Italy. Wow. Just. Wow. 04.09.15 – 10.09.15
So to begin with, in order this is where we visited on our Italian trip:
- Milan/Monza (F1)
- Genoa
- Sistre levante
- Cinque Terre ( Riomaggiore to be exact… where I got engaged 😉 )
- Pisa
- Florence
- Rome
Apart from the obvious reason why I had the best time of my life (getting engaged!), it was one of the most special places I have ever visited. From the random best friend moments me and my partner shared and the loved up scenes under the Italian stars, the Italian food and the people are just great. It is so beautiful in Italy, so scenic and mysterious; it is a place like no other. And their roads! Choosing to do a road trip across Italy was the best decision we made. We started in Milan and went to the F1 at Monza and travelled all the way down to Rome.
The F1 was something else and all the details can be explained later, but yeah, I basically had the time of my life. Being at the Formula 1 the spin-out crash that happened with the porches and around multicultural people was fascinating. Something else I adored was being around so many people who support so many different teams but are all as one – from all different walks of life – and all have something in common: the love for racing and the love for engines.
Going through a place called Genova was a unique place and me and my partner were in our own ‘Avatar’ world. The roads went through several mountains through tunnels, it was incredible. It literally reminded me of the Avatar lands or even comparable to Jurrasic Park.
We met tons of foreign people, from Danish to bumping into people from our hometowns; it was so adventurous. You would never expect to find yourself slumped on the airport floor either, which was a nightmare in its own way. But looking back it’s absolutely hilarious. Blood, sweat and tears happened that night, and to say I hate Milan’s airport now is an understatement!
Italy is a combination of Spain and England combined, is one way of putting it. It has fresh greens and the blue skies to compliment its natural beauty. It’s ethos is laid back but has a unique edge of culture that can be absorbed from several angles.
Despite taking a fondness to the Italian people, a lot of them also have this traditional, hot flared temper which myself and my partner noted when eating at a restaurant. We were welcomed with luxury hospitality but then among themselves their chattering echoed frustration and the love of precision. If something wasn’t done right it was noticed. Really noticed.
The feeling of friendship caught me too – meeting people from the same country in a different country and how when they do sit in your acquaintance you instantly have so much in relation and in common to talk about. It’s perfect. 🙂
All hail the selfie stick inventor admittedly at the leaning tower of Pisa; reflecting modern society to a T! You can’t help but notice how we are faced and obsessed with taking photos of ourselves but now we have a moment to share without having to ask strangers to take a photo…we now have the capability of capturing such special moments without asking a single person! Priceless.
On our way back we met such an inspirational man it was life-changing. He offered tips and advice for our life, and again, we had an abundance in common. Life is just beautiful.
I could go on forever, but to bring this to a close, the question is: what’s next? Athens (for a spiritual break), a France weekend break and a trip to the Euros next year (of course), New York city, Australia travelling with my partner after graduation for 3/4 months and a dream holiday to Lesgets in Switzerland to try skiing for the very first time!
If you have any travelling experiences, please share them with me I would love to hear about them! Email me: gemmaleighsmith@hotmail.co.uk
Along The Way - G.L.Smith 