Italy. The mere mention of it evokes "oohs" and "ahs." Friends, family, even people you don't know, begin commenting about "la dolce vita" the food, wine, beauty, culture and its never boring population.  All these positive references sometimes take us off our guard.  While soaking up all the beauty Italy has to offer, we tend to forget we still have to pay attention to what is going on around us.

The first time I traveled to Italy, I had a feeling of overwhelming excitement and anticipation of finally seeing Rome, Florence, Venice and the Amalfi Coast. I was traveling with friends and everything was perfectly arranged: flights, transportation, hotels and tours. What I didn’t plan on was my flight being cancelled, not being able to connect with my friends, and having to scramble to arrive at another airport to catch a non-direct flight to Rome.