Travel Day

Part of the price you pay for traveling to cool places is the day it takes to get there.  We started with an 8:00 a.m. flight out of Tulsa to Dallas.  After a few hours in DFW (one of my favorite airports) we boarded our overnight flight to Rome. I have never found the perfect combination to get +6 hours of sleep but I managed a couple of long catnaps along with a couple of movies to pass the time.

The easiest way to get to almost anywhere is to take the airport express train to the Rome Termini.  I made the mistake of buying the tickets before we left home which meant we waited almost 2 hours for our train.  I would suggest buying when you're ready to leave since they run every 15 minutes.

After another wait (remember, the price you have to pay) we boarded our high speed train to Napoli (Naples).  This turned into nap time since this is about the point in the trip when you could sleep through an NBA finals game laying in the middle of the court!  We had a driver meet us at the station for our last segment into Sorrento.

The Amalfi coast is simply breathtaking with is volcanic hills falling off into crystal clear waters.  Our hotel, The Grand Hotel Royal, sits directly above the water with an elevator down to the beach and outdoor terraces for a bite to eat or a cocktail at sunset.

We chose a typical Italian eatery right down the street, Pizzeria Tasso, for our first real Italian meal.  Along with pizza, they also serve pasta dishes and house specialties.  It was really excellent.  We watched the sunset before calling it a night.

Tomorrow: The isle of Capri

A Little Closer to Home

Our last few trips have been to some pretty exotic locales, so when the opportunity came along to visit Italy we grabbed it.  Even if we don't speak the language, we at least recognize the alphabet and recognize items on the menu.  We also will have the opportunity to work with a legendary photographer, Joe McNally (Joe McNally).  Having visited Italy before, we know we will have great photo opportunities and the food's not bad either!

Since we're already paying for a ticket over, we've decided to go a few days early and spend some time in Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.  If you have never been there it should be on your bucket list of places to go before you die.  I hope I'll be able to post photos that will do it justice.

After a few days on our own, we plan to meet up with our group in Florence.  When I mention this to friends, more times than not they say this is absolutely their favorite city in the world.  Florence (or Firenze as the Italians call it) is a manageable size city that packs a big punch.  The museums contain world famous art, the surrounded areas produce world class wine and the food is amazing.  We have some friends joining us that have never visited here and I can't wait to see their reaction.

So, settle back and join us for our adventure in Italy.