Vacations as a Child
I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s. We took one week of vacation in the summer and usually went to the mountains. My parents loved the mountains. We usually went to Missouri, Arkansas or New Mexico. There was rarely a pre-planned destination, only a general direction. We always stopped at the end of the day; early enough to be sure we got a motel with a pool and a diner nearby. If dad saw a sign for a cave, we always stopped. On one occasion, I remember my father following handmade signs for a cave until we came to a small home in the country. We got out and walked, following a few more signs leading us behind the house. An older woman sat in a folding chair behind a tv-tray. I don’t remember now whether there was anyone else there besides us. She put the money in a small metal cash box and as she gave us the tickets, she told us about finding the cave on their property. We walked out of the heat, down some stone steps and into the coolness. I remember after the stone steps, there was dirt…then darkness. Once our eyes adjusted to the small electric lights hanging in the cave, we walked the short distance to explore the cave, then turned to go back out the way we came in; short and sweet, but memorable.
I know mom and dad worked hard to afford our vacation every year and to find inexpensive ways to have fun.
Even as a single parent, I tried to keep up the tradition of taking a trip each year; looking for adventures. Our trips were always within one or two days’ drive; Missouri, Colorado, Texas, Tennessee.
But after the death of my mother in 2015, my daughter said it was time to for me to take that trip and she was going with me; making my dream trip to Italy a reality in 2017. Now I’m planning a solo (gasp!) trip in September 2019- just a few days away.
Booking Flights
When we went a few years ago, our plan was to go in September. There were several incidents of unrest in Europe early in the year. When we started seeing prices dropping, we assumed airlines were worried about the impact on travel. For a very short time, flights were reduced an insane amount, but only if you flew before the end of May of that year. We were able to get tickets – round trip tickets – for $482 each! They were regular economy seats on Air France (Delta). It was a great experience – I’d never had someone hand me a warm moist towel before and after a meal before!
Due to some health problems, I’m afraid it might be difficult to sit for so long during my upcoming trip; and I won’t have a travel partner to lean on, so I chose to upgrade to Delta Choice Plus for the longest legs of the journey. It has a little wider seats and a little more leg room. I guess it would be one way to meet people; “mind if I rest my head on your shoulder, sir?” – nope, probably not.
Get a Travel Agent
When Amanda and I went in 2017, we planned everything on our own, from booking the flights to choosing the Airbnb’s. We pretty much winged the rest of it. But that was half the fun when traveling with someone.
For my upcoming trip, since I won’t have Amanda – my walking, talking GPS, I decided to go through a travel agent for flights. My fear is I might get stuck somewhere and not know how to fix my flights. I figure with an agent, I can call if I get into trouble and she can help me straighten it out. I gave her the dates and preliminary itinerary and she came back with flights AND hotels…and even trains between the cities I’m visiting. There is trip insurance and even a private car to take me to the airport when I fly out of Florence at 6:35 a.m.!
I felt at first that it took away from planning the trip on my own, but instead, I realized it took so much pressure off. I’m able to concentrate on planning my excursions and just winging the rest.
Financially, using a travel agent was a plus. I did have to pay for the flights upfront, but I was able to pay for the hotels, trains, and transfers over time with the requirement that it was paid off 45 days prior to the trip. It’s now paid off and I only need to be sure I have spending money. I might need to purchase an extra suitcase for all the souvenirs. Can you say Christmas shopping in Italy?!
Gift Cards
I buy gift cards at my local Dillon’s (Kroger) grocery store where I get fuel points for every dollar I spend and there are often promotions where the points double, triple, and even quadruple. I use those fuel points to save at the gas pump so it’s a win-win for me.
Other grocery stores have similar programs. Check out this great article over at The Penny Hoarder about this very subject. Great minds think alike!
You can buy gift cards as you can afford them but be sure the gift cards you buy don’t expire if you’re buying them way ahead of time. Neither Airbnb or Hotels.com expire.
This is also a good tip for projects or purchases for your home. When I was looking for a new washer and dryer, I started buying Lowe’s gift cards at Dillon’s and socked them away until I had enough to buy my new washer and dryer. Those were some good fuel points!
Hotels
I loved the Airbnb experience last time, and I still highly recommend it. We stayed in residential neighborhoods in Venice, Rome, and Naples away from the tourists and truly experienced the heart of the cities we stayed in.
For this trip, though, my travel agent couldn’t have chosen better hotels for me in Venice and Florence; at least from what I see on the website and reviews. I like the idea of staying in a hotel with a breakfast area, especially in Florence. I picture myself coming downstairs to find the room full of fellow travelers; people from all over the world, Espresso cups clinking on their saucers as they’re set down, people chatting away over a Danish, in different languages, as they plan their day. I’m also hoping that during my 7 days in Florence, I get familiar with the hotel staff, and other guests and they can point me in the direction of some great neighborhood restaurants and off-the-beaten-path gems.
Excursions
Since I will be on my own, I have booked a few experiences; the ones in Florence are through Airbnb.
I researched concerts during the time I’m in Italy and none seemed to do it for me; then I thought “what about an opera?!” I found that Barber of Seville is being performed at Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto, a palace on the canal in Venice. Dress is casual elegance; sounds like an adventure of the classic kind! I will definitely need a nap before, as my flight gets into Venice that morning and the opera is at 8:30 p.m. which is around my usual bedtime. Any advice on conquering jet lag? NSK (No Sleep Karen) is not a pretty sight. Last time we didn’t sleep on the overnight flight and just hit the ground running in the morning when we got there. The adrenaline of Venice kept us going until about 5 pm. when we hit a brick wall (only figuratively).
In Florence, I found 4 great experiences on Airbnb. Just check reviews.
I’ve spread my excursions over the week that I’m there to give me time to explore mostly on my own. I thought the photo tour in a vintage Fiat 500 would be a good way to start the week. My guide will be driving me through historic areas in and around Florence. That will give me some ideas of where I might want to explore in more detail later. He stops to allow you to take pictures, but he also takes a few pictures of you with a Polaroid camera. Sounds like great fun. I believe a stop for wine might be in there as well.
Excursion number two is a watercolor class where we will be painting the Duomo from a nearby rooftop restaurant!
Excursion number three is a tour of Florence leather shops and the opportunity to meet the artisans who make the beautiful leather goods. I’m thinking a little cross-body purse? The guide emailed me a list of questions to get to know my style and preferences.
Excursion number four is a tour of the Statue of David at Accademia. The lines can be horribly long for popular sites and a tour guide can get you around or ahead of the crowds. None of the tours or excursions were expensive. I used an Airbnb gift card I got from my daughter and her family for Christmas. I’m sure she bought it at Dillons/Kroger and got great fuel points!
Walks of Italy is another excellent option for tours. Amanda and I used them for a tour of the Colosseum in Rome and a tour of Pompeii. We enjoyed each very much and the guides were amazing.
Change is Good
I almost forgot to mention the “change method” of saving. It’s no great secret and probably every house does it. I have been saving ALL of my change and putting it in a large container for 2 years. When I buy a $1 Coke at McDonald’s and it comes to $1.08, I always give the cashier $2 or a 5 dollar bill, etc. then when I get my 92 cents back, it goes straight into the “bucket.” Ok, it usually doesn’t go straight into the bucket. I end up carrying it around in my purse until I can’t stand it anymore. It doubles as my workout plan, too. I will take it to the bank to be counted a few weeks before I go. I did check around and most banks will do it for free if you have an account with them. I don’t recommend the machines you find in grocery stores as it charges you over 10%. I will say that there are a few bills in it as well. If I change my mind about eating out or buying something, I put in what I think the equivalent is to what I might have spent.
I just took my coins in and turns out I had more than my grandson and I guessed. There was $358.74 in change and I was surprised that I had put $282.00 in bills over the 2 years; for a total of 640.74!
So, now I need your help. Please share any experiences with restaurants in Florence and out-of-the-way spots you enjoyed. I’ve read all the tour books, but I’d like to hear from you. I’m marking a map to take with me and I’d love to include your ideas.
Ciao!