cathies

I'm reposting with a better title. Thanks to those who have already responded. It might seem like attention seeking behaviour - but not really, I just want to thank everyone for all the help....

It's Wednesday morning here in Sydney and we leave on Thursday night for a month in Italy and France, and before I get ready for work I wanted to post a "thank you"....

Thank you to everyone who has so patiently answered my questions over the past five months.

Our first trip to Europe was in 2006 and we travelled with several other couples, one of whom was very happy to plan the trip and we just 'went with the flow'.

This time I have looked after the majority of the planning for my DH and I and I honestly don't know how I would have managed it without this forum. I hate the idea of having every second planned on holidays, but this time I think we would have been massively underplanned and really struggled when we arrived.

Thanks also to travellers who have taken the time to post trip reports, which I have found amazingly helpful (and often hilarious!). Often trip reports have raised and solved problems that I wouldn't have even thought of until I was preparing to panic in a foreign land! I've loved the suggestions for shopping, transport, restaurants and various itinerary ideas.

Here's a little outline of where we will be going. Some of it is rushed and we are aware that we will have to be a little ruthless with what we can and can't see.

We have deliberately booked a variety of accommodation, hotels, some apartments and a couple of B&B's.

Apart from a car in the South of France we are travelling by train, which I'm looking forward to and will regard as a forced rest period!

Arrive in Rome - May 16 (probably hideously jet lagged after 24 hours in the air),
5 nights in Rome,
3 nights in Sorrento (my DH teaches Ancient History so we wanted to squeeze in a day in Pompeii and maybe the Herculeum).
4 nights in Florence (with a 1/2 day in San Gimignano which I loved last time)
3 nights in Venice (I know, I know, not long enough!!)
2 nights in Monterosso (again not long enough... next time!)
3 nights in Provence
3 nights in The Lot, Albas, to meet up with Australian friends who will be there.
10 nights in Paris!!

Home..... to plan for the next trip.

Again, I am so grateful to everyone who has helped us with our preparations. Thank you all so much, Cathie

emerald125

Hi Cathie,
Fellow Sydneysider here... really looking forward to hearing about your trip (and hopefully reading reports) I have a very similar itinerary planned for March/April next year...

Have a great time!

Emerald

WillTravel

I think that the times sound not bad at all. And you are ending with a relaxed stay in Paris, so what could be wrong with that?

lanejohann

oh have the best time! i dont even know whether i have even participated in any of your threads but do have a wonderful trip
i know how the excitement builds - we all suffer that
so much to do and then suddenly youre on that plane! yay!

we are off too - next week - been so long in planning and finally it is creeping up on us!

emerald125

Hey Cathie
Just wondering if you ever got around to a trip report? As I mentioned above I have almost identical itinerary for my Italy trip in 70 days time and thought it would be worth seeing how you felt about the time spent in each destination.

Thanks
Emerald