The train strike had ended by morning, and it was finally time for our train ride to Austria. We were taking the same route I’d taken back in August on my nightmare overnight journey from Venice to Vienna. Under no…
The Time We Got Stuck in Italy, and Why Fall is the Best Time to Visit Venice
We took a high-speed train from Florence to Venice. I’d been through Venice twice on my trip before this and even wandered around the island once for a few hours in between train rides in August, but this was the…
Cinque Terre, Florence, and My Mom’s First Hostel Stay
When I started planning the itinerary for my mom’s visit to Italy, I thought I would leave Cinque Terre out. She knew she wanted to see a seaside town, and at first I was torn between the Amalfi Coast and…
A Surprise Guest in Rome—My Mom’s First Trip Abroad
Ever since my first visit to Rome over a decade ago, I’d tried to convince my mom to visit Italy with me because I knew how much she’d love it. My mom grew up in rural Mississippi (where she still…
Edinburgh, London, and the Harry Potter Pilgrimage
I started preparing for my Europe trip months in advance. I bought supplies, did several practice packs, spent hours researching, and most importantly, I started re-reading Harry Potter. It sounds dramatic and overly sentimental to say that Harry Potter played…
Rome, Italy, and the Risk of Returning to a Place You Love After a Decade Away
When I was growing up in rural Mississippi, one of my most desperate wishes was to travel. For as long as I can remember, visiting Rome was the ultimate dream. I was obsessed with it. In my previous post about…
