Home in Time for Tea

Road Tripping in Western Europe: Journey to Elba through Belgium, French Alps, South of France, Northern Italy, Tuscany, and Switzerland It's the night before we leave for our road trip to Tuscany's Elba Island and I haven't packed. We have been planning to visit too many places and I'm so excited about every one of them, I'm worried we won't actually get to Elba so I try and pick out a few unnecessary ones - Richard is as helpful as when he suggested I only take one pair of shoes when I'd filled my suitcase... What a pointless piece of advice!  Eventually I resolve to decide along the way without worrying about planning our road trip too religiously. We never did much planning on our first road trip and we saw so much - maybe we'll just as lucky this time, if not more... Annecy, Haute Savoie, France We made our first overnight stop in Annecy in the French Alps because it was highlighted on our map and we were feeling inquisitive (...

          A Seasickness Phobic's Ferry Journey to Corsica I wake up from a shallow sleep. It's pitch black and I have no idea what the time is. I don't feel drowsy at all, in fact I can't believe I'd even been asleep. The ferry's been swaying for a while and it's gotten worse. I knew I shouldn't have eaten those chips - God, how long ago was that? I have no idea. It can't be more than 8 hours - that's the length of this crossing to Savona from Corsica. It will surely be over soon. I lie on my side and close my eyes, trying to will myself to remember I'm safe, upright, and just in a lovely little ensuite cabin on night time mediterranean seas, rocking gently with the calm waves. There's nothing at all to worry about. I'll feel more sick if I keep thinking about it, so I'd better suck it up. For goodness sake I just need to go back to sleep. I roll over angrily. I hold the ...