,
Wanderlust. Itchy
feet. Restlessness. Curiosity.
Boredom. Insatiable addiction to
foreign made goods. Yearning to set
fuchsia manicured feet on unfamiliar territory and immerse oneself in obscure
customs and traditions. The desire and passion
to experience something different other than the mundane 9 to 5 daily
grind. The burning necessity to have
your passport imprinted with as many stamps as there are uncharted
locales. The race against the clock to
outrun as many time zones as possible in 24 hours and make it back to your
hotel in time for happy hour.
Little did I know then when I foolishly agreed to have my 12
year old niece accompany me on my yearly Paris sojourn some five years ago, that
I would be embarking upon an adventure like none other, inadvertently spawning
a travel-a-holic mini version of myself.
And let’s not even get into the satchel obsessed shopaholic fashionista
persona just yet! Yikes!! The Kid’s now seventeen and in an element of
her own, squirreling away funds for that much anticipated jet-away, luggage
packed, ready to hop on a plane at a moment’s notice.
Amazing how the tables have turned, as it was her cuckoo ol’
Auntie who now listened to countless tales of globetrotting and expedition,
ears perked, mouth aghast, rapturously lapping up each and every syllable. It’s as if she herself had set her pink
sneaker clad feet upon the turquoise hued islands of Greece, devouring feta and
olives, all washed down with endless supplies of wine flowing from brightly
painted ceramic jugs.
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| Vino tastes oh so magnifique when poured from brightly coloured jugs, don't you think?? |
Travel journal in hand, pen in the other, the Kid diligently
documented her escapades abroad, the rudimentary bones of a memoir in the
making (like seriously, you’re 17 Kid!!) and first draft of a future New York
Times bestseller (the Kid’s got high hopes, as you can tell). Or, perhaps landing the dream job of National
Geographic photographer, snapping digital memories of the awe inspiring kind,
nonetheless, the travel bug had bitten and there was no turning back.
Waving adieu to sun bronzed Greece, Miss Kid gleefully set
out on the next leg of her high school adventure and firmly placed her rose
hued sandal on Italian soil. First stop
was the southern end of the country, where an up close and personal history lesson awaited.
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And so Miss Niece found herself in contemplative mode, as
she respectfully strolled along the ruins of Pompeii, a once bustling Italian
metropolis that was levelled by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius on AD
79. A prosperous port and holiday resort
located in southern Italy, about 23 miles from Naples, it’s unfortunate
geographical position at the base of the volcano buried the city under layers
of cinder and ashes. The loss of life
was instantaneous, with the quicksilver flow of lava literally halting fleeing
limbs in their tracks; a preserved mummified glimpse into what daily life would
have been like for this Roman enclave. Entombed
in their volcanic graves, the citizens of Pompeii left quite the archeological
legacy, revealing snippets of everyday life from over 2,000 years ago. Excavations of this ancient town unearthed a villa that had remained virtually untouched by the march of time,
the lack of air and moisture effectively preserving a moment in time and
gifting historians a rare peek into the past.
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| Pompeii photos courtesy of Maradzidra |
As Miss Niece ever so carefully traipsed along the once
lively pathways, she was mindfully aware of the enormity of the devastation
that had ensued with the eruption of the once dormant volcano, her surroundings
permeated by a kind of frozen in time
unsettling unease. Grateful for the
opportunity of being able to leap back into history and experience for herself
what she had previously read about, Miss Kid knew that she was on a life-long
adventure of learning and discovery - one that will never fail to amaze, inspire
and educate.
Come tag along on Miss Niece’s high school
adventure, as she regales her wacky ol’ Auntie with tall tales (all true!!) and escapades of
gallivanting about the Italian peninsula, with a tad bit of fascinating and
educational info thrown into the mix.
Next week – La dolce vita – where oh where in
Italy is Miss Niece?? Stay tuned for more Miss - adventures of the Miss - Kid inspired kind!!
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