Enjoying the simple things in Florence

In all of these breathtaking Italian cities the one thing I continually recommend, as it was my favourite during all my visits is just wandering around the place, taking in the sites and snapping a few photos. Walking down the narrow streets at a somewhat casual pace (as our Contiki schedule was quiet packed, down time was limited) it was nice just to discover some local markets or taste some yummy gelato at my own pace.

Our stay in Florence started with a walk through the main part of town which feels like an open museum. The buildings here are simple and in shades of yellow, orange or cream, it's quite picturesque. In the Piazza della Signoria there are many statues, including the replica Statue of Davide and the Fountain of Neptune. The amount of time, effort and physical work that would have gone into these pieces to create such perfectly shaped, smooth and life-like figures is just crazy.

It rained a lot while we were in Florence but one lesson I learnt while travelling is that you can't let these small things bother you or let it ruin your day. Whether it's bad weather, tiredness or sore feet, you only have limited time in these beautiful places so you have to ensure you make the most of it. Embrace the rain or buy an umbrella. Remember that you're tired because you partied all night until sunrise or because you caught that 21 hour long-haul flight that got you to these amazing places. As for those sore and blistered feet, you should be thanking them for getting you this far, so protect them with some comfortable shoes and promise them a pedicure when you get home.

Learning this while travelling has made quite the impact of my life now. I mean I have always been a pretty chilled person but something has come over me to just calm me down a lot more. I don't take things too seriously, or let those little things bother me and I do the things that make me happy. It has honestly made me a much happier and content person. I mean, don't get me wrong I still stress every now and then but it just does't affect me as much as it used to. "Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts your life will start to change." 

The Duomo

Replica Statue of David

Fountain of Neptune