Re-routing… Re-routing…

Roundabout – We did it our way – a once-in-a-lifetime anniversary journey to Italy. We spent 2 ½ weeks on the 'quiet side,' Tyrolia and the Adriatic Seacoast, and only heard Italian, German and a little broken English for the entire trip. We became very familiar with the maddening Italian roundabouts. No tours, no crowds, no long lines, no guides… except the faceless voice who became affectionately known as Google Girl.
My dear husband gushes about her. "Couldn't have done it without her… best on the planet… even knew the country roads… like magic!"
 
Magic? Come on! Think he's pushing it a bit? She's just a voice of a satellite system… right?
 
Which Direction - What I liked about her was her quiet patience.  She guided us through little-known towns, fog and pouring rain to our Italian countryside and downtown destinations. And through the whole experience, not once did she annoy us by saying 'Re-routing… re-routing.'
 
Even when we missed a few turns, she would quietly re-route us to some wonderful places like Bressanone/Brixon, Bolzano/Bozen, and Trento/Trent, beautiful Italian/German towns in Southern Tyrolia. On the southern coast she led us to Castlefidardo, an ancient hilltop fortress and home of the accordion (who knew?). We explored the beautiful Loreto Basilica, dating to 1291, home of the stones of the Holy House of Nazareth and a black Madonna (another is in Spain). We explored Ancona, formerly a Greek stronghold on the Adriatic. Google Girl took us to the hilltop fortresses of Agugliano, Offagna and Porto Recanati and more, much more.
 
Re-routing – As you can see, we avoided the touristy places that we'd already seen. Now that our journey of a lifetime is over, we're home ready to get back to our beautiful life and determine our next directions.
 
I'm on my own roundabout, finding my direction, essentially re-routing. But I'm not a robot, a satellite voice that can switch my direction instantly. I need to think it, say it, write it, do it.

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I am re-routing.  
 
Watch this space for changes this fall, and a Christmas-themed book coming out soon. More books next year. Sign up for my newsletter to see what's happening.
 
What about you? Are you re-routing? What direction are you taking next?

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