For the love of Tuscany

To visit Tuscany is to love Tuscany.  It is world renowned for its beautiful scenery, its history, and its wonderfully warm people.  It is an experience like no other. 
Tuscany has remained mostly untouched by modern farming methods because the people were poor and could not afford to modernize.  Because of this, and its peoples passion for tradition, the landscapes in Tuscany have remained unchanged for centuries.  It is amazing how steep hillsides have been terraced to prevent soil erosion and to make the land workable for farming.  Olive groves and vineyards dominate the landscapes where tall cypress trees line twisting roads to ancient hill towns. Many hill towns ares still surrounded by stone fortress walls built centuries ago to protect  the town and its people from invaders.  The spectacular views from these walls enabled lookouts to spot enemies long before they arrived at the town's entrance gates.  Today the walls provide excellent vantage points to watch the mist roll in the valleys below early in the day, and the golden light Tuscany is so famous for in the hours preceding remarkable sunsets.  Many photographers and artists have spent countless hours trying to capture the essence of Tuscany through a lens or on a canvas.  Although these renditions are beautiful in their own right, they cannot capture the spirit of the Tuscan people, their centuries old wisdom, their tenacity, their love for their homeland, or their genuine warmth.
Tourism and all that it entales brings much needed money into the region of Tuscany each summer.  The people welcome tourists and are willing to share their way of life for a period of time, but are also grateful for the time when the tourists are gone and life settles back down to it's normal routine.  It is at this time that it is possible to have an authentic Tuscan experience.  This is my goal.  This is the Tuscany I want to know.  To me, the way of life during "the off-season" is what Tuscany is really about.  Harvesting grapes in September to make wine, olives in November to press for olive oil, gathering mushrooms, and hunting for the elusive truffles in the chestnut woods  are all ancient traditions here.  Each is celebrated with local festivals in hill towns throughout Tuscany.  Tuscans do not live to work although they are hard workers, they work to live and they love their lives.  They are pleased to share the success of their harvests with strangers as well as friends, family and the rest of their communities. This is what I hope to experience.  I want to share in the people's joy of life, their passion, their traditions.  I believe this is what fond memories are made of, experiences that touch a heart and soul, that can profoundly change a person forever. 

Why do I have the feeing I am forgetting something?

I am having this nagging feeling there is something I have forgotten, what could it be?

Ensure passport  will be valid for at least 6 months after trip ........check
House deposit paid......................check
Air tickets purchased...................check
Travel Insurance purchased.........check
Car reservations and paid for............check
Purchased enough euros to pay balance of house.......check
Print application for visitors visa  for Italy.....check
Request appointment at Italian Consulate.......to do
Complete application for international drivers license..............check
Apply for international driver's license at CAA..............check
Advise credit card companies of my travel plans.......to do
Resolve issue re bringing art supplies................check (allowed 3 bags going and 2 coming back)
Determine how monthly bills will be paid while away............to do


Anyone know whats missing???  If so please tell me!
Diane

No Turning Back Now!

My flight is booked!  I decided to go for the first class ticket to Rome and economy coming back home.  I used my reward points so my flight only cost me $200  more than economy both ways would have cost...and I get the bonus of being pampered a bit on the way.  Now there is only the car to reserve.  Next week I will apply for my International Driver's License and my Visitors Visa which I need because I will be staying in Italy for more than 90 days.  Once that is done I can rest easy for awhile and focus on the contract work I will be doing in Charlottetown PEI.
Life is good!

UPDATE:  I reserved my car today.  A Peugeot 207  5 door hatchback with automatic transmission, air conditioning, and GPS.
Now everything is getting very real.  I am glad I got this done as I start work this week and head to Charlottetown this coming weekend. I am getting very excited now!  Less than 15 weeks till I am on my way to Tuscany!

Progress is slowly being made

Well I have finally purchased my trip insurance.  I also have several travel agents looking for flights for me.  I discovered there is a direct flight from Montreal to Rome but no direct flight back from Rome.  I found one flight going that is direct and is offereing a sale on first class seats (which actually turn into beds!) and am considering that option going, but not coming back.  The flight to Rome is overnight and I want to arrive in the morning feeling rested so that I wont be too dragged out to rent and drive a car for several hours once I arrive.  I have also been comparing airlines baggage requirments to ensure that I choose flights that have compatable allowances.  This is turning out to be more difficult than imagined and I certainly do not want to get stuck paying ten euros for every kilo of weight over the allotment.  There are so many details that need to be taken care of that I would never have thought of had I been planning my trip at the last minute.
Now that I have paid my travel insurance I can also reserve my car which I plan to do by the end of next week.  Time seems to be slipping away so quickly.  I will be doing some contract work in June and July so I wont have much time to make any of the arrangements during that time.  Charlottetown in June and July will be beautiful and I am really looking forward to visiting there all expenses paid!
Things are coming together and now that the commitment has been made the hesitation has disappeared.  I grow more excited every day!
Ciao for now
D