In last weeks post, I wrote about how reading travel brochures when I was 10 years old awakened in me a strong desire to travel.  Some two years later I happened to go to  movie called “Roman Holiday”. It turned out to be another defining moment in my life.

Audrey Hepburn plays a young princess from an unnamed European country. She is on her first multi-country tour to promote trade.  Every step of the way she is controlled by minders. They dictate everything she does and everything she says.  She is not even trusted to answer questions for herself at press conferences. After each question her controller whispers in her ear the first few words of the correct answer so she will be sure to stay on message.

In Rome, on the last stop of her trip, she rebels.  On an impulse she  breaks her bonds and escapes from her hotel room.

For two exhilarating, liberating days she has a series of wild adventures.  The scenes of the Italian police and the security people from her own country pursuing her through the streets of  Rome were some of the most hilarious chase scenes ever.  At least that is how I remember it.

In the end, she decides to return to the hotel and  her royal duties.

At her final press conference in Rome, a reporter asks which country she enjoyed the most.  Her controller whispers, “Each in its own way…” For a moment years of obedience and programming take over and she repeats, “Each in its own way…” Then she pauses and says, “Rome!  Most of all I enjoyed Rome!”

And you know that she is determined to be her own person and her life has greatly changed for the better.

I can’t tell you exactly how watching the Roman Holiday almost 60 years ago influenced how I have spent my life or what I do today,  but I can say that a month does not go by when I do not have vivid memories of the movie.

Whenever anything especially moving happens to me as a traveler or as a host I think of it as a Roman Holiday.

About 5 years ago it occurred to me  to buy the DVD.  I watched five minutes and stopped.  I preferred remembering it.

Changing the subject, in September I did a post on “Trip Advisor Blackmail & Bribery,” in which I commented on  travelers using threats of bad reviews and/or promises of good ones on Trip Advisor as a lever to get refunds or upgrades. From the comments it appears that you are quite interested in this topic so I thought you might want to read, “Hoteliers Look to Shield Themselves from Dishonest Online Reviews,” (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/business/26hotels.html?_r=1) from the Monday, October 25 New York Times.