Day 12....and finally home

Day 12 

I was up most the night in anticipation of the flights.

I went for a walk when it was daylight and had a final coffee and Italian pastry and tried to relax and bond with Italy once again. 

I called to book a taxi for 1130am which surprisingly arrived given they only spoke Italian. I got the the airport and waited outside a little while to compose myself and join the Emirates check in line again. 

I went in and no one was in line so was seen straight away. I handed over my passport, digital passport declaration, vaccination, flight confirmation and finally the negative covid result. All accepted! He said I would have to go through the Covid screening again in Dubai to be allowed into Australia so not 100% home yet but allowed out of Italy.

With 3 hours to spare before the flight took off, normally I’d go shopping, eat, order a drink and relax but I headed straight to the gate and was the first person there, and waited patiently for the flight to take off. I have always loved  travel and adventure and now all I could think about was the plane being hijacked and crashing so just wanted to get through the fist flight to calm my nerves.

I’m happy to report that there were no other issues along the way and pleased to say 24 hours later I have landed in Sydney exactly 11 days after I was initially due  to come home. 

I’ve been gone from the family for exactly a month (plus 3 more days away from Hayley and Ben as she has Covid the week I was leaving) so am ready to catch up with everyone including endless snuggles from Loki. The longest I’ve ever been gone in the past is 2 weeks, so it will take some time on both sides to get used to being back again.

I’m really hoping I can take the first 3 weeks of my amazing Italy experience, and hold onto that for a very long time and the final 12 days will become a distant memory. 

Thank you everyone for all your encouragement, helpful advice, to the lawyers and embassy/consulate available 24/7 and to my amazing family and friends, you really helped me navigate out of this crazy situation. I cannot wait to hug those who are local, and see my Italian and UK friends again in the not too distant future. 

I’ve never been to happy to be back in Sydney, and was welcomed by the entire Gunzie team at the airport (my 4 favourite people in the world), had huge snuggles with Loki at home and was welcomed with flowers and a Cake Cave Official Polly spectacular (which is exciting as we never get to eat them). 

Now is time to sleep!

Covid 'Rescue Mandi' update

Thank you everyone for your emails, messages, constant calls, and support this week. The calls from friends all over the world have been amazing and have kept me feeling like there will be an end to this situation at some point!

I think the last report was Day 8…it’s all a blur now. But today is Day 11 and it feels like it’s been a month since then with all that’s happened over here.

Day 9

After testing positive on the PCR this morning the doctor said my next test would be 8 April and I had to quarantine here until then, with no tests in-between.

I worked all day with my friends Elizabeth & Kas, and they spoke to the medical team at the hotel numerous times, unfortunately, unable to get me back to Tuscany (as its a different region with different rules to Rome) but I AM  allowed to leave the hotel in Rome to quarantine at an apartment.

I immediately jumped online and booked an Airbnb in an area called Ostia, by the beach and with lots of pharmacies (12 in the local area, one positive about Italy being a country of hypochondriacs) so I can get supplies including vitamins and lots of RATs.

Kas then arranged the special transport taxi service for me, as I was not allowed regular transport as I was still considered ‘infectious’. This was arranged for 7 pm and I was not allowed out of my room until that time.  He drove me 30 minutes to the apartment and needed 70 euros in cash. I had no cash as I was about to get on a plane when it all happened. We stopped at the ATM on the way but all 3 of my cards were rejected so he very kindly drove me to 2 other banks, I called Ben (and woke him) and he said Comm Bank was down, just my luck right now…finally, one of the ATMs worked, thank god. 

Leaving the hotel was a very surreal experience, fresh air, sunset in the taxi, and arriving at my own accommodation with amenities such as a fridge, bathroom supplies, heating/aircon I could control, kitchen accessories, and a lock on the door was all so calming. 

My sole focus is now getting a negative RAT at the apartment so I can then go to the official pharmacy and get clearance to fly home. 

Feeling more attainable now that I am not reliant on hotel staff to try and help me, and I can get my own medical supplies and food! 

Day 10

Looking back on it, I was pretty sick in the hotel but running on so much adrenaline I pushed it all back so I could function. I had a fever for a few days, a cold, tingly lips/tongue, achy, and very tired. 

So now juggling the back of these symptoms with heavy anxiety and post-traumatic stress is not an ideal situation but I’ve still got a few hurdles to concur before I get home so just need to hold it together a little bit longer. 

I woke up feeling really sad, filled with anxiety, and too upset to really leave the apartment. After a meltdown over the phone with family, followed by a shower I headed out and it was a crisp sunny Sunday morning in Rome, 12 degrees and just what I needed. Some fresh air on my skin and to move my body after only doing 50 steps a day in the hotel maximum so my body is very sore and achy. Not sure if that’s covid or just the lack of movement. 

I went to the pharmacy to pick up lots of RATs, zinc, magnesium, vitamin C & D, and some Berocca because why not. I do realise this might all be a placebo but will make me feel better taking it all. I then went to the supermarket to get some organise juice, yoghurts, toiletries, and a few treats. 

I walked down to the beach to see the ocean and just be in the outdoors and in the sunshine. Every time I saw the police, my heart skipped a beat thinking they might be looking for me since I am meant to be confined to the apartment. I felt like a fugitive!  By now I had been out an hour and was completely exhausted so headed back to get some calls done and start working through what paperwork I would need to get back home and how I could organise this. Then fell asleep on my laptop for 2 hours.

I spoke to my psychologist at home, who was so helpful as always and helped put this whole experience in perspective for me. She talked me through how to keep moving forward to get home whereas all I want to do is crawl into a ball and sleep. 

After my nap, I did a RAT in the room and as usual, it came back negative but I know from the last few days that means nothing as it might still be positive at the pharmacy.

I spoke to the airline and consulate to triple check what I now needed post-covid to get on a plane. I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the recommended pharmacy which was 2km away. With no buses or taxis in sight, I slowly walked there with my passport and all my tests. I was feeling so anxious that I thought I was going to vomit when I got there. I did the test and could not believe it came back NEGATIVE. I asked 4 various people at the testing center if this was all I needed to travel and they all confirmed. 

I walked the 2km back to the apartment so I could call the airline and book my flight. After being on hold for 90 minutes, I was able to speak to a human who managed to re-book my flight home for Monday (Day 11). 

So while I am trying to remain mildly optimistic, until I am on the second flight from Dubai to Sydney I am still aware I could be stopped boarding in Rome and also in Dubai. 

I am petrified of heading to the airport today but if there is the slightest issue at boarding I will leave the airport and work through it all, as I cannot afford to be put in the airport covid line again and go back to the hotel. I just need to put on my big girl pants one last time today!

But hopefully, this could be the last entry on here, and I’ll be in Sydney in 36 hours. 

Covid Crew 22…continued

Thank you everyone for your emails, messages, calls, and constant support this week. This has kept me feeling like there will be an end to this situation at some point!

Ok so from my last report Day 5, things have not gone so smoothly.

I’ve spent most of my days speaking to the Australian Consulate in Canberra, the Embassy in Rome, an Australian lawyer in Rome, and a local doctor too. 

Today is Day 8 and my RAT was mildly positive today. They have done a PCR and if that comes back negative tomorrow I am then free to go (apparently). If it’s positive I could be here another 7 or 14 days. 

Italy does not believe in persistent shedding (when you can still test positive for weeks after Covid but are not contagious anymore) which most other countries allow for, so while I test positive they can keep me in isolation. 

I’m completely stuck in the Italian Health System right now where the rules are very rigid and there is not a lot of wiggle room.

The lawyer checked the law on Covid restrictions as of today, and it seems that the treatment I am receiving is legal. 

If I had immediately indicated a private place where you could stay in isolation for the 7 days when I tested positive at the airport, perhaps they would have allowed me to go there in self-isolation using my own means of transport. As I was flying out of Italy, they assumed I did not have anywhere to go so did not ask me, so they put me in the hotel where I need to stay until I test negative or until 21 days elapses.

These isolation rules apply to everyone living in Italy, it’s just that most people remain at home in self-isolation. So the treatment does not appear discriminatory. People in their own homes can also move around freely, get groceries, go for walks etc as it’s not monitored. 

I spoke to the embassy about just walking out of the hotel, getting a taxi, and renting an Airbnb and this is apparently not possible. They said I would either be arrested in the lobby or my name and photo would be given to the airports, hotels, and rental car companies and I would be arrested somewhere locally.  Wow! So I’m not going to do that clearly as I won’t ever be allowed into Italy again.

Where to from here?

The best case scenario is my PCR comes back tomorrow and is negative and I can leave and come home.

Worse case my PCR comes back tomorrow positive and I need to isolate for another 7 days. In that case, I will look at requesting permission from the local health authority to allow me to isolate elsewhere in Rome, so I can at least have some fresh air and make a cup of tea!

When I was in the lobby earlier for my test (the first time out of my room in 8 days), I was terribly distraught when it came back and a few others down there took me aside near the elevator. We snuck into a stairwell and had a chat about our various situations one American lady has been here for 20 days and the other English lady for 18 days, both feeling very unhappy as am I. The food is inedible for most meals, and they don’t offer soap, toothpaste, or bare essentials if requested. I’ve been ordering on Amazon and waiting 2 days for supplies, but these older ladies have not been able to order online. 

I feel like this can’t be happening right now, yet it is. 

As disappointing and frustrating as this is, I’m trying to stay positive and know that I’ll be home as soon as I’m allowed to leave.  I have been thinking a lot about the Park Hotel Refugees in Melbourne who have been there for close to 10 years and cannot even begin to imagine what they are going through.

I know I will never take my freedom for granted again! 

I’m off to watch Eat Pray Love and eat Tiramisu so I can try and bond with Italy again as right now we are not good friends. I’ll keep you all posted on what happens next. 

Joining the Covid Crew 22

I have had 2 whole years to contract Covid, and was feeling pretty smug that I had not contracted it at all yet, with most friends and families having had it over the last 2 years. I started to think I was super immune!

And then with a negative PCR in hand from a few days earlier, it’s at the airport flying home I test POSITIVE. 

I know I will be laughing about this experience a few weeks or months from now, I’m just not there yet! 

For me, blogging is my version of journaling in the cloud. A place to store my throughs and experiences forever. So here goes on the last 5 days of my life…

• After the most brilliant 3 weeks at Podere Macchione in Tuscany, I prepare to leave. I follow all travel agent instructions emailed to me and even double-check with the agent that these are correct. They have told me to get a PCR or RAT 72 hours before landing in Australia and have proof of the negative test.

• I go off to the Farmacia and book an appointment for the RAT in the time frame and get my negative test with proof and documents for the airport. Easy!

• The morning on my flight I woke up with a sniffle but I got my negative test 2 days ago so I should be fine and I’ll be home soon. People still get sniffles right, not everything is Covid I tell myself.

• I say my goodbyes, hugging and kissing everyone (oops), and drive 3 hours from Tuscany to Rome on freeways with speed limits of 90-110 which means everyone around me drives 120-140km/hr. Pretty stressful drive, and still sniffly but finally arrive and head to the check-in line, knowing I can finally rest on the plane.

• At the check in counter, they let me know you need a PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival OR a RAT test 24 hours prior to arrival, so my RAT was done too early. I need to go downstairs at the airport to do another one to confirm its negative. The supervisor keeps my spot in the line and said to come straight back when I get the result…perfect!

• After long lines, lots of paperwork, paying cash only (finding an ATM to get cash) my test comes back POSITIVE.

• So I sit there in shock for 3 hours while there is a lot of talking and whispering around me.

• Next thing I know, 2 men in hazmat suits and an ambulance come to take me and my luggage to a hotel about 15 min away.

• I was told they don’t want to see me until next Friday, and if I test negative then I can fly home that night 1 April.

• I am going to run out of my medications staying here another week so I order tablets via to the doctor, and they say they will arrive tomorrow.

• I’m given a long list of rules, including dial #11 from your room in a medical emergency. Every time I call 11, it rings out and no one picks up. The one time someone picked up, they said ‘no English so I’m not feeling very medically safe right now.

• I’m now referred to as #4801 by any doctor, delivery or reception staff. There is some inspo for my next tattoo :-)

• I spent most of Friday & Saturday in shock and calling all over Rome to arrange a rental car to take me back to Tuscany as I was invited back to isolate at the house with the gang. Everyone there had colds, so we all thought it’s only a matter of time until everyone is positive.

• After calling every car rental company, large and small, I could not get anyone to deliver the car to the hotel and was not allowed to the car rental agencies as I’m covid positive.

• I tried everything including private concierge services to drop a car off and tried people who drive your car home when too drunk and put a scooter in the boot. But nothing was working…

• I finally thought I had a car organised for Monday morning (yay) and tried to get clearance from a doctor to leave, but he said no Tuscany…it’s a different region to Rome so can’t go back there at all (boo).

• I thought at least I’m in Italy so the food should be good so I should try and see it as another week of rest and relaxation and try to enjoy the experience! I eat pretty much everything and the food is not great at all. The food ‘sometimes’ arrives 3 times a day, ‘sometimes’ only 2 times a day. It always comes very cold and is often hard to tell what meat it is most of the time. The worse meal in the rotation is the cold white fish with crusty cold pesto with soggy fennel and cauliflower. Brekkie every day is a pear juice popper and a packet supermarket croissant. Lunch is cold pasta and a dry bread roll, and dinner is meat and a dry bread roll.

• They come along in hazmat suits every few days to check blood oxygen and temperature and always curse me because of shellac nail polish. It does not work on my finger and they get very annoyed.

• The rules list said you can order on UberEats to supplement the meals. Only one place on UberEats will deliver as the hotel is middle of nowhere - 12km from Rome Airport in an industrial area. It takes a few hours to arrive at the hotel. Another hour or so to make it up to my room. This one place is called ‘Nice Grill’ and is a highway rest stop.

• Since I don’t have a fridge (or cups, kettle, tea/coffee, anything really) in the room the food can’t be kept cold so it’s hard to order for future meals. I’ve just ordered on Amazon some muesli bars and dry cereals for the next few days.

• I ordered an Italian-themed puzzle which ‘should’ arrive soon so I can stare at the Italian countryside for hours while being trapped in the room!

• I also ordered a bottle of Aperol and bubbles but did not realise with no fridge, glass or ice that’s not ideal. Do I put both bottles in my mouth at once to make a spritz???

• After spending Sunday and Monday on the phone with the consulate and embassy to try and work out the constantly changing rules for Italy, the medicine is still troubling me as I’m almost running out. I keep asking but nothing arrives.

• The doctor also told me today if I test positive on Friday I need to stay isolated for another 7 days…I can’t find that written anywhere and the Australian consulate is working on those rules with me.

• I finally had my first meltdown about the medicines tonight so they came up to my room with two white tablets wrapped in tissue and told me this was the medication I ordered (um sure it is!) I asked for a box or something to prove what they are? They bought the box but still no idea what they have popped out and given me? So I did not take them…They also had some unidentified liquid medicine in a cup and asked me to take it, which they said was Seroquel and would help me sleep well! Ummm I looked up Seroquel after saying no thank you to their persistent pushing, is anti-psychotic medicine. I’m ok for anti-psychotic medication right now thanks!

• I finally decided to put on the bath, a Spotify spa music playlist, and relax and of course, as soon as I got in the bath the doorbell rang, so I’m yelling ‘come back, in the bath, later, and a few Italian phrases’ but they keep buzzing. I think if I don’t answer it might be a doctor and they will think I’m dead and barge in so I get out of the ‘relaxing’ bath, dried and dressed just in time for them to walk away and no one is there.

• Day 5…not sure what you have in store for me, but after 2 hours of sleep, I’m ready for you!

Weirdos of the world

So I’m on Day 5 and I’m no longer waking up in the middle of the night. I’m also so exhausted from the days that I think nothing could possibly stop me from sleeping when my head hits the pillow.

I am SO exhausted but SO content and happy. My body is keeping up with the work, the long hours in the kitchen, the driving all over Tuscany, and the work outside on the property.

My mind is constantly racing a million miles an hour and even when I did find 20 minutes to sit down at sunset with my book, I could not focus on the words and kept re-reading the same page. 

It’s very cold in the mornings and at night, with a beanie, coat, scarf and double socks but 12-4pm is gorgeous and I’m in a t-shirt enjoying the sunshine. 

I’m really enjoying the craziness of being on the Tuscan roads again. The main differences are:

• speed limits are optional and I think 90km is just a guide as everyone is travelling at least 120km and if you are not you get tailgated and high beamed

• blinkers/indicators are non-existent and there are roundabouts everywhere, so Cally mentioned the best way to tell if someone is coming off or staying on the roundabout and if there is a gap for you is to look at their faces and you can tell which direction they want to go. Seems to be working for me so far!

• Seatbelts also optional - some cars have 4 or 5 kids in the backseat or hanging out the windows

• Parking - always an experience when you get back to your car and a few other cars have parked you in. I normally just go for a coffee and wait it out.

The views…I can’t describe how amazing the expansive views are from up here all times of day from every room. Every day is unique and every angle is so special. It’s hard to describe just how stunning this part of the world is right now and how appreciative I am being here with everything else going on. I find it hard to concentrate on the roads as stare at the amazing views from the car (although manual driving on the other side of the road should be my focus…I am doing a few videos when I pass deer and other wildlife). 

One of the aspects of this journey I am enjoying most of all is the people. I am loving the group of people who have come together from all over the world in the house and sharing long lunches and dinners with them all in my favourite time of day. Cally mentioned when putting together the list of workaways they used to refer to us all as the ‘weirdos of the world’ and I love being part of that group. 

The group will change a little this week but is currently made up of:

• 2 danish boys (Eigil & Hjalte) in their early twenties who are ‘seamen’ and we call them the pirates. They just trained for 3 months on boats that look exactly like pirate ships from Pirates of the Caribbean. Their stories of living on these boats, sleeping in hammocks and training with 80 students have been incredible. They also wear blue and white striped t-shirts all the time which goes with the sailor look!

• A lovely German & Portuguese couple (Liisa & Tim) who are a dentist and a physiotherapist and in their late twenties, taking a few years out of their life to decide what’s next. They have already been travelling for 18 months (just had their workaway anniversary this week!) doing workaways so we’ve been brainstorming what careers they might want next!

• Mai is a 22-year-old Israeli girl just out of the army, who is doing all the cooking (while I am her apprentice). She is cooking the most amazing meals for lunch hand dinner, the type of meals you yet at a nourishing yoga retreat. When she leaves next week I think I’ll do the cooking and it will be more like ragu with pasta or a lasagne.

• Anton, a very confident German guy who just finished school last year and is making up for the 2 years of covid when he could not do anything, so he’s travelling and making up for lost time. Australia is on his list for later this year.

• French/Slovakian Caroline & Juraj have finished studying and Juraj is interviewing for PhDs at the moment while they are travelling. They have picked grapes in Provence, renovated houses, worked with horses and so much more.

I went back to Siena for a few hours and although I felt I was cheating on my family by being there without them, one of the kids (not mentioning names) is getting really sick of so many photos. I LOVED being back, still knowing every street, shop, gelateria, and of course having a spritz in the campo. 

While It’s SO busy and I’m running around doing grocery shopping, errands, taking people to and from the train satin (otherwise its a 4km walk up or down a steep white road), I’m finding time here and there for the obligatory cafe/pastry most days. I have not had a cafe corretto yet (coffee with Sambucca) and might stay away from that with all this driving around. 

Plants, plants and more plants!

So my first 24 hours at Podere Macchione has been super busy and so much fun, still hard to believe I am here. 

When I arrived last night, my room was just finished being built. They had just put the bed together, painted, put in the shelving, completed the bathroom etc. Apparently, they were all very excited I took so long to arrive from Rome, it gave everyone time to complete the room. 

I’m loving the fur babies in the house. Ringo is an 8-month-old very friendly dog who can open door handles, which I’m yet to capture on film. I have to lock my door from the inside otherwise he lets himself into to my room and hangs out on my bed. Then there are the cats who are used to my room being their room so they sit on the window sill and stare at me or are always waiting outside my door. 

Today was International Women’s Day all around the world and in Italy it’s referred to as La Festa della Donna and women are given bunches of mimosa flowers. When we went into town this morning gorgeous Cally bought bunches of Mimosa for all the women in the house (including little Emmi who is 4 years old). 

Busy, busy day starting with the unwelcome 1-4am jet lag party. When it was light, Cally and I headed to the local village to run some errands - bank, the food markets for local produce as there are now 12 people to feed for every meal so it’s a lot of daily shopping and cooking. We decided on 3 giants pizzas for lunch (which of course are only 8 euros per huge pizza) #ilovetuscany 

We got back just in time to see a GIANT truck arriving to deliver 60 trees and 400 plants. They all came from an area called Pistoia which we visited in 2019 and the highway in lived for miles with every tree and plant you’ve ever seen. Nick and & Cally down there a few weeks ago to choose what they wanted and today they arrived. 

The next 90 minutes took 11 of us to unload all the plants and trees from the truck. Some of the larger trees weighed over 100 kilos so took 4 people to carry. No trolleys or equipment needed, just a lot of sweaty, dirty hard work and I loved every minute. Next week we start planting them all, once we work out where they are all going to go!

In the afternoon I went running more errands near Siena, went to the health food shop, took Max (who’s 12) to football, and also had to buy a jacket and shoes as I bought over completely inappropriate clothing options! My white pumas are not going to work up here, I got good solid work boots! 

I’m loving the vibe in the house. Cally, Nick, and their amazing kids (Max 12 and Emmi 4) are just the best and so happy to be spending time with them all again. Then there are the workaday team, all of who are travelling the world moving from job to job as needed. I am at least 20 years older than them and am enjoying the daily conversations around the dinner table. We have people from Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Slovakia & Israel right now and it’s going to change all the time. Tonight we had a covid conversation about lockdowns, how each country handled it, vaccinations, politics, and more. 

I said I’d make a pavlova one night but am open to other suggestions to showcase some Aussie food and snacks. We are eating food from all over the world each day spending on who’s on cooking duty!

Exhausted yet exhilarated, content yet wanting to make the most of every second, missing the family back home yet enjoying the alone time. 

Siena For One!

Well here I am resurrecting my old friend ‘Siena for five’ but this time will be writing my thoughts and following my journey on ‘Siena for one’.

I am currently heading over to my second home in Siena, and wow I have missed the country, slower pace of life, and most of all the people we met while living there in 2019, who are like family. 

What brings me to be travelling 24 hours alone, during Australian flooding, a pandemic that seems never-ending, and a war in Europe? I’m not 100% sure I can answer that, but am so excited I have the opportunity to travel which will never again be taken for granted, even from seat 46A in economy, travel has never seemed more exciting. 

International travel thoughts post-Covid:

• I’ve really missed meeting people from all over the world that comes with a busy International Airport. I sat with a family on their way to Zimbabwe on the first flight and met some lovely Italians at the airport.

• The paperwork is a lot pre-departure but all works really smoothly once you travel, connect in other airports, and masks on planes are not as bad as it sounds. The man next to me did not wear a mask but put his blanket in his mouth for the entire trip #nojudgement

• It’s a really odd feeling to be sandwiched together again in lines and getting on and off planes. Whenever I tried to space myself in a line, people just overtook me. No 1.5m distancing when travelling.

The last 2 years have been quite a struggle for me, like many in the world and while I am so much luckier than most, I feel so completely depleted and exhausted right now. I was reading my friend Jo Fedler’s book Umbecoming, for the second time and it really resonates with me that at this point in my life, I am not alone. 

As a reset, I looked at taking myself off to a yoga retreat for a few days when the kids went back to school in February.  I was checking Facebook a few weeks ago and saw that my good friends Cally & Nick were looking for help during March on their stunning new luxury yoga retreat and property just outside of Siena. The most amazing place called Podere Macchione, and I’ve been following the restoration every step of the way since we arrived back from Italy in Jan 2020. 

I happened to say to Hayley and Polly, wow if you guys were older and on a gap year, you could go over and help. They need help with planting olive trees, vegetable patches, some painting etc. In return, they are offering accommodation and meals in return. Pretty amazing! THEN my always supportive husband said, why don’t you go over and help? I said there is no way I could go…cost, leaving the kids, the floofbaby, the axolotl, work, his full-time job and having 3 kids to manage, covid, etc

After I few days and chatting to all my gorgeous Italian and English friends, I decided I could make it work and step out of my life for 3 weeks to explore, rest, restore and find myself again. Of course without Ben none of this would be possible, he’s such a brilliant father and husband and has always supported all the irrational, spontaneous, crazy things I have wanted to do over the last 25 years. 

With Covid and travel restrictions I booked through Helloworld Travel Lane Cove and they have been so phenomenal with all the various documents, clearances, new restrictions that change daily, and all the paperwork.  Did I mention the paperwork (see image below).

I spent a few weeks searching for the perfect overalls to work on the land, but Sydney summer fashion let me down so I am heading over without overalls, hoping to find them in Tuscany. 

So, I’m all set to go and book my trip around some important dates in our calendar. Audrey and I were invited to march in the Sydney Mardi Gras with the Girl Guides and we were both so excited to be attending and we could not wait for the day to arrive. So I decided to fly out the next day Sunday 6 March and arrive back the day before Hayley’s big annual music concert Sunday 27 March.

As the dates neared closer, we were all getting excited about the change in scenery for everyone. When I am away the kids and Ben have such an amazing bonding time, order takeaway, cleaning, and tidying the house is optional and I think it’s a more relaxed environment. 

I was still worried about Covid so quarantined myself for 10 days before leaving. Then Russia attacked Ukraine, so I was more worried about flying into Europe than the covid risks.

On Thursday Hayley came home from school and tested positive for Covid (3 days before I’m due to leave). While Ben and I thrive in crisis mode that was a little hectic. So, Ben and Hayley were lucky enough to leave home immediately and go to Mum’s empty apartment to quarantine from the rest of us. This meant we were not close contacts and the girls and I could carry on with our lives. Throw in torrential rain and floods, flat car batteries and 2 visits from NRMA, war progressing and a huge 8 hours at the Mardi Gras Parade, I was pretty anxious and stressed by Sunday. 

Putting all that aside, and Ben’s reassurance that everything and everyone would be fine, I headed to Sydney airport and jumped on that plane. Travelling Sydney - Dubai (14.5 hours) - Rome (7 hours) - hire a car in Rome and drive to Siena (3.5 hours). I’m always up for an adventure, and already in my element! 

The flights were both very smooth and without issues, no one looked at any paperwork along the way, and I was not asked for an international driver’s licence when renting the car. I was handed the keys to a gorgeous Fiat 500 although until that very moment had not quite thought through the 3-hour drive from Rome to Tuscany on Italian freeways in a manual car after a 30-hour journey while the sunset was approaching and it was getting dark.

I put on my big girl pants, jogged on the spot for a mminute to wake myself up and got it done. It was a spectacular drive and I tried so hard to concentrate on the road and not the views but stopped along the way for photos and of course coffee and my first sfogliatella.

In what felt like a very ‘Amazing race’ 40 hour journey I made it to Cally & Nick (and gorgeous Max 12 & Emi 4) just as it was getting dark and wow was it worth it. That first look at Podere Macchione all lit up at night as you come around the bed is so breathtaking.

Off to shower, eat and have some Chianti and will check in tomorrow for my first full day in Tuscany.

Stay safe and dry in that torrential rain Aussies xoxo

PS Current Paperwork for travel:

• Italy vaccination options

• International Covid Vaccination Certificate

• Covid Travel Insurance (a little chewed by the dog)

• International Passenger Locator Form

• International Covid Clearance from PCR

• Italian consulate letter in English and Italian instead of a super green pass

• eTicket and Itinerary

• Passport

• International Drivers’ licence, which Hayley mentioned I might need the day I was leaving. She was right so I filled in the paperwork 20 min before the Uber to the airport arrived. The licence takes 4 days to arrive so not sure how I’ll talk myself out of that one when I land and go to rent the car. I packed the expired one from 2019 hoping they won’t notice!

58 weeks of travel - over and out!

We left Sydney 58 weeks ago on 10 December 2018 to head to Siena in Tuscany for a year of adventure, excitement, relaxation and change. 

As we are in our final days of this extraordinary adventure I am reflecting on all the year has offered us and how we took hold of every opportunity that came our way. 

So where have we been on this journey??? in Italy alone we have been to 58 cities and loved each and every one of them. We have been to 13 countries in Europe - Italy, England, Greece, Croatia, Denmark, Norway, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic & Hungry. We also travelled to Israel and Vietnam.

I had very high hopes for this crazy dream of mine I have been talking about for many years, and when the opportunity arose for us to actually pack up our lives in Sydney for a year and live in Europe, I didn’t think twice. The year has proved more epic than I could have ever imagined and while nothing is ever 100% amazing all the time and we had some set backs along the way, we’ve had some phenomenally good times this year.

Just a few of the MANY highlights that come to mind from the last year are: 

• Italian Xmas 2018 with friends old and new near Lake Como Italy

• The Xmas markets and Husky Sled rides in The Dolomites

• learning to Ski for the first time ever, which happened to be in the Italian Alps

• Glamping on Elba Island, a gorgeous Island off the coast of Tuscany 

• A weekend in Rome & Siena with very special friends from the UK

• Sunset Donkey rides in Sicily at Mount Etna Volcano

• Outdoor yoga class followed by a pasta masterclass and 5 course lunch with wines at Le Tolfe in Tuscany 

• A magical day on a private boat with lunch and swimming until sunset in Positano, Amalfi Coast

• Easter in London & Manchester with friends showing the kids what London has to offer including high tea, seeing Matilda The Musical, Harry Potter World and so much more

• Quad biking and riding inflatables on the Greek Islands and the beaches of Greece

• Renting scooters and bikes all over Athens, Copenhagen, Paris, Amsterdam, Switzerland & Israel. Amazing way to get around for adults and kids! 

• A week on a catamaran sailing around the Islands of Croatia

• Kayaking wilderness camping adventure on the Fjords and spending time the the small towns of Norway 

• The sights of Paris including Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triumph and the Parisian bistros

• Bike riding the Swiss Alps, eating fondue and chocolate making in one of Switzerlands oldest chocolate factories

• Camel riding in the Israeli desert, star gazing and jeep riding in the Negev, Tel Aviv food and market scene, experiencing the magic of Jerusalem  

• Hiring a boat to cruise the canals of Amsterdam, bike riding around Vondelpark in the traditional Dutch bikes with carriages. 

• Heading to Venice despite the floods to support the city, with gumboots and all! 

• Spending Xmas in stunning Slovenia.

• New Years Eve with new friends in Salzburg, lighting our own fireworks and having traditional raclette for dinner. 

Those that know me well know that I really had NO hobbies in the previous years as family, friends and the business was all I had time for over the last decade. However some of the hobbies I discovered this year:

• Reading - I’ve read so many books, fiction and non-fiction this year and am loving this escape on my kindle

• Puzzles - I find it very meditative to do a large puzzle, walk past, spend an hour or so sorting pieces and then a sense of accomplishment when a piece or  two fit

• Knitting - so I knitted a scarf over winter, and it’s not my best work but I enjoyed it. My kids call it a Thnead (for those of you who have seen The Lorax)

• Bike Riding - I’ve tried to ride around Tuscany as much as I can, up and down hills, sometimes on an ebike depending o the hills but it’s my favourite way to get around 

• Wondering around Tuscan towns - lots and lots of wondering medieval villages and towns and just taking it all in. At least twice a week with the kids at school until 5pm, Ben and I would do day trips to various cities within 2 hours to see and experience as much as we could of Italy. 

• Hanging out at Hot Springs all over Tuscany including Rapolano terme, San Giovanni, Saturnia and so many more. 

• Drinking coffee - for the first time in my life I actually enjoy drinking coffee (still only decaf) but love the experience and feel part of the Italian culture. 

• Food - from pastries for breakfast to more tuscan meat and cheese platters than I thought humanly possible, the food has been such a highlight. We’ve had local chianti wine with most lunches and dinners this year, and an aperol spritz almost daily. Pizza, Pasta and Gelato have been staples most days and more local foods such an pistachio spread/pesto, taralli, pecorino cheeses, sfogliatta, cantucci, ricciarelli, vin santo, some of the best local olive oils in the world and so much more have all been products I am looking into importing into Australia.

I planned to take the year off from working and have mostly managed to do that but have also had a few opportunities - 

• Speaking at conferences in Italy, Amsterdam & Austria

• Working with the Mayor and a talented group of people on an environmental project for the city of Siena with Be An Icon, and I will stay on as an advisor for this project over the following year

• Connecting with a brilliant group of expat women entrepreneurs and forming a support circle for each other with monthly meetings, and I plan to stay in touch will all of these women doing amazing things (if they will have me!)

What I aim to bring back to Australia with me from Italy is the slower pace of life. I love the Italian lifestyle and way of living and its taken me most of the year to slow down. There is not the obsession with devices we have in Australia and most people in cafes are having a coffee, talking to one another, not checking their phones or laptops but just sitting, people watching, chatting to others nearby and never in a hurry.  Italians seem to be better at fitting less into every day than in other parts of the world and while at first I could not adapt and would try and make meetings and coffees scheduled 9am, 1030am, 12 noon etc. I soon realised a 9am coffee meeting (social or business) can be 2-3 hours and no one has other meetings planned later that day so there is no feeling of running around and constantly being late trying to catch up. 

I’ve loved spending SO much time with Ben and my girls this year and soaking up a year in the kids lives at this age, creating memories and living our dreams.  We’ve really connected as a family and the girls have connected with each other in their own way, not knowing anyone else when we first arrived. Seeing this year through their eyes, the exposure to the various cultures, the resilience required to walk into a new school in a new country and make life long friends with kids from all over the world. The girls have all liked different countries, cities and places we’ve been and also been involved in choosing where we go and what we do on our travels. I can’t wait to see how or if this year impacts their lives moving forward and what the next years bring for them all. 

We have already talked about another opportunity to head overseas for a year which could be in 6 years when Hayley & Polly are finished school and Audrey will be heading to high school, but who knows what will happen between now and then. I do love to dream and think big and plan for the future so this will keep me going until next time.

While we head back home with a dwindling bank account but so many memories and experiences I have no regrets and would do it all over again if or when I have the next opportunity. Without knowing what tomorrow brings, this experience has been so extraordinary!!!

2020 will be a year of settling back into life in Australia, new opportunities, and getting grounded for the next stage of my journey. I’ll also be ticking off one of my bucket list items towards the end of 2020 and cannot wait!

We arrive back in Sydney tomorrow, so it’s over and out for me on the Siena for Five blog…it’s been a blast and thanks for following along on our journey.

Some of my favourite photo moments below.

Leaving Sydney 10 December 2018

First snow for the girls, Dolomites Xmas 2018

Getting used to our snow gear and staying warm, Italian Dolomites Xmas Markets 2018

First and last day at International School of Siena

Amazing experiencing attending Palio in Siena and rooting for Contrada Aquila.

A week in Positano to start our nine week summer trip. Nothing like the Amalfi Coast in Summer.

Cruising for a week the Croatian Islands, we loved the whole experience!

MANY hours of work for International Day at school - chocolate crackles, lamingtons and homemade tim-tams (SO hard to do…never again!)

The inspiration for my tattoo was this poppy field next to our house we’d pass every day.

Beach days in Cefalu Sicily.

Audrey is pretty used to a deck chair, umbrella and drinks while at the beach now…

Quad biking in Greece was a highlight of the Summer trip

Trampolining in Copenhagen - the most child-friendly city in Europe (they are built in to the pavements)

Polly is her happy place in Copenhagen…with the animals :-)

Norway Fjord wilderness adventure…still can’t believe I survived this one! What a week that was.

Pool fun in the Israeli desert.

Bike riding in Amsterdam like a local.

Bike riding with Hayz in stunning Norway.

Getting my tobogganing on just outside Salzberg…had the best fun!

Snow day in Slovenia with schnitzels, gluwein and hot chocolate breaks.

On the lake in -3 degrees in Slovenia Xmas Eve.

Everywhere we explored (countries in red and cities in yellow)

36 hours in Austria - Fifteen Seconds Conference

What a whirlwind trip to Austria for two nights and one day!

I went over to Graz to speak at Fifteen Seconds one of the best conferences I have ever had the chance of speaking at as well as attending. No expense was spared pulling together 200 interesting speakers from all over the world, incredible interactive exhibition spaces, a market of local unique Austrian brands to go shopping between sessions, amazing local food and fantastic Spring weather.

Fifteen Seconds had areas dedicated to science, mobility, technology, culture, growth and start up world and had a mission to inspire and engage every curious mind.

To be honest I had never heard of Graz when asked to talk at the conference. It’s 2.5 drive from Vienna, a really gorgeous place with a historic town centre, river and a Schlossberg Mountain right in the centre of the old town. Apparently the conference is the biggest thing happening in Graz all year so it was a very big deal to have 200 speakers and 6,000 delegates in town. 

The organisers had enlisted many of the local Uni students to volunteer which was a fantastic experience for them and also as a speaker for us to learn about the area, ask local information and discover a little more about the young people of Graz.

It was a long travel day heading from Siena to Florence airport, (thanks Ben for driving me there). Then a flight from Florence to Vienna and was met at the airport by one of the volunteers and a few other speakers. They organised gorgeous new self driving BMWs filled with water, red bull and lots of local sweets and we heading down the highway to Graz for the 2.5 hour journey. I had a ball getting to know my fellow speakers and Christof, our volunteer.

On arrival we were late for the opening speaker party so a quick change and Christof was waiting to drive us to the venue which was on a rooftop overlooking Graz, lots of very good local wines and food as well as a local DJ. A fun night mingling with other speakers and sponsors. 

The conference was at  Stadthalle Graz and the opening was 1030am, nice and civilised. I met my volunteer who drove me to the venue where I was greeted by my ‘speaker handler’ for the day who organised my check in, drinks and meals, photography session and anything else I needed. I could get used to this! 

I could feel the excitement in the packed main stage area as the conference was about to open, standing room only, lots of people seated on the floor and standing on the bars around the room. The countdown began, light, smoke, fireworks and strobe lit up the stage which was backed with 30 shipping containers for projection. 

Lots of young delegates, casually dressed and quite a lot with no shoes, Austrians seem to be very casual! This made me feel overdressed in my dress and leopard heels so I decided to head back to the hotel to put on a maxi dress and converse for my talk. This gave me a chance to walk back to the hotel through the old town and enjoy a tiny bit of the surrounding neighbourhood. It’s a spectacular city, very Sound of Music and would be stunning in Winter too. I of course stopped for a strudel.

I heard some terrific speakers all day and for the first time also experienced a ‘silent conference’. In order to have four stages in one of the halls, two stages were silent which had the audience wearing headphones to hear the speaker. You did not even need to be in the room to hear, you could listen on a channel even if you had to leave the room or go to another area of the conference, so people all over all venues were wearing headphones. Thankfully I did not have a silent stage for my session as I’d find it really hard to engage with an audience wearing headphone with some of the people listening from other areas.

My session on ‘How to build a digital community’ went well and I filled the room even though it was a 6pm session and I was competing with drinks and networking. 

The Speaker party started at 9pm, and I headed over there to meet some more fellow speakers and ended up spending most the night chatting to one of the nicest guys I have ever met, Bobak Ferdowsi. I had no idea who he was when I sat down next to him until someone else referred to him as NASA Mowhowk Guy and I googled him from the other side of the bar. Amazing who you meet at conferences…

Reflecting on the last few days as I travel back to Italy. It is so unbelievably inspiring to attend events such as these. I always pick up some new hints and tips, get inspired to start new businesses and change the world. And of course meet some amazing people, some of who stay in my life long term. 

Speaker pack on arrival

Transport for my time in Austria

View of Graz at the opening party

250 speakers from all over the world

Opening of the conference

Gorgeous old town of Graz

Marijuana stand at the conference…love Europe

Time for one slice of strudel!

And....I CAN SKI!

After only starting school 7 weeks ago, last week was ‘White Week’ which is a week of school holidays where everyone seems to go skiing. We thought we would join in this tradition.

Ben and I have NEVER been skiing and the girls first tried skiing for one day at Xmas when we were in The Dolomites and they fell in love with it, and we got FOMO watching them from the sidelines. Coincidentally we met a gorgeous Australian family at Xmas though a mutual friend, and although they are based in Germany, they had booked a skit trip to The Dolomites for ski week and invited us to come along, which we decided to do and I’m so glad we did.

I went to physio twice last week for a neck injury and wanted to get it better enough for the ski trip, assuring the physio I would be back with much more severe injuries after my week i the snow, and she was trying to tell me not to ski and tell me horror stories from patients she treated after skiing…

Friday 22 February, Audrey had a big dress up parade, concert and parent party for Carnivale and the last day of school. It involved lots of snacks for kids, champagne for parents, DJ, lots of confetti (which for some reason I love)

We headed off from our house in Siena early Saturday 23 February and arrived in San Vigilio 5 hours later, to a gorgeous gingerbread looking fairytale village where we checked into our apartment which was ‘ski in ski out’ and I finally understand what that now means!

We spent to afternoon renting gear, buying ski passes and organising ski school for the kids and private lessons for Ben & I. The girls were all able to join the same ski school class with our other friends as they were all put together as the ‘English speaking’ group, not understanding German or Italian instructors. They were booked into classes for 3 hours each day and on the 6th day would be a race with trophies and prizes. All very exciting! Ben and I opted for a private class with Guido to see how we would go first time on skis.

Sunday morning the girls eagerly skied down from our front door over to their 10am ski class, while Ben and I had to drive the car over as we could not ski down the slopes but we were both excited, and I think equally nervous about our afternoon lessons. We walked up one of the slopes and found a gorgeous bar where we sat for 3 hours watching the kids ski and trying not to drink too much before our afternoon lessons. I was introduced to Bombardino which is 1/2 eggnog and 1/2 brandy with whipped cream on top…mmmm and of course a few aperol spritz throughout the day.

Ben and I headed over to our afternoon private ski class with Guido (an older instructor  in his 60s with a very serious moustache and not a lot of English). We learnt how to put on skis, go from ski to ski on one leg at a time and after 20 minutes he announced we’d now go down the 2.5km slope….uuummmm what? I think I panicked a little and could not get the hang of it at all, sliding all over the place, skis crossing over, falling down and just not enjoying it at all thinking at any moment I would fall, twist my knee and end up in a cast. Meanwhile Ben was doing great, speeding past me and really enjoying it.

I left the lesson feeling very defeated and decided I would just not be a skier and sit in the bar, reading a book while the girls and Ben could ski all week. Ben, the kids and our friends were telling me I’d pick it up if I kept going but I was not convinced and cancelled further lessons with Guido.

Waking up Monday morning and a new day, I decided to take the morning off and try lessons with another instructor later in the day to see iff I could progress. The next 2 days I had private lessons with Huebert, a much younger Italian man in his 30s and quite gorgeous too which helped! He taught me the ropes and by Wednesday I was skiing with Ben and the girls and getting used to it a lot more, still going very slowly but not falling over so much.

Thursday and Friday were my big ski days where I loved it, could vaguely keep up with Ben and the girls and ski together, go to steeper slopes, head all over the mountain and to the toboggan area with the girls where we stayed for a whole afternoon racing toboggans.

Thursday afternoon was our only incident as we headed quite far away from our apartment which took an hour to reach on skis. It was stunning as it was the top of the mountain Kronplatz and I had one of our German friends helped me get there which involved a few gondolas, a few steeps 500 meter runs, a chairlift (which I fell off spectacularly) and some more skiing.

Anyway Ben and the kids got there earlier than me and when I arrived we decided to stay, have lunch and look around. Our friends all headed back but we stayed up here and the kids skied for a few more hours. After vaguely working out the best way back, we left at 3pm knowing the chair lifts stopped at 5pm and it gave us 2 hours top navigate back over the mountain and get home before dark.

We skied down the steepest first part of the mountain but when we got half way down towards the first gondola ride, Audrey was hysterical in tears, very exhausted and decided she could not ski at all anymore and lay down on the snow refusing to keep going, and I was also feeling exhausted and out of my league.

Hayley and Polly were pretty far ahead at this stage and Ben made a call that we all stop, walk back up the mountain with our skies, which was quite far but closer than the gondola which looked miles away. Hayley was not happy and protesting that she would go alone and meet us at home but of course we decided to all stay together. We were all very grumpy and tired and I think I might have poked my ski pole at Hayley’s eye at one point as she was being so annoying! It took 30-40 min to walk up the mountain again and then work out how to get back to our apartment.

We found a gondola from the top of Kronplatz that would take us all the way down to a town called Bruneck where we could get a shuttle that could drive us the 20km back to our apartment. We finally made it home in the shuttle, tired but safe and sound. A really good call to turn around and walk back rather than all get stuck on the mountain overnight and freeze to death.

We had the best week in the snow, with amazing views, drinking lots of hot chocolates, eating apple strudel and friend apple fritters with ice cream, schnitzels with potatoes and even a BBQ with our Australian friends.

We can’t wait to go to the snow again, hopefully at Xmas for a week back to The Dolomites before we head back to Australia end of January.

I came home with 16 bruises in total although Audrey won the bruise competition with 19!

I CANNOT BELIEVE I CAN SKI, I LOVE IT!!!!