Ok, I need advice from seasoned travllers. I've got a trip to Florence the beg. of May for a conference and I've been planning on going to France in May also. (long story)
If I go to Florence for 12days, come home (Los Angeles) for 4 days, then go to France for 3 weeks do you think the time change will really drag me down? Should I spend more time at home in between? I wanted to go to France in May for the flowers. Anyone done trips very close together? Thanks for your feedback.

If possible, you should stay on European time while you're home for the 4 days. This is (in reverse) what air crew do when they're out on a trip. Get up, eat breakfast, work the crossword, do some work...go to bed on Florence time.

But do you <i>absolutely</i> have to come back before France? Can you move the France trip up 4 days? Can you telecommute?

Here's my craziness. You'll feel jet lagged after you read it. I currently have tickets to Paris for March 1-16 with my husband. We are considering changing this trip to May but I find for the price of changing, we could just pay for another airfare and go twice.
I am booked for a seminar in Tuscany the beg. of May. I am going with a friend. I tried to change my airfare from March for the trip to Italy and include the France trip. The change fee was $1800.00. It really drives up the price of the airfare to combine the stopover in Italy(or France depending on how you look at it) The trip to France dates are not set in stone. I would prefer to go in May but maybe I'm just being silly. I have never been to France and am looking for the ideal time for weather and flowers(gardens). If we go in March I figure we can see a lot of museums : ) The trip for May we will be travelling with another couple. The wife has MS so we were trying to book it before the weather was too hot. Possibly, we should wait till September? Hope this wasn't too painful.

For me, it would all depend on what was awaiting me during the 4 days back home. If you have to plunge back into work, catch up on mail and stuff, and then pack again, it might be too much. In a calmer household than mine I'd be able to swing it. But I could never do this - if I'm away for even a week when I come back it takes me a full week to get back to speed with work and household stuff. The jetlag? That would be my last concern. When you get tired enough, you fall asleep.

StCirq, I laughed out loud when I read your post. I will be able to come home to a &quot;calmer&quot; home. It won't be so bad because my husband will not have been gone too. I don't have to get to work just pet the cat, unpack, wash clothes and repack.
It looks like my husband is not going for the trip to France in March and then again in May. If we go in March we will have to make our second trip in Sept. It just seems absurd to pay $1100-$1200 for change fee for two tickets(May) when I can buy two new tickets using my Amex points for approx. $1400.00 Hmmm...

Hi L,

Am I correct?

You are going to France from Mar 1-16.

You are going to Florence for 12 days at the beginning of May.

You are planning on 3 weeks in France in May.

Why go back to LA for 4 days?

Can't you arrange to go from florence to France and have your DH and the other couple meet you?

You will have to change your RT to Florence to an open jaw home from France.

Sounds like a terrific Spring.

I'm afraid I'm not quite following the scenario but to answer the original question, no I would never fly to europe, fly back to the west coast for 4 days, then fly to europe again. That sentence makes me feel sick just writing it -lol. I am extremely sensitive to jet lag and time changes and it would be an absolute nightmare for me. Yes I would wait for September for the trip with the other couple.

Thanks for the replys. Here's the thing, I was trying to hook my Florence trip up with the France trip and meet my DH and the other couple but it made the airfare exorbitant. I haven't checked out the open jaw ticket(yet) My friend and I were going to use my Amex rewards program to get a companion ticket for $149. (+tax) for the trip to Florence. Anyways, my DH has said that he can't take the time off of work if we go two weeks in March and three weeks in May. It's too close together. So now I have to decide: take the March 1-16th trip and then go in the middle of Sept, or go once for the trip the end of May. Any thoughts on comparing Mid Sep. to Mid May for crowds, weather etc.? Is the beginning of March terribly miserable? Thanks again for your feedback.