21 January, 2019
We arrive in Italy and begin our explorations in Milan. Spending the next month mostly in and around Tuscany, our agenda is: avoid what we deem tourist spots; drink great wine; eat simple food everyday.
Our first week passes and thanks to our pigeon Italian, we manage to catch multiple lifts with locals (usually down a mountain) as we make our way south. Throwing in the odd "grazie amico" is generally returned with extra drinks at our meals.
Mornings after long, late dinners at trattorias scattered across the Tuscan terra are eased by wholesome breakfasts comprising of fresh figs plucked straight from the garden followed by buttery pastries en route to our destination du jour. As we edge toward the coast, we make tracks for the beach where we harbour until sundown most days. Only when the temperature drops do we spend time indoors - mainly in the kitchen, sometimes in a museum or gallery.
On returning home, we have tried to continue with what we learnt from the Italian way of living - even if a Montalcino digestif is all we can muster. It helps you to slow down and bask in the present.
