I'll be mobile

Yesterday, after much research and changing my mind, I bit the bullet and rented a car for my stay in Italy. I tried to fight it. I looked up train schedules, bus schedules, eurail passes, etc. After all, Italy abounds in public transportation. Other people master the system of schedules and seem to do quite well. However, I have learned that I'm not most people. As I contemplated my vacation, I was looking forward to experiencing a new culture and seeing the many historical sites afforded in this well-documented and beloved country. But, being a person who sees the fine print in life, I found myself wondering; "Do I have to carry my 2 rather large rolling duffles and my backpack onto the train? Will there be room for them? How do I fit them on the bus? Why do busses not run between 1 and 5? Why are all these schedules in Italian? Why does it cost 30 euros for a 20 minute taxi ride?" etc., etc. Every other aspect of my trip was bringing excitement and anticipation, but I was stressed about transportation. And, when one is on vacation, there should be no stress. Right? You know I'm right.

I was having dinner with Jesse and Krista the other night and mentioned that my favorite thing in England was driving. Turning the bends in the road and having my breath taken away by the beautiful scenery was a definite high point of my trip. I drove to Wales on winding back roads bordered by beautiful pastures and flowers. I had the freedom to meander through small, quaint towns that caught my eye as I motored along. I could stop and take pictures of the centuries old architecture or the private tulip gardens in front of people's homes. (Yes, I did take pictures.) With the my little English friend Gretel (oh, come on, I'm not the only one that names their GPS voice) giving me directions, I felt as though I could go anywhere and she'd always help me find my way home...... like the crumbs dropped by Hansel and Gretel as they ventured away from home. Thankfully, my fate was more favorable than theirs.

Having decided that I'd prefer to rent a car, I had to justify it financially because....... well, I don't know why, just because. I had originally thought it was cost prohibitive, but upon further research I realized the cost I had thought was a weekly charge, turned out to be for 2 weeks. I continued researching and found some deals that were much less than even that. So, I added up the train, bus, and taxi fares that I was sure I'd be paying, tacked on a 3 day eurail pass that I would like to take advantage of and... lo and behold!... it won't cost very much more to rent a car. Yea!! Now I have the freedom to drive to Cortona or get luxuriously lost on the white roads of Tuscany or drive up to Cinque Terre and hike the trail that will take me along the northwestern coast of Italy between 5 fishing villages. Hey, I'm an American. I'm spoiled. I like to come and go on a whim.

Finally, I feel only excitement and anticipation regarding my upcoming trip. My little Smart car and I will hit the roads of Italy and, together with a European GPS system, will be free to roam wherever we please. After all, I mastered driving in England, right? I made it down those narrow, winding roads without incident. Of course, people there spoke English. But, they drive on the left, so I am still capable of learning new skills. Italians drive on the right side of the road, like us. It all balances out, don't you think? (Are you enjoying being privy to my little pep talk?)