After visiting that beautiful country back in 2013 we're about to do it again on July 3-11. In fact, we'll almost be visiting the same areas or at least the same region of northern Italy. We've spent time in Como before but only a few hours in Milan. Every place else will be new to us. The impetus to led us to this trip is that Jonnene's niece, Michelle, will be part of a touring high school group of orchestra and/or choir members who'll be spending just over two weeks in northern Italy and then go over to the parts of southeastern France. Her parents, David...Jonnene's brother...and Olga, will going along as chaperones. It's a chance for us to see them between the 18-24 months that we fly down to Australia to see family. Plus we get to see Italy, too, so that's a bonus. I hope to post about the trip on this blog if I can. I'll have to use Jonnene's iPad for the most part since I'm only bringing my iPhone and I'll only be able to use it when there's Wi-Fi available.
We're traveling light. Nothing but carry-on's this trip. No checked bags...well, there's a possibility of one checked bag on the return flight depending on what David brings to us from Oz. Things like Aussie chocolates and canned passion fruit are a possibility. The canned items, if we get them, would have to be on checked baggage since they'd be too big (and liquid) for passing through security on the way home.
We're carrying what we consider to be only the essential clothes and items we will need for nine days of traveling. We've culled down some of our gear already and this weekend we will cull it down again! I even made a detailed list of what I think I'll need and I'm already noting what I can take off that list. In my case, it's a pair of jeans, two pair of shorts, five underwear, two T-shirts, two polo shirts, a long-sleeve white dress shirt, walking shoes, sandals, and 4-5 pair of socks for starters. And I'll be wearing some of that during the flights! We will wash our dirty clothes at our hotel/BnB's in the sink and hanging them to dry overnight. I'll have my toiletries, electronics, and various other items but, basically, I hope to not take up a lot of space in my bags.
My bags...I will be using a rolling Swiss case that's just under the size for carry-on and it'll be stored in the overhead compartment during our flights (or checked on the return as I said above). I will also have a small backpack that is supposedly anti-theft (wire in the shoulder straps and wired outer body to defeat cutting, RIFD protected pockets, clipped zipper tags, etc.) and it'll be accessible to me on the flights and for walking around to carry anything we might need. Jonnene will have a rolling case plus a larger over-the-shoulder bag for her gear. She also has a smaller anti-theft bag that she'll carry while we're walking about.
The major places we'll be visiting are Venice, Veronna, Como, Bellagio, and Milan. We'll see David, Olga, and Michelle in Venice at the beginning of the trip and in Milan at the end, attending their concerts and visiting. After that they go on to France while we head back to the States.
I'm excited about going...heck, I'm always excited to go someplace that I find interesting. Italy is interesting. I'll do updates here when I can, so keep an eye out for them. I'll include photos from here on, too.
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