Heading Out

It's late...the lists are many and long...don't forget to pay that bill, remember to pack that, don't forget this, and on and on and on. You know how it is when you are preparing to take a vacation, seems like it all will never get done. Yes, I am preparing to leave the country again! Rome is waiting! This is a trip that almost didn't happen. I have been so sick that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be going anywhere and was too sick to care. But I'm better and I'm sure Rome is calling my name, so I am putting days of preparation into half the time, making and following lists and I'm sure I will be on the plane to D.C. and then to Rome.

This time my adventure is on land, no cruise planned! I will fly into Rome where César will already be there waiting for me and we will spend 5 days playing in Rome and the surrounding areas. We will take a train to Florence and Pisa too. There are so many wonderful things to see and my one day in Rome on my last trip just wasn't enough, so I decided to go back one more time. César is on his official holidays so this is a more relaxing time for us compared to our short and rushed previous trips. And although it is very cold in Europe these days, we will make the most of our time and not let it hamper our fun. There are advantages to traveling this time of year...the lines won't be nearly as long for the sights and we were able to get an amazing deal on a 5 star hotel, so it will remind me of the luxury of Lucerne.

I'm excited, as always when I'm meeting up with my Portuguese friend, however my reluctance is still present. Funny how some habits are just hard to break! I'm nervous, the weather could cause havoc anywhere along the way to Rome or home again. And then we have the recent plane crashes to think about. So as I am thinking of the reasons for my reluctance I came across an envelope and had no idea what was inside. I opened the envelope and had to smile. Timing in the universe is truly perfect! Inside was a little sheet of paper that created a sense of calm.

When I was on the Marco Polo, headed for Antarctica, I was my usual nervous self at the anticipation of all that was to come. Each day I would get up and honestly think, "What the hell am I doing here!" The captain of that ship was quite interesting and each day he read a quote over the intercom when we were at sea. One day I loved the quote and had someone at the reception desk ask him for a copy. It was exactly what I needed to get me to relax in that situation. I have no idea who originally said the quote, but Captain Goran Blomqvist shared it.

The quote..."If you wait for the perfect moment when all is safe and assured, it may never arrive. Mountains will not be climbed, races won, or lasting happiness achieved."

And so, at the perfect moment that small piece of paper with the quote showed up and reminded me to relax and enjoy the adventure, even if the timing doesn't seem to be perfect to be traveling to Rome.

What 'coincidences' occur in our lives! And so, to Rome I head soon, for another wonderful adventure!

Once again the 'adventuress' overcomes the 'reluctant'.