Let us go then, you and I...

Oh dear, I just did a very bad thing: I checked airfares to Italy and found out that I can fly over from Halifax this October for little more than $700...and yes, hard to believe but true, that even includes the return flight! (Actually it's two separate return tickets, $574 Halifax-London with Canadian Affair, then another $130 London-Pisa on EasyJet, but I don't mind booking two tickets.)

Oh this is not good...not good at all.

I do so want to spend more, more, more time in Florence, but...can I really afford it, that's the question.

I'd have bought the tickets already if only we weren't going to be tuition-poor with Ginger starting university this fall. (Not that I begrudge my beautiful daughter her education of course!)

Hmmm, but I do have a small investment kicking around from the days before I had a pension plan, and it is a-calling my name ("cash me", it cries, "CASH ME NOW AND BUY THAT PLANE TICKET!!!")

On the other hand, I'm not sure if I should go away so soon after Ginger starts university...what if she needs her mommy? (Ok, so that's probably just wishful thinking on my part!)

Waffle, waffle...

As further proof I'm slipping past the point of no return, I just checked out the apartment (Dante) we rented last summer, and yup, you guessed correctly...it's available in October.

I've also never travelled alone before, but have nobody to go with me right now. My sister isn't in a point in her life where travel is an option, my mom just got back from Spain so isn't interested in another trip so soon (plus I think she wants to take her next trip with her husband), Dave won't have enough vacation time since he just started a new job today...and I can't think of anyone in my circle of friends with both the money and the inclination to humour this whim of mine and come away with me.

Ahhhhh, what to do, what to do???? I guess you'll have to stay tuned for my decision...even I don't know which way it will go!

Just a quick note to say that I booked my flight for October!! At least the first leg Halifax-London return with Canadian Affair (the carriers are Thomas Cook Airlines going over, Air Transat on the way back). I am absolutely kicking myself for not doing this yesterday because the price increased about $100 overnight when Air Transat raised their fuel surcharges...curses! But I'm so excited that I don't even really care about the extra cost.

I'm also still in a bit of shock and disbelief that I have actually made this leap. I need some serious time for it to sink in. I offer huge THANKS to everyone for all the encouragement. I was a bit hesitant to travel by myself, but after hearing your stories of solo journeys, I am ready to give it a try. (Unless my mom decides to join me, which will be fantastic too!)

Oh and I heard back from Elena (the owner of the apt I want to rent) and she's going to rent me the apt for the full 17 days, but will only charge me for 14. I guess it does pay to return to the same place twice.

Whoooopeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! How on earth will I ever sleep tonight??

I almost cancelled my trip last week for a couple of reasons (time and money, what else?!) I recently agreed to be Acting Manager for my group (while the permanent manager is on a two year project) and wasn't sure if I could still get the time off work. But it looks like I will be able to swing the time after all, so I am going ahead with the trip.

While everything was (briefly) up in the air and I was back in dreaming mode, I pondered staying somewhere other than Florence...

I had cancelled my apartment rental, just in case. I could rebook it now that the trip's back on, but it doesn't fit in my new (tighter) budget...I do hope to return to the apartment on a future trip though, perhaps another time I'll have someone else to share the cost with.

I checked out a few apartments in places like San Miniato, Ferrara, Treviso, Salerno, Montagnana, Fauglia, Civitella Marittima. Gloria from Slow Talk's Casina di Rosa was unfortunately not available for all my dates. I could have booked it for one of my weeks, but I really want to stay put for the duration. After looking at all these places - wow!, do I have a big wishlist for future trips!! These sound like fascinating places to spend time. Add these to my already lengthy list of places I want to return to: Rome, Venice, Amalfi, Assisi... Not to mention new-to-me destinations such as France (Toulouse, Aude, Carcassonne, Paris of course), Poland (Krakow for some reason appeals to me - maybe paired with Prague sometime, which I understand is a gorgeous city.) I need to win the lottery so I can feed my new travel addiction...yeah, that plan would work a lot better if I bought lottery tickets.

Anyhoo...apparently Florence is where I am meant to go this trip (and not just because my trip counter says so!) I just keep getting drawn back there in my dreaming. Follow your heart, I tell myself.

Yes, you read that correctly - I said "we"...

Maria and I will be flat-mates in Venice! She has an extra sofabed in the apartment she is renting, and I am going to take the train up from Florence and stay with her for a few days - how amazing is that?!? I am so excited to meet her! It sounds like we have similar interests, and similar approaches to sightseeing - that is, pretty relaxed and not minding if we miss a "must see" sight because we stumbled upon something else along the way.

I'm also looking at a different place in Florence (I know, it's the third time I've changed my mind...but whatever.) I happened across a listing for a cute little studio just by the Ponte Vecchio in the Oltrarno area and couldn't resist it. It's pretty basic, very tiny, has no washer and is on the sixth floor...yikes, you say, why would she possibly want to stay in such a place?! Well, check out the really cool view (which is verified by the reviewers) before answering that question...and it's so close to both the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, both of which I want to spend copious amounts of time in admiring the art, so the location is perfect. I've been in contact with the owner, and am just waiting for word on the price. I don't want to pay much more than the room I have reserved now, but if the price is in the ballpark, I'm going for it!