Italy - Epilogue...

Traveling to Italy by myself was, most certainly, an adventure.

Would I do it again? Probably, yeah. While there were certainly times when I wish I'd had a traveling companion, I really enjoyed not having to worry about what itinerary items someone might or might not want to have on their agenda. Sure, that may be selfish, but it served its purpose for this trip.

Italy's not unlike the United States. You have your large metropolitan areas like Florence and Rome, but you also have your small, off-the-beaten-path towns like Anguillar Sabazia and Pescara. Both cities and towns provided a wealth of photo opportunities on this trip. But there's plenty to keep in mind when you're traveling in Italy.

Some undeniable truths about Italy:

• Unless you go to India, Italy is the most densely crowded place you will probably ever visit. Between the almost four million people who live in and around Rome and the millions of tourists who visit every year, well, you see the issue. Give yourself time and don't rush. Italy has been there for thousands of years; it's not going anywhere.

• You shouldn't drive if you don't have to. Driving in Italy, and especially in places like Rome or the road to Amalfi, is pro-level stuff. The mass transit systems in the cities are excellent, and you can get anywhere else you want to go by a very well developed rail system. 

• It's entirely possible to go through an entire day in Italy and not find anyone who's able to converse with you in English. Be ready for that. Be prepared to order off the menu and not be 100% sure what you'll be having for lunch. For me, though, that's part of the fun of a trip like this.

• You'll want a good pair of shoes. Italy, and Rome especially, entails a great of walking, and much of it will be on roads that are cobblestone, dirt, rock; anything but pavement. A pair of shoes with a nice, stiff sole are preferable to shoes which are overly-cushioned.

• You need to be ready, willing and able to deviate from your itinerary. I had my entire trip laid out, and then the weather decided to upset the entire plan. Not only was I changing what I was doing from one day to the next, but I was even changing what I would do from one hour to the next. I never expected to end up on the roof of the Altare della Patria, yet, there I was. Like ordering mystery food off the menu, this is something which I think also adds to the enjoyment of a trip.

• Italians are friendly. I didn't run into a single person in Italy who was rude or had that "I can't be bothered" attitude. I found Italians to be helpful to a fault and, if they couldn't be, say, due to a language issue, it was pretty clear they wanted to be. They're as excited that you're there as you are to be there.

• You need to take a cab at least once. The cabbies I had (I took a cab twice) were funny, gregarious, and made sure I enjoyed an "E-ticket ride" through the heart of Rome. When you're riding in a cab, you pretty much get all of the excitement of driving in Rome without any of the insurance concerns.

• You will take a bath if you exchange your currency in Italy. Actually, this is true for just about anywhere. Online currency converters give you a general idea of what the exchange rate is, but that's not what you'll get. Generally speaking, you'll get anywhere between 5-15% less than you expect when you exchange oversea, depending on where you do it. And, when you want to convert your currency from US dollars to Euros, you absolute need to have your passport with you. This is non-negotiable. I found this out the hard way.

I'm sure if I sat here and ruminated a bit longer I could come up with more. But these are the things which are at the forefront of my mind at the moment, so I wanted to mention them. Italy is a great place, with great things to do, great places to go, great things to see and great food to eat.

Enjoy all of it because, well, why not?