Renting a Car – I personally would not rent a car in Europe again. It was interesting once, and a bit like a built in thrill ride, but it is not an experience I’d repeat. Even though I did not take the driver’s seat, I still had to battle car sickness and the occasional “Oh my God, we’re going to die!” moments that don’t make for a relaxing vacation. The logistics (and cost) of getting, fueling, and returning a rental are more trouble than one needs in my opinion. Best to leave the driving to the locals and use public transportation.
More time in fewer places. We covered a lot of ground, and that in itself was an experience. However, as nice as Positano was, it was more of the same that we saw in Capri. Southern Sardinia was a disappointment in some ways, but there were many adventures to be had in the North, so combining those days may have been smarter.
More music – See my music report.
More planning time – As good as my personal experience was, I think it could have been better with more time put in on the front end to make sure we hit major festivals or venues. Perhaps it was good that (again, due to lack of time) I did not learn much Italian music. I was ill prepared for any requests (though I expected that jam sessions would have been fine).
I felt like the trip was moderated a bit too much. There was safety in numbers, so we stuck together for most of the trip (partially because Audra was without a working credit card.) Still, we went. We saw some pretty amazing things, learned a lot, and had a great time. We reflected often on how lucky we were to be on a trip like this. I think we all realized that as gas prices rise and tensions increase throughout the world that it may become almost impossible to travel like this one day. We can only hope that globalism brings people together enough to see their similarities and respect their differences. Trips like this help, even if only on a small scale.
