J.J. and I will be going to Italy for 5 weeks. We depart for Rome on September 20th and return on October 27th. The two of us will visit our friends in Artena, a town located southeast of the capitol. We intend to revisit some of our favorite places -- Rome, Venice, Florence, but also spend time exploring smaller towns including Lucca, Padua, Cinque Terre, etc. Once we settle in a place, our form of transportation will mainly be walking, taking public bus, and local trains.
This morning we met Chris who is a good family friend. Chris and his wife recently returned from their honeymoon to Switzerland and Italy. This was a perfect opportunity to ask questions about their travel experiences including challenges Chris and his wife faced, if any. It was nice to know that they also used Rick Steves book on Italy and found its content helpful. Chris is 6' 4" and he has a well-built athletic body. When Chris confided that at no time did he feel physically threatened by gypsies, often associated with touristic places in Italy, I had to remind him that with my petite size, I have to be much more mindful.
Aloha -- Cathi
