Last month, something quietly monumental happened: I finished the photo project I had been working on for 18 months.
It began, as many things do, with loss. I started it because I wanted to work through the trauma of losing my mum and, most importantly, to reclaim the memories of our last weekend away.
I’ve found my new favourite rail journey. In November, we travelled on the famous Bernina Express, a panoramic train that runs from Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, to the Italian Alpine town of Tirano. It’s an incredible experience offering uninterrupted views across the Swiss Alps, from glacial landscapes and snow-dusted peaks to winding viaducts and tiny Alpine hamlets.
Oh, for the love of an August bank holiday weekend! With a long weekend stretching ahead of us, and the satisfaction of meeting a major deadline on Wednesday, Stephen and I couldn’t resist the allure of a short escape. On Thursday morning, we set off bright and early for two nights in Bath. It was the type of perfect timing with enough of a getaway to recharge, yet two extra days to rewind when we returned home.
… when you’re busy making other plans.
Well that was unexpected! The past six months have been some of the most challenging and rewarding, but they've also been fairly all-consuming. I’m always conscious that I landed my dream job but I do have to balance that with how relentlessly demanding it is.
On top of that, the last quarter of last year included some pretty incredible travel experiences with four countries visited in three months!
Even I can admit that burning the candle on both ends is on brand for me
Before I knew it, six months had passed and I hadn't posted on this blog. The longer I left it, the harder it felt to explain the gap. I've even had a fully written post about our time in Bath sitting in my drafts all this time.
It feels like I’ve been trying to catch my breath for months but I’m happy to say things are finally starting to settle down.
So I’m easing myself back into writing and exploring again, and I’m really looking forward to catching up on everyone else’s adventures. I’ll do my best not to disappear again.
First, though, a little glimpse of what I've been up to all this time.
I've tried many times to compose this post in my mind but struggled each time. How do you express that you visited the most exquisite gardens in Italy when you know that you cannot do them justice? Known in English as the Villa Melzi Gardens, i Giardini di Villa Melzi d'Eril are located on the shore of Lake Como in Bellagio and feature a neoclassical villa, acres of carefully appointed gardens, and an impressive selection of sculptures.