The journey

So terrible that I never returned to talk about my trip. It was more amazing than I ever dared to dream it would be. I returned with an affinity for Italy that finally went right to my core. I've always felt but having never been, could never be sure how true it was. Now I know. il mio cuore è italiano! My heart is Italian!

   Me ready to fly!                

So, that September 20, 2015, I met my bestie Megan at the airport in Melbourne, and the trip was underway. We'd both farewelled our children for the duration and were feeling a little teary, but excitement soon overtook us and we checked through our bags and confirmed our seats. We ate a late lunch and wandered the airport before doing our big check in/security rigmarole and making our way to our gate. The flight left at 3pm, and we settled in for the long haul, watching movies and trying to sleep when we could. Far too many hours later we landed safely in Abu Dhabi. It was 11pm at night, and the humidity and heat were amazing. It was still over 30c. We had a few hours between flights and had (wisely) booked some time in the lounge so that we could shower and change and feel a bit more human after the long trip over. Then onward to Rome!!!

Me at Abu Dhabi

That touch down was special and a jolt of electricity shot through me. So excited. My lifelong dream was in motion! We grabbed our bags and found our driver bearing my name on a card in the arrivals area. He drove us directly to our Hotel Raphael, where we checked in, though our room was not yet ready, because we were early. We were able to leave our bags at reception for the day, so we transferred what we needed to our backpacks, and left the suitcases behind as we headed out for the day.

travel writing

In addition to Freya Stark, we need to consider travel writer Pico Iyer. Some of my favourite quotes about travel come from Pico.

"We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to
open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will
accommodate.”

So true. Something magical happens when I travel, something about realising my place in a world so much larger than my own backyard. I was recently talking to a year 12 student who told me he has absolutely zero desire to travel. He's not interested in the world, he is perfectly content with what he has here. What is it that makes some of us feel this desire? Others the opposite? And some lulling in the middle somewhere?

I am sure there is research out there somewhere.

Italy

As I mentioned last post, there is less we need to worry about organising with the Italy portion of our trip, because most of it is a tour package. We arrive a day earlier than the tour starts, so needed one night of independent accommodation and I chose the beautiful and perfectly located Hotel Raphael.

What a view from the rooftop restaurant! We noted that the Vatican visit on the tour was an optional extra during the walking tour afternoon. We decided we were best going ourselves on our first afternoon there, and then leisurely enjoying the walking tour without trying to pack it in to the same day. The colosseum was not part of the tour either, so we've booked a tour to do that the next morning, before we join the tour group. The rest is structured for us, aside from a free day in Venice. For that, we're contemplating a vaporetto to the islands of Murano and Burano. The only downside I have come across so far, is not enough time in Florence to see the city, AND go and check out David. I guess it's a good excuse to return, though.

Every time I look at pictures and really immerse myself in the planning of the Italy stuff, I get teary. This is such a moment for me. I'm not just excited, I am emotionally overwhelmed. Honestly, this is just so exciting. Not long now.

Where to stay in Paris?

The saga has continued. I changed to a hotel in Paris with a better view but began having second thoughts after reading a few negative reviews on Trip Advisor. Someone suggested AirBNB so spent days on there looking at millions of apartments, then got no replies for the ones we liked. Megs got to work and the two of us must have looked at literally hundreds of apartments and hotels. One thing I noticed: the French are smart, they use a lot of mirrors in their room designs to increase the illusion of space. Eventually, we settled on a hotel that met our strict criteria.

I didn't want a hotel that could be any hotel room in any city in the world. I wanted something different. Either a view, or design that was a little different to the norm. This place gives us both. With funky (and a little intense!) room designs the hotel is quick to brag as done by Christian Lacroix (whoever that is!) and views of Notre Dame and the Seine, this is exactly what we were after.

With that settled and paid for, our Paris portion of our trip is almost settled. We've booked and paid for a food tour, dinner at the Eiffel Tower, a Seine river cruise, a Moulin Rouge show, a museum pass, a Catacombs tour, and the Ballet. It's been the portion we had to plan most for, since most of the Italy stuff is done in the tour package. I still cannot get my head around this being real. This is my ultimate dream. How many people get to live their life dream? What's yours? Have you lived it?

Follow Your Dreams

The other night, I was scrolling through facebook and the news. I read about people catching rare diseases, having freak accidents, being diagnosed with horrible fatal diseases or killed by terrorists or nutty individuals... It struck me it is a wonder I am alive. Like it is a miracle to survive these days.

When I was 19, the full impact of my own mortality hit me fully. I realised that some day, I won't exist, and I kind of had a breakdown. For days, I just cried. I would watch my boyfriend play with our pets and think 'what's the point? we'll all be gone eventually...' I was a terrible mess. Eventually I got help from anti-anxiety medication and I got passed it. To a degree. For a good 10-15 years after this, every so often, when I was falling asleep, right as I drifted off I would wake in the middle of a horrible panic attack about the notion of death, or more specifically, not existing. It wasn't something I could ward off because there was no warning, one moment I'd be just falling asleep the next crying and gasping for breath in a horrible mad panic about not existing. Sheer terror. Was horrible. Those have lessened in the last few years and I can only surmise it is because I've made my life one worth living. Before it was just existing. Now, I am SO glad I am following my dreams and seeing the world and taking risks. Sure I might be in an accident over there, or a plane crash - but I could be killed just as easily here. Following my dreams means my life doesn't feel wasted anymore. I feel I am reaching more and more of my potential and that makes that panic and feat of death abate.

This is not an uncommon fear, the fear of death and not existing. I do think it is embedded in whether or not you feel you are reaching - or trying to reach - your potential in life. I know this is a weird travel post, but travel is a big part of this for me. Following dreams rather than putting them off for practicality and so on - it's such a very short life we get, who knows when or if we'll get the chance to act again.

"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do."

"To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasant sensations in the world. You are surrounded by adventure. You have no idea of what is in store for you, but you will, if you are wise and know the art of travel, let yourself go on the stream of the unknown and accept whatever comes in the spirit in which the gods may offer it."

This is a passage by Freya Stark, who travelled all her life in the 1920s through the Middle East and Arabia when women just didn't do that. She captures in that paragraph, something that inspires and excited me about travel. For a control freak, this sort of lack of control is somewhat intoxicating.

Whilst I wanted to travel entirely alone at first on this trip, I am also excited to share it with a friend now who wanted to come along. There will still be moments for me alone, as there were when I travelled with someone in the USA. Those moments are the stuff life is supposed to be. I am excited to experience this feeling again. It really is addictive.

A little luxury?

So, I'd already booked hotels for the 4 nights of my trip that were not covered by the tour. They were good choices, fairly central whilst not overly pricey. But, I started thinking, this is the dream trip. Maybe I should pay a little more to be better located? So, I sourced new hotels. One that is right off the Piazza Navona in Rome. Within a few minutes walk of several sites I want to see, and right in the hub of restaurants and trattorias and nightlife. In Paris, I found a pokey little hotel with fabulous views of the Eiffel Tower from the room, and only a ten minute walk to the Seine. Swoony.

That said, I did look at the Shangri La in Paris, it also has views of the Eiffel (right by it) and is not pokey or old at all. It's also $2000AUD per night. Lordy! Might not quite go that far huh? At least, not this visit...