Gassed Up and Ready to Go!

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Up until a few years ago when I traveled to Europe I would stay in the larger cities that seemed to top most people's "must-see" lists. When I did see more than the glitz and glamour of places like Rome, Florence, Paris and London, it was through the train window as landscapes flew by in a blur. Then one year I threw caution to the wind and rented a car. Since then I've discovered such stunning beauty both in scenery and people I can't imagine not exploring the road less traveled.

Now, leaving the big city gives me a charge of excitement and anticipation that something new is waiting around the next bend in the road. It could be a postcard view of a poppy field, a family run trattoria with mouth-watering meals that leave me wanting more, or an abandoned ruin begging to be explored. Who knows?

There's a fantastic little roadside restaurant we found several years ago on our way south from Florence to lower Tuscany. The owners didn't speak English and we knew very little Italian but we easily conversed in the language of food. It was fantastic! We laughed; we ate; and, even if only for a short time, we immersed ourselves in the community of this lovely little village. Upon leaving it was as it we were old friends saying goodbye.

We've never been able to find the trattoria again. I can't even remember its name. At least I have the memories of an experience that now seems like a dream.

After hours of weaving in and around flocks of fat, fluffy sheep who use the road as much as people do, my mother and I came across a thrilling find. There, somewhere in the middle of County Kerry, Ireland, we discovered a petite castle partially hidden by age-old trees and over grown foliage.

This amazing piece of history didn't have any signs of life except for wild vines that grew through the windows up through the missing roof and birds which made their home hidden in the branches. It was as if the owners just walked away with their possessions, letting time take over and leaving us to make its first discovery.

Recently my family and I took a Mediterranean cruise. The hustle and bustle of throngs of people and limited time in port left me feeling like I hadn't even visited any countries. When we got to Corfu my husband, son and I loaded ourselves into a car and hit the road. Our reward: scenery I thought only existed on tourist shop postcards. The sea shaded with ten hues of blue was sporadically dotted with yachts, tucked away in secluded coves. We saw soil covered old women carrying pails of freshly picked garden vegetables and herbs. Further down the road we saw a man and woman quietly collecting olives from the netting beneath trees with branches that have seen many hundreds of seasons.

Before our afternoon was over, we stopped and bathed ourselves in the warm sea water. Simply heaven.

We'll embark on another adventure next month. I'm filled with anticipation of new discoveries and experiences that will be gathered from areas that will be new to us. My safety net of maps have been bought but, as usually happens, they'll be cast aside. For I'm sure we'll find a route not found on any map...or at least I hope so.

Let the adventure begin!

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