Subject: Going in Italy
Dear Ziners,

I'm very happy to announce you that I'm going in Italy between 29 May-13 June! It's my first visit in Italy and I'm very excited! Since I was 7 when my parents register me in an Italian school in Bucharest (where I study 8 years!) my dream was to go there but I never had the chance. Now, at 40, I finally can go and my dream will come true! Life is wonderful, isn't it!

It will be fantastic if I can meet some of you in my trip which consist of visiting Padova, Venice, Arezzo, Florence, Rome and everything between, so mostly the North side of Italy. I have some arrangements (made by some friends of mine who are coming from Romania in one car) in Padova, Arezzo and Rome but, wanting to have a back-up plan. I would like to ask some help from you:

1. Please tell me where can I stay in Venice to be decent and not more than 40-50 Euro? I've read Krystyna (from Toronto) eseu about her trip and her loneliness in Venice and I've learned a lot (Thanks Krystyna!). I will be alone too until my friends will show up and for me to be alone is a punishment! Is it possible to stay in some kind of B&B? There are local people there who may offer me some kind of accomodation in their homes?

2. Did somebody travelled in Ghioccia (Sottomarina) from Venice? What are the possibilities to go there from Venice airport and how long will take?

3. Is it necessary to book from Internet the hotel in Venice prior to my departure or no? Can I find rooms on spot?

4. Please tell me some inexpensive hotels or any kind of accomodations addresses in Padova and Arezzo. For Florence I will try hotel Nizza (Thanks Ira H. Bernstein!).

5. For Canadian Ziners: Please tell me if you happen to know if a ROGERS cell phone will work in Europe.

Please forgive me for so many questions! I will be extremely happy if I can meet Paolo from Trieste (Ciao Paolo!) and any Ziner who will happen to be in proximity. I hope I will have a cell phone number where you can call me. We'll keep in touch! Thanks Don and Linda for your valuable logs and packing advices! Thanks to everybody who took time and wrote trip logs. It is not only a pleasure to read them but they are excellent sources of information!

Paul Chatham, ON