CIAO BELLA!

I made it to Italy! This is one of the destinations I have been dreaming about visiting for years. When I started planning my three month European journey, Italy was at the top of my list. I wanted my visit to be perfect. And although we know perfection is unattainable, just having my feet on the cobblestone in this country was perfect enough. I planned to arrive in September, check. When the peak season had died down a bit, check. And the weather would be ideal as it begins to cool down, check.

When I think of Rome, I think of Gladiator and The Lizzie McGuire Movie. No judgment please. My old co-workers would be surprised I have even seen Gladiator. Of course there are so many movies, television shows, etc. that feature Roman history and culture. It becomes all too familiar. But once you actually touch down in Rome, the entire city becomes so much more meaningful.

Eric and I arrived in Rome, checked into our Air Bnb, and immediately collapsed. After a week of sailing through Croatia, we had had our share of sleep deprivation. We decided to pick up some take away pizza {obviously}, grab a bottle of wine, and chill on our rooftop terrace which offered a panoramic view of our quarter in the city.

The following afternoon was overcast but we made our way to Vatican City for some lunch and sightseeing. The Pope had previously made an appearance of sorts as the entire entrance leading to the Vatican was filled with chairs, a sound system, and television presenters.

We skipped out on the Vatican museums *gasp*, but as budget travelers, sacrifices must be made. That was one of them. Since I threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, I shall return to Rome and will see the Sistine Chapel then. And the Pope!

The rest of our afternoon was spent sightseeing, eating pizza, and tasting every flavor of gelato we could. I absolutely embraced everything Rome has to offer, even in the short amount of time I spent here. A measly ten days, of which felt like ten hours.

I left London on July 31st. It is now September! By the time this post is published it will be October. That is Fall. That is Pumpkin Spice Lattes back home. That is almost the end of the year.

Where did this year go? God, and rachelenroute.com, only know. But I guess that’s the joy of writing a blog. I can always go back when I’m feeling nostalgic and remember exactly where each moment of this year went. I want to do more with the blog once I complete these ten months of travel. I of course want to continue blogging once home in California. It will force me to take advantage of all of the wonderful things closer to home that I take for granted. Grand Canyon, never laid eyes on it. Yosemite, never brought my camera. Every single beach along the coast of California, always just another beach.

I now have a backlist of ‘closer to home’ travels that I would like to conquer. Alaskan cruise? New Orleans for Mardi Gras? Head back to the Big Apple? But let’s not get ahead of ourselves… that’s just my overly active mind always concerned about

What’s Next?!

Europe has proven that I could probably travel for the rest of my life. There are so many incredible locations in the world with so many fantastic things to offer. Europe is just scratching the surface. And three months is just a taster of what Europe has to offer. For me, the world has become both smaller, and larger, within just a short year. It makes me want more, more, more! And I’m determined to make that happen.

Next up, more of beautiful Roma!