Nov 11 – Milan Linate airport to Heathrow Paranoid traveller that I am, I ordered a taxi for 6 am. This got me to Linate, Milan’s city airport, at 6:15 – for an 8 am flight. Check-in was soon accomplished, and I planned to relax and have breakfast in the British Airways business lounge (still … Continue reading On My Way to India, November 2002→
Speaking of air pollution: What is it about cars, anyway? Personally, I’m not fond of them. Because I went to high school in India, I did not learn to drive at the usual American age of 16. By the time I did learn, I had already been involved in two spectacular accidents (someday I’ll tell … Continue reading Cars→
When I was a kid in Pittsburgh and Connecticut, waking up to find snow on the ground was always exciting, because it meant the possibility of a snow day – a day off from school due to dangerous road conditions. I’d crouch over the radio, holding my breath for the longed-for announcement that my school … Continue reading Smog Days: Italy’s Pollution Problem→
I’ve long been an avid reader of fantasy, and even at the tender age of 39 I don’t hesitate to read books classified as for children or “young adults” (I’ll recommend a few at the end of this article). But I didn’t rush to read the Harry Potter books when they came out, and don’t … Continue reading Just Wild About Harry? The Fan Fiction Phenomenon→
I began travelling for work when my daughter Rossella was in preschool. Sometimes I went for extended periods, and took her with me; she attended daycare in several different parts of the US, which was good for her English, and gave her exposure to American culture. For shorter trips, she stayed home in Milan with … Continue reading When the Mom’s Away…→
Deirdré Straughan on Italy, India, the Internet, the world, and now Australia