Tag: trip

Flat Michael project!

img_20190611_100824Dear General,

one year ago while chatting through your NeuroNode device during one of my 8 hours shift, I asked you: ” So General what do you want to do this afternoon? ” and you wrote using your assistive technology device : ” I want to tour Europe! ” I still remember my face when I red the message, I was hoping for a drink or a coffee in a nearby Cafe but you never liked simple and boring thing so I ended up thinking: ” Well that is easy enough! ” I went on youtube wrote : ” Tour of Europe ” and we started viewing 100 videos! Of course all of them were not fun enough for you so we ended up turning everything off and at that point I promised you that one day we will have travelled to Europe together! I still have impressed in my mind your 5 blinks of the eyes which means a BIIIIIIG YES and that was the ” end of the story! “

For me was ” just ” a new challenge and in my crazy mind I started thinking a way to make it possible and who knows maybe making a video that could gain your attention for more than 5 seconds!! So after all these months here we are, ready for this adventure! I have used intensely my only brain cell and finally I got it!! In fact, many years ago I remember that my cousin, who was studying in an American elementary school, sent me a request: ” helping him and Flat Stanley ” to visit Florence, my hometown! ” Flat Stanley ” if you do not know it, which is quite weird because you know everything, is a figure cut out of paper, with separate clothes, also made of paper, that are usually held onto the doll by paper folding tabs.  It is a great educational project designed to facilitate the improvement of the reading and writing skills of students, while also promoting an interest in learning about different people and places (this was centuries ago when internet was a dream). So after all this you might ask yourself: ” So come on Veronica, time is money ! What does Flat Stanley  have to do with me?? ” Well ” Flat Michael “, just relax and enjoy the trip because as I promised you, we are going to Europe! ” and you know what ? You also look thiner in this photo!! 

 

READY- SET- GO now please listen carefully to the Captain because our Flight to Valencia is leaving shortly!!

Trip bucketlist

  • Eat a really good Paella
  • Get drunk with a Sangria and be able to find the hotel room
  • Win a biiiiig poker tournament in Barcelona
  • See the MotoGP race and steal Rossi’s bike
  • Buy a really ridiculous item at the “ El rastro market “
  • Wear a red shirt in front of a bull
  • Eat a “Frankfurter Würstchen” and drink a jug of beer for breakfast
  • Go on the cable car built in 1957 in Cologne
  • Buy the Schockoladenmuseum in Cologne (even a small pistachio chocolate will do)
  • Convince Charles to jump of Berlin’s tallest bridge
  • Challenge a Berliner in a Ping-Pong bar and win a match
  • Climbing a WW2 bunker
  • Have a drink at the Ice Pub in Berlin
  • Try a real nakládaný hermelín in Prague a typical pickled cheese
  • Go to the top 10 pastryplaces in Vienna and try all the Sacher Torte pretending to be a famous pastry chef
  • Relax in one of Budapest’ famous bath and stay there from the opening time till closing time
  • Go to Venice casino and win big (or lose also since we are almost at the end of the trip)
  • Hop on a “Gondola”
  • Spend 154.634 euros for THE gelato at ” Cracco Gelateria ” in Milan
  • Visit the Ducati Museum in Bologna
  • Take Charles and Jessie everywhere in my hometown in Florence and show them the place where I first almost died for alcohol coma
  • Let Charles and Jessie eat the typical ” Panino al Lampredotto” before explaining what it is
  • Eat the typical “Saltimbocca alla Romana” in a Trattoria in Trastevere
  • Go to a concert at the Colosseum
  • Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain because this trip was a success and,as the tradition wants, we are going to come back!

Beyond the trip..

“Be with someone who inspires you and makes you be the best version of yourself ” – Roy T. Bennett CHARLES YOU ARE MY INSPIRATION!

This is the background of this trip around Europe: approximately 2 years ago, in Perth, Western Australia, I met Charles, a lovely young gentleman, smart, clever, handsome “30 years old again” man (Charles you can deposit 100 euros in my account) and while sharing some amazing moments together, I still remember our talks where we were just mentioning about travelling and dreaming with our eyes open (well since most of our talks were at 6AM I can admit I was still sleeping and “sometime” drunk).

At the end of February 2019 I had to temporary leave Australia for some visa restriction, while waiting for my nursing degree to be recognized. Although on one hand I was a bit sad, on the other hand I was now able to hug my loved one in Italy after almost 2 years and a half!

An apparently normal morning, I still remember receiving a phone call from Charles with the big news: “I am organizing a trip to Europe, do you think you will be free by the end of June-July?” I think it took me 5 minutes to accept whatever the offer was! I still remember the long conversation of a lot of blabla words and then two keywords : “MotoGP” in Barcelona and “the Casino“, well I was sold already! (I think it is not too difficult to convince me).

After that, time flew away and in a blink of an eye it was June already! Charles, since I think he knows the big danger he was putting himself in, has decided to travel with Jessie one of the best nurse in W.A. who I think should also be a top model and we are going to share this adventure together! I am just worried about one thing: we are going to share a double room together and last time I did it, the roommate complained with the receptionist about a “truck” sleeping in the bedroom (well I do not know what that guy was assuming but I did not hear it!!)

Well this is just a short introduction of the background of this trip but the only important thing is the new story that we are about to write, because this is a new chapter.. so stay tuned for the new Novel written by Charles S.- Jessie L. and Veronica S. and see you in Valencia guys!!

-7 IS THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

 

Here we are -7 till the day of this departure and if you are a person who easily get stressed before a trip, maybe this will help.

I am not a person who gets anxious before a departure and basically there are two reasons:
1- I love travelling and the main reason why I do it is to relax, so why should I freak out;
2- I learned that once you have got your passport, two different credit/debit cards, some cash, and since I am a nurse I should say also medications if you need them, all the rest is important but not essential (maybe an extra pair of clean underwear in your handbag could help!)

One reason why people get worried is packing. Personally I prefer an empty backpack to fill during my adventure rather than a full bag to carry on and this is the main concept of my idea of trip. One thing I keep repeating to myself while packing is:”A ICCHE’ TI SERVE?” [a ikkɛ ti: ˈs3ːrvə ]. If you do not know the Florentine dialect or vernacular which is a variety of Tuscan language, my hometown, this means, translated: “DO YOU REALLY NEED IT?” and unless you are a woman most of the time the answer is “no”!

However, what it really helps me when I am starting to pack is thinking where I am going and choose the most versatile things I have got, moreover you need to remember always that you can easily wash your things anywhere you go or buy them during the trip! Then what I usually do is putting all I am thinking about bringing on the bed and then I start! During my experiences away I have learned that no matter how long your trip will last, once that you bring with you 7 outfits which cover the week and one fancy dress you are good to go and this is one of the best practical advice I can easily suggest! The second one is keep repeating to yourself the magical mantra “A ICCHE’ TI SERVE?” and if you are able to find a reasonable answer which is NOT “it will be very useful in case of the apocalypse” then put it in!!

Finally, a great way to accompany this moment for me is listening to Bob Marley’ song “Don’t worry be happy”, yes because LET’S BE HAPPY, it is going to be another great adventure!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3HQMbQAWRc