It’s finally here. The day of my trip to Italy with my sister Marcia.

I believe I have thought of everything.

Ray has sensed my excitement and has abandoned his usual blasé attitude to clinging to me like a lamprey.

All that’s left is for Marcia to pick me up on her way to the airport, she lives upstate, about 5 hours away, when the phone rings.

Marcia,  “Something terrible has happened. I forgot my passport. I have to go back or have someone bring it to me.”

It’s a few days later.

Marcia got to the plane minutes before the doors closed. We hugged and hugged.

Of course they lost her luggage so we had to wait a day before I could stop seeing her in a  wrinkled blue skirt.

I know what you’re thinking. I should be feeling sorry for her because she didn’t have a change of clothes but hey it was my trip too and she put a kink in what I liked to refer to as “My Vacation For The Eyes”.

After Marcia’s bag arrived we were able to begin the trip anew.

We decided that the Naples part would be spent broadening our intellectual horizons.

We were on our way to this famous castle. Our travel agent Eva said it was not to be missed. She even booked us a hotel within walking distance.

We were on our way there when we happened to come upon a little store that sold earrings that looked like real roses.

No sooner did we leave there when lo and behold a luggage store.

When we changed planes in Rome we lugged our really heavy carry ons for the 30 mile treck to the plane that would take us to Naples.

Two old ladies chugging along gasping for breath while everyone else floated along with their carryons on wheels.

After the luggage store…..

When I get home I’ll send you a picture of that castle in the distance. Next time you’re in Naples you MUST visit it and let me know what it looked like.