|
Three more full days and then we will be off to Italy. The start of my packing will commence tonight if all goes according to Hoyle. I have a few documents that I want to print out for things to remember to do while I am there, and I will be all set.
Our tickets for the Vatican have been purchased in advance by Mark. That will make that day a lot easier on us considering the crowds of people that may be there for the election of a new Pope. I am starting to think about the volumes of photos I will have to sort through. Good thing I will have a rest day when we return, and another vacation day I have already requested to be able to sort through them all. Hopefully, I will be able to get 1/10 of what I take on here for all to see.
0 Comments
With six days to go, I have my last major project at work to complete all day today. I have one minor project next week, and then the major packing begins. The extent of my excitement about going to Italy is only tempered by the fact that I will be away from my wonderful wife for two weeks. I will miss her dearly, and I told her last night that the best part of my vacation will be seeing her beautiful face again on my return. As much as I am looking forward to this trip, being with her is the real joy in my life.
OK, a few hurdles we may run into. Weather is the first! A major storm is coming through the northeast as I type this, and flight delays are already building. My hope is that the airlines will be caught up by late next week and that there are no further storms coming. The long range forecast looks wet, but pretty good otherwise. The connection in Philadelphia is my big concern, as if Philly was not already a concern. More delays and cancellations have originated from this city than anywhere in my lifetime. Second is the government! With the pending financial crisis in full gear and the "sequestration" (whatever that is) looming on March 1, there MAY be a possibility that the TSA will experience significant cuts causing delays through airport security. I hope this is a non-issue, while at the same time hope that our lawmakers do not cave to the left. Enough about politics. Third, and this really does not bother me, is the frequency of minor earthquakes that have been occurring over the past week in Italy. These are actually close to where I will be spending a significant amount of time. Last, I would love to have so great weather in Italy so we can visit the sites unhampered with gloomy conditions. Hope to provide another update soon! We finalized (sort of) our plans yesterday for getting back and forth from Rome to Gaeta. And we now have a plan for our excursion to Naples. Our calendar will likely change a bit due to our cousins obligations to his new daughter, Giulia. That is OK with us; she is the first priority. February 28 cannot get here fast enough for me!
We have nine days before we depart now and I find myself going over my list of items to pack. There is so little left for me to get ready except for the clothes. Mark will stay with me the night before our trip, and Susan will be driving us to the Raleigh/Durham airport the following morning. We need to pray for good weather (no snow), at least until we get to Philadelphia and in the air to Rome. The last few weeks have gone by quickly, and the excitement is building! Ciao for now!
Today is just ten days before leaving for Italy. Can someone say excited? Our cousin and his wife had their beautiful daughter on February 6, 2013, so we will get to see a new cousin on our trip! We know that Vito and Wilma will be very busy with their new child, so we plan to do a little of the sightseeing on our own if need be so as not to disrupt their activities with a baby. Our gifts that I had shipped to Italy ahead of time for our family and friends was not delivered. After 55 days from the date I shipped it, it was returned. Apparently the Italian postal service is not too competent, but then again, neither is the US Postal Service. When you pay for guaranteed delivery and there is "no guarantee" once it leaves the US, then why does it exist? No worries! I have the items intact ready to take in a suitcase (additional expense of $100). All gifts will be distributed when we arrive (assuming the airline does not lose the bag). Updates will start to become more frequent now, and hopefully daily when we leave. I will also be recording my more personal thoughts in a written journal as well. Ciao for now!
|
Author
I am Greg Smith. I work for the North Carolina Community College System in Greenville, NC, but I serve the entire State of North Carolina. This is my first trip to Italy, and thankfully it is with my twin brother who has been one time before. I am relying on him to get me through the ins-and-outs of traveling abroad for my very first time, and especially with the language barrier. In addition, our cousin will serve as our host, interpreter, tour guide, and family mentor while we are there. Archives
August 2014
Categories |
RSS Feed