Venice, Florence, Pisa Day Eighteen

Today I got woken up by a huge storm at 3am. It was so loud. The rumbles of the thunder seamed to shake the room. It's was such a strange experience this violent storm  and being alone during it. I'm not saying that I was a sook but being alone during this was a bit scary. I knew I was perfectly safe in the hotel, and that if I needed to speak to some one there was a receptionist at the desk. But this time I actually felt like I wanted someone beside me or in the same room.

 I feel back asleep and woke up at 5am to catch my 6:30am train to Florence. I left the hotel at 5:30am and started towards the train station. Everything looked so different when the shops where shut and there weren't many people around.

It was still slightly spitting from the storm that had woke me up. But this created the most beautiful sunrise. If I wasn't in a hurry to catch my train I would of loved to stop and admire it more.

                                    

                                        Sunrise Venice.

It was roughly meant to be a half an hour walk to the train and luck would have it that I got lost and there was no body around. I walked around in circles as the time ticked away and I started to stress. 

All the streets looked the same and it was so hard to get my bearings of where I was. There was a few people starting to leave there house and I asked some of them for directions but no one spoke English. I looked at my watch and realised I had only 15minutes until my train left the station so I broke into a run. Not sure where I was running or if I was even running into the right direction.

 Someone must of been looking out for me from above because I ran into an Australian couple who was out on a morning walk and who directed me to the train station. They walked me to the park i was at yesterday. I thanked them for there kindness and started to run again. I only had 5minutes to find my train. I ran over the bridge trying not to slip on the wet stones from the rain. Ran down the lane onto the large bridge crossing the canal to the train station. I could see the station I knew that I was close. I looked down at my watch 2minutes until the train was due to leave. My calves were burning and I was so out of breath but I couldn't stop now. I ran through the shopping mall and onto the train platform. There was my train still sitting there at the station. I spent no time and I continued to run until I was on that train. 

Finally I made it and I crumpled onto my seat. Talk about a morning work out. I was stuffed. Breathing heavily and sweating. I couldn't get cool enough quick enough. So I got out my Venice map that had now let me down too many times and used it as a fan as the train left the station. Luckily I had rebooked my train tickets.

                                        

It was a 2.5hour ride to Florence even on the speed train. So I put my headphones in and prepared to be bored. It was actually a beautiful train ride. The sites and the views were amazing. The train was really nice, modern and comfortable seats. By the time the train arrived at Florence it was 9am. In 30mins I was due to get on my second train to Pisa.

The train station in Florence was crowded and really busy and I had trouble trying to find out what platform my train was on. There was this board that flashed up the platform your train was on only when the train was on the platform already. So when a new train position flashed on the board all these people would run to the platform. 

The next train to I got on wasn't nice at all. If you had luggage you had to leave it in another carriage. Luckily I didn't have mine with me. When I got on the training found a seat next to the window and tried not to touch anything. The train was covered in graffiti, was very full and had a bit of rubbish in it. I did have this lovely lady sit beside me. She was a local teacher and she spoke English. It was really amazing to hear her stories about living in Tuscany as she suggested places I should see. The train ride wasn't too bad. We rode through Tuscany where there was fields and fields of sunflowers.

                                                 

Another 2 hour train ride and I was in Pisa. I jumped off the train in Pisa and it was crazy how quite the train station was. I followed some tourist with backpacks out the front of the train station to a bus stop. We talked and they mentioned that they were going to catch a bus to the tower. We parted ways as I wanted to explore. I walked through the main part of Pisa which was full of life, shops and restaurants. And kept walking following the signs towards the tower. I got a bit lost but then I turned around into the right direction when I saw the tower just a over some building. It was such a hot day. I'm so glad that I wore sunscreen as I would be roasting if I hadn't. I walked into where the leaning tower of Pisa was located and there was so many gypsy. So I held my bag tight. They were selling watches, bags, balls and sunglasses. 

                                           

It's hard seeing monuments and trying to get pictures (not selfies) in front of it. Tips for getting strangers to take your photos.

- Pick a couple or a person who are trying to take a selfie and ask them if they would like you to take their picture for them. They will be so grateful that they will take a picture for you of you. When I traveled I took a small camera that I wasn't worried if it got lost of stolen and took pictures on my phone. 

- Make sure you ask someone who looks like they won't run off with your camera. For example and older couple or two girls traveling together.

- Make sure you know what pose you want to do before you get your picture taken. This sounds stupid but strangers won't want to take 100 pictures of you until you get the pose you want like pretending to push the tower.

- If your blinking or you don't like the picture say thank you anyway and go try another stranger.

                                       

There was not really a lot to see around the tower so I headed back into town to get some lunch and a cold drink. Summer in Europe is so hot! 

Pisa is amazing to see. But there really isn't much to do there you could really see all that you need to see in few hours.

I couldn't find any where that had free wifi so I found this cute restaurant in the shade. I read the menu and thought I would get the roast beef salad. I had no idea how much roast beef would be on it.

                                       

Since I had already booked my two trains to return to venice I knew that I still had some time to shop.

Cheap shops for females 

- HNM this shop has clothes for males and females, shoes and make up .... So many specials I brought a top for 1 euro 

- Zara this  shop sells clothes

- Kiki .... Cheap cheap cheap make up

I brought a dress from HNM and walked back to the train station. And 2 hour train ride I was back in Florence. Then I jumped back on the train of luxury for my 2.5 hour train ride to Venice.

By the time I got back to Venice it was 9pm and the sun was setting. 

                                         

I slowly walked back towards the hotel and found this little restaurant to have dinner at. There were two sides to this restrung you enter through the kitchen and the walk through to the seating area which you cannot get out of. Since it was late I was there was me and one other family in the restaurant. I didn't realise you could only get out that one way and that the family had left until I had ordered my meal. I had put my self in a vulnerable position and they could lock me in and I wouldn't have known it. I made up some excuse when the waiter asked if I was traveling alone. I just said my partner was back at the hotel and I ate my dinner quickly and left. 

If you don't feel safe in an environment while traveling alone you always have to follow your gut. And my gut was telling me to get out of there.

. Here a few tips to get out of situations that you don't feel safe in.

- Wear a fake Wedding band this will have not attract unwanted attention 

- if you feel uncomfortable make fake phone call in ear shot of the person that is making you feel uncomfortable and say your location. Eg " hey babe. Yeah I will be back soon just finishing dinner. Yeah I'm at that restaurant that you said looked nice "insert restaurant name" the one on "insert street name". I will meet you in about 10 mins at the hotel. Love you bye" This conversation will tell the person that is making you uncomfortable that you are not alone and if you don't show up to meet your partner in 10mins that they will come looking for you.

- don't tell anyone your hotel or room number. 

- only eat in busy restaurants 

- don't walk down empty alleys after dark

- have a map on you

- check in on Facebook to where you are or text a family member where you are

- give your family members an itinerary, phone numbers and addresses where you will be staying before you leave for your trip

Mostly traveling solo is safe but always trust your instincts. If you don't feel safe get out of the situation that you are in

Venice Day Seventeen

Day 17

Today I got up bright and early and went down stairs for breakfast. I was so stoked that most of the hotels that I booked had breakfast buffets included. It's hard trying to eat gluten free when your traveling around the world. For example In France the buffet in my hotel had Danishes, pastries, toast, cakes and breads and cereals which truly sucks when you can't eat them. Hotel Torino where I am staying here in Venice had a small mixture of foods for breakfast. Boiled egg, fruit, yoghurt, cereals, bread, ham and cheeses. Being gluten free it gave me not a lot of choice for breakfast. I ended up having a boiled egg and some fruit. And I threw a banana off the buffet into my bag for morning tea.

Before I left to go traveling one of my friends commented to me "I couldn't do what your doing. Be over their alone and eat every meal alone." The funny thing was that before I left I wouldn't of gone and had a meal at a restaurant alone or even go to a movie by myself. 

Here is a few tips how to overcome eating at restaurants alone.

- Take your maps and plan what you would like to do that day

- Get out your phrase book and practice that language

- Go to a restaurant or cafe with wifi and call (on Facebook or viber) a friend or a family member back home

- Read a book

- Write in your travel diary

- Research things to do in that city 

- Update your blog

- Upload some photo's of your trip to Facebook

- Go through the photo's you have taken so far

- Write some postcards

I usually use most of my alone time with meals trying to work out where I was on the map and where to go next. Most cafés and restaurants in Europe have free wifi which helps make you feel a little less lonely while you are over there.

                                         

One thing that I had been told and have heard a lot about Venice is that you should put away your map and just get lost. I found that I was even lost when I was looking at the map. After breakfast I thought I would explore and try and find where the train station is to make it easier for me to get there tomorrow. I wandered around over bridges and passed many shops. And all of a sudden I noticed that I had was walking through an art school. Whoops. I turned around and continued to explore and get lost in hot Venice. I wish you could swim in Venice because it was soooooo hot. I'm not going to lie I may had quite a few gelato's while I was walking. About a few hours later I finally found where the train station was. 

I came across this beautiful park that over looked one of the canals and I sat down under a tree and relaxed. This park was stunning. Looking over the water, parklands and water fountains. I could of stayed here all day. 

                                    

I stayed under the cool trees for awhile and took in the beauty of Venice until I realised how starving I was so I ventured on to find some food. 

Close by there were all these beautiful little restaurants on the canal. This was defiantly where I want to eat.

                                        

Food isn't extremely cheap in Venice. If your on a budget I would suggest going for a wander and have a look at a few menu's and decide which is the cheapest before you eat. Or go to a local supermarket and get a few items for lunch and eat it by the water. 

This place was so cute. I logged onto the free wifi and called my family back in Australia while I ate. I spent the rest of the day exploring and trying not to eat more gelato. 

                                     

                                        Art Exhibit

I spent the rest of the day exploring. Wandering in into little shops and trying to make my way back to Saint Marcos Square. I had a look at art exhibits and in Cathedrals. It was such a wonderful day. I slowly wandered back towards my hotel and I continued on to Saint Marco's Square. It is beautiful and definitely worth a look.

                                              

                                         This photo was taken at 8pm Saint Marco's Square

Saint Marco's Square is a Square surrounded by shops and restaurants. It was full of different sounds. Live bands, singing and people talking. Looking around the square people are feeding flocks of birds with birds landing on them, there are people enjoying the evening sunlight and meals and people sitting on the stairs in the shade. 

Since I had to be up at 5:30am tomorrow to catch a train to I went and did the nightly ritual of looking for somewhere to eat that has gluten free items on their menu. I found this place that had. 3 course meal for 25euro. I had soup, chicken and veg and ice cream. It was delicious.

Right across from where I was sitting there was a giant pizza as big as a table. The waiter who was looking after the pizza turned his back for two minutes and there was ten pigeons on it eating eat. Lucky it was only a display pizza.