Let the good times roll...

So my travels started hectically. After landing in Pisa, I had to catch a train to Florence and another from Florence to Perugia. It was worth it. Once I got to Florence, I realized I had 2 full hours before my next train. I was able to walk around and take some great pictures (yes, suitcase in hand). I first walked out of the train station not knowing where I was, how far things were or where to even go to see things. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon a tourist information center. I got a map and short directions to the Duomo. It was only about a 5 minute walk from the train station, so I headed over. Looking at the map once again, I realized that the Uffizi Gallery was close by, and from there, the Ponte Vecchio. Hit up all three in less than an hour and a half. I´ve got skills.

After catching my train to Perugia, I met Rachael at the train station and we took the mini metro to her apartment. The mini metro was hilarious. It looks like a small gondola only on tracks instead of swinging through the air. I would expect something like this in Disney World, not in a small town in Italy! Regardless, it was only a couple of minutes to her apartment where I was staying. She. Lives. In. Luxury. Lucky, ugh.

The first night, we went out to dinner with a couple of her friends and the headed out on the town. It was the second to last night of their program, so it was really fun. I got to meet a lot of the people that she hung out with during her time in Italy. I was also able to meet up with Leah, a friend of mine from elementary school who I haven´t seen in quite some time. It was fun!

The next day, Pete came. I had a wonderful pizza lunch and we went to a reception later that day. It was at a brewery in Perugia, and very cool. It had a real authentic atmosphere. So Italian :). The next day, the three of us (me, Rachael and Pete) hoped on a train to Rome and three and a half hours later, were checked into our hostel and gearing up to see the town. We went to the Colloseum, Campo dei Fiori, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon. It was some great siteseeing in just a couple of hours!

Early the next morning, Rachael and I got up to go to the airport. We had to wake up and lug all of her luggage to the airport. Yes, by all of her luggage I mean ALL of it. She had to store her baggage at the airport for the period of time during which we were traveling. Luckily, it wasn´t too hard to get it there and stored, and it didn´t take that long, either. However, the biggest even was trying to get the bags off the train. Picture this: two American girls sitting on the train with four HUGE bags and purses. We figured it would be easier if we just let everyone else in our car out before us. It was a good idea, except for this: I jumped off the train as I was going to pull bags to the ground after Rachael handed them to me. I get off the train, hear an interesting noise and turn around. The doors closed. Rachael is stuck on the train with our bags. Small panic. We try to open the doors. Nothing happens. We´re pulling and pushing the doors with everything we´ve got, trying to muster up the strength to open them. No such luck. For about 3 minutes, this continues. We go down the line of cars, trying to see if any of them are open. Panic sets in. We are both freaking out and have no clue what´s going on or what to do about it. A minute later, Rachael starts laughing. The doors were open on the other side. Cool. We just looked like fools and all we really needed to do was try the other side. Oh well, you live and you learn!


The flight to Split was uneventful. We got off in paradise and have been here ever since. Our hostel is AMAZING. We´ve met some really cool, interesting people here but the best part is that the three of us have our very own apartment, which is unnattached from the hostel. Baller.

The weather has been beautiful, the people are wonderful, the beach is nice and relaxing. We´ve just been hanging out and relaxing. It´s perfect, just what I need to start off a trip! I´ll be sad to go tomorrow, but it isn´t all bad...I´m headed to Budapest. As for now, we´re going to Fife, a restaurant recommended to us with the BEST CROATIAN FOOD. This will be our third time there...goodness.