In March 2018 Tom, Martha, and Ally took advantage of favorable airfares ($680 RT) from LAX to Rome, and met Amanda, who was studying abroad for four months.  The rest of the Meredith family was to join her in April.  Guided tours of the colisseum and the Amalfi coast, exploring with Marthasconi and her Rick Steve’s guide, appreciating paintings and sculptures, visiting basilicas and palazzos, and consuming lots of pizza,  chianti, pasta and gelato in the trattorias, made the week fun.