Ciao Italy! Hallo Switzerland! — HaffsWay Around The World

"And the award goes to..."

Wow. After a year of nagging Will about being a slow blogger, I end up taking home the award for "Longest Procrastination of a Blog Post Ever." I'm sure as you all can imagine re-entering American society has been quite an adventure on it's own, and I'd love to blame my very belated posting on that, or on new jobs we landed in November, or moves to a new home in December... but alas it's really just me not getting around to it. Perhaps part of me wants the adventure to never end.

But as I returned from a work trip in upstate New York last night, I stared out into the night from miles above the earth in a near empty plane, and thought about all the other plane rides I'd taken in the last year all over the world. And thought, it's time to put a few of the final chapters to paper (or electronic blog, really). Of course, I will leave our very final chapters (GERMANY! PRAGUE! ICELAND!) to my better HAFF- he is the best writer I know, so it only seems fitting!

Speaking of that lanky lyricist, in our last post, Will regaled you with the stories of our adventures in Greece! Which is where the story continues... (and I will now attempt to condense our time in two amazing countries into one blog post! Be greatest hits of Italy and Switzerland begins now!)

After our last relaxing day (including long walks along Santorini airstrips) in Greece, we flew directly to Naples, Italy- Ciao Italia! In the long cab ride to our hotel, we took in the night lights of a sleep Naples. What I knew about Naples prior to arriving included the following: They have good pizza, it is located near the ancient city of Pompeii, and there may or may not be an active mob presence. We were excited to explore Italy, and it was my very first time in the country!

First morning in Naples, along the waterfront. First pizza meal- check!

The infamous Mount Vasuvious looms in the background of historic Napoli.

Upon awaking the next morning, I realized quickly it was about to go down as potentially my worst day of our entire trip. I'm not just being dramatic.

THE BAD DAY

Word of Advice: if you decide to purchase the Eurail Pass (a railway pass through most European countries), because you mistakenly believe (or are tricked into believing) that it will make your travels through multiple European countries easier and/or cheaper, DO NOT leave your physical paper pass in your Santorini Air BnB, as you merrily fly off to your next destination. Make sure to put "$1000 Eurail Pass" on the list of things you go through in your mind as important things NOT to forget as you leave each place. ID- check. Passport- check. Phone- check and check. $1000 EURAIL PASS FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVING BUT DISAPPOINTED FUTURE SPOUSE- NOT CHECK.

Important lessons learned on my "Worst Day on the Trip":

1. Eurail is potentially the worst company I've ever interacted with. No, even though you have an electronic record of purchasing your Eurail Pass, and you bought the extra Pass Protection Insurance because you know yourself, you cannot get a new one. You might get a reimbursement when you get home for part of the cost of the pass. In order to get that, you will need to find an Italian police officer to write up a report that states that you lost your own damn Eurail pass.

2. Santorini is a small island, and they have no trains. When you forget your $1000 Eurail Pass there, they do not know not to throw it away.

3. Italian police officers do not speak much English, and why should they? They live in Italy. Unfortuantely I did not learn Italian for "I need a police report because I lost my Eurail Pass. No it was not stolen. No... just a police report. No not my passport, my Eurail pass. No I'm not sure how to explain what Eurail is." Google Translate also had a tricky time with this, to be fair.

4. It only takes Will about 45 minutes or so to forgive me for making a monumental mistake.

So my first day in Italy was spent attempting to fix that mistake. Alyssa and Anna were kind enough to distract Will for the day as I went about Naples tracking down what I needed to make it sort of right, and all three of them put up with my fretting about funds for the remainder of our time together. I am not overly proud with how I let this big whoopsie affect me during this time (and still feel badly about how much I let my worries consume me over the next several days) but I did learn a lot about travel, myself, and how I handle my own failures along the way. Life lessons were learned, and the adventure continued!

Will and the girls went on an excursion in Naples underground tunnels!

"Really Good Food, and Really Old Shit"

The next day, the four of us made our way to nearby preserved ancient city of POMPEII (cue Bastille song...), which was so much bigger than I expected and just as cool as I had hoped. Pompeii, for those who may not know, is an entire ancient city that was covered in a massive amount of volcanic ash when the nearby volcano Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. This volcanic ash preserved the expansive city exactly as it was the day of the explosion, down to many the life forms cowering from such a traumatic event. They were not discovered 1709! Everything from frescos in peoples homes, to graffiti on the walls of an alley, to pottery and trinkets, to the forms of people and animals were preserved for over 1600 years.

Walking around the city, you are truly transported to another time... another way of life that is both very different, and eerily similar. One of my favorite things was the graffiti on the walls. Along with the raunchier and more hilarious quotes (seriously, google it) was my favorite: "We two dear men, friends forever, were here. If you want to know our names, they are Gaius and Aulus." Humans have always been achingly endearing, haven't we? I thought often of Gaius and Aulus, as I strolled through that amazing place with my own dear friends 2,000 years after Gaius and Aulus strolled the same cobbletstone streets.

When humans were trapped in the ash as it rained down upon them, their bodies created spaces. The researchers that discovered pompeii then poured plaster into the holes and were able to bring to life the last moments of these people. Definitely hits… — When humans were trapped in the ash as it rained down upon them, their bodies created spaces. The researchers that discovered pompeii then poured plaster into the holes and were able to bring to life the last moments of these people. Definitely hits you hard.

Old pottery and the casts of humans trapped in the ash. Very eerie and really touches your heart.

Anna found us and is no longer lost re-enactment!

Pompeii was so large, at one point we lost track of Anna. The joke became that we had lost her forever, and we'd have to start asking the thousands of strangers around us where in the giant city she was. "EXCUSE ME SIR, HAVE YOU SEEN A TINY AND VERY STRONG BLOND WOMAN?! SIR?!" She was found, and we rejoiced, and we took the packed train back to Naples.

Naples was truly a lovely city, and I greatly enjoyed walking down their massive shopping district streets, navigating narrow alley with neighbors good-heartedly shouting to one another, and treating ourselves to some wonderful Italian meals. It's true- GREAT pizza! Great EVERYTHING! I believe Alyssa made it a goal to have the famous Italian gelato AT LEAST twice a day- and I think we did it! There was amazing architecture at every turn, it's pretty incredible what humans were able to build without the tools we have today. Walking down the streets was a colorful party for the senses, and it was wonderful to just walk along quietly and take it all in.

The next day, we took a train to the capital city of Rome. After settling into our lovely Air BnB in Rome, we decided to Carpe Diem and pop over to the nearby very famous landmark: The Colosseum and the ruins of the Roman Forum. I knew it would be cool, but WOW! Talk about history coming alive. It was huge! And despite the August crowds and heat, it was phenomenal. Alyssa dutifully explained the importance of different places, since they were favorites of hers. We also regularly consulted our guide, Wikipedia, as we looked over the expansive roman forum to help us understand and take in the significance of these ancient places.

The next day we also got the chance to see the outside of the Vatican, along with other famous Roman land marks like the Piazza di Spagna and Trevi Fountain. Everything was packed with people of course, but regardless they were beautiful and interesting places. Understandable why everyone wants to see them! We did not quite make it into the Vatican, as the line was far too long, but it was interesting to see the patterns and rhythms of the guards changing places, and the people from all over the world lined up to get a glimpse inside.

Of course, besides the "really old shit" Rome was also one of my favorite places for "really good food." One night our hungry crew wandered around Rome for far too long, getting turned away from packed restaurants. At one point we were begrudgingly sat at a tiny table covered in weird stuff right next to the bathrooms. After being ignored for a solid 15 minutes after being sat, we all collectively (with a rush of adrenaline) decided to book it from that placed even though we were all starving. It was the right choice to make- as we finally stumbled on the most adorable and wonderful little dinner spot, with adorable and wonderful staff who really showed us the true meaning of Roman hospitality. If you are in Rome- you have to try Barzilia Bistro!

A few words from Alyssa...

Hello, My name is Alyssa Zirk and these are the things I like about Italy.

The Roman Forum
Drinking water from the Roman Forum
Pasta Carbonara
Pizza
Lemon Gelato
Iced milk
Underground wifi
Ruins!
Not getting scammed by a man selling bracelets (sorry Will)
The occasional under 95 degree day
Prosciutto
Pasta inside a crab
Finding a lost comrade in Pompeii
The Roman Forum (again)

Goodbyes to Good Friends, and Bonjourno to Lake Como!

Parting ways with Rome also meant parting ways with Anna and Alyssa. We'd grown accustomed to our little tribe of four, and it was actually harder than I imagined seeing them go. I want to pause to say a massive thank you to all our visitors during our European travels, including the guys later in Germany in Prague (spoiler alert!) By the time we got to Rome we'd been on the road non-stop for two and a half months, and I think at times it was starting to show. For us this was our life, our no-income life. But for our visitors, this was their vacation! Thank you for choosing to spend it with us, and for making our time in these beautiful places all the more wonderful and fun. Thank you for putting up with your nomad travel buddies, and penny-pinching, little everday stressors, and travel weariness that accompanied them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

After Rome, Will and I hopped a train up to Milan- fashion capital of the world it seemed like! It was a holiday of some sort, so nearly everything was closed, but that didn't stop us from taking in the sights. Like Rome and Naples before it, Milan was a wonder of architecture and good food and beautiful weather. Milan, in all it's splendor, did give these two dirty backpackers side-eye glances from time to time, but it was well worth the short overnight stop.

Our ultimate destination was the most lovely place I may have ever been: Lago de Como district. We chose the small little town of Nesso as our home base, and it was absolutely one of my favorite places we visited. Nestled in the foothills of the Italian alps, Nesso was quaint and perfect, I truly felt transported to another time. We spent our days rejuvenating ourselves through meandering hikes up nearby peaks, jumping off of bridges into Lake Como with the locals, and eating so much wonderful food. From the moment we arrive at our bed and breakfast, after lugging ourselves up the impossibly narrow staircases that connect people's homes in Nesso, we were enchanted. Cake and tea awaited us upon our arrival, which we enjoyed on our balcony overlooking the red rooftops cascading down to the lake, all framed by green foothills and distant mountain peaks.

We walked everywhere, from town to town, up and down the many stairs of nesso, over the foothills. It was quiet and serene and we filled our bellies with nourishing whole food. Each meal felt like a whole experience, including the mountain top picnic of bread and meat and cheese purchased from the small shop near our bed and breakfast. Everyone was kind and warm, and it was like a salve for my soul after the business and hustle and bustle of the amazing and historic cities we had just experienced. I cannot recommend Nesso and the Lake Como District enough!

A short 1000m climb we bushwhacked our way up one day.

One of my many failed attempts at catching Will jumping from the bridge

And just over the alps... Switzerland!

After our souls were soothed in Nesso, they were reinvigorated by Switzerland. We choose to spend our few precious days in Switzerland in Grindlewald, just a short alpine train up from Interlocken to the doorstep of the Swiss Alps. As we made our way to our hostel, the clouds that had been shrouding the peaks started to lift... It was as if mother nature was raising the curtains on her grandest show. As she started to unveil herself, I felt the thrumming of excitement in my blood. MOUNTAINS.

A hippy-dippy aside about heritage and the earth: I am fairly certain I come from a long line of flatlanders. German and Irish farmers who happily toiled away at the land for generations upon generations. I think my people looked out upon the sea, and said "Nah." When I lived in Northern Ireland and during all of our wonderful travels across the world, my heart has always longed to be out on the sea with all of that freedom... but my body rejects it every time, reminding me of my place in the world. I am made not for the sea.

I think my people were hearty. I think they turned inland, and instead saw a distant peak and said, "I want to be up there." And so they went, always returning to their flat land and back to the good-natured life around them. My people are not graceful, or fast. But we have sturdy thighs and strong backs, and can walk, and walk, and walk. I am not graceful or all that athletic or fast. But I can carry my houses, and my transportation, and my sustenance on my back and make a life out in the wild. I can see that distant peak and say, "I want to be up there." And I can walk, and walk, and walk.

My mother grew up with mountains, my father chased them. They walked, and walked, and walked out into that wild. Those mountains are in my blood. Seeing the alps was like a breath of fresh air.

Feeling Very Von-Trapp

My favorite day in Switzerland saw us taking a Gondola ride up to a small mountain town near Grindlewald. The views from the top of this mountain chalet town were actually some of the most phenomenal we'd seen the entire trip. In a weird way it reminded me of when we finally reached the summit of Poon hill in Nepal. It was just astonishing and breathtaking and kind of perfect. It was remarkable both times that on the day we really needed it to be amazing weather, pachamama delivered a crystal clear view of her splendor for a least a few perfect hours. In both places, people lives year round through the perfect days like we had, and the harsh winter ones as well. They are hardy folks. While the Nepalese have a fraction of the resources as the Swiss and their mountains are much taller, they have built very similar communities up in these harsh and beautiful places that have many parallels, even though the mountains they call home are on other side of the world.

Taking the gondola did feel a little like cheating I must say, taking the Gondola up and not exactly "earning it," but spectacular all the same. As a storm was likely approaching, the plan that day was to take a short hike over to another small mountain town and maybe have lunch, and stroll back down to Grindlewald before the storm hit. Will had other plans. Shocker. As we know from previous posts, Will is always the one who wants to take the risk in order to get the reward.

But there are few things on this earth that scare me more than lightning above the tree line. But, as usual, Will wanted to push us that extra mile (or nine) to get the most out of the day. After throwing a small and mostly silent temper tantrum, I had to admit he was right. Even as the distant thunder got my heart racing, I had to admit he was right. It was a long and arduous day-hike, but we got to see some of the best views of the entire trip that day! I'll let those images do the talking. And yes, we made it back to the hostel before the rain started coming down.

Hmmmm Will, the clouds are starting to descend.... (grumpy face).

It's a good thing he's so cute! And that it was so beautiful, it made him right as usual :)

Ahhhhhhh. The best feeling in the world :)

Our time in Switzerland was far too short. But it was a taste of a trip we absolutely must take in the future. So much of the alps are connected by a network of gondolas and alpine trains, it makes that area of the world super accessible for people of all sorts of fitness and experience. We were already planning that future trek between Swiss mountain villages in our heads as we left Switzerland and headed to meet two of Will's friends in Munich... so the question for you all is: who's with us next time!?