Day 10: Rome

Rome; our final destination! I must say, it was the nicest hotel we've stayed in the whole trip. 

We started by trying to navigate our way on the train line. To be fair, it was actually quite self explanatory because there were only two lines- a red and blue. 

We had booked in to do a tour of the Colosseum before we left home so we got off at Colloseo. It's quite incredible that you step outside of the train station and this incredible monument is right there in front of you. We arrived an hour early to make sure we found our group in time, but after 75 minutes of searching and asking we had no luck. We contacted our travel agent who then informed us it must be a scam- very good travel agent....naht.

We were petty bummed but instead of letting it get to us, we went to this gorgeous coffee shop right outside the Colosseum, sat outside, had coffee and cake and everything was all better. 

We got on the train and explored Rome. It's an odd city really- on one side you have the old ancient ruins and on the other you have modernized infrastructure. For me, it didn't feel as authentic as the other Italian places I'd visited. We saw the Trevi Fountain where I had my Lizzie McGuire moment of throwing a coin in to the water and the Vatican which it was very beautiful. 

On our way home on the train- one stop from our hotel- I got mugged and had my wallet stolen after a group of girls surrounded me on the train and fled with my belongings. It was pretty traumatic and it shook me up quite a bit but I was thankful it was our last day in Rome, so not having my credit cards and cash wasn't too much of an issue. 

All in all, Rome didn't really treat us very well. It was our final stop and I'm glad I saw it but I won't be going back there. There are too many other beautiful places to see!

I'm excited for my next adventure in December when I'm off to Dubai, Finland and London. 

Keep reading for more!

x

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Day 9: Orvieto

Today we said goodbye to Venice and hello to Orvieto. Sitting astride a volcanic plug of rock above fields streaked with vines, and olive and cypress trees Orvieto is visually stunning. We took the funicular up to the top and had a lovely wander through the cobbled lanes. This small town is about 90 minutes from Rome and a place that's great to see. For us, it was a nice stop over to break up the trip from Venice to Rome.

We walked to the old-town hilltop to see the Duomo di Orvieto which is a large 14th-century Roman Catholic cathedral. A must see! We then drove down to our final destination of Rome. Arriving late we went straight to bed to be ready for our first full day in ROMAAAA.

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Day 8: Venice

Our first proper day in Venice!

We got up early and accidentally went to the wrong breakfast area and ate leftovers from a previous group. Woops/ewww.

It was cold and rainy today, so everyone rugged up, and we made our way to the tram to head into the main part of Venice. After 15 minutes we arrived! It was just as I imagined. Little bridges were arched over narrow canals, gondolas were docked next to tall, colorful buildings and men raced around with trolleys shouting 'Attenzione, attenzione!'.

We had a guided tour (in the rain) which wasn't ideal but we learnt all the history of Venice. We walked over the Bridge of Fists. It has five small footprints on it. Apparently men would go there to have organised fist fights and try to push their opponents into the canals. It got banned after men started bringing knives to the fights!

We made our way to San Marcos square where we walked into the most beautiful lace store. We sat down and had a demonstration on how they make lace. I bought my family this Christmas tablecloth which would take 5 months to carefully hand make. Surprisingly it only cost 50 Euros. The government subsidies lace makers to keep the tradition going.

After the lace demonstration we walked over to the gondolas where we had our very own 30 minute gondola ride! It was perfect, the rain stopped and the sun came out. It went through the Grand Canal and down little narrow streets with towering buildings. It was absolutely gorgeous and something I won't forget. Next stop was lunch. We all had our own pizzas which we devoured, then spent the rest of the day getting lost in the streets of Venice. One thing to remember is that you can't follow a map in Venice. The streets twist and turn and it's impossible to know where you are. If you need directions, follow the signs and you should be ok.

We went to the Accademia gallery and onto a super posh hotel where we heartily ate cake and coffee while being served by Italian men in white suits. That night, instead of going out to dinner we went to the supermarket, picked up a few rolls and had a TV dinner. Day well spent in my opinion!

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Day 7: Travel Day to Venice

On day 7 we headed out early on the bus and had a few destinations to see before we arrived at Venice.

Our first stop was Lake Garda. We took a boat across the water and the weather was glorious, beautiful and sunny. We only had a short stop over in Lake Garda so we had lunch (best omelette and fries ever) outdoors. Then we wandered the gorgeous streets. They're narrow walkways with lovely shops. I got myself a hazelnut gelato and strolled through looking in awe. If I had the choice, I would've loved to stay there a few days and relax on the beach by the lake.

Lake Garda

Our next stop was Verona. It was stinking hot but we walked to the Roman Arena where they used to have proper fighting battles. Built of pink-tinged marble in the 1st century AD, Verona's Roman amphitheatre survived a 12th-century earthquake. We then walked through the amazing shopping strip where there were designer stores and high end boutiques, suitable for everyone with different budgets. At the end of the shopping strip is Casa di Giulietta or Juliet's House where tourists flock to see the balcony where Juliet stood while Romeo declared his love. Inside the house is a small museum and in the courtyard is a bronze sculpture of Juliet – people rub her right breast for luck. But the ultimate in romantic gesturing is the many love notes stuck on the walls and doors in the entrance to the courtyard. If you can find space, leave your own little love note!

Verona

After Verona, we made our way to Venice. The area we are staying in isn't the nicest- apparently it's where the local resident's live- with the main, iconic part of Venice about 15 minutes away. After a full day of sightseeing we had a group dinner and had an early night. What a day!

Juliet's Balcony

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Day 6: Cinque Terre

There is something truly magical about Cinque Terre. We had a full day here and it was beyond beautiful. Cinque Terre (meaning five lands) is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the five towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties.

Riomaggiore

The five towns are:
Riomaggiore
Manarola
Corniglia
Vernazza
Monterossa

From La Spezia we took the train to each of the towns starting at Riomaggiore. Each stop is only a 2-3 minute train ride, but you can hike in between towns if you're feeling up to it. Considering we only had one day we decided against that, plus it was over 30 degrees and hot! We wanted to visit each village and spent about an hour in each place. My favourite was Manarola, built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level, and is in my opinion one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages. If you want that iconic photograph, Manarola is the place to get it.

Manarola

Each town is different and each worth seeing. If you're after a day lying on the beach, then head to Monetrossa. This is definitely the most 'touristy' of the towns but you can hire a sun lounge and have gelato all day, so it makes for a good day out. 

We stopped at Vernazza, a small fishing village, for lunch and if you like seafood, this is the place to be! Restaurants overlook the beautiful water but it can be a bit pricey so make sure you look at the menu before you sit down.

Manarola

Cinque Terre has been on my bucket list for a while now and I'm so pleased to be able to tick it off. To think people live in such a beautiful place is kind of hard to comprehend and I would definitely go back. If you can afford it, stay in one of the villages and experience their lifestyle. 

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Day 5: La Spezia

La Spezia

 Today we made our way to our next destination, La Spezia, saying goodbye to Florence. Our first stop along the way was Lucca, a city on the Serchio river in Italy’s Tuscany region. It’s known for the well-preserved Renaissance walls encircling its historic city center and its cobblestone streets. It's one of the only towns not to be destroyed in WWII, because of the four kilometre wall surrounding it. We had a guided walking tour, and lunch inside the old gladiator circle, plus cup fulls of gelato (totally necessary every day in Italy) Lucca is a seriously beautiful small town but I would recommend just a day trip.

Lucca

We then drove about 20 minutes to Pisa, where we saw the leaning tower. I found Pisa a bit confronting. On one side you see the beautiful leaning tower with the cathedral and then you turn 180 degrees and see hundreds of vendors selling illegal goods. We were only here for about half an hour but it was still worth seeing. Everyone you look tourists are trying to get the perfect picture, it's quite funny.

After Pisa, we drove to our final destination of the day, La Spezia. Located midway between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts the arsenal of the Italian Navy. It is important for its museums, for the Palio del Golfo, and for the railway and boat links with Cinque Terre. We stayed here because it was a lot cheaper than staying in one of the towns of Cinque Terre and the train was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel.

Pisa

We had a group dinner at one of the local restaurants where we scored a delicious three course meal of ravioli, calamari and tiramisu. YUM!

Leaning Tower of Pisa

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Day 4: Florence

Today we were introduced to our Topdeck Tour group which was slightly interesting. I kind of imagined that everyone would be super welcoming and friendly but that wasn't exactly what happened. They were a bit standoffish which was fine because I had my friend there anyway!

We did a guided walking tour of Florence (most of which we had already seen because we've been here a few days) but it was still nice to hear about the history behind Florence. We went past writer Dante Alighieri's house, the Duomo, the hidden streets and the Accaedmia gallery. But my favourite was seeing the Ponte Vecchio bridge.The 'old bridge' is made of medieval stone that arches over the Arno River. There are beautiful little shops all along the bridge. Originally only gold sellers were able to sell their goods along there, now it's home to a number of jewellery makers. We made out way to a leather store where we had a demonstration on how to pick genuine leather from a fake. Good to know for a bag-a-holic like me!

Ponte Vecchio 

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Day 3: Florence

By the second day in Florence, we had picked up quite a few handy travel tips that I'm happy to share with you.

• Wander all over the city and don't be afraid to get lost. Take a map with you; they're pretty detailed so they're easy to follow.
• Don't be conned into giving away your money. They're are a lot of gypsies in Florence and Italy for that matter. Be careful with all your belongings and beware of pickpockets. If you don't want to hand over your cash, give a firm shake of the head.
• Water and sunscreen. I swear I spent most of my money on bottled water. It can vary from 60c to 5 Euro. Shop around and don't fall for the expensive places. Go next door and you'll probably find one cheaper.
• Don't buy the first thing you see. There are hundreds of leather good stores around Florence. Make sure you look around before settling on the first item you see. Plus haggle a little bit. They're always up for negotiation.
• Beware of extra charges (cover charges, service to tables) etc

To begin the day we knew we wanted to visit the inside of the Duomo. We got there around 8:15am (it opens at 8:30am) and there was already a line back to the 'one hour wait' mark. Make sure you get to your attractions early, otherwise you could literally be waiting in line for 3-4 hours, easily. When we made it to the front of the line, we made our way up the 463 stairs to reach the very top. It was so small and claustrophobic on the way up but man the end result was so worth it. With 360 degree views of Florence, it is absolutely breathtaking. 

On top of the Duomo

We spent the rest of the day getting lost in Florence; in my eyes, the best way to see it. We found this gorgeous little cafe to have lunch where we got a traditional panini with water for just 4 Euros. Make sure you visit multiple cafes; there's no point going back to the same one. They're literally everywhere, I've never seen so many. 

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Day 2: Florence

It's safe to say Florence lived up to my expectations. In fact, it blew them away and this place turned out to be my favourite destination of the whole trip. 

We arrived at Le Due Fontane Hotel. Overlooking Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, this refined hotel in a neoclassical palace is a 5-minute walk from Florence Cathedral. 

Classic, antiques-filled rooms are individually furnished and the location makes it a dream spot. 

Le Due Fontane Hotel

The great thing about Florence is that when you turn a corner there is always something different to see. We were in absolute awe of the architecture. Our first stop was the Duomo Di Firenze which will forever be my favourite building of all time and was in view from our hotel. Florence's cathedral stands tall over the city with its magnificent Renaissance dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The cathedral build began at the end of the 13th century and took over two centuries to finish. We started at Giotto's Bell Tower and made the trek up 414 steps to the top to see the beautiful view of Florence. To say my legs were sore is an understatement. They were beyond trembling. The climb of the Bell Tower or Brunelleschi's Cupola is not for the faint hearted or unfit; the winding staircases are narrow, are on a steep incline with no ventilation. I unfortunately fall into the unfit category. To reach the peak though, is definitely worth it. This whole area is just beautiful. That night we had dinner right outside the Duomo and you feel like you're in a dream. 

Duomo Di Firenze

Inside Giotto's Bell Tower

View of Giotto's Bell Tower from the top of Brunelleschi's Cupola

Next we made our way to the Piazzale Michelangelo. This was also one of my favourite things to see. The view was incredible and we could see the magical skyline of Florence. The square was created in 1869 and has a monument base dedicated to Michelangelo, where copies of Michelangelo's works, including the David can be seen. We hiked from our hotel thinking it would be a nice walk, and it definitely is, but it's also very intense. There are a lot of stairs going up a steep incline and on a hot day, it was quite the workout! You need a camera, water and self belief. 

View from the Piazzale Michelangelo

Day 2 in Florence was one I won't forget. If you go in the middle of summer, expect tourists and heat, but don't worry the buildings are so tall they provide great shade. 

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The Airport Journey Part 2

After 20 hours on a plane, we arrived in Rome in one piece (just). Palms sweating, knees weak, arms were heavy (thanks Eminem), we hesitantly made our way to the baggage carousel.

After 5 minutes of bags circling and re-circling us we had almost given up hope. Then, praise the Lord, my red bag popped out and came towards me. LIFE SAVED. We literally jumped with joy, hugging each other and laughing/crying hysterically. The Italians were looking at us like mad women, but we didn't care.

What I neglected to mention in Part 1 (mostly because the fear of the reality was too hard to digest) was that we booked a Topdeck Tour. Our first destination wasn't even Rome and we would be travelling every two days. There is no way if we lost our luggage we would ever see it again and the thought of traipsing through Italy in 30+ degree heat with long pants and one t-shirt did not sound appealing. Not to mention no sunscreen, clean underwear, make up and general necessities.

That feeling of everything turning out okay was the biggest relief and such a joyous moment. It felt like the universe (or airport) was trying everything in it's power to knock us down, but things kept happening to make it all alright again.

Our next challenge was to brave the Rome train system. How hard could that be? Well, put it this way; where I live there is one train line that I can't use. I fail at public transport. We need to catch two trains- one from the airport to Roma Termini and then from Roma Termini to Florence. We've been given clear instructions on how to get the tickets. What I notice in Italy already is the serious amount of required checkpoints needed and the zero staff around to help navigate. We purchase our tickets (somehow), go through all the security and attempt to 'validate' our tickets. Suddenly, my friend Sophie looks at me. Her face is white, she's silent with her mouth wide open and I know something is wrong. I quickly scan around us and notice we're one suitcase down. HOW?!?!

We look about 50 metres behind us and notice a lone suitcase propped in the middle of the train station. We've just gone through numerous check points, our train leaves in 3 minutes and my travelling companion's life (okay, slight exaggeration) is just out of reach. She sprints back, desperately trying to squeeze through barricades and railings to reach her suitcase and success, she has it. How no one thought that lone suitcase sitting in the middle of a train station by itself for 10 minutes was a bomb, sent the train station into lock down or it wasn't stolen beggars belief. The travel gods were on our side. The train guard just looked at her shaking his head and waved her back through. Our first, actually second, judgement of the day.

Suitcases in tow we got on the train and made it to Roma Termini. The next challenge begun. Remember how I said I wasn't good at public transport with my one-line-train at home? Well try adding about 20 platforms, multiple train companies, a foreign language and no staff around to help you to the equation.

My first tip on going on overseas holidays; if you think pre-booking tickets will save you stress and time, think again. Our train company was different, the train number was different and the platform had changed. After one hour of aimlessly wandering around the station with the tourist information desk refusing to help because we didn't buy tickets off them, we took a gamble and went to the only platform with our designated departure time. And hallelujah, it was right. After all this, we were on our way to Florence.

Man, Florence better live up to our expectations!

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The Airport Journey Part 1

Ah airports. I'd like to say you either love them or hate them but I'm pretty sure everyone hates them. They're exciting in some ways, but bustling, nerve wracking and frustrating all at the same time. I swear every couple I walk past are in some flustered argument frantically waving their hands in the air.

I was a bit anxious going into this trip. Having never been on this sort of adventure by myself, the idea was super daunting. Airports can either make or break you. Take me and my friend Sophie for example. We had an Etihad driver pick us up from our house, drive us all the way to the international airport. We almost died twice on the way there (who said they were good drivers?) but that didn't dampen the mood.

Checking in, we flew through customs. Having forked out a small fortune to secure business class seats, we were eligible to go to the front of all the lines and skip the queues. You should have seen the look the airport staff gave us when we approached. That 'mmm sorry honey, you're so in the wrong line' type look/judgement. Ha, to prove them wrong! They did a double take when they saw our confirmation with many clearly not believing we could a) afford the airfare b) older than 12 years old and c) can legally drink. Talk about a triple whammy!

We got to the business class lounge, indulged in the free food, wifi and drinks and waited an easy 40 minutes until our flight was ready to board. Bliss! We boarded on time, took our seats in our luxury pods and thought we were free of any hiccups. Nahhhht!

"Good afternoon passengers," came the voice over the speaker. "We seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties, but this should only delay our take off by about 20 minutes. I will keep you posted on the progress. We thank you for your patience."

2 hours later....

Still on the tarmac. Told ya, airports can either make or break your spirit. See normally, a delay wouldn't bother me. This time, however, our connecting was only two hours after landing in Abu Dhabi. Yep two hours. What we had already been sitting on the tarmac for. The flight attendant tried to reassure me we wouldn't miss our connecting flight and wouldn't have to stay the night in Abu Dhabi, but I had little faith. When we disembarked the plane after 13 hours, we had all over 7 minutes before our next flight was due to take off. We walked down the stairs of the plane and were greeted by a lovely Etihad representative who had a private car waiting to rush us to our next plane and fly us through customs, landing us straight at the foot of our next plane. Ideal scenario right? Well, kinda. I asked her if our luggage would make it on the flight to which she responded most likely not. Shit.

The next seven hours were spent next to a screaming child, a snorer louder than a freight train and anxiously wondering if my bags would arrive to Rome.

Stay tuned for part 2 to see if we made it.

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I Scream Nails Round 2

One of my favourite things to do when I go to Melbourne or Sydney is to treat myself to some nail art at I Scream Nails. 

How incredible are these cat illustrations?! 

For those of you wondering, these aren't stickers; each nail is carefully painted on by the extremely talented artists and this particular set only took about 45 minutes. Their menu is extensive; you can literally have anything painted. For me, I chose to have the two little loves of my life on each hand. I am officially a cat lady!

I can't wait for this company to come to Perth, you'll see me there every weekend.

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Planning to explore the world

It's official! I've booked in a trip to travel to Italy with my best friend in August.

While I'm slightly terrified of going overseas for the first time without family, I'm also incredibly excited about venturing outside of Australia for a big adventure.

I've never had the travel bug before, but since coming back from New York last year the bite has finally started to course through my veins. I've had a 9-5 job for a few years now, and while I adore what I do, it hit me one day that there has to be more to life than waking up, going to work, coming home, sleeping and repeating that process day after day.

I caught up with one of my good friends the other week and she had this amazing out look on life that gave me the wake up call I needed. Her remarkable change in the way she lives her life now really made me start to reflect on my own and what I want to do. One of the things that stood out to me was that she has started only doing the things she WANTS to do. After all, life is too short to be doing things you don't want to do.

So with that, I started writing another list....my forte it seems.... of what I want to achieve. The first on that list; travel. And possibly try to learn a bit of Italian before we go. CIAO!

It is extremely difficult, in my opinion, to find the perfect travel companion. Unless you have a partner- which scarily, everyone seems to have except me- it can seem daunting and unachievable. My best friend and I have known each other for over 15 years so I'm confident we'll be alright. If there's a search warrant out for an Aussie red head in Italy, you'll know we haven't got along!

The plan so far is to go to Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice and Rome. Being travel amateurs we didn't want to try and conquer too much in one go.

I'll be documenting my preparation and stories of my trip so make sure you keep reading!

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2016 Bucket List

I was pretty stoked that in 2015 I was able to tick probably 95% off my bucket list. 2015 was a good year and I felt like I accomplished a lot. For me, having a number of experiences or achievements that you hope to have or accomplish over a period of time is very motivating. So with that, I decided to create another one for 2016 and beyond. Plus, I also watched The Bucket List, the movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, and loved it. Here it is:

Do more of what makes me happy

Have a white Christmas

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Go on a reindeer ride

See a good psychic

Travel somewhere I've never been before

Go jet skiing 

Pat an elephant

Worry less

Learn a language
Swim in a waterfall
Go on a health retreat
Fly in a hot air balloon
Do a photography course

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