Wherever I go outside of Massachusetts I am always working and the IRS agrees with me! You may all laugh and think how on a beach in the Caribbean or a city in Europe can she really be working? But I am always learning for you! So what did I learn during my two weeks traveling? Here they are, in no particular order…
1.) Extra legroom seats are worth the cost on the long haul flights. The extra four inches make the space so much better, especially on the day time flights.
2.) Extra check in time is not just for the anxious. In Amsterdam it took me over an hour to get from entering the airport to my gate. I was glad I was early.
3.) Touring with a small group or private guide is well worth the money. We went into the Sistine Chapel at 8 am with only 20 other people. What a peaceful and reverent experience from the masses later in the day. So not only buy tickets in advance but take an early morning tour.
4.) Walking no matter how tired you are is still good for the body! I walked miles in Rome and over 300 steps up one afternoon in Positano.
5.) Driving the Amalfi Coast (south of Naples along the sea) is not for the faint of heart but if you love to drive winding roads as I do, you will find this drive a most wonderful and memorable experience. Your passenger may not!
6.) Noise canceling headsets help the body relaxed. Noise is never nice. And my seat mate showed me how to use them as a headset for the movie. So when the airplane engine noise is not so loud the ear phones do not need to be so loud.
7.) Eating while traveling is always tricky. Even an airplane breakfast sausage can make you sick! “If in doubt, do not.” Is a good general rule for all traveling situations!
8.) Friends no matter how far away, no matter how seldom you see them is still more important than anything you can ever have!
9.) Hot water is a luxury. Two quarts of boiling water and some cold water is all one needs to stay very clean.
10.) Planning makes for a wonderful trip… At 20 years old my grandson said, ‘this was my best vacation ever!’
Yes, I am always learning, seeing new hotels, experiences the airports, flying on different equipment (the 777 is a great plane), tasting new foods, and learning about our wonderful world.
AlwaysHarriet 