We're packed. iPods are charged. All the lists have been checked and re-checked. Even the cats have tried to find a space in the suitcases. And the emotions are all over the place. Mostly because I'm just so very tired, with still so many things to do. Perhaps, at some stage, I just need to switch off, and get on with it. Just one more work day to get through first, though.
So - to sum up the last leg of the trip. From Merano we head for Verona, where we will be staying on a farm just outside the city again. Unfortunately we will be too late for the opera season, which is a great pity.
http://www.sanmattia.it/
And from Verona we will stop over in Bassano del Grappa for one night. More wine. :) Or perhaps it was just based on a nice photo in one of the many books.
http://www.villasanbiagio.it/
And then - it's Venice! Which I've already told you about.
But first, some sleep.
One single sleep! :)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Where breathing in will turn you on...
People who see my music collection often comment on the strange range of genres. Not to mention some of the very weird songs that I have. "My boomerang won't come back", and "Ernie, the fastest milkman in the West", are not songs that you would find in many people's collections. I guess I can be classified as a bit of a hoarder. And so, throughout my life, when people introduced me to new music, I took note. And if I liked it, it sort of became like a fridge magnet in my mind. Something that subconsciously stays on the top of the memory stack, to ensure that it gets retrieved easily.
My all-time favourite musical is Chess. I was introduced to it by a good friend that used to work with me, and I just loved having the opportunity to see it performed in a small theater in Camps Bay recently. And for those of you that have not heard of this musical - if you know the song "One Night in Bangkok", then you can at least say that you know one song from the musical.
Chess starts off with a..... well, a Chess tournament (well - it is pretty obvious, isn't it?!) in Merano - a town in Southern Tyrol. I strangely never really took note of where Merano actually is, and was quite surprised to find that it is actually in Italy. And even better - it's near the Stelvio Pass. And having children who are all Top Gear fans, and with the lads from Top Gear raving so much about the Stelvio Pass, it only seemed right for us to try and fit this into our trip.
So, from Aosto, we have to somehow find our way across the Northern parts of Italy, via the Stelvio Pass, to spend some time in Merano (where else?). It took a while to figure out what the best route would be. Ultimately, we settled for a day or two around the lakes near Milan, and I managed to find a rather cute guesthouse in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore. It seems to have a view of Isola Bella, an island on the lake. When I told the owner that we were so looking forward to spending time in her guesthouse, her response was: "grazie! here however is very simple is just a house......." :)
http://www.lasorgente.biz/
The drive from Stresa to Merano seems a bit far to be doing in one day. Especially seeing that there are more than just the Stelvio pass to contend with. And while the passes are probably what I look forward to the most, I certainly did not want to be caught on one of these passes in the dark. So we decided to break the trip up, and found a guesthouse in what I think is just the most beautiful little village nestled in a valley between the mountains. Ponte di Legno.
http://www.pontedilegnobeb.com/english/yuribeb.html
And then, it's the Stelvio Pass, and Merano. It took a while for me to be able to book accommodation in Merano. All the websites are actually in German. And people seem to have way better things to do than answering e-mails. And I specifically did not want accommodation in one of the bigger ski resorts. Eventually I managed to secure a booking. But for this I had to use my best school German, and a little help from our trusted friend Google Translate. (and you can image that, with all the music that I have stored in that top-of-the-stack memory over the years, the school German is not all that retrievable anymore!) These Germans seem to have such a great time up in the North of Italy, that they don't even bother to speak Italian, let alone English!
http://www.schneeburghof.com/
So - with two days to go, and just when I was thinking that I was winning with all the Must-Do stuff, I've just been hit by another curveball. Best I find a bat quickly.
O light the heart
That lingers in Merano
My all-time favourite musical is Chess. I was introduced to it by a good friend that used to work with me, and I just loved having the opportunity to see it performed in a small theater in Camps Bay recently. And for those of you that have not heard of this musical - if you know the song "One Night in Bangkok", then you can at least say that you know one song from the musical.
Chess starts off with a..... well, a Chess tournament (well - it is pretty obvious, isn't it?!) in Merano - a town in Southern Tyrol. I strangely never really took note of where Merano actually is, and was quite surprised to find that it is actually in Italy. And even better - it's near the Stelvio Pass. And having children who are all Top Gear fans, and with the lads from Top Gear raving so much about the Stelvio Pass, it only seemed right for us to try and fit this into our trip.
So, from Aosto, we have to somehow find our way across the Northern parts of Italy, via the Stelvio Pass, to spend some time in Merano (where else?). It took a while to figure out what the best route would be. Ultimately, we settled for a day or two around the lakes near Milan, and I managed to find a rather cute guesthouse in Stresa, on Lake Maggiore. It seems to have a view of Isola Bella, an island on the lake. When I told the owner that we were so looking forward to spending time in her guesthouse, her response was: "grazie! here however is very simple is just a house......." :)
http://www.lasorgente.biz/
The drive from Stresa to Merano seems a bit far to be doing in one day. Especially seeing that there are more than just the Stelvio pass to contend with. And while the passes are probably what I look forward to the most, I certainly did not want to be caught on one of these passes in the dark. So we decided to break the trip up, and found a guesthouse in what I think is just the most beautiful little village nestled in a valley between the mountains. Ponte di Legno.
http://www.pontedilegnobeb.com/english/yuribeb.html
And then, it's the Stelvio Pass, and Merano. It took a while for me to be able to book accommodation in Merano. All the websites are actually in German. And people seem to have way better things to do than answering e-mails. And I specifically did not want accommodation in one of the bigger ski resorts. Eventually I managed to secure a booking. But for this I had to use my best school German, and a little help from our trusted friend Google Translate. (and you can image that, with all the music that I have stored in that top-of-the-stack memory over the years, the school German is not all that retrievable anymore!) These Germans seem to have such a great time up in the North of Italy, that they don't even bother to speak Italian, let alone English!
http://www.schneeburghof.com/
So - with two days to go, and just when I was thinking that I was winning with all the Must-Do stuff, I've just been hit by another curveball. Best I find a bat quickly.
O light the heart
That lingers in Merano
Saturday, August 28, 2010
All these places have their moments
One of the first accommodation tips we got was from a very sweet couple who shared a table with us at a wine tasting. Being retired, they whisk off to Europe every winter to their house in France. I've always envied people who are able to do this. They also frequently travel to Italy, and always ensure that they spend time in Piedmont, and specifically in a little town called Barolo.
So - after losing our hearts in the Cinque Terre area, we will spend some time in Piedmont. And of course we've managed to book the same guesthouse. (I so love the family photo on their website!)
http://www.lagiolitta.it/stanze.htm
Whether we will be able to go truffle hunting, I'm not sure. But we will certainly be in truffle country. And Alba, the Truffle Capital, has an Earth market every Saturday morning, so I'm hoping I could go and show Niel what these truffles actually are.
From Piedmont we will head into the mountains, and get our first taste of Italian passes. There are quite a few things that attracted me to the Aosta Valley. Mont Blanc has a cable car that takes you all the way over the mountain to Chamonix. And then, of course, there is the St Bernard Pass. Our accommodation is near the town of Aosta, and from here we will explore what this area has to offer.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/au-petit-chevrot.html?aid=304142;label=postb
With only three days to go, the feelings are rather mixed. Will we be okay driving with those Fiats constantly on our bumpers? How badly will we get lost? What are we forgetting?
I guess the answer is simple. We are going to experience Italy. Some of that may be less than great. But to truly experience, you would have to expect some bad experiences as well. It's all part of the character of Italy.
So - after losing our hearts in the Cinque Terre area, we will spend some time in Piedmont. And of course we've managed to book the same guesthouse. (I so love the family photo on their website!)
http://www.lagiolitta.it/stanze.htm
Whether we will be able to go truffle hunting, I'm not sure. But we will certainly be in truffle country. And Alba, the Truffle Capital, has an Earth market every Saturday morning, so I'm hoping I could go and show Niel what these truffles actually are.
From Piedmont we will head into the mountains, and get our first taste of Italian passes. There are quite a few things that attracted me to the Aosta Valley. Mont Blanc has a cable car that takes you all the way over the mountain to Chamonix. And then, of course, there is the St Bernard Pass. Our accommodation is near the town of Aosta, and from here we will explore what this area has to offer.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/au-petit-chevrot.html?aid=304142;label=postb
With only three days to go, the feelings are rather mixed. Will we be okay driving with those Fiats constantly on our bumpers? How badly will we get lost? What are we forgetting?
I guess the answer is simple. We are going to experience Italy. Some of that may be less than great. But to truly experience, you would have to expect some bad experiences as well. It's all part of the character of Italy.
Friday, August 27, 2010
... Out on the weekend
It's been such an intense week. Those curve balls seem to have turned into head-on pitches, and the art of dodging them makes any basic army training seem like a walk in the park. And so with a sigh of relief, we made it to Friday - almost like being out on a weekend pass.
I've always been cautious at looking forward to something too much. Rather be pleasantly surprised. This is not that easy to be adhering to when the prospect of three weeks in Italy awaits. It's just so very difficult to not want to try and see every possible attraction you find in all your research. But hey, one can always go back to see more. :)
One of the towns we were advised to see was Lucca. And so from Tuscany, we plan to go via Pisa to Lucca.
http://www.luccabed.com/index.html
I've subsequently found out that there is a Pinocchio Park in a town called Collodi, near Lucca. Also, a little North of Lucca, is Carrara, famous for its marble. Michelangelo used to source his marble from Carrara, and so the David statue was carved from Carrara's marble. It is said that this marble is of a much finer quality than say the marble of Greece, which is why so many of the Greek statues have ended up with missing arms, noses, etc.
From Lucca we will head further North to the Cinque Terre. Unfortunately we're not wealthy enough to be mooring a yacht in Portofino's harbour. So we've settled for a place in Corniglia, which is a little further South.
https://www.arbaspaa.com/hotel/Camere_Orietta/gallery.aspx
Finding directions to the actual guesthouse has been challenging, so we'll have to figure it out when we get there, I guess.
From here, we head further North to the Piedmont area. But more about that tomorrow. :)
Four Days :)
I've always been cautious at looking forward to something too much. Rather be pleasantly surprised. This is not that easy to be adhering to when the prospect of three weeks in Italy awaits. It's just so very difficult to not want to try and see every possible attraction you find in all your research. But hey, one can always go back to see more. :)
One of the towns we were advised to see was Lucca. And so from Tuscany, we plan to go via Pisa to Lucca.
http://www.luccabed.com/index.html
I've subsequently found out that there is a Pinocchio Park in a town called Collodi, near Lucca. Also, a little North of Lucca, is Carrara, famous for its marble. Michelangelo used to source his marble from Carrara, and so the David statue was carved from Carrara's marble. It is said that this marble is of a much finer quality than say the marble of Greece, which is why so many of the Greek statues have ended up with missing arms, noses, etc.
From Lucca we will head further North to the Cinque Terre. Unfortunately we're not wealthy enough to be mooring a yacht in Portofino's harbour. So we've settled for a place in Corniglia, which is a little further South.
https://www.arbaspaa.com/hotel/Camere_Orietta/gallery.aspx
Finding directions to the actual guesthouse has been challenging, so we'll have to figure it out when we get there, I guess.
From here, we head further North to the Piedmont area. But more about that tomorrow. :)
Four Days :)
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tra voi tra voi saprò dividere
The one thing that would influence my decisions around the route between Rome and Venice, was music. And when you get to go to Italy, it would be really silly not to see an opera. And yes, we both actually enjoy classical music, so it would not be torture of any kind.
The first choice, of course, was La Scala, in Milan. And the Arena di Verona looks exquisite. Not to mention the fact that their 2010 season includes La Traviata and Aida! Then there is the Teatro le Fenice - in Venice of course. Except that the opera season in Italy seems to come to a grinding halt round about the end of August. So very quickly I lost all hope of getting to see a true Italian opera. I also tried some good rock stuff. Or any legendary artist. And I did find one. Leonard Cohen! He will be performing in Florence on the evening of the 1st. We land in Rome on the 1st. And sure, a high speed train ride to Florence takes about 90 minutes. So let's go then...? Well - I eventually gave up that idea as well. After travelling for almost 24 hours, I just did not think that it would be worth the risk of finding our way to Florence in time for the concert. So, for now, I figured that the Classical music bits would be best left for just that - a Classical Music tour.
The only other question was, should we venture South at all. And yes, everyone would probably advise that Napoli and Sorrento can not possibly be missed. Hmmm - would have to disappoint you then. We've decided that the Cinque Terre would be equally beautiful.
So - from Rome, we will head North to Tuscany. Our accommodation is on a farm just outside San Gimignano.
http://www.poggioaicieli.it/azienda-uk.html
And as luck may have it, on the day we arrive there, there will be some sort of a Wine festival in San Gimignano. Of course we first need to somehow find our rental car, and then navigate ourselves out of Rome!
But the even cooler prospect is the Horse Joust in Arezzo the next day! Let's hope we get to see some of that!
http://www.giostradelsaracino.arezzo.it/
But for now - it feels like one of those curve balls hit me between the eyes today. So best I get some sleep.
The first choice, of course, was La Scala, in Milan. And the Arena di Verona looks exquisite. Not to mention the fact that their 2010 season includes La Traviata and Aida! Then there is the Teatro le Fenice - in Venice of course. Except that the opera season in Italy seems to come to a grinding halt round about the end of August. So very quickly I lost all hope of getting to see a true Italian opera. I also tried some good rock stuff. Or any legendary artist. And I did find one. Leonard Cohen! He will be performing in Florence on the evening of the 1st. We land in Rome on the 1st. And sure, a high speed train ride to Florence takes about 90 minutes. So let's go then...? Well - I eventually gave up that idea as well. After travelling for almost 24 hours, I just did not think that it would be worth the risk of finding our way to Florence in time for the concert. So, for now, I figured that the Classical music bits would be best left for just that - a Classical Music tour.
The only other question was, should we venture South at all. And yes, everyone would probably advise that Napoli and Sorrento can not possibly be missed. Hmmm - would have to disappoint you then. We've decided that the Cinque Terre would be equally beautiful.
So - from Rome, we will head North to Tuscany. Our accommodation is on a farm just outside San Gimignano.
http://www.poggioaicieli.it/azienda-uk.html
And as luck may have it, on the day we arrive there, there will be some sort of a Wine festival in San Gimignano. Of course we first need to somehow find our rental car, and then navigate ourselves out of Rome!
But the even cooler prospect is the Horse Joust in Arezzo the next day! Let's hope we get to see some of that!
http://www.giostradelsaracino.arezzo.it/
But for now - it feels like one of those curve balls hit me between the eyes today. So best I get some sleep.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Talk About....
My mom often used to say 'The harrier I go, the behinder I get'.
Why is it that there are always so many last minute things one needs to do. Yesterday I worked from home, ignoring attempted contacts from people who need bits of my time. And trying to get to do those things that absolutely have to get done before we go. And, yes - this 'Must Do' list just seems to be growing. Not to mention those curve balls that still keep on coming.
But then, last night, we went for supper at one of Niel's golfing friends (which is why I'm only writing now - and you thought I missed a beat!?) And to talk about Italy. How awesome it was to see that an Italian Dream can turn into such passionate memories. And how awesome to be able to hear some firsthand experiences and tips.
The one thing I did realise was that I need to do a lot more reading on the history of Italy. At school I avoided history like the plague. But listening to someone talk about some of the historic elements of what we will be seeing in a week, sparked off what may just become a new interest. Even paging through a book of Michelangelo's works, and reading some explanations around some of his (you would have to admit - strange) paintings, was fascinating.
So the Must Do List has just grown considerably. With some reading matter, this time, and not work-related stuff.
So little time....
PS. I'm sure you've all heard about the idiom 'Crossing the Rubicon'. But do you know what this 'Rubicon' is? I learnt last night that it's actually a river in Italy! How awesome is that? It's explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubicon :)
Why is it that there are always so many last minute things one needs to do. Yesterday I worked from home, ignoring attempted contacts from people who need bits of my time. And trying to get to do those things that absolutely have to get done before we go. And, yes - this 'Must Do' list just seems to be growing. Not to mention those curve balls that still keep on coming.
But then, last night, we went for supper at one of Niel's golfing friends (which is why I'm only writing now - and you thought I missed a beat!?) And to talk about Italy. How awesome it was to see that an Italian Dream can turn into such passionate memories. And how awesome to be able to hear some firsthand experiences and tips.
The one thing I did realise was that I need to do a lot more reading on the history of Italy. At school I avoided history like the plague. But listening to someone talk about some of the historic elements of what we will be seeing in a week, sparked off what may just become a new interest. Even paging through a book of Michelangelo's works, and reading some explanations around some of his (you would have to admit - strange) paintings, was fascinating.
So the Must Do List has just grown considerably. With some reading matter, this time, and not work-related stuff.
So little time....
PS. I'm sure you've all heard about the idiom 'Crossing the Rubicon'. But do you know what this 'Rubicon' is? I learnt last night that it's actually a river in Italy! How awesome is that? It's explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubicon :)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Have you seen the old man...
One of the most posh hotels I've ever stayed in, was the Hotel Arts in Barcelona. Uhm... actually - it was THE most post hotel I've ever stayed in. It really was exquisite. A perfect place to stay in such a very special city. If ever you want to witness the works of what I believe must be one of the most non-conformist artists I can imagine (I would have to warn that I'm not the regular art-fundi though!), then Barcelona is the place to be. Gaudi's creations in the form of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, and other abstract buildings, are astonishingly fascinating.
There was however one thing I failed to get to see in Barcelona. The real people. I remember my fascination with this man in a small park in Santiago, Chile. It's what I love doing. Watching the real people. And to see this, it's best you get out of the bigger cities, and out into the country. Some of our best times are when we go for the odd weekend to the Robertson wine valley. The local people there have the biggest hearts, and the biggest smiles. And they are always so very proud of their piece of heaven on earth.
So, where to go in Italy? Where to stay? It was a simple decision for me. As little as possible time spent in the cities. As much time as possible spent in the country. I want to see the Robertson of Italy. I want to stay in a guesthouse run by a true Italian family.
Rome and Venice are two musts though, and after initially considering staying on the outskirts of these two cities, and commuting in by train, we eventually settled for small hotels that were fairly inexpensive, but fairly close to the attractions. And we knew that we would want to be in these cities for at least 3 nights. The accommodation then:
Rome: Hotelier Montecitorio - http://www.montecitorioroma.it/
Venice: Ca' Zora - http://www.ca-zora.it/
Sure, I know it's not exactly the Hotel Arts. But in Rome, we will be fairly close to Piazza di Spagna, and we actually plan to spend very little time at the hotel. ;o) And in Venice, we're also fairly centrally situated. Well - for the novice, at least. And I'm not about to start breaking the bank either.
That then takes care of the start and the end of the trip. So what about the bits in the middle?
Hmmm - in a week's time we will be on our way. I could either write a very long bit, revealing all the plans, or do it bit by bit. And judging by the number of e-mails in my Inbox, and the size of the To-Do list, I'll go for the latter.
Seven Days. :)
So, where to go in Italy? Where to stay? It was a simple decision for me. As little as possible time spent in the cities. As much time as possible spent in the country. I want to see the Robertson of Italy. I want to stay in a guesthouse run by a true Italian family.
Rome and Venice are two musts though, and after initially considering staying on the outskirts of these two cities, and commuting in by train, we eventually settled for small hotels that were fairly inexpensive, but fairly close to the attractions. And we knew that we would want to be in these cities for at least 3 nights. The accommodation then:
Rome: Hotelier Montecitorio - http://www.montecitorioroma.it/
Venice: Ca' Zora - http://www.ca-zora.it/
Sure, I know it's not exactly the Hotel Arts. But in Rome, we will be fairly close to Piazza di Spagna, and we actually plan to spend very little time at the hotel. ;o) And in Venice, we're also fairly centrally situated. Well - for the novice, at least. And I'm not about to start breaking the bank either.
That then takes care of the start and the end of the trip. So what about the bits in the middle?
Hmmm - in a week's time we will be on our way. I could either write a very long bit, revealing all the plans, or do it bit by bit. And judging by the number of e-mails in my Inbox, and the size of the To-Do list, I'll go for the latter.
Seven Days. :)
Monday, August 23, 2010
A picture paints a thousand words
I was too young to be considered a worthy traveller when my parents embarked on an organised tour of Europe. And I was too young to bother to care that I missed out on an adventure. Those were the days of slides. And those were the days when people would still visit friends, and not end up merely replacing their own usual seat in front of the TV, for a seat in someone else's house..... in front of the TV. Which meant that for months after their trip, our lounge would be filled with people, looking at the slide show of the Great European Adventure. I remember joining in on many of these sessions, mostly because visitors often meant tea and cakes. But frequently, I would be sent off to bed, as to be expected of any behaving primary school kid. And there I would be listening to the commentary. And with each click of the projector, I knew exactly what the image was that invoked the remarks that followed.
It's remarkable how, bored as I was at the time with the repetitive slide shows, many of these images and comments remained with me to this day. And clearly left a rather large impression with me. And so it's no wonder that some of these images ended up being a significant influence on my plans for our Italian trip.
Armed with as many travel books I could lay my hands on, and adding some nostalgic dreams, I started formulating the route. Venice was an absolute must. And with Niel's love for wine, Tuscany could not be missed. Not seeing Rome would be silly.Portofino has always been one of my romantic dreams. And the mystery of a Hilltop Town was yet another must. And then the passes. My kids are avid Top Gear followers. How could I NOT be driving the Stelvio pass then?!
And so, after many months of planning, researching, scratching, asking, wondering, dreaming, our itinerary emerged. In short, we will fly to Rome, then drive up through Tuscany, through the Cinque Terre, to Piedmont area. From there, we will drive North into the mountains, East via the lakes, back North into the mountains, and then down to Venice, from where we will be flying back.
Over the next few days, I will give more detail of our itinerary. Mostly because I just have so much fun going over the plans over and over again. :)
Eight days and counting! :)
It's remarkable how, bored as I was at the time with the repetitive slide shows, many of these images and comments remained with me to this day. And clearly left a rather large impression with me. And so it's no wonder that some of these images ended up being a significant influence on my plans for our Italian trip.
Armed with as many travel books I could lay my hands on, and adding some nostalgic dreams, I started formulating the route. Venice was an absolute must. And with Niel's love for wine, Tuscany could not be missed. Not seeing Rome would be silly.Portofino has always been one of my romantic dreams. And the mystery of a Hilltop Town was yet another must. And then the passes. My kids are avid Top Gear followers. How could I NOT be driving the Stelvio pass then?!
And so, after many months of planning, researching, scratching, asking, wondering, dreaming, our itinerary emerged. In short, we will fly to Rome, then drive up through Tuscany, through the Cinque Terre, to Piedmont area. From there, we will drive North into the mountains, East via the lakes, back North into the mountains, and then down to Venice, from where we will be flying back.
Over the next few days, I will give more detail of our itinerary. Mostly because I just have so much fun going over the plans over and over again. :)
Eight days and counting! :)
Sunday, August 22, 2010
We're on a road to nowhere
It's been a long life......
It's mostly self-inflicted. When your work happens to be one of your passions, you tend to put life second. And you never have time to not be working. Which is why we end up taking only a few days off every so often. Quick-fixes. The road to nowhere. Besides, I'm not always sure whether I would survive without the adrenalin provided by excessive workloads and stress. Until I get to the point where it feels like - well - like it's been a long life. That's when I know - it's time.
We've noticed a pattern. It seems to take 3 years.But it also feels like the number of curve-balls life seems to hurl at you, seems to be increasing in these 3year stints. And so it should not be surprising that these last three years have been particularly trying. Which is why this next breakaway needed to be extra special. Which could only mean one place. Italy.
Since I fell in love with Niel, he always said that, one day, he would want to take me to Italy. It always remained a "one day" dream. Besides - our views on how to go about touring thru Italy are just so very different. As the straight up and down engineer, an organised tour is the only way to do things. As a non-conformist IT geek, I refuse to sit in a bus and wow at something in unison. I want to go where others don't. I want to experience, not just see. But to put it together? Where would one start?
I'm an IT developer. Which implies that I should be good at anything involving a PC. Not! Or at least - not until I started organising a school reunion. That's when I discovered how much fun research is. If you can call finding people research, that is. So I used my newly-found talent. Googling. And of course some travel books. And a lot of talking. I talked about my plans with just about every person I came across. Hoping for ideas, tips, the sharing of fond memories. One couple told us about the cute guesthouse in Barolo with a view of the Piedmont Vineyards. Another friend told me about San Clemente in Rome - three cathedrals from 3 different eras built on top of each other. And the fact that, no matter where in Italy you drive, and no matter at what speed you are driving, you would always find a Fiat centimeters from your car's bumper. And I spent hours on the Internet. Searching. Searching again. And when I thought that I couldn't possibly find anything better, I searched some more.
And so - with just over a week to go before we leave for our Italian experience, and with those curve balls now coming in fast and furious, I have the itinerary set, the accommodation booked, some really cool experiences lined up, and still looking for more. I'm determined to drink up every bit of experience that Italy can offer.
I'm hanging on in quiet desparation. I think I will make it though. :)
It's mostly self-inflicted. When your work happens to be one of your passions, you tend to put life second. And you never have time to not be working. Which is why we end up taking only a few days off every so often. Quick-fixes. The road to nowhere. Besides, I'm not always sure whether I would survive without the adrenalin provided by excessive workloads and stress. Until I get to the point where it feels like - well - like it's been a long life. That's when I know - it's time.
We've noticed a pattern. It seems to take 3 years.But it also feels like the number of curve-balls life seems to hurl at you, seems to be increasing in these 3year stints. And so it should not be surprising that these last three years have been particularly trying. Which is why this next breakaway needed to be extra special. Which could only mean one place. Italy.
Since I fell in love with Niel, he always said that, one day, he would want to take me to Italy. It always remained a "one day" dream. Besides - our views on how to go about touring thru Italy are just so very different. As the straight up and down engineer, an organised tour is the only way to do things. As a non-conformist IT geek, I refuse to sit in a bus and wow at something in unison. I want to go where others don't. I want to experience, not just see. But to put it together? Where would one start?
I'm an IT developer. Which implies that I should be good at anything involving a PC. Not! Or at least - not until I started organising a school reunion. That's when I discovered how much fun research is. If you can call finding people research, that is. So I used my newly-found talent. Googling. And of course some travel books. And a lot of talking. I talked about my plans with just about every person I came across. Hoping for ideas, tips, the sharing of fond memories. One couple told us about the cute guesthouse in Barolo with a view of the Piedmont Vineyards. Another friend told me about San Clemente in Rome - three cathedrals from 3 different eras built on top of each other. And the fact that, no matter where in Italy you drive, and no matter at what speed you are driving, you would always find a Fiat centimeters from your car's bumper. And I spent hours on the Internet. Searching. Searching again. And when I thought that I couldn't possibly find anything better, I searched some more.
And so - with just over a week to go before we leave for our Italian experience, and with those curve balls now coming in fast and furious, I have the itinerary set, the accommodation booked, some really cool experiences lined up, and still looking for more. I'm determined to drink up every bit of experience that Italy can offer.
I'm hanging on in quiet desparation. I think I will make it though. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)