Buffalo, NY

So we’re back home and just getting our body clocks back in sync.

Thanks to everyone who read along. It makes it much more fun to share the journey with others. Wish it could have been a group trip!

So while the laundry pile is being worked on, I thought I would just share the answers to some of the questions that were asked.

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Would we change anything?

Nope. Everything was wonderful – from the amount of time we were in each place to the places themselves. I have to add that we loved all the hotels we stayed in too.

Any problems with the language?

Not really. You all know me and my cheesy attempts to speak foreign languages. In most places there was someone who spoke some English and when there wasn’t, we were able to use enough Italian to communicate. I think that the fact that we were trying made the people want to make it work and it did.

Were all the attractions crowded?

There were some crowds, but overall it wasn’t bad at all. We were there at the beginning of the high season, I guess I wouldn’t want to be there when the weather gets hotter and the crowds get larger. The major places like the Vatican, St Mark’s Square, or the Colosseum probably are busy all the time.

Was everything expensive?

Surprisingly, no! We went with the expectation of spending much more than we actually did, especially on meals. As you can tell from the various posts, we ate very well and the prices were very reasonable.

We did not go to gourmet restaurants. We went to places that were recommended as places the locals eat. The food was homemade, the portions were large, the wine was cheap, the ambience was awesome and it was a great experience.

We’re not shoppers, so I can’t comment on the prices, but I can say that it proves you can control your costs. Without the shopping, we were able to stay within budget.

What were our favorite things about the trip?

That is such a tough one because we enjoyed so many different things. In consult with my travel partner, here are a few things:

– the people
– the mosaics in Ravenna
– the Castle in Petroia
– the town of Assisi
– the chairlift ride on Capri
– the boat ride around Capri
– the Borghese Gallery
– the Vatican and Sistine Chapel
– the truffles in the meals
– the drive along the Amalfi Coast (glad we weren’t driving)
– the beautiful blue water in Positano

The list would go on and on, we loved it all.

How much time did I spend planning everything out?

We have speculated that I spent around 1,000 hours in total, BUT that includes reading articles, blogs and websites to learn about the areas. The actual time to make the reservations and buy the tickets was less than 40 hours in total.

Besides, I love reading about locations to travel to, so I don’t consider it a burden at all. It’s a hobby.

Would we go back?

Laundry should be done by Monday, we can be packed by Tuesday!  Yes.