I can hardly believe that this time last week I was in Italy – eating delicious food, strolling through olive groves and clambering down Matera’s spectacular gorge. When the pandemic started, I was convinced it would all be over in six months and we’d look back on it as a strange and frightening time. I thought it was a blip and that although the world was tottering briefly on its axis, it would gradually right itself and life would carry on. Nearly two years later and the world is tottering still.
People are slowly starting to travel outside their own countries again and I think the overwhelming emotion is one of gratitude. Britain is undoubtedly a beautiful and varied place, sometimes flat, often hilly, sometimes mountainous, and with a spectacular coastline spanning many thousands of kilometres. It’s packed full of architectural wonders, artistic treasures, world-class museums and even great food (making up for the grim offerings of past decades). But it’s my home and it just lacks the excitement of abroad.
At the moment it’s hard to think of any country I wouldn’t enjoy visiting, outside war zones and possibly Saudi Arabia. (I know Saudi is now promoting itself as tourist-friendly, but I’m really struggling to see it as a holiday destination.) But Italy has always been my favourite. They have the most beautiful language in the world, the food and wine are wonderful, the art and architecture are spectacular, the coastline is gorgeous and the people are warm and friendly. So, why haven’t I been there for years, you might wonder?
View of Matera 
Steps down to our hotel room in Matera
I have a travel strategy, which is to visit the far-flung, more demanding countries while I’m fit and able, and to save the easier options (ie, Europe and North America) for when I’m somewhat less fit and able. I don’t think I’d have considered the overnight train trip from Beijing to Xian nearly as entertaining in my 80s as I did in my 50s. And a yurt in Uzbekistan might not be the ideal overnight stay if you find sleeping on the ground a challenge. That is why my last trip before lockdown was to Southeast Asia and not France. But things have changed and even travelling in Europe seems terribly daring at the moment. Although it’s not when you get there.
Other than masks and Covid passes, Italy feels completely unchanged. It’s just as lovely as ever. We saw rows of white trulli houses with cone-shaped tiled roofs, white towns perched high on hills and the wonderful Matera, seemingly carved from a rock, as well as many many olive groves, none of which do we see at home. Italy was the perfect choice to start tentatively travelling again. Different but familiar, exciting but safe – the opposite of next year’s planned trip to Japan and Malaysia, which has already been postponed once and may be again. Never mind, I hear that Bologna is well worth a visit…
Really hoping to be in Italy in a few weeks. And Bologna is wonderful.
Great, I’m so pleased that you’re travelling again.
What an amazing trip, I was lucky to share the experience with you! Can’t wait to read about your future travels 🙂
It was a great trip, wasn’t it? Our cave hotel rooms in Matera were so much fun.
Very envious! Bologna is lovely and definitely worth a visit. 42km of porticos, from mediaeval to more recent. Geoff was blending with the natives and was very annoyed I kept getting out my tourist map which, according to him, was the size of Berkshire. 🤣 My guide book said one building had been restored many times … the last time in 1250!
I’m convinced – Bologna it is. Although there’ll be no blending with the natives for me either.