Time to go again

The last soccer game. The last piano recital. The finale for Anna's dance class. Hal's year-end band concerts. All done now. The last day of school has come and another year has gone. Time to dust off the backpacks and dig out the passports.

It's funny how I can recite what we did each day on last year's trip to Indonesia--but I couldn't tell you what I did yesterday. We slip into the routine and the days run through one another in a blur. Lots of stuff happened since our last trip--some good and some not-so-good. I remember the important bits, but the time in between just doesn't come into focus when I try and remember it. But go someplace new and different and every day sticks out clearly, distinctly--that's one of the things I love about travel.

This summer it's back to Europe. It was originally Courtney's sister Sara's idea, "We should really get Dad to Italy--he's always wanted to go". And since we love Italy, it was an easy sell for us. Steve and Beth were excited about the idea too--and a trip was born.

We'll start in Rome--hot, sticky Rome. We've rented an apartment for four nights near the Spanish Steps. I really hope it has air conditioning.

Next it's on to Umbria and St. Francis' hometown of Assisi for five nights. We plan to daytrip the local hill towns and enjoy the local sites by rental car.

We'll then part company with Steve and Beth. They'll head off to Sienna, Florence and Venice. Since we've covered that ground before, we'll head off to the lakes region north of Milan for a few nights.

From Como we'll drive to Milan, drop the car at Malpensa Airport and fly to Paris for a few nights. The kids have never been and they lobbied hard to make it part of the trip. Another easy sell for Courtney and I.

After Paris, it's off to Brittany where we'll spend a week bicycle touring and camping along the Nantes-Brest Canal.

"Courtney, you've never bike toured before and you don't particularly like camping--why do you want to do both on our trip to Europe?", I asked.

"Because it will be an adventure!"

I'm praying for sunshine and flat ground otherwise I'm pretty sure I'll never hear the end of it.

We'll wind up the trip by passing back through Paris and on to Amsterdam before heading home at the end of the month.

Just one week to go before we head out. We can't wait!