Author Topic: Anyone been to Italy?  (Read 70768 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #100 on: November 07, 2011, 02:27:28 pm »
When I was a kid, I was terrified that someone was going to break into my parents' house and attack me. Never mind that that had never, ever happened (and hasn't since) in the middle-class suburb where I lived, that the odds against it were astronomical. Every night, I lay there watching the door of my room, waiting in terror for an intruder to appear.

Sounds to me like very probably, as a very small child, you were abducted from your bed in the middle of the night by aliens, who gave you a medical exam and then returned you. The memory was buried, but you still had the conscious terror that something would come back and get you in the night.  8)
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Monika

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #101 on: November 07, 2011, 02:54:59 pm »

Back to air safety, I think the vast majority of plane deaths involve little private planes. A couple of years ago, a family my sons knew from school lost four members -- father and three sons -- flying a small plane with the father piloting.

OT, but this was a strange coincidence. I was reading about the Bucklin family just the other day. Very tragic.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #102 on: November 07, 2011, 07:49:43 pm »


Statistics about car crashs vs. plane crashs don't make much difference. Fear isn't always rational (or even mostly not retional). I don't care how few planes crash, I'm just afraid the one I'm sitting in could be the exception of the rule (when it gets shaky, for me it's the turbulances that get me, otherwise I'm doing okay).

Exactly.  It's like the lotto.  No matter how ridiculous the odds, SOMEone does get the hit.  So it doesn't matter how many planes have flown safely.  The fact that so many have flown safely without a major crash statistically means a bad crash is overdue.

It's like getting insurance and they ask you if you want flood insurance for the once in 100 years flood.  You say no, because the odds are ridiculous.  However, sometimes, sadly for you, that 1 in 100 years flood just happens to occur tomorrow, but won't happen again for 99 years.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #103 on: March 21, 2012, 03:06:57 pm »
Grrrrrrrrrr

 >:( >:( >:( >:(

I am 10 days away from my long delayed, Italian vacation...I'm thrilled and excited and...in the last 4 days, three people who sit close to me at work or with whom I interact on a daily basis have come down with flu-like maladies.

Two are home sick today.

I can't get sick, I can't get sick, I can't get sick.

I've had a flu shot, but so did one of the people who is sick with whom I interact daily.

Incubation periods are usually 7-10 days, which means I might break with this strange cold/flu a few days before I leave.

Up until now, NO ONE had been sick around me - I almost made a clean getaway...

I'm downing zinc and Vit C, trying to stay positive and happy, hoping to shore up my immune system, doctors have written me preemptive antibiotics, but they do nothing for a virus.

I can't get sick, I can't get sick, I can't get sick, I can't get sick.

 >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #104 on: March 21, 2012, 03:56:17 pm »
Doctors have written me preemptive antibiotics, but they do nothing for a virus.

What about antivirals?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influenza_treatment

"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Penthesilea

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #105 on: March 22, 2012, 01:43:02 am »
You won't get sick, you won't get sick, you won't get sick!

What are your plans now for Italy? Will you do the convent staying thingie? (Can't remember the details right now, sorry)
Good to see you, btw, I've missed you. :)

Offline Kelda

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #106 on: March 22, 2012, 05:43:22 am »
Finger crossed for you! Where in Italy you off too?
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Offline delalluvia

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #107 on: March 24, 2012, 01:12:20 pm »
Thanks for the support guys.  Things have just been crazy at home and work for the last month or so and I haven't been online much except for checking my e-mails and trip planning.

Yes, I'm on anti-virals - started those day before yesterday.  Yes, I got my Xanax and a prescription for heavy duty antibiotics filled - the first for my fear of flying and stress, the 2nd in case I come down sick on the road.

My boss who came down with the worst virus has been out all week.  As of yesterday he still had 101 F degree fever and couldn't shake it.  :-\

Yes, I'm trying to keep my immune system up and think positive happy thoughts - but work has been so incredibly stressful with everyone new coming in and my immediate boss leaving and all the work that needs to be done before I leave...I had planned on using these last two weeks to catch up everything and set up the people I support with reminders and updates for the next coming month while I'm gone, but then two candidates got scheduled to arrive yesterday and Monday for 2 day tours and I got drafted to make interview appointments, arrange airfare, car service, hotel and escort all over campus and that has taken up the bulk of my time so that I'll probably have to do MY work at home so that I can be finished by Friday.  It's a nightmare.

But I've already come down with my 2nd ear infection  - doctors are at a loss at how to explain me coming down with swimmer's ear when I don't swim and have not changed my daily routine.  

And of course stress lowers your immune system, so I'm trying not to let it get to me and I'm taking a Xanax as needed.

Yes, I'm still staying at convents and monasteries and agriturismos.  I'm very excited about that.  I hope they will be cleaner than staying at hostels and cheap hotels.

I'm Venice-Florence-Vernazza-Siena-Rome-Pompeii-Positano then flying home from Rome.

I'm interested that the weather on the coasts will be much cooler than inland.

I have a 1:1 tour guide in Rome.  American working in Rome for the last 7 years.  He was recommended to me, but has been completely flakey in his contact with me.  So I don't know about him.  We're to meet at the Pantheon.  He will have an Italian flag so I'll know it's him.

Venice according to the weather reports I've seen is supposedly very chilly in the evenings this time of year, so is Pompeii and Positano, one's on the Adriatic coast, the other on the Tryrhenian coast.  Rome and Florence and Tuscany are warmer.

I've read in Italy they turn off the heat at certain times of year and I think I'm arriving just as they turn off the heat.  I wonder how ascetic the nuns and monks live, and if I'll be sleeping in my leather jacket for warmth.  We'll see.

But that's just part of the adventure.  I just don't want to do it sick.  :(

Offline serious crayons

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #108 on: March 24, 2012, 05:39:36 pm »
Great trip! I've been to most of those places, and they are fabulous. Wait until you ride the road to Positano. Quite the harrowing adventure.

Is your guide in Rome by any chance with Rome Walks tours? Is his name Greg? I know this would be a huge coincidence, but I had a guide named Greg who was American and had lived in Italy for years. He was great.






Offline delalluvia

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Re: Anyone been to Italy?
« Reply #109 on: March 24, 2012, 06:15:02 pm »
Great trip! I've been to most of those places, and they are fabulous. Wait until you ride the road to Positano. Quite the harrowing adventure.

Is your guide in Rome by any chance with Rome Walks tours? Is his name Greg? I know this would be a huge coincidence, but I had a guide named Greg who was American and had lived in Italy for years. He was great.

 :laugh:

No, but you know?  I'll keep his name and company in my notes in case my guy flakes out.