The Creative Life - Barbara Trovillo

Ciao, Amici,

To be away from your “real” life for almost a month requires a lot of preparation. I worked hard to take care of the many details I would normally do over the course of the month.

Finally, the morning of departure arrived. I was wide awake at 5 a.m., Get up, get up! Lots to do. I was flying out from Richmond, (an hour and a half drive from our house). We planned to leave at 10 to get there in plenty of time. My darling husband dutifully rolled the carefully packed bag out to the car AND the wheel on the bag broke! There was not time to buy another bag, so I eliminated more things and stuffed what I could in another carry on!

This is what I took to stay three weeks in Italy! This and another smaller bag! Definitely "traveling light" .

That was the first "snafu" of the trip. The next was boarding was delayed in Richmond because the boarding ramp broke! That was fixed fairly quickly. Once I settled in for that flight, I fell fast asleep. I have no recollection of taking off! Woke as they prepared to land in Newark. The flight to Italy was smooth and lovely.

We arrived in Rome at 8 am. I collected my "bag" and headed to the Bar for my first cappuccino. Fantastico!

Then boarded the first train of the day. I took 2 more to get to Perugia where I picked up the car.  By now, the fatigue and time change were beginning to register and I couldn't find my way out of Perugia! My family all say I am not a good driver. I generally disagree, but this day, it was true. I was feeling quite distressed. It was getting dark, and raining. I was extremely tired and had no cell service. No gps! My friend Giselle gave me very clear directions from Perugia but for some reason, I could not find the Right way out of the city. I went round and round in circles passing the train station at least five times!  Finally, in desperation, I stopped and asked a nice older Italian man for help. He decided the easiest way for him to show me was for me to follow his car as he drove up to the point of leaving town. He actually took a break from his job at the gas station to do this! An example of the lovely Italian people.

From that point, it was easy! I arrived safely to gracious friends, Giselle and Mark, where they greeted me with good wine and a lovely meal, happy dogs, and a warm comfortable bed. I now have an Italian sim card, (gps!) can make and receive calls. 

The jet lag is receding, though I still feel a bit under water. (writing this on Sunday, arrived here Thursday evening.) That is the beginning of the adventure, the intro, so to speak. Much more to come. One of the things that got left behind was the pad of watercolor paper. Tomorrow, we will visit the Art Supply shop in Foligno to buy another. I go to Spello on Tuesday where I hope to do some small paintings. 

More pictures to come soon. 

Ciao for now! xo Barbara