My First Trip to Italy

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 traveling as far as Africa or Ireland. Alaska was a potential destination because it was close with a quick six-hour flight. Now, Alaska is too far from Italy. That's funny!

It never really occurred to me to visit Italy.

Bongiorno, and welcome to my first trip to Italy. In hindsight, this is where my move here all began, and it was a fluke.

And then, like millions of people, I reconnected with an old friend on Facebook. She and I go back as far as elementary. It turns out she has lived in Italy for 30 years and invited me to join a cooking page started by two Brits living in Italy. Eventually, I became an administrator of that page and made new friends and acquaintances who all lived in Italy. 

And so off I went.

The planning stage took a few months. (Planning is half the fun for me!) I talked to everyone, and anyone (like people in the vegetable section of the grocery store), about the pending trip. People were so happy and excited for me! That's when I learned that many people dream of visiting or living in Italy. Italy is the fifth most visited country, with over 62 million visitors annually, a number that has steadily increased.

It was a long trip, taking 30 hours from door to door. Typically, it's a 15 to 20-hour trip, but a delay added about ten hours. I splurged on business class due to a painful hip and a fear of flying. My budget doesn't typically include flying around the world in business class, but I managed to pull together the funds and make it happen. And I'm glad I did because I was able to visit the airline lounge during the very long delay.

Disclaimer: Business class is not worth the price difference compared to a coach or premium coach. However, it does reduce the fear by about 30%, and the Bloody Marys take care of another 30%. Friendly pilots greet you at the door. Of course, they welcome everyone, regardless of whether you're in coach or business class.

Finding the right days, times, flight duration and price for a long trip can be a real challenge. I use Travelocity to start my search then check those prices and options against the airlines. It I end up booking through a third party I contact the airlines with the information and they enter me into their system and give me a new code. (ADD LINK I used Travelocity before I was an affiliate but now I'm hooked up and can make a small commission if people go through this link to make a purchase. They' don't add anything to your price-I've checked.)

Despite my fear of flying, I love looking down at the glorious earth. Seeing the vast land, winding rivers, and beautiful mountains is awe-inspiring. I've flown over the Sierras (the mountain range from my youth), the Rockies, and the Appalachian mountains. Those are majestic mountains, but we flew over the Alps on this trip. Breathtaking! As far as you could see, there were snow-covered mountain tops in every direction. We flew at 400 mph, and the mountains just kept coming.

Aperol Spritz

The food was very good. We started with an aperitif, including a Spritz and two delightful cheese bites. The Spritz was created in the 19th century in the Veneto region of Italy when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrian soldiers, finding local Italian wines too strong, would ask for a "spritz" (German for "splash") of water to dilute them. Over time, this evolved to include sparkling wine and various bitter liqueurs.

The Spritz is typically made with Aperol or Campari with a splash of Prosecco or white wine. Aperol is sweeter than Campari and has a citrusy sweetness with a slightly bitter finish. Campari has a stronger, more pronounced bitterness and herbal flavors, making it less sweet overall. They sure are pretty, with Aperol as bright orange and Campari as deep red or ruby red. It's not my favorite but will do in a pinch.

---

A story about business class and Bloody Marys: When my mom died, she wanted her ashes spread in Maine. My dad was in Florida, and I was in California. I wanted to meet up with Dad and fly him, business class, to Maine. I couldn't afford it (my credit card seemed to be OK with the purchase), but this was the only time my dad let me pay for something; he would never let me buy a round of drinks or dinner. But he was in his mid-80s, and a bit of a fog after losing his wife of 50 years, so I just swooped in and did it.

I managed to meet Dad in Atlanta and fly up to Maine together.

When I fly, I bring cut-up limes because they often don't have them, and it's not a Bloody Mary without lime!

OK, we're in our nice seats, and the flight attendant asks what we'd like to drink. Dad asks for a beer. When I asked for a Bloody Mary, I told her not to worry about the lime; I brought my own. She leans down and, with a sweet smile, says, "You know they come with the price of the ticket." ❤️

---

Next came the fish and marinated veggies.  It was quite nice. The food kept coming, and the pasta followed the fish. It was getting to be a bit much, but it was delicious. They finished the inflight feast with a butterscotch pie. Then it was bedtime.

When I arrived at my accommodations at Solebello in Morro d'Alba, I was an exhausted zombie, and went straight to bed and slept for 12 hours straight.

It was an exciting trip to Italy, and even with some challenges, I enjoyed the whole thing. I was lucky to have flown the "friendly skies" that were actually friendly.

When I finally came out of hibernation, my gracious hosts Cathy and Enrico, began my introduction to Italy with Cathy's Pasta Carbonara. I've had it many times since, and hers could be one of the best.