Europe 2010
The challenges of traveling when you’re older
Part 2
Arriving in Rome
Tom is 70; his partner Greta is 68. They are in Rome on the first leg of a month-long trip.
Traveling a long distance such as to Rome isn’t as easy as it was when we were 50. Getting from our Southern California home to the
apartment we rented in Rome took 24 hours.
Sure, we each had 3-4 hours of interrupted sleep on the overnight LAX-to-Paris, Air France flight, but that’s not quiet, deep sleep,
although the airline thoughtfully handed out a packet containing ear plugs and eye shades. The coach class rows of seats are so close
together that when the person in front of you adjusts the seat back, there is barely enough room to maneuver.
Toss in the 10 time-zone changes and you’re pretty whacked out when you arrive. But let me say that the service on Air France was
impeccable. They served two meals, which included complimentary champagne and wine with dinner, even in back in the bleacher seats where
we were located.
I brought too much stuff in my carry-on bag: camera, laptop with power cord and mouse, video cam, a bag of Trader Joe’s raw cashews,
a 3-ring notebook containing our trip information details, three books to read, and two pair of sunglasses. That bag weighed in at about
24 pounds. Plus, I had a sweater and a jacket tied around my waste. You’d think it was my first trip. I vowed to repack for the next trip
leg and the cashews would be gone.
For anybody, a trip like this is a haul, but for seniors it’s hard on the old body. The walk to change planes at Charles De Gaulle
Airport in Paris is at least a half mile and includes going through security all over again. At least we got some exercise in. On both
flights—to Paris first and then the second flight to Rome-- there was a church tour group from San Pedro, California, made up mostly of
people 70+; they all seemed to make that arduous, change-of-planes, trek pretty well.
Five years ago, to save a few bucks, I would have taken the train from Rome Airport to downtown and then a metro to get to our
apartment. But Greta very simply laid down the law beforehand, “We’re not doing that anymore.” So, we arranged through our VRBO
apartment owners to have a car and driver meet us at the airport. Smartest 55 euro ($75) investment we’ve ever made. He navigated us
through the Rome traffic (non rush hour) and had us at the apartment in less than an hour. In a Mercedes Benz no less. After a long
trip, we recommend having a driver meet you at the airport and deliver you safely to your destination.
Another thing we tried differently on this trip was staying at Vacation Rental By Owners properties (www.VRBO.com), which we did in
Rome, Athens and Istanbul. The cost savings vs. staying at a hotel was at least 50%.
And here was an added plus. In Rome, Adrianna, the woman who owns the apartment where we were staying, was waiting for us. She
briefed us on the ins and outs of her property and recommended nearby restaurants and markets. Then, the next morning, Adrianna and her
husband Paolo picked us up and gave us an auto tour of the neighborhood, including showing us where to walk to get to the Vatican,
which was 25 minutes away by foot. You don’t get personal touches like that staying in a hotel.
We were thrilled with the apartment: three bedrooms, living room, WiFi hookup for laptops, marble floors throughout, complete kitchen, and, it was pin-drop quiet and secure. Having that much room was a plus because our sleeping patterns were affected differently by the time zone change so we were asleep and awake at different times. I was on the computer and making coffee while Greta was sleeping and vice versa.
We had made advance reservations online for a Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel tour, which we scheduled for the second day, giving us a day to get rested. To get acclimated the first day, we walked to Vatican City and were surprised to find the Pope addressing more than 50,000 people in St. Peters Square on the occasion of his birthday.
On that first day in Rome, we walked between four and five miles. Exercise combats jet lag. We purchased some tangerines and Swiss cheese at one of the thousands of outdoor markets in Rome and enjoyed the food while seated on a park bench. It was hard to believe we were in Rome and had a glorious month-long trip ahead of us.
Looking back over the first three days of our journey, when our aches, pains and joints were feeling better, it seemed like a snap, even for a couple of old dudes.
To access Tom's ebook, "Italy: 23 Days by Train" follow this link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9907
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