Today we are ending our Italian bus tour. I cannot say enough about this experience! Our Globus tour around Italy was outstanding. Our Tour Director, Ciro, was the kindest, most genuine person! He kept us safe and organized and shared so much knowledge with us! He entertained with his stories. Our bus driver, Mario, lived up to his name! He was a very skilled driver. I cannot imagine navigating these Italian roads!

We had the most amazing group travelling with us! It was such a pleasure getting to know them all!

As we were saying our goodbyes last night and this morning, I got to thinking about all the things I’ve learned on this trip. Here are just a few:

Drink the wine, eat the gelato and the cake! Italian gelato is the best! We’ve also had tiramisu, cheesecake, vats of red and white wine and lemoncello! They were worth every calorie.

Take the picture! I ve spent alot of my life not wanting my picture taken because I am self conscious. This trip, I’ve tried to quiet the self deprecating voice in my head. I’ve smiled for so many pictures and someday when I am looking back I will be so glad I did. We’ve made such great memories. Who cares if my hair wasn’t perfect!

Be a traveler not a tourist- remember what I told you in a previous blog- travellers experience life while tourists just want to escape it! I have tried to be a traveller this trip-embracing new experiences, meeting new people, having new foods. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines.

Slow down, take a breath, assess the situation then act- Kevin and I have learned this a few times so far (we are slow learners)! At a couple of places we got a little frustrated or were unsure and initially we didn’t take time to figure things out before we got stressed. Laundromats in Spain and Italy were a challenge! The bus station in Barcelona was big and confusing. In both cases, once we stopped, read signs, asked for help, we eventually figured things out! If we had just stopped and took our time initially, we would have saved ourselves some stress!

Rotate seats, adjust your viewpoint- on the bus, we had to change seats each day to give others the chance to sit at the front or the back of the bus. This was a great way, not only to meet other people but also to see different views out of the window. It’s kind of a metaphor for life- making small changes can make a big difference, not just for you but for others around you as well!

Put your camera/phone down and enjoy the view- too often I caught myself viewing the scenery through the lens of my camera. It is important to document so that you have pictures to look back on but don’t get so caught up in getting the best photo or video and miss the actual live experience! Be present! Take the time to enjoy things using all your senses! That way, when you look back at that photo, you have a full memory as well- the scent of that beautiful garden, the sound of the sea as waves crashed on the shore, the feeling of putting your hand on a fountain that ancient Romans used two thousand years ago.

Spend the money, where applicable, on a knowledgeable guide! We have seen some amazing places. The times we’ve had a guide with us, we learned so much! It definately enriched the experience. Also, having a guided tour, in alot of busy places meant skipping the long lines.

Appreciate where you are and roll with the punches. This was a longer bus tour and it was tiring. We had some snags along the way…roads closed, traffic jams, missing people, sick busmates, long lineups, aching knees. It was easy to get embroiled in the drama these things caused. I caught myself complaining a few times- I only had one pillow on the bed, the bed was hard, we had to wait for someone, my feet or knees was sore – it was simple and sometimes petty stuff! When I stopped and looked around and reminded myself that I was in Italy, I felt grateful. Gratefullness trumps negativity everytime!

“Piano, Piano”! Our tour guide, Ciro, said this to us everyday. Translated it means “Slowly, slowly”. It was a good reminder to slow down and not only watch where you were going but to stop and enjoy the journey along the way!

We continue our journey today, heading to Tuscany for a few days of rest and laundry!