Our Southern Italy and Sicily Trip

[Rjbeach2003]

It does sound like you should never leave the states again. Know that in Italy the regions are very different, just like here. Sicily is the least wealthy part of Italy. I have not been. But we have made 4 trips that included Italy, from the Amalfi Coast north. Re the public toilets, most were just fine, though all cost a Euro. There were some that were lacking. We love the food and the wine. Also I always plan and book our trips by myself. I can't see myself in a herd. But that is just me, I am sure many people like not having to plan too much.

 

[WinniWoman]

It does sound like you should never leave the states again. Know that in Italy the regions are very different, just like here. Sicily is the least wealthy part of Italy. I have not been. But we have made 4 trips that included Italy, from the Amalfi Coast north. Re the public toilets, most were just fine, though all cost a Euro. There were some that were lacking. We love the food and the wine. Also I always plan and book our trips by myself. I can't see myself in a herd. But that is just me, I am sure many people like not having to plan too much.

We always travelled independently with a few exceptions. And I was the planner. But for something like this, doing a tour was the best option for us and what we wanted to accomplish in a short period of time.

Having the guides was invaluable to know what we were looking at and learn about the history and culture. Not having to deal with even more logistics than we already had to was a big reason we chose a tour. Not having to drive and lug our suitcases around was another.

And we never felt like we were in a “herd”. Being only 24 people it was more like traveling with a large family and sharing our experiences.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Thanks for the report, I was wondering how your trip was going just the other day. Happy to hear it went well!

 

[Cornell]

@WinniWoman Did you ever have evenings where there was a dinner / evening activity scheduled and you said "not up for it" and skipped?

 

[b2bailey]

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!

Can you start a new thread about your time in Napoli -- and your return to US -- by ship?

 

[WinniWoman]

@WinniWoman Did you ever have evenings where there was a dinner / evening activity scheduled and you said "not up for it" and skipped?

Nope. We forced ourselves to go back out, as did everyone else.

 

[Glynda]

Great to read your report! You saw some lovely places. The hills and steps would be a challenge for us now in Italy. So, how did the wardrobe, luggage checking, etc. go?

 

[JudyH]

Wow. Good for you. It all worked out well.
I got tired just reading all you did. We had group trips like yours from 2010 to 2019. Up early to late dinner. All over the world.
I never was an early person nor do I ever eat an early morning meal so those parts of the trips were a challenge. I also don’t like late dinners.
Coming back to America is always great. Even with the warts and bumps. The electric and plumbing always work and you can usually drink the water safely.

 

[travelove]

Mary Ann, thanks for a great report and welcome back home. My daughter got married in Italy this August and we also had an amazing time with lots of memories. We took Cunard Mediterranean cruise after wedding came back to US very very tired and also not looking forward to Europe in a near future even though loved our travel

 

[WinniWoman]

Great to read your report! You saw some lovely places. The hills and steps would be a challenge for us now in Italy. So, how did the wardrobe, luggage checking, etc. go?

We thankfully had no problems with checking the luggage. Weights were fine, it didn’t get lost, etc. We did put an AirTag in the bigger suitcase with our clothes in it. The smaller one had our toiletries and incidentals in it. If we were shoppers that one also had room in it for some purchases.

We also had a carryon with two outfits each in it, pjs, and our hoodies, plus the quart bag with some small sample toiletries, our toothbrushes, etc in case our checked luggage was delayed or whatever. I had a small cross body bag and my husband had a small back pack with our meds, snacks and a couple of my magazines to read on the plane, cell phone charger and wires, paperwork, water bottle, etc.

This said, I hated living out of the suitcase and having to rearrange the clothes in it each day. Plus separating the “used” clothes from the cleaner ones. Remember, there was no place to put the suitcases- especially the big one with our clothes- in the room except the floor, so this required us having to get on the floor to get our clothes! Not easy!

We did re wear some things maybe twice, but we found we were sweating in the warm climate and with all the walking. I did rinse out a couple of my things ( I can’t figure out why I was short on socks) maybe twice during the trip when we knew we were staying at the hotel more than 2 days, using laundry sheets in the sink and a hairdryer to speed up the drying process, so that helped.

This said, I hate my clothes and how I look as I haven’t aged well, but I got to the point that I didn’t care. My goal was to be comfortable. My sketchers all terrain sneakers with memory foam were great and I wore them every single day, all day. I never put on my sandals, as I wouldn’t take a chance on those roads and sidewalks.

We didn’t need the hoodies at all. Even when we got back home it was 70 degrees out at night on Nov 5th! I had bought a pretty, very light sweater for the trip and never wore it once. My husband actually never wore the two outfits in the carryon. I wore mine the last two days of the trip.

I wore no makeup, my hair is very short and thinning so I just washed it occasionally- no styling needed when you have hardly any hair. Lol!

I only wore the same pair of post earrings and my cheap, rose gold tarnished cross necklace- no rings or bracelets.

My back held out fine, but I did find my feet would hurt after awhile, probably because of my weight. Sigh…

Ironically we never wore our money belts. We have cellphone wallets so we kept one credit card, some euros and our medical insurance cards in them. All the other cards including our ATM cards locked away in our suitcases with our passports. Only one safe in one hotel worked, or at least we could figure out how to use- and we did use that one. We used Apple Pay most everywhere. But honestly, we barely needed to spend much extra money because so much was included in the tour.

My husband kept his cell phone in his front pocket. I kept mine mostly in my hand ( hey- I always need to be ready to take photos!) just like I do at home or in my cross body bag.

We did bring lanyards for the phones but found them annoying around our necks. Plus often we were wearing “whisperers” around our necks as well that the tour guides used to speak to us as we walked around.

We never felt uncomfortable regarding pick pockets anywhere we went, even in the airports.

 

[beejaybee]

Glad you not only survived your trip but enjoyed it overall!
Living out of a suitcase for an extended time is no fun. Timeshare stays rule!

 

[stmartinfan]

In case you decide to go for another tour someday, I'd recommend the thIn zipped packing cubes as a way to make it easier to live out of a suitcase. I find them very useful to keep things neatly folded and to locate items. I use one longer one for pants, another one for all my tops and tube like ones for socks and underwear. I also can use one for dirty items, although I usually rinse shirts and underwear out when we're somewhere for more than 1 night, because I travel with carryon only.

 

[missyrcrews]

We've all been rooting for you! <3 Glad to hear you made it there and back. I have several places that I would never ever go on my own. (Yes...as somebody on this board once told me...I'll be a bus trip person about some destinations. I think they meant it as an insult, but it truly fits me. ) Anyhow, glad you found a way to go, and that it had enjoyable moments, and that you are home again. Those pics of your husband are great. I knew he'd love it!

 

[susieq]

Congrats!!! You made the TUG NEWSLETTER!!!

Trip Report: Southern Italy/Sicily!​

An incredible recap of this trip with photos included! A great read for anyone considering visiting this area of the world in the future!

 

[DaveNV]

Welcome home, MaryAnn. I know this trip was a major milestone, and also a tremendous struggle for you. But the fact is, you persevered, and made the most of what you went there to experience. I'm really glad you made the effort to arrange things as best you could, and that you mostly enjoyed yourself. Travel is always a bit of a balancing act, between how much is enough, and what is just too much. At the end of the day, I hope the sights and experience you had was worth the trouble and expense. Those pictures are going to be wonderful memories in a while, after the discomforts of the trip fade.

How did your Airalo SIM and such work out on your phone?

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

Welcome home, MaryAnn. I know this trip was a major milestone, and also a tremendous struggle for you. But the fact is, you persevered, and made the most of what you went there to experience. I'm really glad you made the effort to arrange things as best you could, and that you mostly enjoyed yourself. Travel is always a bit of a balancing act, between how much is enough, and what is just too much. At the end of the day, I hope the sights and experience you had was worth the trouble and expense. Those pictures are going to be wonderful memories in a while, after the discomforts of the trip fade.

How did your Airalo SIM and such work out on your phone?

Dave

The Airalo worked perfectly! I actually never had to make a phone call, but I did do a few texts to my brother. We mostly used the WiFi at the hotel and airports. But it was great to know I had it in case of emergencies or whatever.

We can still use Airalo here in the US since we bought global esims so we still have it on our phones, albeit disabled for now as we really don’t need it. Mine is good for one year. My husband’s is good for just 30 days.

We did enjoy the trip for sure. My husband is currently making a movie with the photos and gathering up Italian music to go with it.

Thanks for all your help, Dave!

 

[DaveNV]

The Airalo worked perfectly! I actually never had to make a phone call, but I did do a few texts to my brother. We mostly used the WiFi at the hotel and airports. But it was great to know I had it in case of emergencies or whatever.

We can still use Airalo here in the US since we bought global esims so we still have it on our phones, albeit disabled for now as we really don’t need it. Mine is good for one year. My husband’s is good for just 30 days.

We did enjoy the trip for sure. My husband is currently making a movie with the photos and gathering up Italian music to go with it.

Thanks for all your help, Dave!

Very happy to have helped you out. Glad things worked as well as they did.

I'm glad the Airalo SIM worked out for you. That sort of thing is daunting until you've worked through it, and then it's often surprisingly easy, compared to our expectation. The best part is how well it worked for us, and apparently for you. The next time someone asks which SIM to recommend, I know the one I'll be talking about. It's great when a product does exactly what it says it will do.

Welcome home, again. Get some rest - in your own bed, with your own pillow, and with your own bathroom nearby. Sometimes the best part of traveling is getting home again.

Dave

 

[WinniWoman]

I do want to thank everyone on TUG for helping me when I was planning this trip and putting up with all my anxiety in regards to the flights, packing, money conversion and safety issues. As usual, you all had so many awesome suggestions!

Tuggers are the best!

 

[Glynda]

Except for no place to put the suitcases, it reads as if it went smoothly. As stmartinfan wrote above, packing cubes would probably have helped. I also separate pants, tops and pjs, socks and undergarments into three cubes and have another for lotions and potions and makeup. I take a trash can bag for dirty clothes.

 

[WinniWoman]

Except for no place to put the suitcases, it reads as if it went smoothly. As stmartinfan wrote above, packing cubes would probably have helped. I also separate pants, tops and pjs, socks and undergarments into three cubes and have another for lotions and potions and makeup. I take a trash can bag for dirty clothes.

We were pretty organized. Toiletries were in ziplock bags and in a separate suitcase with other incidentals.

Socks and underwear were rolled up in ziplock bags and I had ziplock bags for the used ones.

My pjs were super thin and in the carryon and hubby doesn't even wear any. Lol! We brought 8 outfits each. I didn’t bother buying packing cubes as I couldn’t understand how we would be rolling them up in those. And this was our last fly to trip anyway. That’s why I borrowed the suitcases and crossbody bags, etc, from my neighbors.

I had the top of a light, hard rolling suitcase for my clothes and my husband had the bottom. But this necessitated leaving it completely open laying flat on the floor.

 

[nerodog]

Great to read and yes we all have our American characteristics don't we ? I've lived in Portugal 8 yrs and still have my habits !! Lololo... so interesting to read and guess what ? We have a CIE Tour to Sicily in March !!! 3 of us going... so your pix and write up were helpful!!!

 

[AnnaS]

So happy you were able to make the trip!! Welcome Home. For many, depending on our age and health, it might be a once in a lifetime trip. It's a lot of running around/keeping up with tours. We did this many years ago. Go, go and go.

Last year, our trip to Sicily, we took it easy. 5 nights in my hometown and 10 nights in my husband's hometown. We took many day trips. We were there more to relax and enjoy time with family/friends from our hometowns and some beach time and some sightseeing. We had already visited many sites - Pompeii, Rome, Sardinia, Tuscany, etc. etc. so this was perfect.

I was born in Sicily and have visited three times since coming to the US. If the flights were not so long, I would visit every other year or spend two/three months there. I would not mind another tour and add a "relaxing" stay again at the end of the tour. No matter where we all travel to, nothing beats being home, returning home, our own bed. I do miss their food though.

You have created some wonderful memories. You can relax now - Maybe you will start planning again soon in the US!!