hola barcelona

My last day in Italy was a long one... I hadn’t slept well the night before and I wouldn’t be leaving the house for the bus until half midnight. I ate my first and last four cheese pizza. I was dropped at the bus terminal and left for Rome at 1.30am. It was a very long and uncomfortable bus ride, arriving in Rome at 5am. Once in the airport I killed some time on a facetime call with Mum which was great. I checked in my bags at 7.30a and departed at 10am.

Once I arrived in Barcelona at midday, I high-tailed through the airport to collect my bags and met Nat who was waiting for me. I immediately felt better as I slowly recalled how to speak fluent english and have my first proper face to face conversation in weeks. I met her mate Jy and we drove back to our pad some 45 mins out of the city.

We are living in an industrial type area in a ‘studio’ which caters to almost all of our needs. We have to walk some 100m to the work shed where we have access to a bathroom and wifi. It’s cosy and and comfortable. Soon as I dropped my bags we hit the sangria before going to the supermarket where we lost each other in the isles countless times. We enjoyed antipasto for lunch and in the afternoon we went for a roadtrip to visit some new friends. Upon arrival we had a beautiful BBQ dinner prepared by the parents and enjoyed getting to know our new friends. After dinner we were hired as gardeners for a few hours around their incredible Spanish home. Coming out with fourty euro was brilliant - equivalent to two full days working in Greece! We stayed the night there and enjoyed lazing around the following morning as it was raining outside. On our way out we stopped in the nearby town and had a wonderful 3 course lunch - starter, main, dessert with beer and coffee. I must say I have always cracked on about Italy’s food... but Spain - I think you are giving them a run for their money!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday have all been lazy days around the pad. No rush to get anywhere or do anything so we stumble around sleepy eyed until the afternoon where we might head to the local shopping centre and grab a couple of things or catch the train into Barcelona. We make lavish lunches - of seafood and antipasto and enjoy wine with every meal. This is living. Saturday afternoon we did some walking around Barcelona before stopping at a roof top bar and sharing a bottle of wine. A little further we stumbled across a nice square of restaurants off La Rumbla where we had lobster paella, a couple of bottles of wine and the most wonderful chocolate fondue cake. I spent more on dinner than I can ever imagine spending on myself before, but sometimes you just have to treat yourself! I was so stuffed after dinner, I fell asleep on the bus coming home.

It’s Monday today and unfortunately the cloud cover continues, disrupting our desire to relax at the beach. Later in the day the three of us will take a Wicked Van and road trip towards Valencia where we will spend the next few days at La Tomatina festival - aka the biggest tomato fight in the world! We will most likely come back on Friday where we will spend the weekend here and embark on our next road trip to San Sebastian which is approximately 6 hours north west. We will enjoy a few days there next week before coming back to Barcelona on the weekend where we look to be heading to our next destination - Morocco!

We heard it would be cold in Germany for Octoberfest so we just decided to go to Morocco instead! Ride a camel through the Sahara desert - why not!

It’s wonderful to not have an itinerary to be bound by, to make spontaneous decisions about where we are going to travel to, and what we are going to do next. Lucky I booked my flight home otherwise it would be very easy to stay on here. 

Not knowing what is around the corner is exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

I have no doubt that it is going to be challenging along the way, but for what I am coming to learn and experience - priceless.

Going places, Kassie xx

blessing in disguise

Italy has been just what my soul needed. After feeling lonely, lost and confused after the Greece fiasco, some TLC was exactly what I needed. For one and a half weeks it is difficult to distinguish between the days as each is very much the same. 10 hours at the beach, sun baking, reading, swimming, walking and playing with the kids. I don’t have to move far to shop with the dozens of immigrants trolling up and down the beach flogging off clothing, gadgets, bikinis and more. I bought a brilliant pair of fluro green bikini’s which didn’t last more than one wear before i accidentally put them in the wrong washing pile and now they are teal and much of my clothing is now purple. Rookie error. 

Last sunday I had the pleasure of catching up with one of my friends I had made last Italy visit. It was brilliant, such a blast from the past. I have since caught up with many others who i consider family and hope to catch up with a couple more friends in the next few days before I leave, it would be a shame not to.

I have enjoyed many of my favorite italian dishes and treats with only a few more to tick off the list. I’ve eaten far too much bread and not enough pizza and pasta. Coffee is even better than I remembered and I can’t get enough cola calipo’s on hot days at the beach.

Yesterday was a celebration day in Italy - “Ferragosto”. During the day people threw buckets of water on each other at the beach and in the evening we went to a friend’s place for a garden dinner party and ate and drank like kings. At around midnight there was the most incredible display of fireworks on the beach and we have the perfect view from their balcony.

I feel I have definitely had more than sufficient time here to live and breath with the most wonderful family. I will feel quite fulfilled at the end of my visit and look forward to coming back to visit again; whether it be in 2 years or 10.

Only 5 more sleeps until the real adventure begins. I have booked a flight to Barcelona where I will meet a friend and begin a Wicked van road trip around europe for a couple weeks... No plan on when or where we are going, but taking the open road to happiness and freedom. I have 8 weeks to fill in before returning to Australia and I am going to make the very most of it! 

Taking a shit-ass job in Greece may have just turned out to be a blessing in disguise - putting me on a whole new path of adventure.

I am on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the flight out of here and into the unknown.

Flying free, Kass xx 

viva Italia!

It is so wonderful to be happy again!

Following my arrival in Athens, I had two days to chill out at Al and Dim’s apartment. I had a pretty rough Ios cough so was feeling very under the weather, and I was still coming down from the recent events. I had a few tears over skype and lounged around like a potato only getting out of the house once for a few minutes to buy some food (and beer). Come friday I was felling much better. I had repacked my suitcases, one for Italy, one to stay in Athens and a small pack to take to Kalamata.

Friday evening Dim and I travelled 3 hours to Kalamata where we were also joined by two of his friends. We ate dinner on the way and after arriving past 1am, we were all very tired and went straight to bed.

Saturday morning we woke late and headed into the port town of Pyros. We put the boat in the water and travelled 10-15 minutes to the beach where we played bat ball, laid in the sun and swam for the afternoon. Later in the day around 6.30pm we took the boat out and went wake boarding which was a tonne of fun. The excitement and thrill of getting up cleared my mind of any worries or troubles and I felt free again.

In the evening we ate at midnight, where I brought in my birthday eating Kalamata olives in Kalamata! It was just as exciting as the time I bought a Swiss army knife in Switzerland! We then headed to a nice outdoor cocktail bar where I was suprised with a frozen yoghurt cake amongst half a dozen of Dim’s friends which he had called in! So sweet.

Sunday was my 27th birthday. Whilst not conventional - No Australia - No family - No friends - No gifts, it was a lovely day. We drove to this incredible beach club called KOA where it was full of sun decks and bean bags viewing down upon the beach. Music playing all day, and I only got out of the bean bag once for a swim! It was very, very chilled. In the evening we ate an early dinner (for Europe) by the beach at a Greek restaurant and I ate so much I didn't think I could move. Luckily enough I was able to get moving as we then drove to some waterfalls where we trekked through rocky paths to reach the falls. I jumped in the beautiful fresh water around sunset - 8.30pm and frolicked like a mermaid. We crossed many crabs on our walk back to the car just before it fell dark.

Beach club chills, Delicious Greek cuisine, and swimming in a waterfall - A lovely birthday, I am so thankful.

On Monday we returned to Athens where I flew out to Rome in the evening. Thankfully my flight was delayed which shaved off some time from the 9 hour wait I would have in Rome for my bus to Giulianova. Athens airport was impressive - for free phone chargers and wifi - which you learn while traveling, is priceless. In Rome, our luggage was lost - but then found. Again, a little bit more time taken off my wait. I made it up to the departure area around 2am where there were bodies all over the airport floor, sleeping amongst their luggage. Perfect. I am so glad I packed a beach towel which made my rest on the tiled floor much more comfortable then some. At 8am I grabbed a muffin on my way to the bus and left for my 3 hour journey at 9am. I am so glad I decided to bring my laptop which was able to provide me with entertainment for the trip and take my mind of my nanna bladder!

When I arrived at the bus station, Judy was waiting for me. I couldn’t help but cry tears of joy as I was so overwhelmed to see her. In the car was baby Michele and I couldn't believe my eyes. What a stunning baby boy. We drove to Roseto where I had my reunion with Sonia. I ran down the beach calling “Soniaaa” and she ran from the water crying “Kaaassieee”. I grabbed her in my arms and covered here in kisses - it was like something from a movie. I couldn't take the enormous smile off my face. I was so overwhelmed with joy to be back in Italy with the people I love so much. It was like a dream. I had to keep shaking my head to see if I would wake.

In the two days I have enjoyed since arriving, it has been very relaxing as I settle back in. We wake and walk across the road to the beach where we spend the entire day. In the afternoon, around 7pm we move to the lido where we enjoy apperitivo - an alcoholic beverage and a complimentary plate of food - ie, bread cheese and salami! My favorite time of the day! Then to the apartment for dinner which is just heaven in itself. I would marry Italy if I could.

I have arrived at the most perfect time, for this coming week - everyone takes as a holiday and comes to the beach and it’s a big party. Many wonderful friends I wouldn't not have likely been able to see, let alone spend so much time with, had I arrived at another time. There is that “mean to be..”

My heart is filled with so much love and joy and I am so grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.

I came across a lovely quote which I had on my computer last night which really resonated with me... 

“Wouldn’t it be powerful if you fell in love with yourself so deeply that you would do just about anything if you knew it would make you happy” - Alan Cohen.

To learning to love ourselves and making ourselves happy.

Kassie xx