TravelHaven Journal: Italy 2013 – Arrividerci, Tuscany

On Friday, we returned to Cortona to introduce Ruth and Jeanie to this lovely village. Since we did pretty much the same things as before, I won’t repeat myself here.

On Saturday we were up early to get Ruth and Jeanie to the train station in Arezzo by 7:30 to catch the train to Rome, where Jeanie would board a plane for Vienna to visit a friend and Ruth would see a bit of the Eternal City before leaving for home on Sunday with us. 

The flights home were challenging. We sat on the runway in Rome for an hour due to a weather delay. (Thankfully, we had a couple of hours layover before our connecting flight in Atlanta!) Then we sat on the runway in Atlanta for over 4 hours waiting to take off for Orlando, again due to weather. At one point, we were number 33 in line for takeoff!  Altogether, we traveled from 3:15 a.m. Orlando time until 8:30 p.m. Orlando time, with only about an hour in Atlanta to go through customs and get to our gate. The rest of the time we were sitting on a plane. It was brutal, but the pilot and flight crew did a great job keeping us informed and bringing us drinks. Still, I was so glad to get off that plane!

Our time in Tuscany was truly the trip of a lifetime. I had been worried that I had built it up so much in my mind that I would be disappointed. But it was everything I had imagined and hoped for and more. I cried when we left Monterchi and am already starting to plan our return, probably in two years.  

Although writing and pictures really can’t do this experience justice, I hope I’ve been able to at least give you an inkling of the beauty of Tuscany and of the people who live there. I have enjoyed sharing my travels with you and hope you have enjoyed reading my journals. 

Arrividerci, amici!