I am at the ferry terminal in Victoria with destination of Vancouver airport in my immediate and then onward to Rome before I rest again.  Phew.  

Like a lot of people, this is the first trip overseas after the last 3 years of staying home during the pandemic years of COVID-19.  In many ways the world has changed, my world changed too.  Here we are looking forward to the next 24 days of vacation!  A cruise, some time in Rome, Athens, Naples and then a week at the lemon farm outside Sorrento ….  I will try to stay with the story of the the present …. Here we are today.

Itinerary is walk-on ferry from Victoria to Vancouver, then flight to London Heathrow and then on to Rome.  Train from airport to Termini Station and a few nights stay at Yes Hotel before we join the cruise ship.  

Premium economy flights with British Airways as organized by Oceania cruises.  So grateful for this little added perks of more leg room and great service.  Six of us women travelling together on same flight toward Rome.  Three more come tomorrow.  Three couples and another single woman are going to join us on the cruise … 16 of us together for meals and cocktail party etc.  Nice size group.  Lots to look forward to.

Later, now at London Heathrow … 8 hours later after an 8 hour flight puts me really confused about what time it is and where I am.  Ha ha.  A person forgets these fine details when once in my life I was familiar with this world travel scenario.  Falling asleep again and again on and off, barely eating the almost inedible airline gluten free food.  There are movies and earphone headset in a nice package as provided … toothbrush, lotion, a pen, face mask eye cover, socks and more.

Arriving in London the sun was shining and beautiful blue sky … about 6 am home time ….. now we have boarded the British Airways flight on way to Rome and it is pouring buckets of rain outside.  I fall asleep and wake to the blue sky and warm sun in my window seat.  A crisp view of the mountains with sharp edges carved in snow.  Spectacular.  

Delighted listening to the various accents of the pilots and crew of the flights we experienced, the security folk checking for liquids and boarding passes, the store clerk at Harrods of London shop in airport at Heathrow, the barista at Starbucks, the sounds of people talking around me.  It feels good to be internationally travelling again …. It has indeed been a ‘welcome home to the world’ already on this trip.  

I hope wherever you are, you enjoy this blog and the stories about to unfold.  I have been to all the destinations on this itinerary previously.  In the search bar, simply put the name of the place and see when I was here on a previous trip.  

Soon to land in Rome and the next leg of this journey, tired in so many ways.  Till tomorrow, ciao ciao.

Pamelllllla of Italy.