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#15 London, United Kingdom

What a whirlwind. I think only upon arriving in London did I realise just how big the last month had been! Literally landing at midnight and a cheeky vom. upon disembarking from the plane.. just wasn’t feeling 100% though we did land at midnight and I was definitely dehydrated from a day in the sun. Arriving at Bianca’s house and passing out in an actual bed around 1am was heaven! On Wednesday, B had to work so Liv and I (very slowly) organised our lives and ventured out into Chiswick. Despite all the incredible things I’ve seen and done in the past 5 weeks, seeing Chiswick was one of the best. Somewhere I’ve heard about time and time again, a place I’ve listened to Bianca order coffees whilst on the phone to me, to wander the streets and have a quiet breakfast - that was NOT crossoints or Greek yogurt was a beautiful way to start the day. Actually I had avocado and feta toast - now if you know, avo is very not me, but I loved it! New fave actually! We then wandered back along to Bianca’s house, gathered and caught an Uber out to Balham to see Caitlin! She had just finished her school year, so we went to the pub with her school - something I also loved! Putting names to faces and an image to her school! We then picked up Órla and ventured home for some tea parties and book reading. There’s something about the fact that Caitlin and I have had a beautiful friendship since America and now there is a little human involved to share those memories with despite the fact her, James and Órla live in London? When Órla went to sleep we ordered all the Chinese and had a night in - the best chilled night! Exactly what we were after! We stayed at Caitlin’s Wednesday night and ventured around London a little Thursday. We saw Big Ben, in all its glory this time with no scaffold, walked down to Buckingham Palace only to stumble across the changing of the guard! We watched all the marching, then the band begin to play what I anticipated would be God saved the Queen or something - Nope, a remix of ABBA songs!! What the!! So funny, the crowd laughed. Queen Lizzy with the sense of humour! We had lunch back at Caitlin’s before a little afternoon tea and a wander around Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Liv and I ventured back to Chiswick, got ready and joined Caitlin and Bianca and her friends for dinner. Flesh and Buns it was called around Oxford Circus, Asian fusion and cocktails at its finest! So delish! Just meeting her friends too was sooo lovely. Then we went to Cahootz which is a bar that looks like an old underground station with fancy cocktails - so fun! Friday, Liv and I went for Duck and Waffle - 40 floors above London! The best views and the breakfast - INCREDIBLE!! So glad we did that!! Liv and I said our goodbyes, iconically at Londons’s Liverpool Street and I was bound for Chiswick one last time, where B and went for a last sushi supper and then she drove me to Heathrow! A 36 hour flight ahead thanks to a rescheduling, but hey! Can’t be mad after an incredible month! I’ll reflect one last time in this blog, once this weary humans makes it home to her own bed! Home bound ✨

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#14 Cinque Terre, Italy

Argh. What to say. So manyyy steps. We got a little lost out of the train station, back tracked hiked for about a kilometre which is neat without steps, but an absolute nightmare with a 20 kilogram suitcase and steep staircases.. somebody offered to take one side of mine, that’s how desperate times were. When we made it to our accomodation, an Italian lady was a little less than welcoming. She spoke no English, and we knew we could leave bags with her from 11am.. we were 30 minutes early and my god. I don’t know Italian, and we didn’t need to know it. She was an unhappy human.. the flights of steps to our floor.. 4 floors and the steepest staircase you’ve seen (see photo evidence) and she was swatting us away like flies. A little Google translate and a half hour respite at the cafe down stairs was needed for our luggage to then be safely tucked away. We made our way to a beach nearby and it was stunning. Oh so crowded, but stunning and so damn refreshing! It was hawttt! The beach ‘sand’ jagged pebble sized rocks made for an interesting entrance but it was exactly what we needed to cool off. We ventured into the central part of Riomaggiore for lunch - the pesto pasta, exquisite! We were less than dressed in our bikinis but it was delish and air conditioned all the same. We ventured to our hotel (finally) to appreciate that stunning view. We literally landed the postcard view of Cinque Terre with red house opposite and all others filtering up the hill. After a quick nap, we ventured on the train to Manarola, a two minute train through the mountains to the next town (Cinque means 5, so there are five of the towns along the Italian coastline). We were queued to a restaurant via there app and made it just in time for sunset! With the sunset against the orange, pink and red homes, it was divine. Just magic. Something I won’t forget easily! Monday we woke up and made our way to Monterosso, one of the main towns about 10 minutes away. We wandered the little town, ate breakfast - with my favourite ice coffee yet - and then ventured back to beautiful umbrellas lining the shore to lock one in for the day. It took some finding, but beach chairs in hand we were set! In and out of the water all day, bruschetta, strawberries, book reading, water consuming = happy, happy days. We bought some gifts later in the day, before heading back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. We trekked back to Manarola for dinner, on the recommendation of Liv’s friends mum, pesto pasta was delish! B and I chilled for ice cream later than night watching the sunset and awaited the train home. Today, or this morning, was a bit more of a relax (I needed it - exhausted!). The girls went out adventuring, whilst I purchased a croissant, coffee, yogurt and banana for breakfast on our balcony. I wasn’t paying €30 from the hotel!! It was so lovely to just take in the views and enjoy! Liv and I then hired a kayak, got halfway to the next town and decided floating outside Riomaggiore was the better option, so that we did! We then had a few cocktails, met a Turkish gal, ordered some Calamari and then headed for the trains station.. only for Liv to have forgotten her straw carry on bag, so we both ran back to the two respective restaurants - not ideal in steep areas and 30+ degree heat, but she found it and we made the train with about 4 minutes to spare! Through to La Spezia and then Pisa and we’re now at the airport awaiting our delayed flight to London! The initial area was soooo overcrowded, beyond. Claustrophobia was really down there, thankfully post passport control is better. It’s been a long long day! I couldn’t be more excited for a warm shower, to wash out these dreadlocks and a lay in, ready to see Caitlin tomorrow afternoon! Italy, you’ve been grand! I’m sure we’ll be reunited soon enough. But for now, Ciao Bella!

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#13 Roma, Italia

The meeting point was FCO airport Rome, and Bianca nearly didn’t make it on account of some heaving Heathrow queues.. but thankfully the headcount was made at midnight and we were out and about in Rome! Our transfer driver was a good initiation for Italy, driving at 130km/ph and weaving down the highway. On Friday, Liv had lay in and Bianca and I ventured for açai bowls of smoothie and fruit. We ‘roamed’ (get it?) the streets and came across the major war memorial on our way, so after breakfast we decided to take a photo on the step - which lead to being guided through the entire thing! One way traffic really got us good, but it was stunning ‘very Roman’ as famously pointed out by me. Liv joined us at the Pantheon, and we went inside to see the beautiful ceilings. There is a circular hole in the middle to let light (and rain I guess) through.. no Sagrada Familiar but still stunning. Onward to the Trevi Fountain and with three wishes requested we ventured for lunch, and what a lunch it was. We ate like queens with Tomato & Mozzerella, Zucchini and Cheese entrees, Foccaccia, and then pasta - belliiissmo! We hiked on toward the Colosseum. A little hidden behind some metro works, but stunning all the same. The ruins along the way were intriguing too. After some colosseum pics we ventured back to the hotel for our - you guessed it, Italian siesta - these people do their days right! After the quick nap, and shower given the 34 degree heat, we made our way to dinner at Unik. The pizza was incredible! We just shared and naturally then had gelato! I might’ve stolen a scoop of Liv’s as she took a photo, and my food ‘tasting’ has become a running joke - particular as I had the flavour I tried of hers haha! Saturday, we laid in a little and then ventured onto Saint Peter’s Square and Vatican City. As both B and I had been in before, we didn’t go inside. We did have pancakes at a beaut place nearby - yes, it is all about the food. We just wandered around the area and the nearby river, seeing Saint Georges Castle and admiring the cute streets. We were absolutely stitched up for lunch. Fell into a tourist trap and paid a lot for absolutely terrible Italian food - none of us drank the mojito and they were removed from the bill - that’s how bad! We decided to head home for siesta hour and redeem for dinner! Redeem for dinner we did!! Ambrosia Rooftop just near our hotel - incredible views, in an eatable garden they get their produce from with the best cocktails yet! The food was absolutely divine too! I had white pork ragout + a fancy chocolate moose dessert ! A+! Redemption meal success. With an early 6.25 train onto La Spezia and then to Riomaggiore in the Cinque Terre area, we ventured home. Some more sunshine, an Italian coastline and the last few days of pizza, pasta and gelato consumption! I’m ready!

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#12 Barcelona, Spain

Well. Not the ideal start to our Spanish ventures - Liv waiting at baggage claim and me lost in the Barcelona airport. To be fair, we both agreed it’s a poorly signed airport, but somehow I ended up reentering, having my passport stamped and being in the departures area. Then, wandered my way to the airport lounge, and then backstage security where they didn’t appreciate my presence. I was finally navigated to the correct direction, only to have my passport re-stamped and amended, and finally be on my way to rendezvous with Liv! Liv, quite famously now, essentially adopted me in a bar at WSU one night and called her mum immediately requesting I come home for thanksgiving. And that’s what I did. She was a friend of our friend Melissa, and well.. that’s where it all started! I shared thanksgiving with both her and Matt’s family in 2014, and then again in 2016, before winning $3000 in Vegas with her on holiday! Back to the Spanish adventures though! We were both pretty tired having early flights, so what better way to spend the afternoon than cocktails and tapas by the pool - with glorious views over the city! They were really something! And that pool, my god. Amazing. After recuperating, we got organised and took the metro to Sagrada Familiar - the famous Barcelona church still under construction. As we came out of the metro it was right there, and what a sight. Beautiful! We wandered before heading back for a quick freshen up before 9pm tapas.. and what tapas they were. The best meal all trip! We had Patatas Bravas, Sea Bass with Passionfruit sauce, Spanish Potato Omelette, Scallops with Caviar and Beef Cheek Canneloni - I list these foods, because, AMAZING. Naturally we also had sangria, and then upon finishing we’re asked to sit the bar and this is where the night really started with cocktails. Let’s just say the bar tenders appreciated a show! Theatrics (and women) were their speciality. An American gal by the name of Melanie had been in at lunch, with a bar tender doing a little flirting and she returned for her Spanish conquest. She was American so naturally we befriended Liv’s own kind, worked at Google in Manhattan - impressive. We stumbled our way home around 1pm, and I had a point of consideration for Matt as Liv called home. There was no hard word on a ring for her, just that the wedding need scheduling in November, so I can attend the trio; thanksgiving, Apple Cup and their wedding. Thursday, we had to be up for Park Güell earlish. Our tour was incredible. So many interesting points and the park itself. PHENOMENAL. One of the most beautiful architectural places ever! The way the viaducts were built with stone, the columns beneath the main upper area all constructed to give the illusion of evenness when actually slanted, the houses that look like Hansel and Gretel’s - apparently 60 houses were supposed to be sold across the park, so it was in fact a failure as only three were, but Guardi was a mastermind. After the park, we ventured for more Tapas and explored the Gothic area. Really cool. The Barca vibe is something else. We then had an audio tour of the Sagrada Familiar. Potentially one of my favourite things this trip. The inside of that church is beyond - yet another Guardi masterpiece. The columns inside are constructed to look like trees with branches, the roof the tree canopy (hugely nature themed), the east had blue toned windows for cooler sunrise colours and the west had more yellow and orange tones for sunset colours, everything was to scale in a precise way and every mortal thing had reason - nothing was not for purpose. An experience I’ll never forget being inside! However, with all of Guardi’s Barcelona creations, you’d think he would of lived a beautiful happy life and died peacefully - nope, hit by a tram crossing the street.. wouldn’t want to be that driver! Killed a national icon! Anywho, we then ventured back to our hotel, where I may have fallen asleep on the seating area at the front - oops. And onto the airport late, bound for Roma! The gals take Italy, bring on the Pasta, Pizza & Gelato!

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#11 Lisbon, Portugal

We knew we only had 24 hours. It was always going to be a little hectic, add that to the 34 degree weather and she was a big day! So conveniently we broke it into ‘two days’, pre nap and post nap. We decided to follow the random ‘24 hours in Lisbon’ blog I found and, welp, kudos to the author - worked out so well! We Ubered to the top of the hill so we could work our way down the hill into the city (wise). Miradoura de Senhora do Monte was the first viewpoint and it was stunning! Though the density housing in Lisbon is absolutely crazy! We followed google maps through the tiled alley ways to the next viewpoint, Miradoura da Graca, which was under construction meaning a little up hill walk was required (rude). It again had beautiful views. We took some model snaps with the beautiful Portuguese tiles and keep wandering down to the Castle of Saint George - huge lines, ones we didn’t have the time of effort for, so onward and, well downward from here. Yet another view of the city was next in the Alfarma area, Portas do Sol. The area was stunning, a great spot for watching the iconic yellow tram 28 make its way up the hill - a mighty effort full of humans to be fair. We wandered further down toward Commerce square. Lisbon in a beautiful beautiful place! It has San Fransisco vibes about it, with a doppelgänger Golden Gate Bridge on the bay, and very similar coloured homes across the city. With hungry tummies, we chowed down on some pancakes and poke bowl, before deciding a rest was well earnt. The hour of power (nap version) was undertaken, a quick change and refresh to the to beat the intense heat and ‘Day 2’ was essentially underway. We were off to Belém for the famous Pasteis de Nata, a beautiful custard tart type pastry. Despite some medical issues along the way, my eye was stinging and watering and we didn’t know why! Linda lined up for pastries whilst I went to the pharmacy - not a bad trade off! It was down to the wharf area for a final look after tucking into our desserts and we made our way back to Rossio Square for dinner. Sea Brim - with the head mind you! And bones! Very out of my repertoire, but delish! And Linda had a fish cake type thing, also great! After dinner it was gelato time, and some of the very best we’ve had! We also saw the scary and quite random elevator Lisbon has, then retreated to the hotel around midnight - time flies! Linda left at 4.30am to head back to Germany to work that afternoon, and I left at 6.30am bound for Barcalona and to see another WSU gem, Olivia! Sangria and Tapas here we come!

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