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Ah Italy... you really are what dreams are made of! and jeez you were worth the wait!
One of the first things Josh and I bonded over while dating, was our dream to go to Italy some day! We really wanted to go there for our honeymoon... but then we got married during finals week...
Then, once we were married, we started saving some money for a trip over the summer. I had called the travel agency, picked our dates, everything, and then... we found out we were going to be having a baby that summer! haha
so it took some patience, but this trip did, eventually, fall into place at just the right time!
So, you'd think after all this waiting I would have hardly been able to stand waiting any longer! but as many of you know, when it actually became a reality I started freaking out! You see, when your a mom you suddenly change all perspective... and going on a international adventure was not so simple anymore!
What if Isla misses me!
What if she doesn't sleep well!
What if she doesn't like me anymore when we get home!
What if we spend too much money!
What if our hotel bookings go wrong!
What if she cries the whole time we’re gone!
what if the driving is so sketchy we can't get anywhere!
what if she thinks we abandoned her!
what if we miss our flights!
what if
what if
what if
Well guess what? worrying is about as effective as chewing bubble gum to solve an algebra problem! Almost everything I had worried about didn't happen, and anything I didn't think of did! But that's OK! That's where the memories and adventures come in anyway.
Isla was FINE! In fact, she LOVED staying with her Grandparents! She got way more spoiled and more attention than she could have ever hoped for! And she learned new things too-- and practiced being adaptable.
I actually feel like I need to tell parents out there that are thinking about going on a little vacation, with your spouse, to GO!
If you have relatives you absolutely trust, (and are amazing enough to be willing to help) and your kids absolutely love, they will love it too! You will get that invaluable time together with your spouse!
It's a win win for sure!
Here's the number one question I got asked: Expenses!
GUYS heres a big thing! We actually found this deal on Groupon- of all places! It included flights, hotels and a car, and I really thought it was too good to be true! but it was true!!!
I am definitely the type that likes to save money, so even buying a sweater is a big thing for me! You can only imagine my anxiety buying a Groupon for a vacation!
But it turned out to be a pretty good deal after all. (Although now that were a little more familiar with Italy we might be able to match it on our own... )
Also, something we did to ease my anxiety before the trip: was map out an excel sheet for everyday of the vacation, and the expenses we were going to have to pay- right down to gas money for the car. We upped everything to a few dollars more after the euro translation- just to be sure- and then when we ended up spending much less than we budgeted for, it felt so good! It also gave us some good wiggle room for those unexpected expenses that pop up out of no where!
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Anyway... I'm kind of just wring this for memories sake, or to maybe encourage another anxious mama out there that if you can do it, you really should :) Hope you enjoy some highlights from our trip, and hopefully it will help with planning yours!
Positano
Ah, the town I had pinned on Pinterest 5 years ago! This was one of our first day trips because it was at the top of my list of places I wanted to see! I had spent months researching how to get there from our hotel, and pretty much all the info said DON'T DRIVE!This was literally one of the craziest, twisty turny, narrow, cliff side roads in the world, but after researching bus schedules and blah blah blah we decided to just go for it! After all, Josh felt his Ghanaian driving experience had pretty much prepared him for anything!
and I'm SO glad he drove!
Holy cow, I would have had a heart attack! but instead I got to enjoy one of the most breathtaking experiences of my whole life!
Looking over those amazing cliffs, into the turquoise water, and beautiful colorful towns! it was MORE than picture perfect.
Once we got to Positano, we easily found an expensive parking spot (something everyone said we would not find ha) and just explored this absolutely charming town on foot. On our way back up, we stopped at this restaurant that had a table right on the edge of the cliff-- overlooking the whole town! It was incredible.
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| This restaurant! This view! |
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| finally, a car my size! |
Ravello
On another day trip, from our hotel around the Sorrento area, we took another absolutely crazy drive trough the back roads of Naples and up and through the mountains to get to Ravello. (we only stalled our manual car in the middle of a makeshift, narrow, intersection- but it's fine!!)
This was a quiet town in comparison but so lovely! We had great pizza and gelato- but what else do you expect!
We also marveled through an ancient garden, adored with statues, that overlooked the turquoise sea... so ya... that too
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| don't mind the fact that my eyes are always closed! Also, getting a shot of both of us was quite difficult when no one knew how to use our camera and we couldn't explain it to them because they didn't speak English. You'll see lots of single shots haha |
Capri
We took a boat straight from our hotel to the Island of Capri! The water was mesmerizing! The most clear crystal blue you've ever seen! but the main city was crowded and full of designer shops! I was just like, "of all places, you're going to put Louis Vuitton and Gucci on this tiny little island in the middle of nowhere?!" haha but apparently that's what its known for! The vacation spot for the rich and famous... except we weren't rich or famous... so maybe that's why Capri wasn't necessarily my favorite- but still not complaining!!!! Everything in Italy is amazing, this was just maybe a level 2 ya know?
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| if you kiss under that arch legend says your love will last forever- we kissed under that arch |
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| oh just another casual lunch view... |
Pompeii and Herculaneum
OK so this was cool! We decided to take a guided tour through both cities so that we didn't just make up our own imaginative facts along the way, and it turned out to be great!
I say "it turned out to be" because when we first got there we were so mad at ourselves for booking a tour because we were about 30 years younger than anyone in the group.
We were like "oh great, this is going to be a long day..."
and it was.
But we learned so many things we could have never even made up in our minds! And saw so many more important places than we could have found on our own. It was absolutely fascinating to be walking down 2,000 year old streets that were almost perfectly preserved. A must see for sure.
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| 79 AD |
Rome
We left our hotel in Sorrento and went to stay in Rome! They're not kidding around when they say this place in eternal!
Literally, almost everything you see is 2,000 3,000 years old! Absolutely mind blowing! and we got to cross a lot of checks of our bucket list!
Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Sistine chapel, Vatican CityTrevi fountains and so much more!
I'd say the only down side the time I threw up in a Mercedes Benz Uber-- ya... it was bad. I got so sick one of the nights but luckily the driver was really sweet and didn't kick us out- not sure how I get the stomach flu on every international journey I've ever taken, but I've come to expect it now.
But back to the amazing part! It was amazing... ok end of story.
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| in anther country! Vatican City! |
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| another "quality" shot by a stranger! Grateful for them though, some people straight up said "no"- those who actually took our pictures were really nice! Made a lot of friends trading taking pictures for them too! |
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| just posing with gelato because #tourist |
I hope you didn't mind my super casual writing style, I just wanted to get this all down real quick before I forgot if I waited any longer!
I just want to end with this sentiment:
Don't let your anxiety win. And this doesn't just apply to traveling-- whatever dreams you have-- go for it, go live them!
Life will happen in all the moments you never even thought to worry about. So, you might as well go out there and live your life to the fullest!
I'm not saying leave all your responsibilities behind, but every once in a while we deserve to treat ourselves to experiencing something you've always dreamed of doing!
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It's now back to the #momlife for me, but boy does absence make the heart grow fonder. This was just the refresher I needed to feel like myself again but also somehow bring it all back to her, and my husband, and just how much I love them.
We now have these memories to cherish for a lifetime.
I wouldn't have our "honeymoon" any other way.
