A fortnight and counting.....

In two weeks time we go on holiday for a fortnight. That's two weeks. In other words - in two weeks, we go on vacation for two weeks. I used the term "fortnight" because, although it's used regularly in Britain, it's an "old world" term. It always reminds me of Charles Dickens or Jane Austin etc. and since we are going to the "old world," I'm getting in the mood.

We are actually going to Italy. In fact our holiday plans began taking shape in January. I guess I had been complaining that we hadn't had a summer holiday in a while. It's true that in December 2011 we had gone to Barcelona to visit with my in-laws who had flown down from Scotland. We had a great time, but it was winter not summer.  Prior to that we had, had just three short road trips. One in the Fall of 2010 to Halifax NS to take our daughter to Dalhousie University, another in the Spring of 2012 for her graduation and finally one in the Fall of 2012 to Thunder Bay ON to take her to Teacher's College. Although they were lovely trips, they had other focuses (or foci). Probably time to brush up on my Latin.

Actually we probably shouldn't be spending money on a holiday at all, because the eaves troughs need replacing, the bathroom leaks in not one but three places and we need new floors everywhere. However, fate being the fickle mistress that she is, could deal us a blow at anytime that would keep us tethered to the house. We can deal with the repairs then. So we started planning our escape. My husband asked me where I wanted to go and I said Cinque Terre. It's a UNESCO site on the North West coast of Italy that includes five villages, but excludes cars. The idea is that you walk between the villages. OK there is a train and you can take a boat, but I want to walk it.

Roman Holiday

My trip planner a.k.a. husband :) decided, that if we are going to Italy, we had to go to Rome and as it happens we are spending two days in Florence, before coming home. In January, though, this was all a pipe dream. However, my husband likes planning holidays and we usually rent apartments, so he spent some time on "Home Away" and found a lovely place in Rome for a week, that had great reviews and another spot in Cinque Terre for a week, which was a lot cheaper than the one in Rome. Our two youngest had a window of time the first two weeks in June and decided that since we were paying, they would come along. Our eldest never comes with us. He's not a great traveller, so he stays at home, fills the house up with all his friends and has a great time!!

All that remained was booking the airfare, the train tickets between our rentals in Italy and admission passes for the Vatican and what ever else we wanted to see in Rome or Florence. More on these later.

Have a great day!!