Plane tickets, Eurail passes, maps and Rick Steves’ guides. We’ve got it all and we’re going. Finally. Thirty-two years ago when I did this we had the youth hostel membership to keep things cheap. That was fun then, but I won’t miss the snoring strangers in hostel dorm rooms. Now it’s just  the loved ones snoring.

Poring over the map is fun. Looking at Lake Plitvice in National Geographic is spectacular. Finding the right accommodations to suit our budget, please everyone, and that isn’t too far from the action (whatever that is in any given place) is a bit more stressful. So however great the trip will be, the planning is half the fun. (Sing it with me, “Anticipa-ation …”) And like Carly sings in the rest of the song, “These are the good ol’ days.”

So here is the best piece of web-advice that I have found for any part of our trip. In suggestions on what to do in Venice, the common wisdom seems to be that one should ditch the maps and guidebooks. Go out and get lost and enjoy it. To be lost in Venice is some of the best of what life has to offer.

Perhaps that’s not a bad idea for any part of our Journey.