March 26, 2011 I'm going to Italy! When I tell people my plans of touring Italy for a month on my own, I usually get one of three reactions. The first, and most comical, is a gaping expression of disbelief. The second reaction is excitement and sometimes an admission of jealousy. But the reaction I hate most is when someone says, “Oh, you’re just like ‘Eat, Pray, Love.’” What frustrates me about that last comment is that it belittles my whole intent. This isn’t a spiritual journey, or a desire to discover myself. And it is not a copy-cat of a chick movie (which I haven’t even seen or read the book, by the way). So why go? I’m going on this trip for myself. There's a whole world out there and I want to see ... read more

February 2, 2011 Q & A with a Travel Consultant This afternoon I drove up to Edmonds, Washington for a travel consultation at the Rick Steves travel center. For $50, I got to sit down for a half hour with part-time consultant, part-time tour guide Lisa. As advertised, 30 minutes was plenty of time to go over questions and comments. An employee-in-training sat in with us, which ended up being a bonus because he had additional information to offer. It was a huge help, and something I would recommend to anyone considering a solo adventure or for first-time Europe travelers going without a tour. Q: Would it be better for me to have a rail pass or buy point-to-point tickets? A: We calculated it is approximately the same for a 6-day second class pass or doing ... read more

January 16, 2011 Attending a Rick Steves Travel Seminar Travelers who live in the general Puget Sound area are very lucky in that they are within driving distance to Rick Steves' travel store in Edmonds, Washington. The travel center has nearly every resource you need for setting up your trip, and if they don't, they have connections with people who can help you do the rest. One of the great services offered are free travel classes. Everything from Beginning Italian for Travelers to Digital Travel Photography is offered free of charge to would-be travelers. On Saturday, January 15, the travel center hosted its annual travel seminar, this year labeled "Test Drive a Tour Guide." Many classes were scheduled, covering most of ... read more

January 13, 2011 Training for the long walks ahead. There is a common phrase among Italians, “la bella figura,” which means that Italian women are beautiful and everyone else is not. More specifically, it describes a person with fashion and poise, to which most of the American tourists I’ve met are oblivious. Another Italian phrase, less known to tourists, is “mozzarella.” Much like a mozzarella ball, which is white and plump, the term is applied by locals to tourists who find themselves visiting someplace warm and therefore show too much of their pale, plump flesh. It’s quite an image, and unfortunately accurate. I feared that my lack of skin tone and non-athletic figure would make me a prime candidate for this stereotype. Beyond that, one of the challenges I knew I would be facing was being ... read more

March 27, 2011 As I re-read the entry below, I recall that it was written in panic mode. The reality of my insane mission had sunk in: I was going to a foreign country alone and with no language skills. I was also desperately worried about my wardrobe. How much my point of view has changed over the last six months. For one, researching everything on my trip has boosted my knowledge and understanding about my destination. I’m also not freaking out about my clothes. Yeah, I did buy a new wardrobe which was travel-friendly. But I abandoned the idea that I could blend in with the right clothes – tourists will always look like tourists. I’ve also come to enjoy eating dinner at a restaurant by myself, something I was dreading before. And most importantly, ... read more