Planning is more than half the fun.

Is there anything more exciting than planning a trip? The natural-born planner in me, would answer an emphatic, "NO!" As a teacher, my very favorite part of the job is planning new lessons. Learning all about something new, or delving into an already familiar subject at a deeper level can swallow entire days of my weekend in one, big delicious bite. It makes me so darned happy to utilize post-its and highlighters and web-based bookmark generators to mark my new learning.

Soon, we will have a whole new country to explore. Those closely-held frequent flier miles will allow us to jet off to Italy. But first, over-the-top, meticulous and intensive planning has taken place. Hotels have been checked off the list. Trip Advisor and Slow Travel have been almost as helpful as the advice of good friends familiar with the country. Museums, tours, cultural highlights and relics have been properly tagged and bookmarked. Podcasts have been downloaded. Restaurants and cafes have been identified. Our bags are packed and our spirits are high. We are glad to have you along for the ride!