Friday, April 1, 2011

The Work of Travel

That's what I've been up to. Reading guidebooks and websites, poring over maps of Italy, and plotting what I absolutely have to see. And then shaking free of the whole business, doing some deep breathing, and telling myself that I don't have to plan every minute of our upcoming trip to Italy. I think.

We're taking a cruise because it seemed like an easier way to travel, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Yes, you unpack only once, and someone else does the cooking, but there's still the matter of researching where you're going, noting museum hours, buying tickets ahead if you don't want to stand in line. You need to know what time your ship pulls into port and where the port is in relation to what you want to see (which has already taken some research). And can you possibly imagine yourself on a giant tour bus with shipmates, visiting romantic-sounding places with a mob, at least two of whom will ask a lot of irritating questions? Too curmudgeonly for that. And most important, you're not in control of the end of your travel day if you're on a cruise. The ship leaves when it leaves, and you literally miss the boat.

On another note: My friend Suzanne's house went on the market yesterday, and you can view it on line at http://www.48hill.com/ The incomparable Ann Plant, realtor extraordinaire, has tarted it up but good. Suzanne is now pretty much confined to her bedroom with take-out food when she isn't at work.

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