It’s coming up to six months since my sister, Lindy, and I returned from our Grand Tour. I’ve had every intention since then of adding this last post as a sort of wrap up of the entire trip.
If you’ve read the posts on this blog, you will see that a few things went wrong. They weren’t disasters – were quite funny in fact – but some serve to illustrate that when booking online, you can’t always be sure of what you will receive. This applied more to the short stay accommodation – the apartments for our long stays were perfect.
Basically, when you organise a trip yourself, you have to be prepared for little things to go awry. As long as you can laugh about it, as we did (side-splittingly at times), everything will be memorable.
Here’s a summary
Flights
Apart from a long delay in Melbourne, everything went well with our Qantas/British Airways flights. We didn’t miss any connections and managed to rest quite well on the outbound journey. (Lindy was coming down with a bad cold on the return trip, so she didn’t fare so well that time, but that had nothing to do with the airline.) The flight from London to Rome was also excellent.
Apart from a long delay in Melbourne, everything went well with our Qantas/British Airways flights. We didn’t miss any connections and managed to rest quite well on the outbound journey. (Lindy was coming down with a bad cold on the return trip, so she didn’t fare so well that time, but that had nothing to do with the airline.) The flight from London to Rome was also excellent.
Hire Car
Our hire car was upgraded to one with a built-in GPS because the company didn’t have a spare hand GPS for our use. Unfortunately, the GPS in the car we were given had outdated maps, which resulted in some hilarious adventures. We didn’t mind because it was fun getting lost in England. We met some lovely people and went to places we might otherwise not have seen – Wales for instance!
Our hire car was upgraded to one with a built-in GPS because the company didn’t have a spare hand GPS for our use. Unfortunately, the GPS in the car we were given had outdated maps, which resulted in some hilarious adventures. We didn’t mind because it was fun getting lost in England. We met some lovely people and went to places we might otherwise not have seen – Wales for instance!
Accommodation
Apart from a couple of laughable short stays, our accommodations were perfect. Air BnB delivered as promised, with apartments in Venice, Florence and Rome that were as described and hosts who were accommodating (and absent!). Booking.com, used for short stay bookings, didn’t do so well. We were disappointed in the hotel for our last night in Rome, which was nothing like the room advertised on their site.
Apart from a couple of laughable short stays, our accommodations were perfect. Air BnB delivered as promised, with apartments in Venice, Florence and Rome that were as described and hosts who were accommodating (and absent!). Booking.com, used for short stay bookings, didn’t do so well. We were disappointed in the hotel for our last night in Rome, which was nothing like the room advertised on their site.
Tours and event tickets
We booked a few local tours and tickets, with varying results. Some were not clear about what was included and what wasn’t. In hindsight, we should have asked. One of these was a tour of the Academy of Art, where we paid for a guide, who we never did find! Others were apparent, especially the Food Tour and Cooking School, and our Tuscan Tour and also the tours of Sorrento and Capri. These were well organised, with experienced and enthusiastic guides. The latter included a two-night stay in a five-star hotel (which we reckoned deserved more stars).
We booked a few local tours and tickets, with varying results. Some were not clear about what was included and what wasn’t. In hindsight, we should have asked. One of these was a tour of the Academy of Art, where we paid for a guide, who we never did find! Others were apparent, especially the Food Tour and Cooking School, and our Tuscan Tour and also the tours of Sorrento and Capri. These were well organised, with experienced and enthusiastic guides. The latter included a two-night stay in a five-star hotel (which we reckoned deserved more stars).
Local Travel in Italy
Although my Italian was up to most of these, I did have some difficulty buying bus tickets from a couple at a little local newsstand in Le Cure, Florence. He understood me quite well, she didn’t. But then, I understood him but not her! Most people in the larger centres speak English, which is a pity as I wanted to practice my Italian.
Although my Italian was up to most of these, I did have some difficulty buying bus tickets from a couple at a little local newsstand in Le Cure, Florence. He understood me quite well, she didn’t. But then, I understood him but not her! Most people in the larger centres speak English, which is a pity as I wanted to practice my Italian.
We had booked our train travel before we left Australia, all that remained was for us to go online and select our seats. Trains in Italy are luxury compared to ours, and they generally left on time. If they didn’t, there were constant updates about times.
Twice we used a taxi and found these quite reasonable and the drivers pleasant and helpful. We were aware that one needs to take care because some of them are not ‘official’. When you phone for a taxi, you are given the driver’s name and number so you can check when it arrives that it is the one you ordered.
Food
We only ate out now and again, preferring to prepare our own meals. When we did eat out, the food was plentiful, delicious and served by pleasant people. We didn’t have one bad experience with food.
We only ate out now and again, preferring to prepare our own meals. When we did eat out, the food was plentiful, delicious and served by pleasant people. We didn’t have one bad experience with food.
Buying food in Italy is easy. You can go to the markets (which market is the big decision - they are everywhere), or else the supermarkets. There was a little Co-op in Le Cure, not far from our apartment. They didn’t speak English there, so that was fun. Of course, you help yourself to items and don’t need to know the language, except when it came to the cash register. There they ask a couple of questions that might throw you, but they are the same questions asked in our supermarkets, like, ‘Do you have a loyalty card?’ It’s also good to know that they don’t supply bags in the supermarkets – you need to take your own.
Review of what we packed
After having to heave a largish suitcase around a few times, Lindy decided that next time she would pack like me, in a small roll-along bag. She took twice as much as I did and although I was thoroughly sick of some of my clothing by the end of the trip, I was glad I had packed light. I ditched a few things just before we came home, to fit in the few souvenirs I had bought. I never buy many, just little things to aid my memory.
After having to heave a largish suitcase around a few times, Lindy decided that next time she would pack like me, in a small roll-along bag. She took twice as much as I did and although I was thoroughly sick of some of my clothing by the end of the trip, I was glad I had packed light. I ditched a few things just before we came home, to fit in the few souvenirs I had bought. I never buy many, just little things to aid my memory.
All up, we both agree that our trip was memorable. We’d both be willing to do it again and, having learned a few things, would do it better!
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