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Southern Italy & Sicily Newsletter
Issue #2 – October, 2006
Rome, Amalfi Coast & Taormina
November 10-21, 2006
Number of days till departure: 40
A Message from Joe:
It is hard to believe that we are in the final countdown to our departure for Italy. Our numbers have dwindled a bit since we last wrote, but we still have a great group. Several of us took the opportunity to get in the Italian mood by attending Charlotte D’Autrechy-Scott’s event last month. Those who weren’t there missed out on an excellent Italian feast, meticulously prepared by Charlotte, leaving no “Italian” stone unturned to provide a preview of what is in store for us next month in Italy. I hope all of you will be able to attend the pre-trip orientation meeting on Thursday, October 26th at the Flying W Airport in Medford. See the details below. So here we go with some pre-trip information for you…
Joe
WHO’S WHO ON THIS TRIP? – Here’s a refresher on the 16 folks who will be spending ten or so days together with us in planes, buses, hotels, restaurants and other places in Italy and Sicily:
1-2 – Joe & Carolyn Mazzilli, Jackson, NJ; 3 – Doug Ghaul, Burlington, NJ; 4 – Anne Stella, Southampton, NJ; 5-6 – Margaret & John Hoffman, Edgewater Park, NJ; 7-8 – Maudestein Taliaferro, Newark, NJ & Mary Taliaferro, Browns Mills, NJ; 9-10 – Josephine R. Ahearn, Edgewater Park, NJ & Rozanne Grecco, Willingboro, NJ; 11-12 – Thomas & Virginia DiCiurcio, Jackson, NJ; 13-14 Charlotte D’Autrechy-Scott, Willingboro, NJ & Sharon E. Johnson, Beverly, NJ; 15-16 – Joe and Penny Laufer, Vincentown, NJ. Because we are only 16, we will share our bus and tour with about 34 other Collette travelers.
CHANGED AIRLINE INFORMATION - I have recently been informed by Collette Vacations that our flights have been changed. Unfortunately, the new schedule isn’t as direct and compact as the one originally announced.
11/10/2006 Depart 06:55 PM 66 British Airlines Philadelphia Intl. Airport
Arrive: London – Heathrow 11/11/2006 06:50 AM
11/11/2006 Depart 10:30 AM 554 British Airlines London - Heathrow
Arrive: Leonardo DaVinci – Rome 11/11/2006 01:55 PM
11/21/2006 Depart 06:45 AM 2853 Air One Punta Raisi Airport – Palermo
Arrive Leonardo DaVinci – Rome 11/21/2006 07:55 AM
11/21/2006 Depart 12:15 PM 549 British Airlines Leonardo DaVinci – Rome
Arrive London – Heathrow 11/21/2006 02:00 PM
11/21/2006 Depart 04:45 PM 69 British Airlines London – Heathrow
Arrive Philadelphia Intl. Airport 11/21/2006 08:20 PM
HOTEL CHANGE
In the brochure which you received at the time of your sign-up for the trip, the hotels were listed on page 3. On day 6 and 7 we were originally scheduled for Hotel Hellenina & Yachting Club in Giardini-Naxos. This has been CHANGED. On this tour we will be staying at the Sant’ Alphio Garden Hotel, Via Recanati, Giardini Naxos, Sicily 98035 Italy. Phone (39) 094251383; Fax: (39) 094253934. This hotel is situated on the delightful terrace of Naxos Bay and offers the unique view overlooking the enchanting Taormina, Mount Etna and the Mediterranean Sea.
In case you want to check out our hotels on the internet, they are:
Day 2, 3 – Hotel Quirinale, Rome - http://www.hotelquirinalerome.com
Day 4, 5 – Lloyd’s Baia Hotel, Vietri-sul-Mare - www.sogliahotels.com/ITA/resorts/lloyds_baia/gallery.htm
Day 6, 7 – (as mentioned above) Sant’ Alphio Garden Hotel, Via Recanti, Giardini Naxos, Sicily - www.santalphiohotel.com
Day 8, 9 – Jolly Hotel Della Valle, Agrigento, Sicily - http://www.jollyhotels.com
Day 10, 11 – Hotel Astoria Palace, Palermo, Sicily - http://palermo.gtahotels.com/hotels/astoria_palace_hotel.htm
PRE-TRIP ORIENTATION MEETING
I have made arrangements with the Flying W Airport, Medford, to conduct our pre-trip orientation meeting there on Thursday evening, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. We will meet in the Flight Operations area, which is actually behind the Restaurant, with entrance from the outside. Don’t enter the Restaurant, but proceed on the walkway around it to the back area along the Airport runway. Enter the Flight Operations area, which consists of an information desk and a small coffee bar. We will meet in this area. The agenda for the evening is basically to answer your questions and give you a preview of our itinerary. If you are unfamiliar with the location of the Flying W Airport, visit their website for directions: www.flyingwairport.com. If you are not an Internet user, let me know and I will send you the directions. The meeting should be over by 9:00 p.m. We’ll serve light refreshments.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
The currency of Italy and Sicily is the EURO. There will be ample opportunities in Rome and Sicily to exchange our money. However, as those of you who have traveled with me in the past know, I like to bring a supply of local currency with me for the first day or so. Because we arrive in Rome on a Saturday afternoon, it might be good to have a few Euros on hand for the weekend, in case we can’t get to an exchange window. If you are interested in having me pick up some Euros for you, please send me a check and I will have the money for you at our meeting on the 26th. I use Travelex Currency Services on JFK Blvd. in Philadelphia. I will buy Euro’s for you in increments of $ 50.00 US – up to $200 per person. Make the checks payable to Joe Laufer, and send them to me before October 18. Send the checks to me: Joe Laufer, 9 Smith Court, Vincentown, NJ 08088. As of this writing, 1 Euro = $1.27 in US dollars. For more information on the Euro, click here for the currency section.
PASSPORT INFORMATION (repeat reminder)
You are advised to check your passport NOW in order to determine when it expires. Your passport should not have an expiration date prior to 90 days AFTER the completion of our trip. Therefore, if your passport expires BEFORE February 20, 2007, you should initiate measures to have it renewed at this time.
TRAVEL TIPS FOR SOUTHERN ITALY & SICILY
Hopefully, you still have the two-page document received from Collette Vacations dealing specifically with information about our tour (on pink/violet paper) that was included with the first newsletter. Please bring it to our pre-trip meeting on October 26.
TRANSPORT TO AND FROM PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Because our group consists of more than 10 people, Collette Vacations will provide free bus transportation to and from the Philadelphia Airport from a single location. As is my custom, I invite you to park on my property in Vincentown for the duration of the trip if you wish, and join us on the bus, with your luggage. We will depart from the Vincentown Fire Company on Race Street in Vincentown. You may either park your vehicle in Vincentown or be dropped off and picked up at the Fire Station. More details, including directions, will be provided at our pre-trip meeting.
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