In two weeks I’ll be heading to Tuscany, Florence and Cortona with AHI Travel and the alumni association of Brown University. It’s hard to believe this trip is really happening after I tweeted this 11 months ago.
The tweet that started it all
After Big P gave the okay, I called my girl Bonita and invited her to be my travel companion. Bonita speaks four languages. Bonita is fluent in Spanish, English, Portuguese and French. We have not roomed together since our college days so this should be interesting. This is her first trip to Europe. I love it – a virgin. She’s my go to person for good eats in NYC. We have been friends since I was 15 years old. Bonita is of the few friends I have that still eats meat and dairy – so she holds a special place in my heart.
The other two women traveling with me are also friends from my college days. Both have really serious professional lives that they don’t want jeopardized by my salacious blogging. I’ve promised to use pseudonyms and not reveal any personal details about them 🙁 (What fun is that?). So if you do not see pictures of them or just the back of their heads – don’t worry, my camera isn’t broken – just keeping them happy.
I have been friends with Diva Goddess since high school. We have been to Cancun, St. Lucia, Cuba, and Puerto Rico together. I can’t say anything more about her, lest it be picked up by the AP wire. Yep, she is that important. Oh, she is also a vegan. (Yep, that crashing sound you just heard is Diva Goddess falling off the vegan wagon in Italy!)
The Seeker is a true intellectual. She is so smart that talking to her makes my head hurt – in a good way. I’m not sure why Obama has not tapped her for a position in his administration. However, she quickly let me know she had not done the “required” reading for our trip – Dante’s Inferno and Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron – lost out to “Shop Italy.” The Seeker is the total package – brains and beauty. She also loves leather.
I am so blessed to be traveling with such an awesome group of women. (A special thank you to Big P “mwah” – for taking care of the home front so I could do this.) We are going to bring a little “color” to Tuscany and hopefully not have an international incident on our hands. Cheers!
this is a dream trip. i’m so happy for you! there’s something special about traveling with old girl pals. i’m hoping to do it next summer — paris with my daughter and a friend i’ve known since the 7th grade. she’s such a good friend that she’s my daughter’s godmother. she’s never been to europe either — like your friend! looking forward to reading your adventures and getting tips. good luck!
Betty – It is a dream trip. I love traveling with Big P and the kids. But its nice to kick it with your gal pals every so often. Women ( and women of color in particular), need to do their own version of “Eat, Pray, Love” every once in a while. I hope to be blogging, tweeting and facebooking while in Italy so do follow along.
Ohhhhh I know you all will have plenty of fun! I can’t wait to stop by and see what you ladies have going on!
Spinks – I love to travel. But traveling with my besties… brings it to a whole new level. I hope I can blog and tweet and facebook while there.
Bonita,the Seeker,and Diva Goddess throw in a little Dante’s Inferno. I want to be a fly on the wall. I sense a sequel in the making.
Calvin – you forgot to mention me *side eye*. Dante’s Inferno is going to have to wait…I have my Rosetta Stone “Italian” tapes to listen to.
Sounds like a fun trip. Enjoy:-) And don’t forget to post the juicy details…lol
Darbi – I’m thinking of getting the ipad2 so I don’t have to drag this heavy laptop around Tuscany. I have a DLR camera which is quite heavy already. I will miss Big P and the little ones but I am looking forward to hanging with my girls.