Thanks everyone for you kind words and interest in my Big Adventure!! It means so much to me to know that so many of you are “with me” and enjoying themselves from a distance!! ✈️🌎🥰😘 I made it to Italy on Tuesday morning without too many hiccups and am enjoying the slower pace of life here!! We have spent the last few days resting, chatting, settling into our AirBnb and exploring the little beach-town of Viareggio!!
Unfortunately, the bag that had ALL my toiletries for the next 4-6 months didn’t make it right away, so I pondered what I would do to replace all those carefully packed lotions and potions!! I had decided to check it because I was trying to avoid “liquid problems” going through security, and fortunately I had packed a few small bottles (which got me through until I knew for sure it was on its way)!! 😅
On Thursday, after lots of garbled phone calls with the “I-only-speak-Italian” delivery driver (which is fair), followed up by a call from the English speaking office person, I finally got my little red backpack stuffed with my toiletries!! Yaaaay!!
I try as much as possible to be a minimalist when I travel, and I know it seems ridiculous to bring so many toiletries, but there are just a few things that I really like to have in my day-to-day life whether I’m traveling or at home! Maybe it was the Universe’s way of asking me if I REALLY needed all this stuff or if I could survive without it?!? Whatever the reason, I realized that even though I PREFER to have my lotions and face cleansers, etc. because it just makes my life easier, I wasn’t too freaked out about not having it and probably would’ve survived just fine it it hadn’t shown up! (But needless to say, I was pretty happy when it arrived!!) 👏🎒👏😅
We are taking it slow these first few days, trying to adjust to the time change and jet lag!! For some reason, it seems to be taking longer than usual this time, but at least I haven’t gotten sick like I often have in the past!! I remember my trip to Budapest where I BARELY made it through the door of the AirBnb from the airport and was full-on sick for more than 36 hours!! 🥴🤢 I guess I didn’t notice the time difference in that trip because I was sleeping almost the first 24 hours solid!! 😴😴🛌😴
I was remembering the other day that traveling to Europe and dealing with jet lag/ illness just off the plane is what made me first start thinking about transatlantic cruising (adjusting about an hour each day that we are at sea)!! Turns out I’ll be adjusting to the time change going the other direction on the cruise, but the “ugh!!!” feeling I felt arriving on Tuesday was a good reminder why it’s nice to have DAYS to adjust instead of hours!! 🥴🤪😂🌎🚢
So far we have ventured out to the grocery store and a few cafes in the town where our AirBnb is (and to the beach, of course) whenever we’re feeling normal and less jet-lagged!! And I have to say, we have SO enjoyed just wandering around town and exploring!! We have already found our favorite dinner place (with the gelato place next door for an after-dinner treat)!! Of course that COULD be what’s keeping us up at night, but I don’t think so!! 🤔🍨🤷
I haven’t taken a lot of pictures yet, but today we took Dora out to explore the area and had lunch at this place that serves AMAZING focaccia sandwiches!! The owner was so kind and helpful and practiced his English with us! And tonight is pizza again from our favorite dinner place (can you ever have too much good Italian pizza?!?)!!
We hope to get to Lucca, Cinque Terre and Portofino this week (although there is a ”moderate thunderstorm and rain” warning for the next few days so we shall see?!?)!! I’ll try and post more soon with more “touristy” pictures, but in the meantime here are some with Dora (especially for Pemberley and the kiddos), as well as the view of the inner staircase!! We didn’t notice until close to departure that our AirBnb apartment is on the “second floor” (which is European talk for 3rd floor)!! It’s a bit of a trudge up the stairs, but totally worth it!!
I met up with Sheryl in Pisa and we dragged ourselves to our AirBnb (both exhausted from overnight flights without sleep)!! I never sleep on planes and always seem to arrive at my connection point at JUST the time I’m supposed to be going to sleep!! (And then it’s just painful until I finally get a chance to sleep!! 🥴🤪) At least I enjoyed 4 movies, 2 meals, an extra open seat next to me, and a couple glasses of wine!! 🍷🍷
Unfortunately, the bag that had ALL my toiletries for the next 4-6 months didn’t make it right away, so I pondered what I would do to replace all those carefully packed lotions and potions!! I had decided to check it because I was trying to avoid “liquid problems” going through security, and fortunately I had packed a few small bottles (which got me through until I knew for sure it was on its way)!! 😅
On Thursday, after lots of garbled phone calls with the “I-only-speak-Italian” delivery driver (which is fair), followed up by a call from the English speaking office person, I finally got my little red backpack stuffed with my toiletries!! Yaaaay!!
I try as much as possible to be a minimalist when I travel, and I know it seems ridiculous to bring so many toiletries, but there are just a few things that I really like to have in my day-to-day life whether I’m traveling or at home! Maybe it was the Universe’s way of asking me if I REALLY needed all this stuff or if I could survive without it?!? Whatever the reason, I realized that even though I PREFER to have my lotions and face cleansers, etc. because it just makes my life easier, I wasn’t too freaked out about not having it and probably would’ve survived just fine it it hadn’t shown up! (But needless to say, I was pretty happy when it arrived!!) 👏🎒👏😅
We are taking it slow these first few days, trying to adjust to the time change and jet lag!! For some reason, it seems to be taking longer than usual this time, but at least I haven’t gotten sick like I often have in the past!! I remember my trip to Budapest where I BARELY made it through the door of the AirBnb from the airport and was full-on sick for more than 36 hours!! 🥴🤢 I guess I didn’t notice the time difference in that trip because I was sleeping almost the first 24 hours solid!! 😴😴🛌😴
I was remembering the other day that traveling to Europe and dealing with jet lag/ illness just off the plane is what made me first start thinking about transatlantic cruising (adjusting about an hour each day that we are at sea)!! Turns out I’ll be adjusting to the time change going the other direction on the cruise, but the “ugh!!!” feeling I felt arriving on Tuesday was a good reminder why it’s nice to have DAYS to adjust instead of hours!! 🥴🤪😂🌎🚢
So far we have ventured out to the grocery store and a few cafes in the town where our AirBnb is (and to the beach, of course) whenever we’re feeling normal and less jet-lagged!! And I have to say, we have SO enjoyed just wandering around town and exploring!! We have already found our favorite dinner place (with the gelato place next door for an after-dinner treat)!! Of course that COULD be what’s keeping us up at night, but I don’t think so!! 🤔🍨🤷
I haven’t taken a lot of pictures yet, but today we took Dora out to explore the area and had lunch at this place that serves AMAZING focaccia sandwiches!! The owner was so kind and helpful and practiced his English with us! And tonight is pizza again from our favorite dinner place (can you ever have too much good Italian pizza?!?)!!
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