Day 14- Fly home - Final thoughts

My last journal entry was written in FCO waiting to go home. We got off the ship at an ungodly early hour, maybe 6:30 or so, when it was still dark. I had never made contact with the people we were sharing a ride with, but I knew her name and just looked for the driver that was looking for her. We got to the airport in plenty of time and we said our goodbyes to JoAnne, since she was going on a different airline she got off at a different terminal than us.

The lines to check in, then go through security and passport control were very long, so I was glad we were early. For some reason they had lots of kiosks but few people manning them so we had to wait. Once through we had to catch a tram to take us to the terminal we would fly out of. I saw some gloves in the window of a shop we passed, but Rick wanted to get to our gate before stopping to shop. Unfortunately, even though there was every high end designer shop and duty free store going in our terminal, none had gloves. Oh well, I guess it wasn’t meant to be. While in line to find something to eat I ran into JoAnne again so we got to say good by one more time. We also saw Wendy and John to say goodbye to them as well. The poor things had an awful time getting to the airport because of driver problems and were happy to have made it there on time.


We found our gate and sat to relax until the flight was called. Rick turned to me and said he had a good
time.


Stephen met us at the airport as planned, and due to car inspection trouble Bobby was at the house to welcome us home as well. They both liked the gifts we brought them. So much for saving them for Christmas presents! I’m glad we have two full days to unpack, do laundry, sleep and decompress before going back to work. Because once back at work, neither Rick nor I were able to ease back into the routine. We both had to jump in running and pick up right were we had left off two weeks before.


So, I am writing this final entry two months after returning home. I have had time to think about the trip and how it went. I am so glad we did it. As much as I researched and studied the internet, reading about these places is not the same as seeing them for myself. I finally got to see the Colosseum, which was on our itinerary for our honeymoon 23 years ago. The Greek islands are just as beautiful and interesting as I pictured they would be. Istanbul was fascinating and fun. I had no idea what Ephesus would be like and I absolutely loved it. It may sound as though I didn’t enjoy myself at times, but looking back even the on the worst day, I got to walk around on the Acropolis in Athens, and that is pretty awesome! And then to finish up with a day where I got to tour Pompeii and see Sorrento, the Amalfi coast and Positano was a perfect ending to a fabulous trip. Not everything went as perfectly as I had hoped, but it just added to the stories I will tell for years to come!


I came home with lots of photos and some pretty cool souvenirs: From Rome, a Murano glass necklace, in Greece: olive oil soap and pumice, a pillow cover, a blouse, a painting, a t-shirt, my birthday earings and a silver and opal bracelet. In Turkey: apple tea and two tea glasses, a ceramic bowl, vase and trivet. And a beautiful glass ornament gift from JoAnne. Rick got to add to his soccer jersey and silly hat collection. Plus he has two new belts. And we will savor the Greek dessert wine and limoncello when we drink them. I also finally learned what kind of French wine I like from all those we tasted on the ship: Chateauneuf du Pape.

I also came home having had made new friends from on the ship and hopefully will get to visit with them via email and Christmas cards and maybe even cross paths in our travels again someday!


People have asked what was my favorite place and I have a hard time answering because they were all special. I would go back to any or all of them in a heartbeat! I would even do this same cruise again,but with a few changes. I would get my Euros ahead of time. I would pre-book guides (not just drivers) in Rome, Rhodes, Istanbul, Athens and Pompeii. When spending $8K on a trip like this I wouldn’t concern myself over small change and buy the things I see that I like rather than hoping I can save a dollar or two somewhere else and then go home empty handed. Ideally I would arrive a full week early and spend at three or four days each in Rome and the Sorrento/Pompeii areas. I would learn to read Greek so I could understand the street signs. I would slow down and savor my lunches in port and take time to just watch the local people and scenery. I tried not to overbook myself, but in the end, trying to do so much on my own is what burnt me out. The best days of the trip are the ones where I had good professional guides or drivers.


I have memories of my 50th birthday trip that will last me a lifetime, even if I don’t get back to any of these places. (But I will…)

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