taconictraveler

"A momentary brain cramp" is indeed a "serious malady" - many of us can resonate to that!! That's how I got my wallet stolen in Florence, and it's a horrible feeling to feel so STUPID and HELPLESS. No, I didn't mean you, Tom - your report is too good for you to be stupid and helpless.

I was thinking that you might be a favorite traveling companion, but I think I'm ditching you for LikToTravel.

Thanks for another great report. keep talking.

cw

Brava to LTT and Bravo to MTT! What a great story. I love happy endings, too.

This is a great example of Fodorites helping other Fodorites. Love Emma Peel.

I look forward to the famous photos and reflections. Dare I ask where you're going next?

Thanks for a great report which made a dreary early January New England much much brighter.

Bokhara2

I've got that "oh, I don't want to finish this book, I'm enjoying it so much" feeling coming on. Thanks for another of your enlightening, amusing and thoroughly engrossing reads, Tom.

sarge56

Grazie. Grazie mille! SO glad there was a happy ending for all!

imperialtopaz

What a wonderful trip report. And what an amazing ending! Thanks to you, I will be much more vigilant during those bag checks.

maitaitom

"Dare I ask where you're going next? "

Rumor has Kim and Mary rejoining us (of course when they look at this trip report they'll be wondering what kind of dunderhead they've been traveling with all these years) on two rather long trips to as much of France as we can see in 2011 and 2012. I don't know what 2010 has in store for us, but we'll figure out something. In any case, I will be on a vigilant lookout for nefarious security personnel in search of photographic equipment.

eyemom84

Love the finish!
I am so glad you got your camera back. I will be watching for this quick switch from now on.
Thank you so much for writing such an inspiring and entertaining TR!

cathies

LikeToTravel - you are a champion!!

Great report Tom and I'm so glad it ended happily. Thanks for putting so much time and effort into writing it for us.

Gwendolynn

Sob...now I have nothing to look forward to (til next year???) -

crefloors

That was great. You brightened my mornings.

travel52

Great job and thank you Tom! I know how much time it takes to write up a trip report, but as you can see from all of the commets, we all love traveling with you. I think we all can relate to the situations that you find yourself in (get yourself into?), because you have such a great way of telling the story. Again, thank you. Would you like to write my trip report? You would make it more interesting

nukesafe

Not to look a really wonderful gift horse in the mouth, but we are still anxiously awaiting promised penultimate "Final Thoughts on Rome" section of your lovely trip report.

Nudge, nudge --

rncheryl

DH is a bit of a geek, never lets his camera bag out of his sight. And every night religiously downloads to the netbook. Guess I have lots to be thankful for!

Waiting for Final Thoughts on Rome

irishface

Thanks for such an entertaining, thoughtful, helpful report! I am so glad that you got your camera and pictures back! A real warning to all of us to be vigilant at security checks. Who would have thought one of those guys could be a thief!?

SeaUrchin

Well, on one of my trips I was just about to step foot onto the plane to come home when a security agent told me my bag was too large, although it was smaller than anyone else's. I thought it was strange but he took it, gave me a claim stub and told me I could have it back after landing. When I got it back, my camera was missing. The joke was on him though because that was the camera I had dropped at Lake Como and my new camera I then purchased in Florence was safely in my purse. Air France security just shrugged and had me fill out a form when I complained that it was missing. Peculiar.

Flame123

Fabulous report, as always. Loved every word. Many thanks. Glad you had SUCH great luck with getting your camera returned. I have always been amazed what with the restriction on locking suitcases of so many years ago now, and other crazy antics, that I never did have anything stolen from me or "lost" in all my years of travel. That changed about a year ago when I found that my checked suitcase was rummaged through probably at the Madrid airport and a perfume bottle had been stolen. My husband was 100% sure that "I had just forgotten to pack it". No way, I know EXACTLY what I put into my suitcase plus it was evident that things were messed about and haphazardly thrown back in.

Can't wait to read your final thoughts on Rome!!

Bokhara2

Flame ... funny you should say that. I flew Granada-Madrid-Caracas last April and when I pulled one of my bags off the carousel, my "name strapper" was missing. The lock still appeared intact, so I assumed that I'd forgotten to lock the name strapper, although that was unusual for me. When I got to my friend's apartment in Caracas, I found that one side of the two pieces through which the lock passed had been broken - and my bag had been gone through. They were out of luck though; this was the one that contained the winter clothes and some dirty laundry. My Venezuelan friend said it was probably a good idea I'd not discovered the breach at the airport, or she'd likely be bringing me food parcels at the local lock-up or putting flowers on my grave if I'd expressed my opinion of the baggage handlers at the airport.

Coquelicot

Your trip reports are the best. You are a fantastic travel companion--even though we didn't go to Rome in December, I feel like I experienced the churches, the sore throat, the food and wine with you two (I draw the line at sharing your bird poop mishaps).

We want to go to France next year (and in 2011 and 2012 and 2013 etc.) and I will be on the lookout for you two--wherever cats congregate, in the bars, in the churches.

yestravel

Bravo! another great TR, dont know how u do it...so informative and entertaining. Thanks
Hi to Tracey

Coquelicot

A practical question. How do you organize your material before a trip? I can see that you collect tons of info. Do you put everything on a paper map? Do you create your own map of Rome? Do you make a rough plan for each day before the trip, or do you use each night to figure out the next day's plan, or what? You pack so much in that you must have some special organizational skills. (And stamina.)