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Hey…it’s me…in Italy

This is not the start of our RTW romp, but Kate and I did tag along on a family vacation for- get this- 16 days in Italy. How’d we get so lucky!?

The main problem has been that we are way totally broke and the exchange rate sucks…that and the fact that Italian men are VERY forward. More on that later.

We started our tour in Florence, living for a week in a cramped little villa. We made that our home base and ventured out for day trips, with and without the family (two of my aunties, my grandma, uncle, cousin and his girlfriend, and auntie’s friend). We are quite the rag tag group with some of us quite a bit more “American” than others (read: loud, demanding, constantly in a state of panic). The great thing about Kate is that, like me, she tends to go with the flow. We pass our fair share of knowing glances at each other, but for the most part, we shrug our shoulders, pay the euros, and get on with it. I have learned, on this trip, that not everyone is as easy going, and it makes me rest a bit easier knowing this little factoid about myself- that I am an easy traveler; it will no doubt be an advantage come March.

Above: Touching the boar in the market place in Florence, its legend says if you rub it, you’ll one day come back to the city!

My thoughts of Florence: I suppose, should one tour Italy, it’d be a “must see”, but for me, it was the worst food, the worst people, and the most cliché of sights. The Duomo is of course quite the spectacle, and of course I loved all the priceless art in the Uffizi and the Academia, but Florence is, I feel this is the best way I could put it for my fellow Floridians: a lot like Orlando. It is the Disney World, tourist destination of Italy- think Japanese tourists wielding cameras, bad food (no, really, the food was for the most part absolutely terrible), and locals who simply non piace the many travelers passing through. I did get some cool sneakers though when I ruined my shoes! Thanks, Florence!

My favorite part of the entire trip (no seriously, the entire trip) was the wine and food festival Boccacesca in Certaldo. Just an hour and a half train ride from Firenze, we took a gondola up to the old Etruscan city on the hill, walking through 11^th century cobblestone streets with a 6 euro wine glass that afforded us ALL YOU CAN DRINK wine! There were stalls set up with samples of cheese, meats, desserts, etc. It was truly an amazing experience- the whole Kelley fam of course got extremely tipsy. It was light on our wallets, heavy on the wine and food, and a totally beautiful little town. It was, as my mama would say, molto bene!

Above: “tasting wine” in Certaldo…I have no idea what I’m doing. 

We took a day trip the following morning to Pisa and were in for one rainy afternoon. Here’s the thing about Pisa, and I’m just gonna come out and say it: it is totally missable. The leaning tower is actually quite pretty, but there are tourists everywhere (so of course the food was terrible), everything is quite expensive, and there just isn’t all that much to do. If you feel the leaning tower is quintessentially and that you absolutely must see it, of course, go. But honestly, the Coliseum is just as quintessential and in a city with lots to do!

On the subject of not lots to do, Grammy, Aunt Alice, Kate and I headed to Siena the next day to see the sights. Kate and I weren’t particularly excited about the trip, but Grammy and Aunt Alice had talked to two fellow American ladies who absolutely loved it and since they agreed to pay for our train tickets and buy us lunch Kate and I gladly obliged. Siena is really very pretty, but again…that’s about it. It’s very hilly and there are cute restaurants and shops, it would be a nice day to spend walking around if you like to do that (which I do, but my 78 year old grandma does not)! We had lunch, saw the bell tower, ate gelato in the square, and then headed back to Florence. Siena is pretty, but, again, nothing like…

Above: Aunt Alice in Siena! 😀 Love her!

Venice! I LOVED Venice. I hear it’s a place you either love or hate, but after learning about Venetian history for years in school- the riches, the rise and fall, the amazing architecture, naval fleets, and gold that the city was and is so famous for, was really amazing. It’s literally all water! When you walk off the train at Venice St Lucia station, you head through the station and are immediately greeted by gondolas, water taxis, canals, and beautiful buildings. It’s really quite amazing and so small, you can easily walk the entire city in a day if you’re so inclined. We walked to St Mark’s Basilica in about twenty minutes, had an al fresco lunch (which was just alright, but in such a pretty piazza I couldn’t complain), and walked through the streets flanked by water and couples in gondolas.  If you get the chance to go to Venice, you must! St Mark’s Basilica is absolutely beautiful- gilded in gold and so amazingly old! That rhymed! What I’m trying to say is…I loved Venice.

Above: a phot of me LOVING Venice! with Kate! 

After Venice we took a day to explore Florence again, hitting up the sights we missed. Santa Croce was truly amazing for me because I love Dante, Michelangelo, and especially Galileo, all of whom are buried there. We visited my Mom’s good friends at the Leather School, who were darling! And then Kate and I visited the Boboli gardens, climbing all around to take pictures before settling on the lawn to read for a few hours. The gardens are what Versailles is based on, and it is truly beautiful. And, after one last Maso’ pizza (Kate’s favorite pizza ever, and definitely in my top ten), we left for a sojourn in Montepulciano.

Above: being a Greek statue in the Boboli Gardens 

For those of you TwiHards wondering…YES! Montepulciano is where New Moon was filmed. Just ask them! This medieval city has posters, T shirts, and plates (which you know I bought) advertising that this was, indeed, where the Volturi lived in the second installment of the films. If you know me, you know I hate Twilight with a fiery passion, but I have to say, it is hilarious how much they continue to revel in the fact that a few scenes were filmed here. If only they knew…

Above: KP and EK in Montepulciano! 

Other than that, Montepulciano is really amazing- the food is delicious, the views are spectacular, and pretty much no one speaks English, which was, surprisingly refreshing (for me moreso than the rest of my family).

From Montepulciano we took a day trip to Perugia. I got WAY car sick both ways (vomitous, guys- not cute). We went to a chocolate festival that Kate and I HATED- so many people, oblivious to everyone, spilling chocolate everywhere. There were no free samples, everything was expensive, and we sat down to a (totally awful) lunch at an “Irish Pub” because Kate was sick of Italian food. Sad, you guys, so sad- the hamburger they gave us was…a giant sausage patty.

Above: just a modest slice of cake in Perugia at the choco-fest!

Overall, this trip taught me that family is forever, and I’m okay with that. With lots of group dinners, late nights talking and drinking wine, and strolling through streets while my grandma screams at everyone asking if they speak English, I love my crazy family and wouldn’t trade them for the world.

Above: la mia famiglia! 

This trip also taught me the importance of packing light, because Kate and I thought maybe it was our last chance to look cute internationally for awhile, we brought dresses, jackets, make up, hair equipment and let me tell you it was so not worth it because at the end of the day we both wear pretty much the same three outfits every single day, not even bothering with our hair, and using about 3 of the 17 make up items we brought. I feel like traveling light should come naturally to me because I am surprisingly low maintenance for a girl (strange since I grew up quite the picky child). Over the years I have progressed into someone who is fine in jeans and a t shirt (which is what I’m wearing now), with just mascara and a ponytail to make me feel pretty. I like that about myself, and I’m glad I kept realizing over and over how little I needed. I kept saying, “Why the hell did I bring a BLAZER?! I NEVER wear blazers!” Live and learn, y’all, live and learn.

Above: oh you know…just lifting 50 pounds of luggage over our heads onto the racks of the train…whatever.

Above: it is also necessary in Italy to eat 3 gelatos a day MINIMUM.

Italy is a fantastic country with passionate people and beautiful places to see. I have to say the food is not all its cracked up to be. Though carb-o-licious, it isn’t all that amazing, you really have to get out to the small towns to truly enjoy the work people can put into a good ragu or a fresh loaf of bread. The wine, however, is delicious and quite cheap most of the time! Love that! The trains are pretty easy to navigate and the drivers are as crazy as you think they are, so for the most part transportation will get you where you need to go with no problems. We are off to Roma tomorrow morning, which I’m sure will warrant a separate post after tours of the famous places I’ll be heading to (in a dress!)

Above: the best part of Florence- Maso pizza!

One last thing, as a warning to all my fellow gal pals traveling here: dress modestly. Even in a jacket, jeans, and boots Kate and I were constantly harassed by hoards of Italian men. If I heard “Ciao, bella!” one more time I swear I was going to start ripping throats out! I hate being hit on even by the most respectful of men, I think it’s really gross- so when men are staring at you as you walk down the street, leering and making kissing noises when you’re just trying to enjoy your gelato in peace- you will thank me that you didn’t bear cleavage, rock a mini skirt, or wear that extra eyeliner. It’s important to be careful in these countries because American girls are said to be “easy” and rape is apparently very common. Though we didn’t experience that even remotely, I was constantly warned by the women I encountered to please be careful and as always- better safe than sorry.

 Until the next adventure- ciao, belle! 

Sedona, Arizona

Still not sure what a vortex is after a full week of downward dogging on the red rocks of Sedona. After what can only be described as a terrible day of traveling, my dad, stepmom, little sister and I arrived at Enchantment Resort, nestled amongst the rocks of Boynton Canyon, a vortex of Sedona that I was told was dominated by both male and female energies, making it a place for relationships to mend and travelers to get in touch with their feminine or masculine side, as the case may be.

Our days were filled with morning and afternoon yoga, healthy (read: fibrous) food, and a few spa treatments and hikes thrown in to balance the luxurious and rustic elements that make Sedona famous as a world-class destination to not only work out, but work in as well. Perhaps the most rigorous work in I experienced in Sedona was the (wouldn’t be a vacation without one!) family screaming match that broke out. It changed my opinions, shook me, and left me with a different perception of my family unit. It’s one I’m not too sure I’m okay with, but all good things take time and work, and family, well, family is a great thing, so one cannot expect things to change overnight, or over even after a few years. We are learning everyday, and I hope changing and growing- not just me, all of us. My family unit has become my three sisters more than my parents these days. They are who I go to for security and assuredness, and I would not trade them for anyone or anything in this lifetime.

Speaking of lifetimes, my most life changing spiritual experience to date took place in the vortex that is Boynton Canyon. I took part in a past lives regression. My notes are scribbled and my memory foggy on the details, but the fact remains that I laid on a table with a women who guided me through my past. My memories, experiences, fears, and tendencies all made more sense when I realized they are deep seated not just from birth, but from many births, over many lives, in many places. My father and I ran as horses in a past life, my best friend was actually my little brother in one life and a lover in another, and my sister and I were wolves that hunted together, and lost together. My grandfather from this life and lives past picked me up, I felt it, I saw it, and it moved me to tears. It’s so strange to let in light like that, allow energy of something as “crazy” as past lives to flow through you. I had to keep checking that I wasn’t levitating off the table. Though I don’t want to get too deep into it since this is a public slice of the cyberspace and I don’t need people who do not understand and refuse to open their minds judging me for something they cannot possibly understand, I will say this: if you ever get the chance…do it. Just see what you can take from it. I promise it will be more than you expect.

Sedona was interesting and beautiful. It was healing and hurt me irreparably. It was a week I will never forget. It made me look at my little sister and just love her so much in that moment I couldn’t possibly think of anything else. It made me reevaluate my relationships with family members, with friends, with people who have joined me in this life and lives past. Lisa, our yogi and spiritual leader for our week there was so incredible- she helped me to look at Sedona, look at every situation I have encountered since, and take only what serves me, leaving behind thoughts and actions that don’t. And what I have taken from Sedona is this: hiking boots are expensive, but damn it, I can’t wait to wear them all over this planet. I have so much more learning to do and so much more to see.

Photographer Peter Menzel’s book, Hungry Planet, features families photographed with a week’s worth of food.

The United States, $341.98/week

Egypt, $68.00/week

Ecuador, $31.55/week

Chad, $1.23/week

This week, after much hot yoga, much meditation, and quite a few gigantic meals to neutralize all calories burned in said hot yoga, I have been thinking about how much I really need. While gearing up for this trip, almost every girl I encounter has something along the lines of “you’re going to live out of a backpack!? For a year?!” The answer, of course, is yes. Hence the term, “backpacking”. Will it be freeing? Of course. Is it terrifying right now? Hell yes. 

I have a pile of clothes of my floor that I wash, throw back on the floor, and wear in rotation. These items of clothing would not even come close to fitting into any backpack. I simply have too much. I sleep too much, eat too much, work too little, and save nothing. It is the blessing and the curse of my American generation that we have a world of opportunity and a gigantic sense of entitlement for that opportunity. We research nothing in depth- if we read it on the internet- it must be true. Everyone with a blog (myself included) or a Facebook page feels they have all the answers to the political, economical, and social problems of the world. The truth is- we know nothing (Jon Snow) <–I hope someone just got that reference. 

We know nothing. And yet we do nothing to change ourselves. Adventure and experience truly are the best way to learn. Through a lot of yoga and a lot of open mindedness, I have started to look into healing my chakras, balancing energy, etc. I get laughed at. And I think it’s sad. Because my friends- my generation- is so stressed and constantly on highs and lows- whether it’s with their diets, their workload, their relationships. It seems everyone I know is constantly complaining about being tired, being miserable, being depressed. But they choose not to open their minds. After I stopped eating like crap, I felt a million times better physically. Add yoga on to that and I am amazed at what my body can do. I choose to be happy- and in my relationships I live by these three words: don’t. engage. crazy. When my family, my friends, the random person in the same aisle as me at CVS start acting a bit off kilter- making irrational decisions, getting angry at me when I try to help, making excuses, I just ignore it. I go off on my own, collect my thoughts- read for an hour, hit up a yoga class, just don’t engage them in their craziness- and it seriously works. I am so much calmer. I have found all I really need is a good hug once in a while, the love of my family and a handful of good friends, a creative outlet, and an open mind to really enjoy my life. Truly enjoy it. Not eat a whole pizza then hate myself for it while I watch the Kardashians. That is not how we were meant to live. 

I think we can all agree that part of traveling is experiencing other cultures. Whether you are diving head first into regional cuisines and living with the locals or just donning a sundress and an umbrella drink on a cruise ship, in some way, we all try to get a little more native in the places we visit.

But the most important part of the cultural experience, the part I think is most overlooked and forgotten is actually seeing how people live- economically, socially- and being aware of the fact that it’s not always perfect. Which brings me to my next point:

Before I leave for my travels, a good chunk of which will take places in Africa, I am running the Tallahassee half marathon for One Girl, an Australian organization that aims to fight for women and girls in Sierra Leone, West Africa to be educated, and therefore, better their lives. The fact is- girls in Sierra Leone are more likely to be raped than to go to school. That alone should inspire those of us who take our education and our relative safety for granted to help One Girl with their mission. Through community outreach and education, One Girl hopes to change the lives and better the situations of the women and girls in Sierra Leone, and one of the ways they reach out for the help of others is through Do It In A Dress, a project in which individuals raise money doing, well, just about anything, in a school girl’s dress.

It’s really amazing. People have played rock shows, skateboarded, gone to work for a week or more, sailed around Turkey for two weeks, thrown dinner parties- all in a school girl’s dress. Men and women, kids and adults, from all over the world, joining together to help educate and invest in the futures of young women. And now, I’m doing it too!

The half marathon isn’t until February, but obviously I want to raise all the awareness I can-

you can donate to my cause here and help me send six girls back to school with money leftover for community outreach for women in Sierra Leone who need healthcare in its most basic form- just a simple sanitary pad, which most women in the western world take for granted everyday- is a lifesaving, life changing element in the betterment of the lives of the women of West Africa.

So check out my page, check out the cause and DONATE.

Then spread the word to your family and friends. Invest in these women, you’ll never regret it. 

Real adventure- self-determined, self-motivated, often risky- forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind- and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black and white.

-Mark Jenkins

Wait, isn’t Erin supposed to be frolicking near the Dead Sea, skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee like that Senator from Kansas, and checking out the bazaars in Bethlehem? Well, you’re right…I am supposed to be on my way (about to leave for the airport) to the Holy Land with my Mom where she was to take a religious Pilgrimage, and I was tagging along for the history and the free hummus I was promised at our hotel in Israel. Alas, y’all, life has dealt us its cards for September and it is not what we had expected. 

I am currently playing 24 hour nurse to my mom, who fell (into the pool!) and broke her ankle last week bringing in lawn furniture before Hurricane Isaac swept its feeder bands up the east coast of Florida. She fell, she broke her ankle, she had surgery, and now after many teary phone calls to her pilgrimage buddies and too many flower deliveries to count, she is laid up in bed on plenty of Vicodin. And here I sit, awaiting her next need. My “me time” has been sliced exponentially and now the only time I feel calm is turning my phone off and hitting the mat for yoga once a day. 4:30 can’t come soon enough!

Taking care of my Mom is hard because I am one of four daughters making meals, changing ice, taking phone calls, going to doctor’s appointments, and dealing with incessant lectures on how I “can’t understand the pain”. Here’s to hoping I never have to! We’ve had lots of help from great friends coming to walk the dog, sit and chat, etc. and my little sister Colleen is my lifesaver, but I can’t lie- I’m pretty disappointed about the lack of Middle East I’ll be experiencing this month. The culture there is ancient and amazing, and I’m disappointed I won’t be able to take it in. But at least it’s only three weeks til I’m hiking the red rocks of Sedona- my little sister has even joined Dad, Stepmom and I on our quest for inner peace in the desert. 

Life comes at you hard and fast, and to be honest, what this ordeal has taught me is to watch my damn footing on hikes through the woods in Asia and the deserts in India- one wrong step in you’re laid up for months in pain and anguish missing all the things you thought you’d be doing. Lesson learned, be careful out there y’all! One wrong move and you’re kissing the Holy Land goodbye in favor of How I Met Your Mother reruns and Edible Arrangements from Aunt Beth Ann, which, while delicious, satisfy no hunger inside this disappointed non-traveler.