Italian Trip Diary -- Day #22 -- Rome to New York

Wednesday, July 4, Rome to New York:

On our final morning at the Jolly Via Veneto we decided to splurge with breakfast on our terrace overlooking the Borghese Gardens.  It was a sybaritic way to enjoy our final hours in Italy with the pines of Rome swaying in the breeze.

View of the Borghese Gardens from our terrace at the Hotel Jolly Via Veneto.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Through the concierge we had arranged for a van to take us to the airport.  We arrived in plenty of time for our flight to London and our connection to New York.  (Carl’s direct flight to New York was cancelled and he ended up on a later plane that got him to JFK about the same time as us.)  The flights were uneventful, but unfortunately at JFK our checked luggage did not appear.  The overwhelmed baggage service person eventually located one of the two pieces after about 90 minutes.  The other bag arrived on a later plane from Heathrow and was delivered to our apartment the following day.

As our taxi climbed over the Triboro Bridge to Manhattan in a light drizzle and then down the FDR Drive we were aware that there were people waiting for Macy’s fireworks to go off.  We settled for just getting home – exhausted from the long and frustrating day of travel, but exhilarated by our memories of a wonderful trip to Italy.

Here are some tips for travellers that were scattered throughout my diary of our 2001 Italian trip:

• Keep track of your luggage.  Count the number of pieces and make sure that they are always with you when you move in or out of hotels or go from one means of transport to another.

  

  Doug McClure & George Blomme on the ramparts of Orvieto.  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

• Keep your medications in your carry-on bags and always have a list of medications with their generic names and copies of prescriptions from your doctor or pharmacist.

  

  Doug McClure & George Blomme at the Piazzale Michelangelo overlooking Florence.
  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

• Keep your wallet in your front pocket or in a zippered, double-handled bag.  Carry copies of the contents of your wallet -- credit/debit cards, drivers licenses, other I.D. cards -- either in your luggage or on your mobile phone.

  

  George Blomme & Doug McClure atop the unfinished west facade of Siena Cathedral.
  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

• Be aware of your surroundings and avoid being jostled on public transportation or on crowded streets.

George Blomme & Doug McClure in Siena's Piazza del Campo.  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

• Always act like you know where you are going.  Use a map to plot the route for your day's itinerary over breakfast at the hotel.  Try not to stop on the street to consult a map or guidebook -- it draws attention to the fact you're a tourist who's not familiar with the area.  Instead, stop for coffee or a snack to consult your guidebook or map.

  

  Doug McClure & George Blomme atop the tallest tower in San Gimignano -- no elevator.
  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi  

• Try to figure out when tour buses are likely to arrive at a museum or an attraction.  They'll usually visit the most important attractions (the Vatican Museums or the Uffizi Gallery, for example) early in the morning.  You're better off going at a different hour or at least visiting less important sections and then doubling back to the prime attractions (the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican is less crowded after an early lunch in the museum cafe).

  

  Luca Tura, Doug McClure & George Blomme under an arcade in Bologna.  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

   
• Don't carry lots of cash.  There are ATMs everywhere in Europe that will take debit or credit cards for cash.  My dad used to say 'Never carry more cash than you can afford to lose'. 

  

  Doug McClure & George Blomme at Villa Morosini XXV Aprile in Merano.  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi
• Check the internet for opening and closing hours when you plan your day's activities .  In Italy, you'll find that churches are often closed for one or two hours at midday.  Museums may not be open every day of the week.

  

  Doug McClure & George Blomme at top of Campanile San Marco in Venice.  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi
• Get admission tickets via the internet for popular museums and attractions prior to your departure to avoid long lines.  You can do this from home and arrive with reservations in hand.  You'll usually walk right by the lines directly up to the ticket taker with an internet reservation.
• Learn at least a few words of the local language.  Shouting 'Police!' when you're in trouble is great, but shouting 'Carabinieri!' is even better.  Most workers in the travel industry know some English and are often eager to practice on Americans.

  

  George Blomme & Doug McClure at the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola on the Janiculum Hill in Rome.
  Photo by Carl Koivuniemi

• Avoid packaged tours.  With a few key websites (TripAdvisor.com is our favorite) you can assemble your own tour which allows you to move at your own pace and avoid activities that you dislike.  We hate shopping for souvenirs; going to watch glass blowers or lace makers (and then visit their showrooms and wait while the shoppers on your tour browse and buy 'stuff'); only hitting the high points in a museum; eating set menus in tourist traps; being on the bus 'bright and early'.  We love finding charming cafes and restaurants; visiting out-of-the-way churches and galleries; getting started when we want; having some down time for a nap; taking extra time to seek out less familiar art; wandering the quiet streets of a town long after the tour buses have moved on; visiting a place that's off the beaten track. 
• Contribute the knowledge you've gained to fellow travelers with a review when you get home.  If you've had a memorably good or bad experience at a hotel or restaurant write about it on TripAdvisor.com.  I've been doing it for years and over 35,000 travellers have benefited from our insight on nearly 80 hotels, restaurants and attractions.