Restless after returning

Just a few days after we came back from Portugal, I started to feel uneasy because I knew we did not yet have a destination for the winter holidays.

Sometimes I feel our trips are what keep us upright. In between, we somehow manage the rhythm of school, homework, afternoon drives to training sessions, and of course work.

When we talk about where to go next and we have no idea, Igor often says Istanbul.

This time, I suggested Rome, the Eternal City, which Igor, our friend Ciril, and I visited once before, about fourteen years ago, back in May.

And so it came down to Rome and Istanbul.

Flight prices were comparable. Departures to Istanbul would be from Ljubljana, to Rome from Zagreb. On the list of pros and cons, the weather tipped the scale toward Rome.

We were honestly surprised to learn that Rome tends to have fewer rainy days than Istanbul at that time of year.

Alea iacta est. The die was cast. The decision was made.

How to travel when it is not entirely during school holidays

Apparently Rome is not a particularly busy destination in winter, so flights from Zagreb operate only once a week, on Fridays. That means the girls will miss one day of school.

Whenever possible, we try to plan our trips fully within the holidays so they miss as little school as possible. But sometimes it simply cannot be done.

So far, we have never had any problems at school. I think the teachers already understand our travel itch.

What we will do and what we will not

Planning this trip to Rome might be a bit easier, since, as mentioned, it is a destination Igor and I have already visited. We know what we want to see and what we prefer to skip.

On the “no” list is also the dome of St Peter’s Basilica.

We ticked that box years ago, and this time we are leaving the heights alone.

After the epic adventure inside the Sagrada Família, where the passages were narrow, dark, and far from ideal for calm breathing, we learned something important: if someone starts hyperventilating and their legs turn to jelly, we no longer put ourselves in situations that are terrifying for the girls.

Lesson learned.

Rome and me, history and a little fear

Rome is a city that is simply overwhelming in terms of history. Wherever you look, you step straight into the past, and in a way that is anything but boring.

That is exactly why we want to experience it with the girls. Rome is special, it offers stories at every corner, and it pulls you in even if you are not exactly a history enthusiast.

I am not one either. And yet Roman history still feels the closest to me, probably because so many things in today’s world originate from that period.

Even the famous line by Gaius Julius Caesar, Alea iacta est, comes from Roman times.

And this is more or less where my general knowledge of history runs out. Igor could write much more about it, but I will draw the line here, before I ruin my reputation as someone who knows what she is talking about.

From crime novels to Cicero

While preparing for Rome, I swapped my evening crime novels for a reread of a book from our home library, Imperium, which I once received as a birthday gift from our friend Ciril. It follows the rise of Cicero, the greatest Roman orator and statesman.

Reading pulled me so deeply into the world of the ancient Romans that I am even thinking about finally picking up Roman Law again.

That was a first year university subject. Pure fear.

Now I could read it without pressure, with curiosity and with an understanding of how important the Roman period really is.

Whenever I think about Rome, my mind drifts back to my student days. Stress. Shaky knees. An exam that felt like the horror of all horrors.

Back then, I read with eyes focused on how to pass, not with the desire to understand.

Now, without a grade book in my hand, everything feels different.

We gave the book to Igor for his 40th birthday. Whether he ever opened it remains a mystery.

Maybe it was waiting for me all along. Ready to be read without fear or stress, with the awareness that knowledge changes over time. From terror to pleasure.

A bit of planning, a bit of freedom

Let us put exams and Romans aside for a moment.

This time, Igor prepared the travel plan in a more relaxed spirit. After Barcelona, we realized that we enjoy it most when not every minute of every day is scheduled.

What stayed with us the most was our trip to Tarragona, which was completely spontaneous and unforgettable.

Of course, we do have a few fixed visits, mainly because of time slots that help us avoid the crowds. Park Güell already taught us how quickly everything can sell out.

We are planning to visit Ostia, maybe Tivoli.

Just yesterday at dinner, our friend Lara, who visited Rome last autumn, suggested a trip to Pompeii. Apparently, it is quite close.

Who knows. Maybe the suggestion will come true.

The last days before departure

As we are entering the final week before we leave, we used the weekend for the last check.

Our travel pharmacy has been restocked with the things we had run out of, and we checked the expiration dates of the medicines.

Cedevita and Čokolino are safely bought. Coffee was not on the list this time.

Santa was very generous, and I still have around fifteen kilos at home, in packages ranging from one hundred grams to one kilo.

Yes, it is true.

And no, we are not giving it away.

One pack is coming with me, because without coffee it simply does not work.

The clothes were washed over the weekend and are already migrating from the closet to the packing pile.

Let’s go

And so another new adventure awaits us. Rome.

Relaxed, curious, with open eyes, ready for the city to surprise us where we least expect it.

And maybe even convince me that an espresso can be better than my Barcaffè from a thermos.