Hola. I’ve found its natural for me to turn to my Spanish when in here in Italy, they are similar in some ways and it helps me feel like less of a fireginer.
i arrived in Naples Saturday afternoon, via Paris, via Atlanta, via Saint louis. I was in the Atlanta airport at the exact moment the breaking news of the horrendous alleged terrorist attacks were happening in Paris. Needless to say, I was questioning whether or not I should get on the plane. I have flight anxiety as it is, add to that these acts of violence, and you can imagine how high the levels of anxiety were. I asked a lot of questions of the staff at the airline desk. I took many deep breaths to center myself and to make positive my anxiety was just that, and not my intuition trying to communicate with me. I was not the only person with concerns. We ended up taking off. And I was ok. I made it through the first two hours very nicely, I kept saying to myself in my head, “you can do anything for 5 hours” and progressively as the flight got closer to an end. We had a smooth flight. Thank goodness. I didn’t sleep a wink, but that’s not unusual for me. Thankfully, I had an amazing flight attendant from Paris to Naples (and a less full flight) and was able to take a whole row to myself, sprawl out and sleep! Woohoo.
3 flights and three bus rides later, I made it to my first destination, Montepertuso, Italy. High upon the cliffs above Positano. Slept 12 hours and hit the roads Sunday. First stop: path of the gods. Amazing. Seriously, amazing. I realized tonight, I’m happiest on trips when I’m hiking or walking along exploring, not necessarily shopping. In fact, I don’t really live shopping. I mean, I like certain things and I know what those things are, but going door to door and buying things I don’t need, it’s bit as high on my list as a nice hike in nature or on the beach.
I so loved this hike, even though my quads are still killing me from the who knows how many miles of downhill climbing I did toward the end. I’m also afraid of heights, so every now and again I had to stop and take moment as to not freak out that I was so many meters high. I found myself leaning to the side of the earth that was stable- on the parts of the hike where there was no barrier between me and plunging down a mountain side.
I met two cool English speaking couples – excellent!! Because I was beginning to feel like Carrie in sex and the city, when she is in Paris touring around alone. She’s lonely and doesn’t speak the language. It’s hard. It’s harder when you travel solo. I love traveling solo, but it can be isolating when you don’t speak the language, there can be times when being alone is magnified. Like dinner time. Tonight was one of those times. I tend to eat dinner early, or not at all, because I tend to eat lunch so terribly late. As I was finishing up dinner tonight, the restaurant got their rush of “normal” dinner eating people. All couples. I’ve had a hard day, even on vacation those can happen; the bus rides were really messing with me today. I was very, very nauseas, to the point that I felt pekid white after getting off the bus. I was also very tired from not sleeping at all last night. So, when I saw all these couples come in, it totally triggered the sadness in me that i was alone. And I always feel alone at dinner time when I travel, it’s really the only time I desire company on my trips. anyway. I know I’m not alone. But tonight, feeling that way, I let myself cry on the way back to the B and B. I got here and took a bath. I read a little and decided it would probably feel real good to get this out of my head and on some sort of “paper”. So, here it is.
Dont get me wrong. I’m having a great time. I made some friends here at the B and B. I made friends on the bus. I was Hit on by a stereotypical greasy Italian man…(haha), then flirted with by a wonderfully delightful Italian man, his family owned the little shop I was in in amalfi today. He said if he wasn’t working, he would drive me on his scooter to Ravello. He also gave me a wonderful recommendation for a sweet little spot to enjoy some tea so I could relax and rest and drew a map for me. That’s my kinda man!! And on ky first night I chatted it up with Francesco outside the square. He was so handsome. Fantastic hair. Traveling to the states Friday. Perhaps if I change my flight to leave out of Rome, I’ll see him. ☺️
Well, tomorrow I’m off to my next BnB in positano. And I’m getting a massage tomorrow night!! At first I was like, why would you get a massage on vacation, then in my bath tonight, I was like- my quads sooo need this massage. And dammit, so does my spirit. So, I’m going to investigate a secret positano hike and see what I can see. Make plans to get to Capri and Pompeii. And enjoy whatever it is I want to without feeling like I’m doing it wrong or missing out on something. After all, I can always come back. And I know I will.
A girl and her dog. 