J was very excited about our upcoming trip to Italy. With only 4 weeks to go, she and I scoured the Internet one or two nights a week, booking B & Bs in Venice and Florence.
It became clear we were very different travelers. I've enjoyed hostels, both large and small, made do with accomodations with no safe, hung laundry in the shower overnight, used squat toilets, and never gave a thought to air conditioning. J did the opposite. The two most important things for her: private bathroom and air conditioning. Not even a fan would do.
Fair enough. We also discussed other ways our differences may creep up during our trip. I warned her about my moodiness and need for sleep. She told me her dreams of clubbing and drinking wine until the sun rose. This talk was good, it helped us reach compromise as much as possible for the 3-week trip.
We used venere.com and tripadvisor, to make sure we were booking clean, comfortable accomodations. We also contacted the hotels directly, rather than through a third-party company. Almost every hotel offered free breakfast -- which didn't matter much as you'll see in the next few posts.
This trip necessitated a fair bit of planning. I didn't speak Italian, we didn't have friends meeting us, we were not using a tour group, and Italy is expensive.
I brought a library book on Italian phrases. I wish I'd brought one for J, about how to pack as light as possible. In stair-crazy Italy, her huge, heavy luggage was a nightmare.
Our first stop: Venice.
Venetian water taxi
