Italy Bellisimo June 2004
I would like to preface this by saying that this is for posting on the Bulletin Board as well as being e-mailed to past, present, and (hopefully) future travel partners. I did keep a journal for the majority of the trip, but my writings dwindled as the days went by (and the wine consumption increased!) So please bear with me.

First things first- the Tour Director. I was again blessed with one of the best- Colleen. Her wit and organization made this trip! Her goal was that we all received what we were promised in the brochure, which she did, and more. At times things were moved around a bit, but that was only to conserve time and ensure more time for doing things on our own. Yes, she recommended the optionals, but it was never a hard sell. And for those not taking them, she helped make reservations, explained local transportation, etc. so no one felt abandoned. Yes, we were taken to local merchants, but no one felt obliged to listen to the spiel or make purchases. Colleen addressed many of the problems mentioned on the BB. There was a seat rotation which everyone followed. We were given a �map� of the bus so we knew where we were to sit each day. As there were only 36 of us on the coach, the back rows were designated as �The Lounge� where people could stretch out or just get away from their travel partner (for whatever reason). . As a single, I had a double seat to myself, which was a delight, And we were warned about being late. We were all given Colleen�s cell phone number in case we were lost. We were told that if we were not at the bus at the appointed time, and had not called for assistance, the bus would leave without us and we would have to find our way to the next place! Guess what�we only had to wait one time for a lost group (in fact, one of the people actually bought herself a new watch, just to be sure it didn�t happen again!)

This group of people was the best! We all got along, there were no whiners or complainers. No one packed a �lunch bag� from the breakfast buffet. And most seemed to appreciate the differences Italy had to offer. (Food not served HOT, drinks not always COLD, showers with no curtains, toilets with no seats, and the BIDET!!!) And as I was traveling solo, I was always made to feel part of the group. There were always people going where I wanted to go and I also felt comfortable taking off on my own. My few words of Italian were adequate for getting what I needed (and yes, I always had Colleen�s number, just in case). .

And now the tour�
Day 2- Started off on a very good foot. Colleen and the 9:30 transfer waited for me as my luggage took forever to come off the plane. (Did I mention that I got bumped up to Business Elite on the flight over?) I was really expecting to have to wait for the second shuttle. We arrived at the Borromini and had to wait for our rooms to be ready. This was the only time this happened as we always checked in later in the day at the other hotels. A very tired group of travelers got to know each other as we waited, The Borromini is in a residential area with several embassies, so we felt very comfortable walking around. My initial plan was to walk to the Borghese Gardens, but instead I walked to the neighborhood ATM (they are everywhere. Forget about traveler�s checks. Just take your ATMs and credit cards.) to get some cash. By the time I returned, my room (Did I mention that I signed up for Roommate Matching but got a room of my own?) was ready so I showered, walked around a bit, and waiting until the 4:00 meeting.

After our drink with Colleen, we went on Optional 1-Rome Evening Tour. We stopped at the Trevi Fountain to toss our coins (it�s worked 3 times before so I again tossed mine) then on to dinner. Endless food-close to a dozen appetizers, 3 or 4 pastas, and a salad. Ice cream for dessert. No, it was not gelato but�there�s always tomorrow! It was a fun dinner with lots of music and laughing. A very good way to loosen up the group. We then got back on the bus and had an orientation tour of Roma. Back to the hotel around 8:30 because of the early start tomorrow. 6 AM wake-up, luggage outside at 6:20, breakfast at 6:30, leaving for Pompeii, Sorrento and Capri at 7 AM.

Day 3- Everyone was on the bus for our 7 AM departure. Traveled south to the Naples area for our tour of Pompeii. This was my 4th time here and I saw completely different things from my other visits. The local guide, Nancy, (Mama) was very good. The weather was a bit overcast, which saved us from the heat. Difficult walking due to cobblestones- wear comfortable shoes! Time for lunch, then back on the bus. We changed the itinerary and went straight through Sorrento, then Optional 2- Drive on the Amalfi Coast to Positano. We didn�t actually go into the town, just took this amazing ride along the side of the mountain �unbelievable views! Our coach driver, Ferdinando, shared a bottle of limoncello that his mother made with us. Then we headed back to Sorrento to visit the inlaid wood factory. Free time in Sorrento, one of my favorite places. Time to shop, have gelato, then onto the minibuses down to the docks for the crossing to Capri. Not too bad, a bit choppy, around 35 minutes to get to the Isle of Capri.

This was the longest �bus day� of the tour. We checked into the Regina Cristina, a nice hotel in a great location (right down a side street from the main square). . We had dinner in the hotel at 8 (salad, pasta, lemon veal, roasted potatoes, lemon zuppa (melty sorbet) for dessert). . After dinner, a group of us went walking around. I�ve been to Capri before, but it is entirely different after all the tourists leave for the day! Very safe to walk at night, very exclusive shops open in the evening, nightlife begins at midnight. Needless to say, we missed that part! But,,,we get to sleep until 7 AM tomorrow, and no luggage to deal with!