Hi guys! Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the long hiatus. Can you believe it's been four months since I've updated this space? I guess I've been lacking diligence to keep this blog running since I post everything on Instagram anyway and every time I try to finish up this post, procrastination takes over. So it's been sitting in my drafts for a pretty long time.
However, today, I decided that I have to finish writing this post. Also, this trip brings back one of the most memorable trips I've had this year and I would really love to have this post to look back upon in the future. And indefinitely, this post will be a lengthy one so, bear with me, friends.
Before I start, I'd just like to say that Italy is still one of the most beautiful places in the world to me. There's just something wholesome about everything in Italy. You can't help but get sucked into its beauty and just be in awe of everything.
The Amalfi Coast is a place I've never thought I'd get to visit during one of my work trips. So when I had the opportunity to meet such adventurous crew who were willing to make that happen even during our very short layover, I was so ready to get onboard.
Right before embarking on our journey to Amalfi, we stopped by the famous Colosseum to take a few pictures. I haven't been to Rome in a long time, this is only my second time to Rome and I was lucky enough to get called up for this flight, so being able to see this view again was so rewarding.
The subway station was coincidentally just there, so right after that mini photoshoot we had, we took the subway to the train station where we would be spending a couple hours en route to our first stop in Naples, then Solerno.
We had to wait for quite a bit not because we were too early, but because the train was delayed for 40 minutes. None of us have had anything to eat right after touching down, as we rushed to pack and get ready to leave in just an hour (honestly my greatest achievement), so we had McDonald's right smack in the middle of the train terminal while waiting.
Tried to get some sleep in the train, but I also gave in to my excitement so I couldn't fall into a deep slumber. There's just something about looking out of the window and seeing a sight like this instead of the typical tall buildings we're so accustomed to. It was nice in a peaceful kind of way.
We had to endure another train delay in Naples on the way to Solerno, so the journey took longer than usual. We were all so tired by this time but all's good, because we're finally on our way to Amalfi. But that wasn't the end. We still had to take a bus from Solerno to Amalfi. The journey took another hour and a half.
Pro tip: Bring a bag pack instead of a luggage if you're planning a day trip in Amalfi because not only will you be dragging your luggage most of the time, the road that you will be walking on will be pretty bumpy and uneven. There will also be lots of stairs for you to climb, so bringing around a bag pack would be the most practical. It's definitely something I've learned after this trip because dragging around my Classic Flight Rimowa on this trip was honestly way too much of a hassle. So be smart, don't be like Ashhy. I was cursing my dumb ass all the way to Amalfi and back.
Oh my gosh, the satisfaction of finally reaching our destination was unreal. Honestly, the bus ride wasn't too bad either. We got to enjoy the sights and views of the Amalfi Coast and for first-timers like us, we were pretty excited about that. Another pro tip, sit on the left side of the bus to enjoy a more wholesome experience. You'll thank me for that later on.
Amalfi didn't disappoint. From the minute we arrived, we're constantly in awe with what this little village has got to offer. It's very otherworldly in its own way, at times I forget that I'm actually here on a work trip and not a holiday.
I've always loved Italian food, and the food here in Amalfi did not disappoint. We were all craving for some good, authentic pasta so we went to the first restaurant recommended by the owner of the apartment we were staying in, and boy, did we enjoy our first dining experience. What a way to kickstart our little trip here in Amalfi.
We stayed in an apartment facing the beach, located write smack in the centre of the coastline but of course, with no lifts around here, we had to climb 200 steps in order to reach our accommodation. But all was worthwhile when we say the view from our balcony (above) and being able to enjoy a view like that made us forget the kind of torture we had to put ourselves through each time we come back to the apartment. Well, that kind of torture was also a good way to work out after all that amazing food so I guess it all worked out in the end.
I mean, look at that, seriously. It could not get any better than this. Simply breathtaking.
At sunrise.
Here I am, bright and early, getting ready for the exciting day ahead. We're heading to Positano!
Imagine waking up to a view like that every day. I honestly could get used to this.
It started pouring when we were on our way to Positano. The weather has been more on the rainy side during that time, but we were definitely hoping that lady luck was on our side that day. Sadly, she wasn't. Even though we had to brave through the cold weather and heavy rain at the start, it didn't dampen our spirits and we continued exploring nonetheless. I was obviously not dressed for the weather but Kai was the sweetest thing, he lent me his coat and I was wearing that the whole time behind the scenes.
Hilarious how we still wanted to take photos despite the rain but somehow it still turned out pretty decent.
Alright! I'm going to stop writing and let you enjoy the sights and views of Positano from here on. You'll see exactly why it's not difficult at all to fall in love with this place.
Even I am surprised at the amount of landscape photographs I took on this trip, I just couldn't stop snapping! There's so much beauty everywhere, I felt so blessed to be able to soak it all in and I knew I had to preserve it somehow. Looking back at all these photos really brought me back to the time I was there.
We even stumbled upon a pretty little cafe located in the middle of the hillside as we were walking down after climbing the flight of stairs and decided to make a pit stop over there. There's a lot of little shops nearby as well where you can find little souvenirs to bring home.
How gorgeous is this cafe, really?
Of stunning views, coffee and awesome company..
And the never-ending delicious Italian cuisines we had on this trip.
When we got back to Amalfi after a day-trip to Positano, we stopped by the supermarket to get a few things for breakfast the next day before checking out. It's a simple spread, but so hearty indeed. We sat together on a table by the window and soaked in the gorgeous view for the last time. We were all feeling emotional at that time because we weren't ready to leave at all.
And that concludes the trip to Positano and Amalfi during my layover in Italy. Funny how our flight was to Rome but we didn't see much of Rome the whole time we were there because we spent most of the layover travelling out instead. But there was no love lost because I doubt the next time I'd get to see the Amalfi coast wouldn't be anytime soon so this trip was definitely worthwhile.
The biggest takeaway for me is meeting such lovely people to share this memory with. It's definitely something that doesn't happen every day in this job because we're constantly meeting different set of crew and people every day. But sometimes, somehow, fate brings a group of people together and everything just clicked nicely. That's why this trip will always be special to me.
Truthfully, it's hard to stay excited when you've been in this job for a while. I lost a lot of the excitement I used to have back then. I guess I've realised that a lot of these beautiful places and memories are nothing without having your loved ones to share it with. A lot of the times, I wish Luke was there with me. Especially this year, since we're about to be wedded, I find myself staying in a lot because I felt like there are moments and places I truly want to experience with Luke first.
I honestly can't wait till we start travelling the world together. There's so many places that I cannot wait to show Luke, and my favourite part is seeing how excited he's going to be because it would be his first time to everywhere. I can't wait to see that child-like innocence in Luke, just like how I was when I first started flying. Yes, honestly that's what I look forward to the most.
We have only a few months left to the wedding. The preparation is almost done, except for some of the nitty-gritty details. Nothing a last-minute prep won't fix. Two years of being engaged did help ease us of the financial burdens and the disappointment of not getting your desired vendors. For that, I'm thankful for the time we had to prepare for The Day.
But I'll save all the wedding talks for the next post instead, haha. Otherwise, this post is going to be longer than it was already planned to be. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see that my blog views is still going relatively strong despite the lack of updates. I've finally reached 100k page views! I find that so heartwarming because c'mon let's be honest here, nobody reads blogs anymore these days. It honestly doesn't matter if there's only a handful of you guys reading this, as long as I know that somewhere out there, my entries could do as little as being something you read to kill time or as big as inspiring others to start writing too, that's more than a good enough reason for me to keep going.
I promise it won't take me another four months for my next update.
Till then!
Love,
Your blog has been helpful in planning my Italy trip with my love. Thank you!
ReplyDelete