by | Apr 9, 2022 | Italy, Travels |
Ciao,
March 6 – Connecting Flights in London / Arriving in Rome
To have been to London Heathrow Airport is to understand this part of our journey to Rome.
We disembarked our plane at London Heathrow Airport in Terminal 3 and had to make our way to Terminal 5. We followed the signs, turning several corners, heading down long corridors, and turning more corners. The fast-pasted walk had lasted more than ten minutes when we reached an escalator, going down. In my naivety, I assumed we were now in Terminal 5. Instead, the escalator took us to a bus station. I realized that a ten-minute bus ride would finally take us to Terminal 5. When we left the bus, I thought we would soon find our gate and get ready to board the plane. I didn’t realize that the journey was beginning. We had to follow more signs directing us to Terminal 5.
Riding the Bus to Change Terminals at Heathrow Airport
We past the British Airways customer service desk and finally arrived at the point where we had to go through security. We had to scan our passports and boarding passes to access the next part of our journey. However, my boarding pass was not accepted on the scanner. I was told to return to the customer service counter for further assistance. Thankfully that was just a few steps away, although we had to wait another ten minutes. The agent examined my boarding pass and was unsure why it didn’t work, but she issued us new ones and said there shouldn’t be any problems. I asked her about our departure gate. She said that we would be able to find that out when we went through the checkpoint.
We went back to the checkpoint and were able to scan the passports and the new boarding passes, and they worked without any issue. A large group of people was huddled near an escalator going up. At the top of the escalator, I thought we would find the screen telling us our gate number. Little did I know that at the top of the escalator was where the line began to go through the actual security checkpoint. If you travel not that much, please remember to fill one plastic bag with liquids you think you will need on the plane. To our surprise, the airport had plastic bags available for people who didn’t bring one. If you bring your plastic bag with you, it’s effortless to pull out and put it back in, and you will not have to worry about your lotions and perfumes being thrown away. We had to work our way to the security agents and X-ray machines. We had to take off our coats and remove our electronics and plastic bags of liquids out of the backpacks. After that, we each had to walk through the security while keeping an eye like a hawk on all our belongings going through the conveyor. After we went through security, we gathered up everything, found a seat to make sure we checked we had everything and then proceeded to find our gate. The time was now 9:45 am.
We found the screen that had gate information. Our flight was listed, but the gate was not. It indicated that the gate would be announced at 9:50 am. We waited five minutes, but still no gate information. It wasn’t until 10 am that the gate was announced with a departure at 10:40 am—more on that a little later.
Having a little time before we needed to board the plane, we stopped in Harrod’s, next to the security checkpoint and departure gate screens. My wife and I have seen the iconic London store on many television shows and had hoped that we would get an opportunity to go into the actual store one day. We didn’t expect to see at the London airport. We picked up a few things, including English tea and a journal. Now off to our gate.
Harrods Department Store at Heathrow Airport
Our flight was assigned to Gate A10. According to the sign, the gate was just to the right of Harrod’s. We walked down the terminal, following the sign for A10. The next sign directed us to the right and then down an escalator. As we reached the lower level, I realized Gate A10 was divided into five additional gates, so our actual gate was A10C. We sat down in the designated area for A10C. Checking out our surroundings, I looked around for where our plane was but didn’t see it. I didn’t think anything about it as we waited for our boarding time. At 10:30 am, the gate agent began to call people to start boarding the plane, but no plane was nearby. She announced that the first group of people would be able to board the bus to get on the plane. A little confused, I didn’t say anything. When our group was called, I realized that a bus would take us from the gate to the plane. We departed the bus and then walked up the steps into the airplane. You can say it was the old-fashioned way of getting on a plane.
We didn’t realize until writing this post that the flight’s departure time that been changed from 9:40 to 10:40 am, and actually, the plane did not leave until after 11:00 am. The additional time was needed to change terminals and go through the security checkpoints. We had to fill out a declaration form for the Italy government that we were coming into their country COVID-free and that we tested negative within the last 72 hours. The flight crew collected the declaration and said they would take care of it for us. Our final flight took just over two hours and went by fairly quickly. We arrived in Rome just after 1:00 pm, ahead of our scheduled arrival time.
Once we departed the plane, we trekked to the baggage claim area to retrieve our suitcases. With three connecting flights and departure time changes, I prayed that our bags would arrive safely. Our journey from the airport to the baggage area took a while, so we didn’t have to wait long when we arrived at the baggage area.
We retrieved our suitcases and made our way through the customs checkpoint. We met our tour group representative around 1:45 pm. Our bus would leave for the hotel at 3:30 pm, so we had time to grab a bit to eat and relax before our true journey would begin.
by | Apr 8, 2022 | Lifestyle |
Stress is an unavoidable part of life. The reason why our brain recognizes stress is linked to evolution. Stress is the physiological response to a potential threat. The brain identifies the threat and creates the stress response as a survival mechanism. Therefore, when our ancestors faced wild animals, they experienced elevated heartrate and a rush of hormones that contributed to speeding up their escape routes. The bottom line: Stress is an engrained survival response.
Stress levels drop as soon as you are out of danger. Unfortunately, when it comes to emotional stress, there is no such thing as ever being out of reach of a threat. Therefore, the brain never sends the notification to reduce stress levels. However, you can proactively help your brain reduce the stress response. Ultimately, while you can’t stop stress, you can learn to let go when you don’t need it.
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash
Meditate more often
Meditation and deep breathing techniques have been shown to impact stress reduction positively. Understandably, if you are new to meditation, it can be tricky to develop the appropriate routine. Yet, regular practice can help you find a path to inner peace.
Comparatively, breathing techniques tend to be more effective for beginners as they can trick the brain into thinking that you are already less stressed, which, in turn, reduces stress levels. Indeed, breathing strategies can drop your heartbeat, which sends the signal to the brain that you are out of danger. As a result, cortisol levels, the stress hormone, decrease, and you feel more relaxed.
Be physically active
Exercising presents numerous advantages when it comes to stress response. Indeed, stress triggers a fight or flight reaction in the body, which can be compared to a disease. Regular physical activity prepares the body by improving its physical condition. In other words, when you train regularly, you can fight diseases and the long-lasting effects of the fight or flight response more effectively. Additionally, sports can act as an escape mechanism, helping take your mind off thoughts and worries. When it comes to emotional stress, sports can provide a solution to reduce negative thoughts, which also drops stress levels.
Besides, scientists have also discovered that physical activities produce endorphins, which in the long term can also reduce stress. So, if you are the kind of person who struggles with emotional or chronic stress, it can be a good idea to establish a sports routine. You could start a simple home gym with the perfect home treadmill and a set of dumbbells to keep your heart pumping. This would ensure you can switch stress for sweat at any time of the day or night!
Avoid stress-aggravating food
Food doesn’t just fuel the body. It can also aggravate some conditions. For example, while food doesn’t create stress per se, it can have a significant impact on your existing stress levels. It isn’t uncommon to crave high carb and sugar food when you’re under a lot of stress. We all want to grab a sweet reward, such as a donut, at the end of a tough day. Unfortunately, the treatment can be counterproductive. Indeed added sugar and refined carbohydrates cause an increase in blood sugar. The body regulation process for blood sugar affects cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which makes you feel more stressed. Another important food to avoid when under stress is caffeine, as it influences your sleep cycle.
Improve your bedtime routine
What does sleep have to do with stress? The answer is Everything. Sleep helps regulate your mood by naturally decreasing the level of some hormones, such as cortisol. Therefore, your cortisol level remains elevated when you don’t get enough sleep. According to studies, individuals who have less than 5 hours of sleep a night are more at risk of cortisol-related issues such as high blood pressure.
Therefore, it can be helpful to improve your bedtime routine so you can rest and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Be aware of your mental health
While stress is a mental health issue, it can be made worse by existing conditions. For example, if you already struggle with depressive mood disorders, it could make you more sensitive to stress. Similarly, people who experience anxiety attacks are more prone to perceive stress. It can be useful to discuss your situation with a specialist who can provide medicated assistance and therapy.
Avoid unnecessary stress
Stress is unavoidable in day-to-day life. Yet, stress exposure can be preventable, such as toxic friendships or social media trolls. Sometimes, walking away from a stressful situation is the best thing you can do for yourself.
Stress is present in everyday life. But you control how you choose to respond to it. You can reclaim your peace of mind through a mindful routine, healthy lifestyle, and mental health awareness. Remember you are in charge. Stress does not control you.
by | Apr 7, 2022 | Lifestyle |
When it comes to redesigning or renovating your house, you may be unsure where to begin. These steps will assist you in getting started. Allow us to demonstrate how to begin a room makeover to create the home of your dreams.
Photo by Spacejoy on Unsplash
DETERMINE YOUR REQUIREMENTS
The first crucial step in starting any room renovation project is determining how you will use the space in question. And what do you want it to feel like for you? Consider the practical and physical requirements of the room, such as seating, floor space, and a table or desktop area. Then consider how you, your family, and your guests want to be made to feel in this room when they enter. You might be able to choose three essential terms that will best represent the atmosphere in your room. Make use of these to assist you in limiting down your selection of images for the next step, which is gathering inspiration photographs.
SEEK OUT INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS
Pinterest is a great place to gather inspiration, ideas, and images of lifestyles, rooms, and items. You can set up secret boards if you do not want anyone else to see what you are doing. You could also go retro and buy home decor magazines and cut out pictures to stick to a bulletin board. Once you have a board full of inspirational photos, look at them and identify anything that is recurring – colors, patterns, styles, fabrics, etc.
MAKE A FLOOR PLAN FOR YOUR ROOM
By measuring your room and drawing a floor plan, you can verify that you are purchasing or ordering furniture and accessories that are the proper size for your space. Measure the length, breadth, and height of your space and draw it on paper or on your computer to get a general idea of its layout. So, when you have potential furniture for your space, you can draw it into your layout to check if it fits and if the scale is appropriate for your area.
MAKE A SHOPPING LIST
Following your determination of how you want to use your room, how you want it to feel, and how large your room is, you can develop a shopping list for all of the products you will need for your space, looking for coupon codes such as teakworks4u discount code to help you save money. Take stock of what you already have that can be used first, and then make a list of what you need to purchase to fill in the gaps. What you require will be determined by the size of your room and your particular preferences, but include items such as large and small furniture, artwork, carpets, minor accessories, light fixtures, draperies, and plants on your shopping list. You should be able to identify any goods that you would want to DIY to save money or create something unique.
These stages are an excellent approach to begin any room makeover since they will help you become more focused and help you produce something you will be proud of.
by JTwisdom | Apr 4, 2022 | Italy, Travels |
Ciao
Saturday, March 5, 2022 – Departure Day
The bags are packed. The COVID test results are negative. The travel documents are double-checked.
It is time to make our way to Italy. After dreaming for years, it is hard to imagine that the day is finally here.
I attempted to check in with the airline the day before. I needed to upload our contact tracing form and COVID test results into our passenger profiles. I mistakenly uploaded the rapid test instead of the standard test. The rapid test results were received on Wednesday, but the required date had to be Thursday or later. After a call to the airline, the agent advised that we arrive at the airport three hours before the flight so that they could review the itinerary and the COVID tests and get everything processed. Our flight out of Saint Louis lifted off at 2:55 pm, so we had plenty of time to get to the airport and get checked in. I planned to get to the airport by noon anyway, so we didn’t need to make any adjustments to our schedule.
Just before leaving for the airport
We woke early, said our morning prayers, and prepared for the day. We loaded up the jeep, ate breakfast, and were ready to leave home by 10:30 am. We dropped off our puppies Seppe and Lucca at Happy Tails, the spa kennel that we have been using for years. However, this was the first time they would be staying there for two weeks. I wanted to provide detailed instructions for their care and feeding. Our home, the kennel, and the airport are near each other, so there was not much time to get from home to the kennel and then to the airport. We arrived at the airport parking lot by 11:30 am. The first lot we tried was full, so we had to go to a second, which was larger and had many more open spots. We rode a shuttle to the airport terminal from the parking lot and arrived right at 12 pm. Perfect timing.
When we walked into the terminal, we found the American Airlines ticket booth just a few steps to our left. We had to wait a few minutes while the ticket agent assisted another family. We provided her with our passports, COVID test results, and confirmation number when it was our turn. I had more documentation at the ready in case she asked for it. However, she didn’t, and we were good to go. She tagged our luggage and put them on the conveyor belt without weighing them. All that rearranging the suitcase for nothing, but oh well.
After getting our boarding passes, we walked downstairs to go through the security checkpoint and make our way to the departure gate. We didn’t need to take anything out of our backpacks or take off our shoes at the Saint Louis airport. Our airport is small by comparison and the number of people going was minimal. This was by far the quickest and easiest security checkpoint that we encountered during our entire trip. With only a few people in line, we settled at our gate a little past 12:30 pm.
I was thankful for a smooth check-in process and that we were ready for our first of three flights. We had just over two hours before we would take off for Chicago. Looking back at it now, we didn’t need three hours to get checked in. However, I would rather be early and wait at the gate than rush through the airport to get to the gate before the airplane leaves.
We boarded the plane at 2:25 pm and departed on time. Our quick flight to Chicago was just over an hour. We arrived in the Windy City just after 4 pm, almost two hours before our next departure. Our flight to London was scheduled to leave at 5:50 pm. We quickly transitioned to our departure gate because we did not have to change terminals or go through any security checkpoints. By the time we found the gate, we had over an hour before boarding would begin. Since it was a long time since breakfast, we found a Wolfgang Puck’s Bistro for a quick sandwich and chips. We would be getting dinner on the plane, but we didn’t know what it would be or how long it would be before eating.
We returned to the gate and had thirty minutes before boarding would begin. The boarding process started about an hour before the scheduled departure time because the international airplane’s capacity was more than the typical domestic plane, with the third set of seats in the middle of the plane. More people on the aircraft meant that we had less room to store our backpacks. By the time we got to our seats, the overhead storage bins were full, and there was not any free space anywhere near us. We didn’t want to be so far from our bags, so we stored them under seats. There was enough room, but our feet had a tight fit, and difficult to find a comfortable spot.
The flight to London was seven hours and there was a six-hour time difference. Leaving Chicago at 6 pm meant that we would arrive the following morning at 7 am. Not long after takeoff, we enjoyed our dinner, BBQ chicken with peppers and rice, and a salad. It was just enough since we ate not long before. Once we finished dinner, we tried to sleep, knowing that by the time we arrived in London we didn’t have much time to catch our next flight to Rome. Getting to sleep was not hard, but staying asleep was. The turbulence hitting the plane, people walking by for the bathroom, and just trying to get into a comfortable position meant that asleep was often interrupted, not to mention having to sleep with a mask on. The CDC still required masks to be worn the entire time on the plane, with the exception of eating and drinking. I found myself waking up and having to take the mask off so I could get some fresh air. As we approached London, the cabin crew came back around with a quick breakfast of yogurt and granola. Just enough to get the day started off right.
In the air, over London
We arrived at London Heathrow Airport 45 minutes early, which proved to be needed to make our connection. We arrived in Terminal 3 but needed to get to Terminal 5 for the next flight scheduled to depart at 9:50 am. We now had almost three hours before leaving so I thought we would have a chance to rest before leaving. Little did we know that the most intense part of the journey was just beginning. We will be sharing our experience at London Heathrow Airport and our arrival in Rome in the next installment.
by | Apr 1, 2022 | Italy |
Ciao, Italia!
Sharing the details of our trip to Italy in only one post would not be sufficient. We traveled over 2,000 miles on a charter bus with 29 people. We strolled the streets of Rome, Florence, and Venice with Local Specialists. We were able to find some artisan handcrafted jewelry and handbags. We had the opportunity to travel in private water taxis in Venice, a ferry boat to Capri, and more. We will provide more detailed descriptions of each of the experiences with an overview of each day.
A vacation of a lifetime requires detailed planning to make sure that it is the memorable trip you want it to be. That part of the process will be covered in another post that will be written at a later time. This post will cover the days leading up to our departure.
Getting ready for our first international trip, we had many things to consider, even before setting foot onto the airplane.
COVID Protocols
To be allowed to enter Italy, we first had to have a negative COVID test result within three days of our arrival. Although the vaccine was not required, a negative test was. We scheduled the test for Wednesday and received the result the next day. On the flip side, to be allowed back into the United States, we had to have a negative test result within one day of our flight. Our tour company arranged for a doctor to come to our hotel in Florence to administer the test. The full COVID mandates for the airlines and Italy will be discussed further in another post.
Required COVID test result to return to the United States.
We also had a supply of KN95 masks in different colors. They matched outfits, and we didn’t realize that. Some of our fellow travelers commented on the mask and asked where we bought them.
Passports and COVID cards
We needed to ensure that our passports, COVID cards, and phones were secure and easy to access. We used a slimline fanny pack that could be placed inside our pants. I packed a few pairs of pants that did not need a belt because that can be quite a bit of bulk to sort through. The fanny pack kept us safe from pick-pocketers, but it was challenging to get to it quickly. And then replacing it into the pants was not always smooth. We will be looking for other options for our next trip.
Luggage
My hubby and I wanted to keep it simple and did not want to take much luggage. We each carried one large suitcase apiece and a backpack. As we were packing each of the suitcases, my hubby weighed them to ensure they were under the 50-pound limit. They were taking items out, reweighing, moving items in between suitcases, reweighing, removing things that we felt were unnecessary. It was a lengthy process, but we could get about 45 pounds each for both suitcases. The only problem – we had little room for souvenirs. It turns out that the suitcases were officially weighed by the airlines, so it didn’t matter. My suitcase was almost 60 pounds on the return flight, but nothing was said. Maybe they were more concerned with the COVID test instead.
Euros
The euro is the official currency in Italy. My hubby had to make the exchange at our local bank. We wanted to have enough paper money in hand to make it easier to pay for quick items, but to use the credit card for larger purchases and when it was necessary to have a proper receipt. We allowed about fifty euros per day, plus an extra 200; which was sufficient for our needs.
In our next installment, we will share our experience maneuvering through the airports and arriving in Rome.
Stay Tuned!
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