Anticipation and Preparation

The first thing that needed to be established was how long we would stay in Italy. That depended on our travel budget and available vacation time, but we also wanted to stay long enough to make the cost of airfare worthwhile, and also to "settle in". We decided that two weeks was good, so then we needed to figure out where to visit and how to distribute that time. We booked open jaw tickets (also called multi-city), arriving in Venice and departing from Rome. That would allow easy access to multiple destinations, and since Italy has a very good train system, we could avoid the hassle and expense of renting a car and driving. We eventually decided to fill the itinerary by going from Venice to Manarola, a tiny village in the Cinque Terre on the rugged coastline, then Florence would be next, and we finish in Rome. The cities will be intense, but the two days and nights in Manarola will be a chance to relax near the ocean.

We researched lodging at tripadvisor.com, and had completed purchasing airfare and making hotel reservations in mid-March. Then we didn't do much other than occasional reading for a few months, until we could start getting passes online for museum visits and train tickets. The past few days we've been filling out the plan, with museums, tours, concerts, etc., but still leaving plenty of unstructured time for strolling, relaxation, shopping, and other such things.

Researchers have studied vacation enjoyment by asking people which they enjoy most: the anticipation 30 days before travel, the actual moment of "being there", or the memories that follow the vacation. We've really been enjoying the anticipation, but that soon ends, because we move to the next stage in just a few days.

Next time, I'll discuss how we plan to vacation for two weeks, with only a single carry-on bag for each of us, and no checked luggage.

Introduction

This is a trip that we've dreamed about for years and planned for months. We're grateful for the advice from several of our experienced friends, as they have provided encouragement and guidance. Thank you Dick, Alison, Melisa, and Leo.

Jenae has always wanted to go to Italy, and I was lucky enough to have gone with the band when I was in high school, but of course, this will be different for several reasons. I'm old enough to better appreciate such a place, I'm lucky enough to share the experience with a loved one, and we have the freedom and access to information for an itinerary of our own design.

The internet has made planning both easier and more challenging. Finding the information you want is easy, but sifting through the enormous amounts of data can very time consuming. My favorite site for any kind of travel planning is Trip Advisor because it is so rich in content from actual travelers, based on their experiences. For making flight arrangements, I favor Kayak for their interface and filter options.

My next posting will go into more detail about what and how we've planned.

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