The trip from Gatwick to Rome FCO was uneventful as we maneuvered through UK security to get to the gate. Arriving in Rome, we purchased train fare to Frascati. A rather quick change of trains had us walking fast for the last 100 meters, but in the end we made the train and found our way to our rental apartment.
We are pleasantly close to the historic part of town, and walked a short distance to find dinner and fruit for tomorrow’s breakfast. Dinner was delicious pizza, and we accidentally joined a German tour group’s entertainment of a live singer who sang classic Italian songs. A real delight.
So far Fear at I is warm and the people are friendly. We plan to explore more tomorrow and end he day with a pasta making class. Plans are brewing to tackle parts of Rome, and it seems that editing is a primary task.
We landed at London Gatwick airport without incident or delay. Got a shuttle to our hotel that was our home for four nights. The first days were dedicated to recovering from jet lag and Horley proved a perfect place to do that. A quaint village only a few miles from the airport, though we’ve never heard a plane land or take off.
We explored the town and the locals commented to us, “Where is your accent from?” We were welcomed at every turn and learned valuable info about where to eat and best pubs. At the Quiz (Trivia Night) we had discussions with many locals. Especially Kate, who recommended a trip to Brighton and sights to see there. We followed her plan and had a great visit to one of England’s storied resort towns.
On another day we rode the train to London to see the sights. Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, The Globe Theater and more came under our gaze. A visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral allowed us to experience Evensong services and revel in the beauty and acoustics of the buildings.
Tomorrow we travel to Rome, then Frascati, to begin our Italy portion of this trip.
By the way, the Amazon Fire Tablet has the most restrictive interface I’ve ever seen. Having trouble getting photos from one place to another. Sorry. IL share when I can.
At last, we’re leaving…tomorrow.
It seems a lifetime ago, though it was probably about two years, that we started mentally committing to this trip. The core idea was to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in the Champagne region of France, with a hot air balloon ride and the traditional Champagne toast. We started buying tickets in January and booking rooms and travel over the last six months. We created lists and accomplished the tasks in order. Fortunately the last few days have been rather slack, but impatience has set it.
We are on the precipice of another grand adventure. Not as large as the last trek overseas, but big enough. If you’re following us on this blog, thanks for sharing the journey.
