Letters from abroad: She was a day tripper

BOLOGNA, Italy – \n I am what The Beatles call a “day tripper.” On weekends, I buy a one-way ticket to a city in Italy and spend the entire day seeing it. It is the most practical and economical way to travel. In the words of John, Paul, George and Ringo: “It took me so long to find out, but I found out.”\nThis weekend, I saw two cities in a day. I took an early train to Florence to see a few new things, including the Boboli Gardens and the Bargello Museum. The galleries hold the statue of David by Donatello, which is just as masterful but not as big as the famous Michelangelo’s David. After that, I hopped on another train to Assisi, where I explored the Renaissance streets and gaped at Giotto’s fresco cycle in the Basilica of San Francesco (Saint Francis of Assisi). I was proud of my efficiency and astounded by the variety of art that I saw in less than 24 hours. \nSpring break is coming, and I know a lot of you may be coming to Europe. When you find yourself in a situation where travel is key, there are several things you can do to cut costs and maximize your time.\n1. Wake up early. It may be hard to tear yourself out of bed at 5 a.m., but when you consider that a train ride from Bologna to Florence is about two hours long, you will be in town right before everything opens and the crowds start lining up. I actually walked across an empty Ponte Vecchio this weekend. For those of you who have had the privilege of seeing it, you know it’s impossible to cross at the height of the day without stiff-arming your way through the crowd.\n2. Get yourself a good travel bag. Everyone can benefit from a close-fitting, tight-fastening, easy-to-carry bag. You will need to cart around essentials to survive your travels. There is nothing worse than juggling all your stuff while trying to soak up your surroundings. Also, I wouldn’t recommend a backpack. Pickpockets love them. You won’t. \n3. Buy a one-way ticket. It may be scary to not have a return plan, but I’ve wasted a lot of Euro on tickets, getting caught up in a museum and missing my train. When you arrive at your destination, check departure times. But wait until you’re ready to go to buy your return ticket. You’ll feel like you have more freedom if you don’t have a specific train to catch.\n4. Pack a lunch. Sure, you will want to taste the local cuisine, but restaurants are expensive and it’s easy to find locally-produced foods. Buy a few items and throw them in your bag. If you really want to see what the local eateries have to offer, have dinner. By this point, your energy will be waning and will benefit from a long meal. \n5. Go all day. Just think – this might be your last opportunity to ever experience that town. I know that I will probably never see Assisi again. Though the town was heavenly, by the time I arrived, I was exhausted. My travel buddy wanted to hike approximately 10 miles uphill to the Basilica. I refused on the grounds that I wanted to live to see another day, and we took a bus. \nOn the train back to Bologna, I felt like the statue of a weary crusader situated near the Basilica of San Francesco, meant to be St. Francis. I could barely feel my legs, but I was proud of my perseverance and happy with all the experiences I managed to fit into one day. Now, if I could just get that Beatles song out of my head.