Smorgasbord

24 Aprile 2006, Napoli

We did it today. We took the first step.

One of the dangers of being an outsider residing in Europe failing to take advantage of the opportunity of being surrounded by an unimaginable diversity of countries, cultures, language, food and landscapes. As anywhere it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day, dealing only with what is down the road or next door.

So today we booked flights to London for a week at the end of May.

Of course London is not a new destination, but it’s time to touch base with some friends, and it’s usually a lovely time of the year to visit.

We are also frantically working on the itinerary for the 18 days in August when my parents are in Italy. The plan is to spend a few days in the Naples / Amalfi Coast area, then take in Tuscany, and the north east before circling back down to Rome.

However, I’ve also started dreaming of our trip to Sicily having recently met an old school friend of Gi’s who now lives on a small island off the coast. Similarly Eastern Europe is quietly beckoning with cheap airfares and less known destinations.

Of course the other problem with being an outsider residing in Europe is that with such a smorgasbord to choose from it’s very possible to become paralysed with indecision.