Up early, about six this morning. Pack up what little we took out for a single night’s stay in the hotel, wake and dress the kids and head downstairs. Sandro sent a huge van for us this morning – plenty of room for the seven of us and our luggage. Our two sleepyheads join us downstairs a bit after seven and we head off to the airport.

The streets were empty and we drive past the wedding cake, past the Coliseum, the baths of Caracalla and arrived at the airport about 7:45 for our 9:50 flight.

Check-in is simple but I set off security twice; once because of my under-wire bra, which the female security agents completely understands and the second time because one of my rugrats stuck a gold led pencil in my carry-on and it looks suspicious on the x-ray machine, those buggers.

Once through security, Rick heads to the VAT refund area to get his money back on Steph’s coat – they give you the option now of crediting your credit card which is much nicer than the time I was in England 20 years ago. I received a check in pounds two months later then had to trek into the City to get it converted. I think by the time all was done, I only made about ten bucks back.

We take the tram to the terminal, have some breakfast, stock up on some chocolate eggs to bring home and board pretty uneventfully. Continental has the screens in the seats now so the kids and I play video games, watched television and the movie Uptown Girl all the way to Newark. No one slept. We arrive home about 3:30, talked to my parents and Chris and I began planning our next trip, solo – Onto May 2005!

Chris’s Favorites:

Siena
DEI
Climbing the Duomo

Becky’s Favorites:

Bird Poop on Mommy
House and getting eggs from chicken coop
Siena

Sammi’s Favorites

Climbing the Duomo
Chicken coop
Chocolate Eggs

Kim’s Favorites

Picking Olives
Siena
Early morning in Castelmuzio

Rick’s Favorites

Climbing Duomo
Olives
Pasquales

Rick’s Regrets

Not visiting a terme
Not seeing catacombs
Would have liked to seen Colosseum w/ Peter

Kim’s Regrets

Didn’t get to see St. Catherine’s Head
Didn’t drive – I should have
Not seeing Moses

Chris Regrets

No time in Montepulciano
No tartufo bianco
Lack of …. Well I’m not putting that here

Becky’s Regrets

The number of stairs in duomo – ouch
Not seeing the church of San Francesco

Sammi’s Regrets

We didn’t get to stay longer
Not seeing Moses

Things I Miss

The scent of the air around Castelmuzio – firewood and animals
Morning cappuccino
Gelato
Peaceful walks in the morning
Valleys filled with Clouds

Observations

The daily street cleaners

What I want to be able to do on my next trip

Walk into random churches while in Rome
See where the roads lead me
Visit San Galgano