and end at like 1AM than start at 7AM and end at 4PM then break then dinner. I'm also someone who once I'm back to the hotel after say 5PM, I really don't necessarily want to go back out again. Let's keep the party going till we're going back to sleep lol.

Maybe it's all my international TV watching, or going to college with lots of Indian students, but I've gotten reasonably good with accents. My sister is actually good at other languages, but with all the translation apps and such, I probably would try it. I remember being a little limited in Finland back in 2016 before we could just get data sims and have such advanced apps. So far, most bigger cities I've been to have people able to speak English so I get to be lazy I guess. I do really look forward to another European trip, and maybe someday an Asia trip, but we decided Hawaii first because of Timeshares I guess. I was going to try Greece but was outvoted. Europe does seem more like a hotel kind of place for much of it, but I'd probably try some of the timeshares on the beach - though I also always kind of figure one beach is much like another to me.
 

Luanne

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MaryAnn, glad you are safe home and had a great trip. Thanks for the report.
 

rapmarks

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Wonderful trip
I used to help my mother make gnocchi when I was growing up
 

WinniWoman

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Wonderful trip
I used to help my mother make gnocchi when I was growing up
My dad made it also. He taught my son when he was younger.
 

b2bailey

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I'm with those who couldn't wait to read every detail of your trip report.
Happy to hear that overall you were glad you didn't cancel.

In contrast, a good friend recently traveled from San Diego to England to attend her favorite aunt's funeral. She had been on the fence about going, since she had just visited her hometown of Leeds earlier this year.

She encountered a myriad of travel difficulties and missed the funeral.
 

CalGalTraveler

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Loved the trip report. Although the outbound was painful I am glad the rest went well. Thanks for sharing. It makes me want to go back to Europe. I always lose weight when I travel because we walk so much. Even with eating all of the European carbs and alcoholic drinks.

Like you, I cannot tolerate wine very well anymore because it upsets my stomach. So I drink sparingly.
 

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Mary Ann, thanks for sharing your experience. I am reading it in Napoli/Naples and it is so real to me. We are here for nine days and explored a lot of what this area can offer. We are taking a train to Civitavecchia tomorrow and board the cruise ship back to US on the day after. You accomplished a lot during your trip and I am soooo glad you and your husband went and explored the area your ancestors came from. Cheers!
 
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