This day has a nose of: anticipation
With notes of: restlessness and antsy procrastination (There are about 47 other things I should be doing right now, but this is way more fun. Should I go ahead and start packing? Maybe a glass of wine is in order…)
Well, not to be anticlimactic, but I do have a few weeks to kill before I actually leave for Italy. I’ll be in Brevard, NC for the better part of a week between now and then, and you never know what adventures I might manage to find there, but while we’re waiting….
There are a few travel blogs and sites that I follow and have learned a lot from, whether in the form of travel tips or just a good old shift in perspective, which this Traveling Girl often needs. My favorite right now is Roads and Kingdoms, and this recent post made me laugh out loud. Don’t even pretend you don’t do some of these things when you’re getting ready for a big trip:
And a great one for “travel hacking” is Chris Guillebeau’s The Art of Non-Conformity. His travel hacking section is full of great tips and things I didn’t know:
Chris Guillebeau’s travel hacking resources
In the planning for this Italy trip, I’ve found two completely new-to-me things that I just love. One is a website: Rome2Rio. It will tell you all the ways to get from one city to another anywhere in the world – literally all your options… flights, trains, ferries, buses. Super useful if you are, for instance, trying to get yourself somewhat soberly from small town to small town in Piedmont.
The other is a car service that operates out of most major world cities: Black Lane. (hat tip: RD..thank you!!). This one has saved my ass already on this upcoming adventure. I bought a flight out of one city without checking the train schedule from the city I would be coming from to make sure I could get there in time for the flight. No train. Oops. Black Lane isn’t cheap, but it’s a whole lot less expensive than having to buy a new flight and book an extra hotel room. And much more lovely than a 6 hour bus ride, which was my other option.
I am a financial advisor in my real life, so I’ll do another post on the best travel credit cards and tips for dealing with cash and finances when overseas. If you’re really into the credit card/points/miles game, Chris Guillebeau’s site stays pretty up to date on the best offers out there.
Cheers!
Traveling Girl
Traveling Girl With a Glass 