Feb 20-27 - Too Little Time

The first week of this adventure has blown by in a flurry of activity -- and, as expected, I've had no time to write.  This was my 6th trip to Switzerland (previously visited Sept 2005 (photos only), Oct 2006 (photos only with Debi/Ben),  Sept 2007 (blog with my dad), June 2009 (blog with Neal/Anna), and Mar/Apr 2011 (blog).  It was fun to continue the long term friendships I've enjoyed there.

Getting there got complicated when the connecting flight in Newark was delayed -- upon push back at the gate, two loud thumps turned out to be the bar of the pushing tug damaging the nose gear of the plane.  It took a while for United to decide that the plane couldn't be flown and all had to file off and await a replacement plane.  The flight arrived in Zurich 5 hours late and had to rebook the train ticket to the first overnight stop, Luzern.  Explored Luzern both upon arrival and the next morning, and then took an early afternoon train over the spectacularly beautiful Gotthard Pass, made even more Disneyland-ride like with the snow-tipped Alps. As has always been the case in my experience with Swiss trains, we arrived in Locarno right on time -- where I had arranged a rental car.

Rein provided a place to stay at his beautiful home in Golena -- and he, his kids Nathalie and Mattieu, and Fernando, all with perfect English, make it possible to interact and visit with others there.

The weather was superb for this February trip -- yes, cold -- but sunny -- and I enjoyed 4 days of non-stop touring, visiting and eating -- and as expected ended up with no time to blog. By the time the week was over we had enjoyed much touring and many meals with Rein and Peli, and additional evening meals with Nathalie/her family,  Fernando and PierAngelo and his family, and coffee one morning with Mattieu and another with Anna (Giglio's daughter who I had not seen in 30 years since she and her Dad visited in California in 1986).

And as with all fun things, the time passed too quickly and I was again on the train back to Zurich, overnighting in a hotel near the airport, departing the next day to Rome to continue this adventure.

"Travel Hacking" A Trip to Europe

So "Travel Hacking" is a term used to describe a way to get free or discount travel by legally using credit card/corporate loyalty rewards/points,  You can find much about it just doing a Google search on that term. And, that process is how I've now booked a February/March 2016 trip to Europe: 50,000 United Airlines Mileage Program points (gained by applying for a United Airlines sponsored Visa card) together with 15,000 miles I had already saved and $275 in taxes for flights from Los Angeles to Zurich on February 20 and returning from London/Heathrow to Los Angeles on March 12.

First destination is Switzerland (specifically the southern canton of Ticino) where I have cousins and have visited several times before -- then my first ever trip to Rome -- followed by a repeat trip to The Netherlands (home to close friends including one I call "my Dutch daughter" -- and more cousins).

I'm thinking I won't have time to blog about most of the trip -- but I have set aside this blog name so that I might blog when the time allows and the spirit moves me -- perhaps at least for the first-ever travel to Rome.