MOUNTAIN PULSE: This is happening

January 28, 2014

This is happening

We're going to Italy.

In June for 3weeks. Italy....with Austria and Switzerland thrown in.

Lake Como- Photo via Pinterest

THANK YOU SWEET SPIRIT!!!!!
When I think of it, it's like blinding sparks of excitement rise from my pelvis, up into my belly, heart, throat, hands...
"How can I wait 6 months for this to happen?! I've dreamt of this all of my adult life....travel abroad...and it's in our hands!"
Tickets are BOUGHT! I have to remove myself from the anticipation...kind of like forcing time to stop so that I can step aside and collect myself, come to a calmness. Let it all sink in. All while urging time to just speed up and get us THERE. And I want to scream this from the ROOFTOPS! But I've found I actually feel kind of ...guilty... when I tell people about our trip. Like the guilt that kept me from using my car seat warmers for the longest time even though I knew I should be enjoying them. What's up with THAT? I guess I am feeling incredibly humbled and VERY blessed...

I'm surrounded by maps, travel books, a Rosetta Stone Italian Language program my Bro-in-law gave me (Thanks Mark!!!), my laptop where the Google Gods are always waiting and my "ITALY Trip" Pinterest board already stocked with so many ideas and informative sites. I'm overwhelmed, but gleefully so! There's a dazzling amount of possibilities for us over there...I don't want to miss a thing but I know we can't cram it all into 3 weeks! I'm so glad we decided on adding the 3rd. Leaves us with more options.... We felt this was do-able since our annual Russian River trip fell through. We just could not book a site for this summer.

We have a basic idea of what we'd like to do. See Dylan first and foremost! We're hoping by then she will be able to get a chunk of time off to spend with us. We want to explore the area she lives in, road trip and hike in the Alps...South Tyrol...to Innsbruck or Salzburg?,

South Tyrol -Photo via Pinterest

We've gotta get Switzerland in there somehow...., dip in Lake Como, visit Milan's Duomo Cathedral, stay at a hippy/spiritual healing/artist commune in Piemonte, drink wine in Tuscany, the Italian Riviera-hike the coastal trails and pick olives in Cinque de Terre, the HISTORY in ROME! ....oh, my GOD, I'm going to explode!!!

I have a LOT of work to do to set this up. B and B's, car rental and driving in Italy, finding a house sitter, itineraries..... The only things etched in stone so far? A Condor flight for 3 to Venice via Frankfurt.

Photo via Condor Airline

And!................wait for it.....ready?......clench your Kegels, Ladies...... 4 tickets in possession to MUTHER FUCKING PEARL JAM in MILAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy scattin' Jeezus jumpin' on a spire, we're going to see one of my top 5 fave bands in fucking ITALY!!! The nose-bleed seats cost an arm and a leg but We.Are.Going. I've currently enrolled Willa in a crash course of Pearl Jam 101 to prep her for the show.