So last week I was planning this big trip down south in Italy, right? Got nothing but stress headaches at first. Tons of tabs open on the laptop – beaches, train routes, some tiny towns with names I couldn’t even pronounce. Total chaos.
Figured I needed a proper map. Not some fancy digital thing zooming in and out, just a good old paper one I could mark up like crazy. Headed straight to the bookstore downtown. Grabbed this massive fold-out map labeled “Southern Italy & Islands”. Felt solid.
Settled into my favorite coffee shop corner, map spread everywhere. Seriously, it took over the whole table. Started tracing the coast with my finger:
- Circled Naples ’cause everyone says you gotta try the pizza.
- Drew big stars around Matera after reading about those cave houses.
- Hatched out rough driving times along the Amalfi Coast road after the guy at the bookstore warned me it gets packed.
Made a huge mess! Highlighters bled through the paper, pen scribbles everywhere. But suddenly, it clicked. Saw exactly how everything connected – which towns were close enough for day trips, where I’d need a full travel day. Pinned down where ferries left for Sicily too, finally understood the distances.
Ended up ripping a corner when I folded it wrong (of course). Still a life-changer. Having one visual spot where all my research lived? Game over for scattered notes. Didn’t magically plan everything, sure. But it stopped that “where do I even start?” panic dead in its tracks. Go figure – sometimes simple paper beats a hundred glowing screens. Best €8 I spent on this trip yet.
