Homesick?

I would say I have not understand the feeling of homesick...till maybe now?

When I first came to UK in 2011, my mom was with me and after she left, we were busy with courses and my beloved seniors organised a lot of gatherings and fun outings.

Went home during Christmas for 3-4 weeks and back again to UK on January 2012. I cried a lot for the first few days to weeks because my last memory of home was mom crying after hugging me at the airport. It really broke my heart but I would not call it homesick because I did not miss home.

I had the chance to return home again 6 months later for 5-6 weeks and coming back to UK was not too bad because I was with a friend. Went to a small town and started my rotation and I did not miss home because I had friends around me all the time. They do make a huge difference.

For the last 3 weeks in this tiny rural place, I have lost the motivation and enjoyment of being in the rotation. I feel annoyed all the time. I don't feel like I'm part of the team and I don't feel like I'm learning anything. This morning, I woke up and felt like having Wantan mee. I really really want it so badly. I thought of getting the ingredients and making it but there is no Chinese/ Asian shop here and Tesco does not have the wantan skin nor wantan noodle. Hence I started googling for pictures etc just to satisfy myself.

My cousin suddenly whatsapped me and I conveniently told her how I am craving for Wantan mee and she was so mean because she replied 'You chose to go overseas ma'. I felt so so angry because it was so unfair for her to say so and I didn't chose to study oversea you bitch. FYI, my mom changed my uni application to overseas instead of letting me completing my clinical years at home.

I was so angry that I told my friend about it and he used the word 'homesick' and that magical word opened the floodgate to my tears.

I guess I am homesick....or maybe it's just PMS?
I don't know...I just feel like having some M'sian food and friends around me to distract me from this feeling.

CNY is round the corner but I'll be alone here with no CNY atmosphere at all. I am at this tiny place with another 2 locals which I enjoy their company but it's different.

I guess I still can't call this place home...

Venice + Florence + Tuscany region + Pisa (+Paris) trip

I know it's so long overdue but I have been busy, sorry.

Right let's get down to business.

My dear friend came all the way from Aus hoping to meet me while he tour UK and Europe but due to some unseen circumstances, I blew the chance to meet him again hence he asked me to go to Germany with him which I turned down. I have no idea what went through my mind at the time. Maybe due to the ongoing projects or the limited days that I can practice at suttie centre before I leave Aberdeen.

Anyway, it gave me the idea of going to Europe and have my first experience of traveling hence I went to Italy's two top 5 most romantic cities- Venice and Florence and Pisa and Tuscany region.

Of the 2 romantic cities, I love Venice better because at Venice you walk everywhere and I LOVE walking. The scenery is so beautiful and the people are so nice too. Even though I don't know any Italian language, I did survive well because they can speak English even though not fluently.

Visited the museums, talked to the locals, watched a play and opera too. Walked around without consulting the map because no matter where you walk, you can see signs pointing to Ponte di Rialto or San Marco. I actually followed some signs made from paint spray/ graffiti because I can't find any signs. It was so exciting!!

I really fell in love with Venice. The day I need to leave Venice for Florence, I really felt so sad.

Venice also gave me a special memory where I was actually asked to have a drink by a local. For someone who doesn't go clubbing or out drinking, having being asked out is really flattering. He was very very persistent and when I said I have enough of wine for the day, he went on and asked to have coffee instead and even asked if I wanted a massage LOL. I rejected politely but he keep persisting and asked for number and hotel etc..wow....

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

 Outside of my hotel

 Venice map and the hotel key

 Venice traditional food- cuttlefish spaghetti

 What is Venice without the masks?

 What is Venice without the gondola?

 Vivaldi concert

 Santa do it differently at Venice lol

 San Marco

 The water taxi that took us to the 3 islands- Murano, Burano and Torcello

Glass blowing Murano in action

Murano glass made ballerinas =)

 Palazzo Ducale/ Doge's 

Palace Scala dei giganti at the Doge's Palace main stairway for grand entrance to the palazzo greeted by colossal statues of Mars and Neptune

 The ceiling of the palace

 The La Traviota opera that I watched which is a private event where the opera singers sing in front of you and we need to change rooms at each scene. Free champagne too!

 San Marco view from Museo Correr

 Venezia, the play that was educational, hilarious and interesting =)

 The coffee that I will never forget =P

Rialto Bridge

 Train to Florence

Florence is a busy town. I didn't like it at first because it was so busy, congested and crowded unlike Venice. But after a few days, I got used to it and enjoyed myself. Went to lots of museums, seen lots of churches, shopping then went to Chianti region for olive oil and wine tasting and tried the famous florentine steak.

 Florence cathedral 

 Ponte Alla Carraia. The bridges in Florence were all bombed during WWII but one of the bridges were left untouched which is Ponte Vecchio.

Ponte vecchio- the only survived bridge in WWII

 Florence city

  Took the hop on hop off bus to tour around Florence

 Stunning looking Fiesole

Palazzo Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio museum

 Everywhere has art work- the ceiling, the wall, the floor etc 

 Piazza della Republica

Outside of the Uffizi Museum

Cute signs in Florence

Next, I went for a half day tour to Chianti region which includes Castellina and San Gimignano. Surprisingly no other tourist joined this tour so I had a private van, private tour and a personal tour guide for the whole half day =)
He even gave a short tour around Florence hehe

 A trip to Chianti region- vineyard

 Castellina Chianti

 vineyard 

Casale dello Sparviero at Tuscany in Castellina in Chianti- a winery with huge vineyard

The wine cellar- French and Italian wine casks

The wine and olive oil tasting session. I had 5 cups of different wine and some grappa and was still sober >.<

Florentine Steak which was sooooo good

Took a train to Pisa from Florence.

Pisa city 

 Pulpit in the Pisa Cathedral by Giovanni

Leaning tower of Pisa

My plane from Florence to Paris was cancelled due to bad weather so we were driven to the Pisa airport and flew from there. The next plane back to Abd was the next morning so we were given a free room at the 4 star Best Western with 25 euro worth of dinner, complimentary breakfast and free wifi =)

 Free dinner

 The dessert =) 

 The room. Double bed/ Queen size bed per person =)

Experience in Paris for free =)

 Italy is famous for its Gelato and desserts so I've crammed as many dessert pictures that I've taken and tried =)

I really love Venice and would love to go back. No, I will definitely go back!!

Missing it very much =(

Glad I came up with this trip =)