It was magical, special, and very life altering in the best possible of ways.

 

I have absolutely no idea where to begin except to tell you, although outwardly I appear to have returned the same person (well, with a different hair color), my puzzle pieces have been rearranged.

 

On this journey I met people from all over the world. In Venice and Florence, I got invited to people's homes for dinners. In Florence, I met a family from Australia with whom I spent an amazing day in Pisa and evening back in the city and in Venice, met another family from South Africa who sought me out on our last night and invited me to take a gondola ride with them. And there were more and have been corresponding with them all as I traveled.

 

I fell in love with Florence and wound up changing my itinerary completely to be able to extend my stay in this magical city another week. During this second week, I took wine tours, cooking classes (in Paris, too), tooled around northern Tuscany and even spur of the moment hopped on a train one morning bound for Umbria (southern Tuscany) which proved to be one of my many life altering experiences.

 

While in the Pisa airport waiting for the flight to London, I met a wonderful woman who invited me to come spend the day with her and her husband out in Brighton Beach, this magical (this word will appear quite a bit in this letter) seaside town......think Jay Gatsby meets young Coco Chanel. I changed my itinerary (did that a lot on this journey), ditched London and hopped on a train bound for what would prove to be a day of making great lasting friendships and more special gems of moments.

 

I began this journey on June 18. I was nervous, scared (I'd never been so far away from home before and I was by myself), full of anticipation and having no idea what was about to happen to me and how this would change me and impact my life forever. I couldn't be more grateful for my friends who encouraged me (okay pushed a little---okay a lot!) and surrounded me with their unconditional love which kept me safe but allowed me to take risks and unzip the zipper of the wall I'd built around myself and my life. I learned something very valuable on this journey.......nothing is beyond my reach.

 

I learned to appreciate flavors, but more importantly, I learned to appreciate smells. This would be my discovery of how I would continue to "be in the moment" of this journey even as I left each beautiful city behind and, eventually, left it all. The Paris streets smell of perfumes and pastries. The streets of Venice smell like pizza and leather while Florence of tomatoes, garlic and lavender.

 

I began a journal the night before I left and have yet to read any of it. But, tonight, I'd like to share a few excerpts.

 

On Friday, June 25, I arrived in Venice.

 Here's what I wrote and it will tell you a lot:

'It's everything I've heard...All the research I did....All the photos I've seen and all the picture books I've read all rolled into one and a thousand times more. I threw away my maps today and got lost in Venice. I'm no longer OUT of my comfort zones but in them!'

 

'I hear the sounds of the church bells in the distance and the sounds of the people around me. I think I'll find myself in Italy. I think I'll lose myself first in Venice and work my way towards finding myself again as I travel and experience the magical moments of this journey.'

 

'I can't wait to go to sleep so I can get up in the morning and see what the day has in store for me. This is a new feeling and I'm savoring every morsel of it.'

 

Wednesday, June 30, My second day in Florence:

'Did you know those cords in European bathrooms weren't exhaust fan cords but alarms to let the concierge know you're having an emergency in the bathroom? I didn't but I found out really fast ;-)'

 

Saturday, July 3: Touring Tuscany:

'On my way with Mauricio to San Giminano and Sienna. It's a beautiful day! It's hot, the sun is blaring and, as I sit in the car waiting while he runs in to get something from his home, I feel the heat of the sun bearing down on my arm. It feels amazing and somehow comforting.'

 

Thursday, July 8, Leaving for London (and very sad to be leaving Florence):

'I'm so happy right now breaking through (and defying) all of my comfort zones, leaving a part of me wherever I have been then gathering up my "gems" to take them along with me on this magical journey.'

 

'As I've traveled on this journey, I have come to view pretty much everything differently. I'm not quite certain anymore exactly how my puzzle pieces fit together but I do know they've been drastically rearranged.'

 

Sunday, July 11, My "supposed" last day of the journey (left for Brighton not knowing what it had in store for me):

'  :'(  My last of this journey and I have a sweet feeling it's going to be a "gem" of an experience. The icing on the top of the most extraordinary and delicious cake!'

 

July 13:

'And we're off. Ciao! Ciao! Au revoir! Bueno note! Arrivederci! See you very soon. I miss you already.'

 

Friday, July 16:

'OMG! Is this what jet lag is supposed to feel like? I feel as though I've hit a brick wall and then was run over by a truck! A day for every hour of time difference. You must be joking.'

 

'I feel as though I'm still on my journey. Still exploring and figuring out the changes.'

 

Wednesday, July 21:

'I've been sharing my journey with a few people and the more I talk about pieces of it, the more things I realized I learned about myself and about my life.

I learned to appreciate flavors. I learned to appreciate time and "moments" and to make certain I have them.'

 

Thursday, July 22:

'You know---Sometimes I could throw my computers and my phone across the room. But, on a day like today when I can call my new friends halfway around the world, hear their laughter, get a strong dose of "positivity" and have it cost only $2.43---I rethink the throwing gesture and decide to guard them with my life!

Bless you Skype :-D'

 

 

I leave you this evening with this quote (not from my journal):

"We all let people into our lives, but you will find that really good friends let you into your own."

 

I have discovered, while traveling on this journey, that this is so true.

 

Thank you for allowing me to share........Susan