"Summer" in London

Summer in London, at the best of times, is a fickle thing. It can be very warm for a week, raining and freezing the next and then blistering hot for a few days after that. It is unpredicatable to say the least.

However, Traveller's most favourite 'Londoner' characteristic is their willingness to proceed even in the most extreme weather. This characteristic was best exampled when T, hubbie and their flatmates went to Somerset House for a Summer Screen session. This is the perfect opportunity to watch a film in the courtyard of Somerset House, whilst basking in the summer air, and perhaps even have partaking in a picnic. A lovely summer activity.

Well, a lovely summer activity if there isn't a torrential downpour....

All day T and her flatmates had been watching the weather. It was sunny, then cloudy, then rainy and then sunny again. We decided to brave it and head for the summer theatre. The film of the day was 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' and T was super excited, and apparently everyone else was as well because the session was completely sold out. This was when T witnessed the stoic nature of the Brits.

As they exited the tube, the rain started to pour down - the umbrellas were taken out and we hurried towards our destination. What was surprising, was that everyone else came along as well. The cinema-goers came in hoards decked out in ponchos, with umbrellas and picnic bags full of nibblies and wine. Traveller's own British flatmate taught us a lesson in preparing for outdoor events in London - she packed oodles of garbage bags, picnic blankets, umbrellas and even pillows to make sure we were organised for whatever weather the elements threw at us.

As the weather cleared before the entertainment began, T and friends made themselves comfortable on their picnic rug, with blankets and pillows (yes, blankets in summer). Then, just as the film hit its stride, it began to properly chuck it down (Note: that's an English expression for 'it began to rain quite heavily'). T and friends quickly covered themselves with umbrellas and garbage bags, ensuring that they covered every inch of their clothes and bodies. They then relaxed, and simply enjoyed the atmosphere, however cold and soggy it became!

The film was truly funny, but what was best, was seeing hundreds of people braving the rain in order to watch it in such beautiful surroundings.

Racing for Life

With a sigh of relief, Traveller completed her first London run and is, as a result, forever addicted to her new hobbie!

The Race for Life could have been a scary event, full of competition and serious faces, however Traveller was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere at Regent's Park was one of fun and femininity, with over 5000 women involved. The purpose of the race is to raise awareness and money for cancer research - so while the race was fun, it was also one of mixed emotions. As Traveller ran her 5k, she had to keep fighting back tears as she saw so many people's shirts with signs dedicated to loved ones who had been lost to cancer, or even runners who were cancer survivors. It truly is a disease that affects everyone in some way or another.

But it wasn't all doom and gloom - after running around 4k of the race, there were male volunteers standing on the edge clapping as you went by and you even got a medal upon completion of the race. T was most impressed by her sister-in-law who, very averse to exercise and in particular running, managed to complete the race 15 mins earlier then previously estimated! Super effort!

The best part of the whole day, however, was being able to enjoy a pub lunch with the family in celebration of the money raised and calories burnt!

Ps. Thanks to all those who donated - 'twas very much appreciated.

La Dolce Vita

Two and a half weeks of Italian food, cities and sights has led Traveller (who has a reputation for being verbose) to write 1 blog with a list of the most memorable moments.... Traveller and hubbie travelled from Florence - Tuscany - Rome - Naples - Sorrento - Capri - Positano - Amalfi - Ravello.


Best Travel Moment (ever) - Ballet in Piazza della Signora

Whilst T and her fam walked home from a satisfying pizza dinner they stumbled upon a live, open theatre ballet performance. It was a goose-bump rendering moment, as the Piazza is surrounded by statues (it is where a copy of The David stands) and fountains (the fontana del Nettuno is here). These surroundings coupled with a superb ballet performance, ensured T was sold on Florence forever.

Most Mouth-Watering Meal - Otello Alla Concordia

While there were countless delicious food experiences, this one took the cake, so to speak. This restaurant resides near the Spanish Steps, and all it took was a simple bowl of spaghetti with tomatoes and basil to make T weak at the knees. (Oh, and the deep-fried zucchini flowers at the beginning of the meal didn't hurt either - yum!)


Most Breathtaking View - The Tuscan Hills

T and hubbie were lucky enough to stay in a gorgeous farmhouse in Corsignana, Tuscany. The farmhouse had a winery, swimming pool and an amazing view of the Tuscan Hills (from T's window).

Nearly-broke-up-a-Marriage Moment - The drive from Florence to Rome

As hubbie lost his wallet a few months ago (with driver's license inside) T was the lucky one that drove the hire car from Florence to Rome. Whilst driving on the other side of the road may not seem that difficult - when you put crazy Italian drivers into the equation you end up with two bickering spouses and one very nervous driver with very clammy hands. Oh well, T and hub survived - no scratches or bruises on them...or the car.

Cringe-Worthy Moment - Rome B & B

Upon arriving at the first B & B of their Italian holiday - T and hubbie were a little taken aback. It was not your usual B & B, but rather a flat near the Vatican with a middle aged couple and their very old mother. T and hubs's bathroom was detached from their room and was located next to the grandmother's room. The Italian nonna slept with her door open and was known to fart very loudly at night! Not the ingredients for a romantic Roman holiday!

Biggest-sigh-of-Relief Moment - Sorrento B & B

Upon staying in our 'romantic' Rome B & B for four nights, T started to get nervous that all of the accomodation that she had booked was going to be similar. The sigh of relief came when their Sorrento B & B was absolutely perfect! It came equipped with a driver to and from town, a beautiful view of all Sorrento and....their own, private bathroom! Traveller has never been so happy to see a shower in all her life.


Most Unnerving City - Naples

T and hubs are unsure of why exactly Naples was unnerving. It could be that there was a rubbish strike on and rubbish was piled high on the streets wherever they went. It could be that there was also a transport strike on while they were there - so there were no metros, no buses and no trains. Or it could just be that it is the main base for the Italian Mafia. Whatever it was, we could not get out of there fast enough! Good pizza, though.

Favourite Sightseeing Spot - Vatican Museums or Pompeii

T and hubs loved being inside the Sistene Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica - moments of such a magnitude that T can't really express what it was like. The other awesome spot to see was Pompeii - an entire village that was buried under volcanic rock - amazing!

Best Run - Florence

For the first four nights, T and hubs were accompanied by T's brother, sister-in-law and parents. T's brother is an avid runner, and had mapped out a fabulous route which included running over the ponte vecchio. Following this, unfortunately, all of T's runs were quite a dismal effort. Her run in Tuscany lasted 15 mins - 'twas too hilly! And unfortunately, her run in Sorrento was cut short due to an unfortunate incident with a couple of goats - which had her running much faster than usual!

Favourite Italian Hot-spot - Positano

This is a tough call - Traveller loved most of the places that they visited. However, Positano is one of the most beautiful seaside villages that T had ever been. For those of you unfamiliar with Positano, it is a village built entirely on the vertical and the only way you get anywhere is by the millions of steps that connect the roads, restaurants and houses. The food was great, the beach was perfect and it was just beautiful.

All in all, T and hubs first proper European trip was a success! They have many stories to tell, and two great tans as evidence.