This day was for centering, reflection, and planning forwards. We have had so many ideas and plans and uncertainties rattleing around in our heads and we needed to get some calm. We are really conflicted as we approach the end of the route we had in mind. We both encounter homesickness in fleeting moments, whether it's as silly as missing our blowdryer and straightener or as deep as longing to see a person that we miss. We are really fortunate to be able to talk about these things with one another and be each others support system. The internal conflict comes into play when homesickness meets desire to nomad. We are obsessed with Italy and typically totally absorbed in the present, hence our usual lack of planning! We are soaking up every moment of where ee are but we have a seerious case of the travel bug, there are endless places we want to go. We are fearful that some of these are now or never. It seems unlikely we will retire our pencil skirts and disregard work emails in future years to be dirty hippies living out of a backpack with no plan and few commitments. We want to see Morocco, we have both dreamed for years of a trip to Africa to volunteer, Kelly longs to travel Oceania and Jenny is dying to go to Thailand. The thought of time in a disciplined Ashram strikes our fancy, and so does some time in China. We don't have the money for these right now, and we both have people and upcoming events at home that we are ready to get back to. We decided Almafi was the place to go to mellow our conflicted souls. The Almafi Coast is amazing and the most celebrated in Italy (although we still hold Cinque Terre as an untouchable number 1 in our hearts) and we intended to find and hike Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods) a well famous 6 hour mountain hike. Yea we are just as surprised as you that a long hike appeals to us more than cafe chilling or window shopping...our inner dirty hippies must be really thriving. After an insanely long windy bus ride from Sorrento along the edge of the cliff (think the crazy mountain top toads on which James Bonds high speed chases occur in Austin Martin convertibles) we arrived in Almafi. Wrong place for our path we learned but awesome seaside village surrounded by cliffs with aqua water. We ate crepes in an Italian cafe where the smiley server pridefully told us about the greatness of Almafi and gave us his address so we could write to him when we wanted to return, gotta love those Italian men!
We have come to terms with the fact that this trip will not cure our travel bug, and that's okay.
As much as we feel we need to go everywhere right now, if we hold ourselves to everything we have learned on this trip then we know our travel adventures are far from over. The challenge will be coming home to a society that prizes work and "adulthood" over all else.
After a long chat about home and travels and life, We hopped on a bus back towards Sorrento. We decided this was a good place to map out the last leg of our trip. After some down time and a quick jog for Jenny, we grabbed a salad in the restaurant of our hostel and camped out at the computers. We looked at going to Africa, asia, etc etc. But the reality is, we need a planning break! Despite our lack of planning style, when you're backpacking with no set plan, the reality is you plan everyday. Plan plan plan. Our brains (and bank accounts) need a holiday. So together we decided when were done with Europe, as our rail pass expires, it's time to go home. And time to get excited for it! So... I guess you could say that's the plan :) bed time... Tomorrow were going to.....???
We have come to terms with the fact that this trip will not cure our travel bug, and that's okay.
As much as we feel we need to go everywhere right now, if we hold ourselves to everything we have learned on this trip then we know our travel adventures are far from over. The challenge will be coming home to a society that prizes work and "adulthood" over all else.
After a long chat about home and travels and life, We hopped on a bus back towards Sorrento. We decided this was a good place to map out the last leg of our trip. After some down time and a quick jog for Jenny, we grabbed a salad in the restaurant of our hostel and camped out at the computers. We looked at going to Africa, asia, etc etc. But the reality is, we need a planning break! Despite our lack of planning style, when you're backpacking with no set plan, the reality is you plan everyday. Plan plan plan. Our brains (and bank accounts) need a holiday. So together we decided when were done with Europe, as our rail pass expires, it's time to go home. And time to get excited for it! So... I guess you could say that's the plan :) bed time... Tomorrow were going to.....???
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