Italy wasn't a travel destination for me. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful country, and I like the idea of traveling far and wide, but I'm a homebody. My travel dreams were limited to a few trips focused on nature and animals, such as whale-watching in Alaska and encounters with elephants in Asia or Africa. Or, I'd occasionally dream about a trip to Ireland, where my grandmother and ancestors lived. In reality, these were passing thoughts because I dreaded the idea of tra