I have been firming up some of the travel plans for Italy and had written recently about booking the same hotel in Catania that I had stayed in last year and left my passport in the safe.You can be assured that won’t be happening again this time.
Anyway even though I think I am up to date on all these travel reservations I was surprised today to see that the entire cost of the room has been charged to my credit card. Even though the rate is nonrefundable I guess I thought that it would be charged at the hotel and then if I cancelled they would charge it anyway. So after looking more carefully and calling Booking.com the really fine print does specify prepayment required. See I am always learning new things about travel planning.
I have also been busy writing the next book, “My Love Affair with Sicily,” which is a tentative title. I am not sure yet if I may change it a little. The good news is that I am almost halfway done, and the rest will have to wait till my trip this spring when I will spend ten days traveling around to different places and some of the same in Sicily. I am hoping to publish the book by the end of the summer. I am looking forward to exploring some new places and seeing different things in places I have already been.
On another note related to writing and this blog I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who ever stops to read this and comments on it and shares it on Twitter or Facebook because I am nearing 50,000 hits, and that is just since I put the counter on it. I think within a day or two it will reach that number and to celebrate I am going to give away two free autographed copies of Memoirs of a Solo Traveler. I will do a random drawing of the names of anyone who leaves a comment on my blog between now and the time it hits the 50,000 mark, and then will post the winners’ names and contact them for mailing addresses. Good luck! And again grazie mille.
michele starkey
I actually like the title, “My love affair with Sicily!” But, you have to be comfortable with it.
Thanks for the heads-up with Booking.com and the fine print (which I never seem to read)
Cheers 🙂
Susan Van Allen
So happy you will be visiting Catania! I stayed at Hotel Bellini–www.bellinihotel.com–budget friendly, great location and helpful owner! Loved the market there and eating at Osteria Antica Marina–Enjoy!
Congrats on the 50,000!
Kim Jorgensen Gane
Italy does a good job of accommodating gluten free, from what I understand. Sure do hope to get there one day, and your book would be a lovely way to help me plan such an adventure…someday…maybe after I publish my own book. 😀
@GlutenNaziMom
Lidia Doweyko
Love to read your blog. I have gone to Italy twice and always have found it to be quite facinating. I will def be interested in Catania. My husband has a colleague at the University. Hopefully we will meet on Feb 21st. TY
Susie Reynolds
I am so pleased I found you and look forward to reading
your books. Venice is of particular interest to me as
well as the rest of Italy. Thank you so much.
Colleen
Congratulations on 50,000!
Nancy Bradley
Can’t wait to read about the splendor of Sicily!
Debra Kolkka
I think I did know that about Booking.com. I use it a lot, but I really would prefer to go directly to the site of the hotel I wish to book, but some of them are not user friendly.
Good luck with your next trip and ghr new book.