Plans

Naturally the question has been for myself as well as others...where will I go and what am I going to do while I'm in Italy.  So I thought I'd draw a little map of the places I have planned to go...on a Starbucks napkin nonetheless, in honor of my late father, Larry Beckham, who used to *always* write on napkins in restaurants. Love him for that. When I took a long trip to Rwanda, he wrote me a note on a stack of them. So, the napkin map is in honor of him. He would be very happy that I'm taking this trip...that I have this opportunity and the flexibility in life to do it.

{Please excuse the child-like drawing of a horse that is floating in the ocean & the over-sized bee buzzing by the tree.}

I will be there a month and spend about 12 days volunteering on two different agri-tourism locations that have some sort of farm, vineyard, gardens, etc. The other half, just traveling around.  I am a country girl at heart and hope to have a farm or land of my own someday. In the mean time, I thought I'd enjoy the experience of these Italian spots who offer that through an organization called www.wwoof.it  I will be helping them do whatever they need around their places, but also get a real Italian experience which is what I'm going for.  I am not much of a museum girl so if I make it into any, it will be a miracle and b/c I had a change of heart. However, I am sure I'll see what I can along the way though.   I look forward to seeing how my trip unfolds as I go. : )

• Forli - the city where I'll be taking a train from Milan to meet Nevio, who is the father/husband/owner of a place that houses & trains a special type of horse called the Bardigiano. They mostly focus on this but also make their own olive oil, wine, pasta,  grow a garden & host guests at their bed & breakfast. It's nestled in the hills of the Emilia Romagna province. I'll be here a week volunteering in exchange for lodging & food (and I'm sure enjoyable company). After this full week, I'll then head towards Pentromoli.
• Pentromoli is small town in Tuscany that my cousin's wife's family is from and have graciously offered to meet me along the way. I am really looking forward to meeting them (and Jessica, the cousin, in Milan at the bus station!) So grateful to have her kindness to greet me when I arrive. 
• Heading to Cinque Terra to hike/walk through the 5 little towns along the coast in a day or two. Everyone who has gone says this is one of their favorite places in Italy and I cannot wait to experience it.
• I have about a week to explore Florence, Rome and then hopefully the Island of Capri before heading to Verona where I will then spend 1-2 days before I get on a train to Ala. 
• Ala will be the little town in the northern part of Italy where I'll have another opportunity to have a volunteer/exchange with a small B&B. The place has lots of trails and forestry, they raise some cattle that are for cheese making purposes, they have a small garden and also focus their energies on bee-keeping.  I look forward to meeting Alice & Alexander here and spend 4 days with them. 
• Venice will be my last stop and I hope to unwind here, spend Easter in a beautiful church, ride a gondola  and stroll through the winding streets. 

I leave tomorrow, March 15th so today I'm wrapping up stuff and packing my little suitcase (little as in, I hope to fit it in the overhead compartment). Yep, and my regular-sized back pack. So until then...thanks for following along.