Italy Update... It's a long one!!!

I have a new love in my life, it's name is Italy. I had the most incredible time when I was away in Italy, to be honest it was the first time I've wanted to share a trip with somebody. It was so beautiful and the people were great... it was just amazing. I shall do a daily recap for you based off my written journal. I apologise for the delay in the post, but I had been up since 3:30 a.m. the day I left Italy and then had a meeting at 6:30 that night, so I just couldn't make the post that day, then I had my presentation for my Social Psych and the Media class today so am finally able to get around to it now. Here it goes:

May 5, 2007
My day started... well, actually, last night. I never actually got to sleep. I crawled into bed around midnight assuming I would be able to fall asleep. Of course, I was wrong. I tossed and turned for about an hour and a half, worrying about things I probably didn't need to, then the boys came back and of course they were loud, but there loud upstairs so that was okay. BUT then they wandered down into my flat a bit after 2 a.m. and it wasn't like I was asleep, but I was trying! They were going to play poker in my kitchen, but they decided to go play in kitchen 4. Of course this was after much discussion from Susan and I and many 'I love you's' from them to us, no matter what I'll always love them... I'll miss their craziness, but I could definitely still hear them in the kitchen from my room and they were upstairs!!!! So I wrapped up in a blanket, put on my slippers and headed upstairs. Somehow, I got roped into talking and staying and before I knew it, it was 5 a.m.; time for me to get ready to go. So I got ready to go and finished packing and was ready to leave by 5:50 a.m. My train, however; didn't leave until 7 a.m., so I managed to find the boys or rather Fridg and Sepo and chatted with them for a bit before heading out and still made it to the station by 6:30 a.m. I waited for the train and ending up dozing between stops an caught an early bus over to the airport and got a much needed coffee! I was finally able to check in at 10 a.m. and then went to buy batteries for my camera, but of course I got the wrong size. This flight I was determined to get photos, so I did. At this very moment, I'm just in shock that I'm actually en route to Italy! I kind of keep mini-freaking out about and I think it's because it's the farthest I've gone away... I mean minus the whole England thing, but I knew where I would be going and what I would be doing and everybody spoke the same language. For this it's a total new and exciting feeling, I mean the mini-feeling is definitely not a bad feeling! It's quite difficult to explain, just know that it's good. Well the flight is 2 hours and 50 minutes long and we've been in flight for an hour-ish so an hour left and I've got to move my watch ahead! However, I should read over my Hamlet a bit, so as to not neglect my studies!

Later: I arrived in Pisa without a problem, the flight down was gorgeous and I got some really good photos. I handed my passport to the person behind the counter and he just stamped it without question, apparently I don't look very threatening! Hahah! I went to information and asked the best way to see the Tower, Baptistry and Cathredal and then how to get to Firenze (Florence) and the woman behind the desk told me to take the bus to the Towers then catch the bus back to the main station and then to catch the train, so I bought a .90 euro ticket and did exactly as she told me. I took loads of photos once I arrived at the Tower, 60 in just that area! I walked around a bit and went to go into the cathedral but it was closed, so I decided to go up the Tower, unfortunately the next tour wasn't until 6 p.m., but that was ok, I just wandered the shops a bit. When it was 5:30 p.m. I had to go and put all my bags in a lock box because the only thing we were allowed to take up was our camera. The stairs were many and were ridiculously steep at some points and it was funny because there were times when you could tell how tilted the tower was as you walked up, but I made it to the very tip top and when I say tip top I mean very tippy top!!! I did a few photo's of myself then a nice guy, on holiday with his family, offered to take my photo for me on the tip top. After that journey, and my legs finally stopped feeling like jello, I caught the next LAM alla bus back to the main train station. I arrived around 7:10 p.m. and got in line to ask for the next bus ticket to Firenze. It really wasn't to bad a price, I got the ticket for 5.20 euro and the next train to leave was at 7:29 p.m. It took about an hour to get there including stops. I was absolutely shattered and it was dark and I wasn't exactly sure where I was going, so I just took a taxi there, turns out I'm really not that far from the hotel! Oh well! I checked into the hotel and my room is HUGE! It's absolutely fantastic!!! This time I'm sharing a bathroom, but that's quite alright. After I briefly unpacked I realised I had not had dinner so I went in search of a place. I found one was just standing in line when this couple behind me came in and we got to talking and they decided to leave and try another place their hotel had recommended. I asked if they minded if I followed them to it and they didn't and we ended up chatting all they way there. They were from the UK as well and when we arrived at the new place we ended up sitting together. It was a really nice restaurant, all 5 courses, though we only had one and wine; which was incredible!! I had a great time speaking to them, we split the bill and the conversation was easy as if we had known each other for ages. At any rate, we finally left the restaurant a bit after 10 probably closer to 10:30 p.m. and people were still filling the restaurant!!!! Their hotel is just a bit away from mine and we eventually parted ways. Now off to plan tomorrow and SLEEP!

Hope you enjoyed day 1 recap... I'm now off to sleep. I shall post the rest tomorrow and hopefully pictures as well, I'm sorry I'm so slow to post this, but 5 days is a lot and a lot happend! Plus 320 photos to sift through and decide what to post and what not to post, lol. Hope this tides you over until tomorrow!