By Plane and Train: 24hours of travel

It would be a long twenty-four hours to my destination but well worth the journey. My aunt bid me farewell at the train station near Warwick and I was off to Newark Airport. I thought I was going to die with the weight of my bags while I was moving from train to train to airport and the thought occurred to me that if the bags were heavy now, then six months in Italy would break my back.

As I boarded the Air India plane to Paris, I realized there was no going back now, this was it, my journey was now beginning, and what a long journey it would be.

I got an excellent seat with three times the amount of leg room that I needed, but hey who should complain about that. I slept a few hours and when I awoke the light was just coming over the horizon and lit up the clouds over the ocean. The flight into Paris was cloudy and wet but excitement ran through my veins as we landed.

First Lesson: if you expect to ask for directions in a foreign country, at least learn the bare essentials for communicating.

It took me about an hour and a half to buy my ticket and figure out what train I needed to take into Paris and to the train station. Alas, I was at the train station waiting to board my train to Italia. The signs, the conversations of people all around, the announcements over the speakers, and school children passing me by let me know that ‘I wasn’t in Kansas anymore’.

I boarded my train to start my eight hour journey through the countryside of France and the Alps into Italia. Next stop Torino.

(Here are some excerpts from my diary)….
Traveling should not be about being a tourist and leaving…it should be about being half a tourist and the other half embracing the locals and the culture… How beautiful the countryside is in France. There are cows, rolling hills of green grass as if it has just rained and the colors of fall are showing themselves in the autumn leaves. .. I could sit here for days…just keep going without stopping while the outside world passes me by.
…end

When I got off the train in Torino it was dark and I had no idea which way to go. After twenty minutes of trying to use my Rick Steve’s Phrasebook with an old Italian woman, I was on the subway to the bus station. The old woman took the subway with me, found an English-Italian translator and then left me at the bus stop. I was waiting on the wrong side of the street when a man pointed out that I was going in the wrong direction. I crossed the street again and walked up just as the bus was arriving.

Second Lesson: When booking a hostel or hotel, always ask the receptionist how to get there BEFORE you get into town. Planning is most essential when going to a foreign country.

As I was trying to figure out which stop to get off at (because there are no signs to tell you) the bus got more and more empty, and alas it was me and three other people. As the bus doors opened at the next to last stop a young man advised me that the hostel was at that stop and to follow him, which I cautiously did. He led me up a very dark street, up a hill, and as I dragged myself and all my contents I felt the sweat beading off my tired body.

Eureka…it was 10pm on October 9th and I had finally arrived at my hostel.
Hello Italia!!!!!!!

My New York Family Affair...

After the fun in Florida, I settled down a bit with the fall colors in New York. I stayed for about six days at my Uncle Matt and Aunt Julie's house in Warwick New York. Their view from the front porch is amazing and if I could put it in my pocket to take out when I want I would. They introduced me to their community and invited me to participate. My first night in I was brought to their church potluck and sat in on a lecture about religious history. It was educational and warming to be around all those people.

To give me a homey welcoming....my uncle made me some yummy waffles.

On Saturday my Aunt Julie brought me to the church thrift store to volunteer for a few hours.

The next day I volunteered with my Aunt and Uncle at Warwick's AppleFest...There were more attendees to this event then there are people that live in the town...WOW!

I dedicated some time in their yard as a way to say thanks for their hospitality...I planted two trees (unfortunately it wasn't enough to offset all my traveling carbon, but it was a start)...

...then I helped paint my uncle's "barn" red.

I was able to spend some much needed time with my 89-year-old Grandma Lois and 91-year old Grandpa "Blaze". We ate some pizza (nothing like Italian food) and went for a spin in the car...

She brought me to the house that my mom first lived in, which is now a historical site.

Then, she brought me to my mom's old high school in Tappan Zee.

When we got home....She showed me her mother's wedding dress from 1903 and then her dress to my Grandfather William (my hero) from 1942.

They walked me to the door for a loving sendoff and of course tears were shed.

I love you grandma and grandpa

Burney and Tank were excited that I visited and saw me off as my Aunt Julie took me to the train station where I saw the last familiar person before heading off to Italy.

I would like thank every single person in my family for all the love and support that has been given to me in the over the past few months. It is becasue of you that I have made it this far in my life. I couldn't ask for a better group of siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neices, nephews and parents. May all the love you have given to the world be returned to you in one way or another.

With Love,

Apes

Getting Some Florida Sun...

Hello everyone! I've had some technical and not-so technical things happen over the past month. Everything is up and running now. My time on the computer is very limited but being able to share my travels with each one of you is important....So back to our regualarly scheduled blog.

My trip to the Florida sun was much needed after the rain and clouds in Seattle. My sister Tiffany and her fiance (soon to be husband....Congrats Tiff) so graciously put me up in their house. For the first few days I did almost next to nothing except eat and watch Ghost Hunters. It felt really great to be extremely lazy for a while but once my sister was off work then the fun factor really got started...

I was greeted by my neice and nephew Jax and Coco...awww!

Tiff, Mike and I made our way out to the water...

...where we kayaked, swam and I got too much sun.

Then, we headed to a local National Park to make cotton with a Park Ranger...

...we ran into an old friend...

...and got some much needed margaritas...Good times!

Mike and Tiff...

...showed me how to smoke a hooka...combined with wine...not so good.

Tiff took me to St. Augustine and we found the closest thing to Italy...Spain. I drank my first Sangria and we toasted to a good trip.

...But before I could head off the Florida mascot had to wish me a proper farwell.

Thanks Florida, your mascot, Jax, Coco and most importantly my wonderful sister Tiffany and her soon to be husband Mike for a relaxing time in the afternoon(...and morning...and evening) sun. I have a great time.