I had the chance to spent 14 days away from home mostly with myself and the unfamiliar and it was brilliant. There were a few things I wish I am more of, but then again, that what makes me - Me.
Started my journey with 6 days in London, exploring the city over 2 days and the rest day trips outside London to see Harry Potter, Oxford and Brighton. I wish I have all the pictures with me but sadly my phone got stolen on my last day in Italy en route to Dublin, however Alhamdulillah all is well, it was just my phone.
London was all kind of lovely, I can almost picture myself living there. People are super polite, everywhere you go is picturesque I cannot let go of my camera app (my trusty xz1 had a memory problem hence I was very reliant on my six. :() - I heard a lot of complaints on the weather but I reckon I can make do with it! But almost everything was super expensive too.
My Raya was fun! Had a short stint helping out at the dapur with the head chef (which to my surprise is a guy) before I hit the sack because day at Brighton really took its toll on my body. You know all the excitement people feel on Raya eve which I havent feel in a while? Yeah, I frikkin got that - away from my family, who would've thought!
On Raya evening, me and a friend made our way to Roma! and it was freakin dry and super warm I almost wish I am back in Malaysia. Had a really bad head ache on the next morning en route to Colesseo - not fun not fun. The Colesseo on the other hand was magnificent. It is amazing to think how people way back when came up with such structure and also how your status play a huge role in placing you in society it almost made me sick thinking of it. Like, how thankful I am now we are living in a world that is putting less and less emphasis on that - even though not entirely diminished.
We then made our way to Vatican City which was jawdropping to say the least. Ah lahvly! Ended the day with a visit to Piazza Navona with gelato in hand and made a pit stop at Pantheon it was majestic omfg - also visited Trevi fountain but it was under renovation - so not funny Roma!
Moving forward, we continued our journey to Cinque Terre the land of super polite and friendly Italians (!!) I kid you not! We hitchhiked to Riomaggiore from La Spezia because apparently the host from Ostello (Tramonti - Hostel) forgot to inform that there was no bus service on the day we arrived and we got free rides from an adorable and friendly Pakcik Taxi and a random stranger who lives in Manarola (another kampung after Riomaggiore) who cannot speak nor understand English but was ever so kind to give us a ride anyway.
The remaining three days, we spent it lazing around the beaches. Monterreso had our heart and burnt our skin the most :P, Vernazza was quaint little kampung with narrow alleys, Manarola gave tiny fun with youngsters all around and my ever so fav Riomagiorre feels a snug alright - a feeling that I always loved. The seafood snacks, crushed iced coffee and pizzas are da bomb dot com. For future reference: Cantin d' Miky in Monterresso serves the best pasta out of all 5 villages hands down!
Corniglia was the only village that we didnt set foot on, it was so hot and there were one too many steps to hike up no thank you.
After full three days in CT, we then made our way to one last stop before ending my trip in Italy which was to visit Lucca and Pisa in one day. Lucca came in such an adorable surprise where you can see the locals everywhere (unlike Rome, mostly dominated by Chinese - I know! I was quite surprised too!) and they were super stylish and friendly! Roamed around the famous Lucca wall with bicycle and visited the churches, museums and trying out the food joints I found on the internet - they didnt disappoint me one bit!
Bid adieu to Lucca in the afternoon for Pisa where my phone got stolen. Got pick pocketed within our proximity. I still feel sad thought but benda dah nak jadi, hence i only have like 10% of my Europe trip pics. :(. So instead visiting the Pisa tower and high fiving everyone trying to take picture holding up the leaning tower - we head down to the airport and found ourselves a BnB to crash before our flight to Dublin 6AM the next day.
Dublin: People asked you how youve been and they demand honest answer. Sigh how lah can I not love Dublin?? Sole purpose visiting Dublin was to see Ed Sheeran. We slept most of the time due to the jetlagged (me mostly because i suck) and tiredness going in and out of the airport for the past few days. So started the day late, most prolly at 2pm, had our lunch, strolling around the malls (which was super cheap! Because as the Italians put it, SALDI! *ahem Sale* everywhere sigh I almost died - I am not one who shops when travel but This, i made an exception (also goes to the same with London <3)
We sorta got lost on our way to Croke Park for the concert and fate had it that we bumped into a Dubliner who lived in Malaysia for quite sometime and he just went flippin excited that "It is not that often you'd meet Malaysian princesses like this" (see what I mean??? Maybe me and Ed are meant for each other because Ireland, is so warm heheheh) and proceeded to talk in little Bahasa that he can remember, he told us where to stop and we continue talking and exchanging numbers.
Then, come the closing of the trip EDDDDDD SHEEEERAAAAAN!!! Man frikkin mental, awh we witnessed a proposal in front of us during the Tenerife Sea "so in love" riffs that Ed plays on and on and on, I was just so touched, can my prince come already?
The whole set was so surreal, I cried at A-team because it finally has sinked in that I was there soaking in his set, I was finally exploring unknown cities on my own and that I was way away from home and was having the best time of my life.
And did I tell you Ed brought Kodaline and Glen Hansard for "All I want"????? SIGH MY HEART.
The pakcik taxi back was so proud of Ed Sheeran too, Dubliners, you A+ people you! <333
lovelovelove,
D.
<3
