Went for a walk on the weekend and took some photos of the locals to ward against homesickness.
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Let the journey begin
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Only 6 days to go!
I can't believe it's less than a week until we say our good byes. My tick list is finally shrinking and I'm seriously considering starting to pack. I usually opt for the last minute approach as this way you can see everything at once and get the mix and match bit right. Alternatively I could make another list and be more systematic. I wonder wish method will create the lightest suitcase? It's time I stopped shopping for all the last minute 'good ideas' that run the risk of just adding clutter. I can't believe that some folk can actually do this packing thing with only one piece of carry on luggage. Perhaps this is why people catch the travel bug .... Just to get it right the next time around!
I have been doing some homework about Italian pasta after receiving 'Antonio Carluccio's Pasta' book as an early Mother's Day present. Just as an aside there is real 'set reading' for one of our food tours. This is surely taking things too far. I think I'll just use my school experience and hope to 'wing' it. Anyway, this is what I've learnt from Antonio so far about pasta etiquette:
* Real Italians only use a fork to eat their pasta (using a spoon as well is the cheat's method).
* There should be no sauce left in your bowl at the end of your pasta meal. If for some reason there is, one must never mop it up with bread! ( I always thought Bread mopping was compulsory).
* Real Bolognaise sauce contains NO garlic!
* And another thing with Bolognaise, it should never be served with spaghetti. tagliatelle has better edges for the sauce.
* There are rules about the correct matching of different sauces with pasta types. As a general rule of thumb, thin sauces go with spaghetti and chunky sauces go better with more robust styles. Perhaps Australian/Italian restaurants shouldn't leave the matching up to unsuspecting customers. No wonder my sauce never sticks!
Anyway, back to the book for some last minute cramming.
Ciao
Jackie
I have been doing some homework about Italian pasta after receiving 'Antonio Carluccio's Pasta' book as an early Mother's Day present. Just as an aside there is real 'set reading' for one of our food tours. This is surely taking things too far. I think I'll just use my school experience and hope to 'wing' it. Anyway, this is what I've learnt from Antonio so far about pasta etiquette:
* Real Italians only use a fork to eat their pasta (using a spoon as well is the cheat's method).
* There should be no sauce left in your bowl at the end of your pasta meal. If for some reason there is, one must never mop it up with bread! ( I always thought Bread mopping was compulsory).
* Real Bolognaise sauce contains NO garlic!
* And another thing with Bolognaise, it should never be served with spaghetti. tagliatelle has better edges for the sauce.
* There are rules about the correct matching of different sauces with pasta types. As a general rule of thumb, thin sauces go with spaghetti and chunky sauces go better with more robust styles. Perhaps Australian/Italian restaurants shouldn't leave the matching up to unsuspecting customers. No wonder my sauce never sticks!
Anyway, back to the book for some last minute cramming.
Ciao
Jackie
Friday, 11 April 2014
18 days to go!
Come stai?
Trains, transfers and connections now locked in. I know I will love the ones in the airport where they have your name on a sign. I've always wanted to be 'that' person arriving in a foreign country looking for 'my' name on a sign. This will definitely be the easy part. Navigating our way from the airport in Venice to our hotel via 'water taxi' could be a bit more tricky! Hopefully we will be travel savvy by then. Maybe I won't need a Gondola ride after all!
Just one meeting left with our trusty travel agent, Kerri from flight centre at Chirnside for the handover of tickets, itinerary,etc. She has been amazing!!!!!!! Thanks Kerri for your fantastic ideas! patience! finding the best hotels in the best locations for the best prices and helping us newbies to put this wonderful trip together. You have covered all the details and given us so much of your time to explain everything. Nothing was ever too much trouble. Hopefully we will be back.
I can't believe how much planning is involved. Still to do: Drs appointments for medications, new shoes, new bag, new clothes (of course new stuff is required), bills to pay before you go, money to take (how much is pure guesswork), camera to buy, loose ends at work to finish, credit card security envelopes and similar for passports (how far do you go with security?). I think I'd better write a proper list! Packing will be a challenge. I have never been one to travel light; always preferring to throw in another couple of tops, another pair of shoes, cardi, etc. if there is space I will be tempted to fill it but I would love to travel light! There will be delights to buy to bring home I'm sure so 'someone' will need to pack light! We are likely to experience all types of weather so this will be my excuse.
Ciao
Trains, transfers and connections now locked in. I know I will love the ones in the airport where they have your name on a sign. I've always wanted to be 'that' person arriving in a foreign country looking for 'my' name on a sign. This will definitely be the easy part. Navigating our way from the airport in Venice to our hotel via 'water taxi' could be a bit more tricky! Hopefully we will be travel savvy by then. Maybe I won't need a Gondola ride after all!
Just one meeting left with our trusty travel agent, Kerri from flight centre at Chirnside for the handover of tickets, itinerary,etc. She has been amazing!!!!!!! Thanks Kerri for your fantastic ideas! patience! finding the best hotels in the best locations for the best prices and helping us newbies to put this wonderful trip together. You have covered all the details and given us so much of your time to explain everything. Nothing was ever too much trouble. Hopefully we will be back.
I can't believe how much planning is involved. Still to do: Drs appointments for medications, new shoes, new bag, new clothes (of course new stuff is required), bills to pay before you go, money to take (how much is pure guesswork), camera to buy, loose ends at work to finish, credit card security envelopes and similar for passports (how far do you go with security?). I think I'd better write a proper list! Packing will be a challenge. I have never been one to travel light; always preferring to throw in another couple of tops, another pair of shoes, cardi, etc. if there is space I will be tempted to fill it but I would love to travel light! There will be delights to buy to bring home I'm sure so 'someone' will need to pack light! We are likely to experience all types of weather so this will be my excuse.
Ciao
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