Roam, Italy

Spokane – October 5, 2014

 

Last Call

     We are high in the air somewhere over Pennsylvania, I think. I’m pretty sure I see an Amish buggy navigating a hair pin turn down there. How do I know that, you ask? Because I have a window seat, that’s why!

     This trip has been quite an experience for this old farm boy. Lots of memories. Lots to process. 

     I must begin with proper recognition and acknowledgements:

 

To the Good Lord... For keeping us safe and healthy. And, for distracting the infamous Italian pick pocketeers. 

 

To Marilyn... Her persistent encouragement and powers of persuasion tricked me into doing this. It was long overdue. She has always loved to travel - me, not so much. She worked tirelessly doing research, scouting activities, scheduling everything. She even took Italian lessons. My job: stay out of the way - do nothing to impede progress on this deal. Thank you, sweetie. The best part of this trip was being with you. ;-)

 

To Bobbie & Marty Salina... No better travel companions on this planet. Adventuresome, flexible, generous, genuine, and an energy inspiration. Thank you Salt Solutions! (”Salina” Italian translation - I kid you not!)

 

To Rick Steves... His “My Way” tour was the perfect combination of set transportation/lodging and unencumbered free time. Also thanks to Laura, our tour escort and cheerleader, and Roberto, our intrepid bus driver. In a former life, he was Maximus Prime. Thanks too, to our fellow tour members. All were interesting and engaging. Only a few who were “iffy” and you know who you are. Just kidding. I fabricated that. 

 

To the hard working Italian service people... These folks are always catering to the ever-demanding traveling public, from countless countries, speaking who knows what languages. Often times we travelers are tired and impatient, always expecting instant gratification. That’s not fair. Without firing a single shot, we invade your country, bully our way through and move on - leaving a trail of spent Euros and empty wine and beer bottles. (Somebody’s got to do it - those bottle farmers have to eat, too.) A special shout out to the Italian cabbies. In their zeal to pad the fare, and to show us every back alley and “short cut,” they unwittingly revealed to us more of their fair city. HA! What am I going to do with a pocket full of Euros back in Spokane? Just a tip... if any of you cabbies come to Spokane to work, to get us from our South Martin St. house to Rite-Aid, you shouldn’t need to access I-90. Twice. 

 

To the weather Gods... We had absolutely perfect weather on this trip. What more can one ask?

 

To the internet... What a useful tool! This alone saved me countless hours scribbling these thoughts on bathroom walls throughout Italy. Not that I wouldn't have done it. After all, when you pay 1.5 Euros (about $2 US) to use a public whizzer, you might as well get your monies worth. 

 

To family, friends, neighbors and journal followers... Your support and encouragement is the main reason I kept this up through this trip. Like I stated in an earlier post, this is all new territory for me, and found the exercise very enjoyable. 

 

     It is with mixed emotions that this trip is over. We are sad that this experience has come to an end. But, we are very anxious to rejoin family, friends, neighbors and community once again. As Dorothy once said, “There’s no place like home.”

 

John & Marilyn Mraz