It is currently June 22, 2016. I am sitting in a
100-year-old venetian style bed. The Italian read comforter on the bed is
flanked by a brass headboard and footboard. To the right of bed is a set of
long, thin French doors that open out to a private balcony that looks over the
Mediterranean Sea. Our (my mother and
I’s) room faces the ocean, but had we also been so lucky to be in a room that
boasts a balcony on the opposite side of the building, we would have had an
equally majestic view of the mountains. We are in Formia Italy, a little
seaside town south of Rome that even many Italians have not heard of. But I am
getting ahead of myself. Let me back up a bit. Let’s back up 12 days to the
beginning of my trip and the crossing of the pond (AKA the longest 48 hours of
my life!)
I somehow managed to fit 35 days’ worth of clothing into a
carryon piece of luggage. It was definitely hard deciding what to pack when I
knew I was facing 90-degree weather in Rome, 70-degree weather in the UK and 40-degree
weather in Iceland! But I decided to pack for the happy medium of 70 degrees
and resigned myself to being just a little too hot in Italy and just a little
too cold in Iceland. I hopped in the car
and Sam drove me to the airport.
On the way to the airport I cried. Now let’s be real, I am
an easy crier. I cry multiple times a week (just a couple tears)- mostly in
response to something I find touching, or pitiful, or terrifying, or adorable,
or devastating, or invigorating…… I think you get my point. Anyway, I cried because I was going to miss
Sam and my dog, and my friends, but mainly Sam. And Sam gently reminded me that
I was, in fact, about to fly to Italy, to spend time with my mother, walk
ancient cobble-stoned streets, eat homemade pasta, and attend a stimulating
writer’s workshop. He also reminded me that I would see him in a short 14 days,
in Rome. With that logic, I couldn’t help
but agree, so I hopped out of the car at the Indianapolis airport, quickly
kissed Sam goodbye, demanded that he send me daily pictures of our dog, and
headed off to catch my first flight to New York where I would meet my mother.
The first two Flights went off without a hitch. I flew to
NYC and met up with my mom and then the two of us flew to Toronto where we
would catch our flight to London. Unfortunately, this is where our luck ended.
Check out the Vlog (Video Blog) below to see how our trip unfolded. (Sorry
about the poor editing- I only have time to throw all of the footage together and
call it good!)
-Kelsey
PS-I know that the dates are off and this was uploaded the
25th not the 22nd but it wasn’t until now that we had a
strong enough wifi signal. Enjoy!
