Let the countdown begin...

It's hard to believe that I only have 1 month left before I leave on my European adventure... I am starting to get really nervous. Turns out I will be spending the majority of the time alone, which is freeing and exhilarating... and exactly the way I want it... but being a female solo traveler is a bit intimidating. I am really happy I am not going with Joel and his sister too even though I would have had felt safer in larger #'s. I just think it would have a huge waste.
So here I go, off alone, into the great wide open... the first month in Siena, Italy learning Italian and living with a Italian host family. I will be volunteering with local organizations and hopefully really getting to learn and be a part of the Italian culture.
Right after Siena, I have a week to kill. I think I will go to Cinque Terra before I head up to Belgium for the Rock Werchter concert, where I will see my all time favorite musician.. Neil Young...and I can check one more thing of my "To do before I die" list. Hopefully my friend Jesse will fly out for the concert... and then after all those festive shenanigans we can run off to Amsterdam and frolic in the tulip fields, coffee shops, drink some absinthe after dinner, and go to the Van Gough Museum!!! Oh the things we will do in Amsterdam... that will stay in Amsterdam.
Then off I will go alone to Nice, France... then take a ferry to Corsica!!! I cannot wait to experience Corsica. I plan on doing much hiking, biking, sunbathing, exploring, climbing, sailing.. anything my little heart desires. Its pretty cool that their flag is a guys head.. because they chopped off some kings head and won their independence. I think that's how the story goes.
After a few weeks in Corsica... I will take a ferry to Italy... see Pompeii... eat some of the best pizza in the world in Napoli (a secret place in my favorite book that I will never reveal)... then take a ferry from Bari, Italy to Kefalonia, Greece, Ionian Islands... 38 degrees latitude which happens to be my lucky number!!! crazy... but anyway... I will do a little island hopping to Ithaca and Zakynthos to see Smuggler's Beach. I am taking a tent and plan on doing a lot of camping in Greece. The campgrounds are pretty dang nice... I could handle waking up on the beach...
there are caves to explore and snorkeling at these islands, as well as hiking, tons of historical building and ruins, local art, and sexy Greek boys... I don't think I will go to Corfu though because its just a big party island. I can't wait to hike up on some amazing cliff, write in my journal, read a book, meditate, and take in the sunset.
Then, sadly, I will depart the Ionian's after a few weeks.. head to Italy to catch anything I missed like Bologna. I must find me a short term boyfriend in Rome... I hear the men there are ridiculously beautiful... then I will head up to The Alps (Italian and Swiss). I really want to go to Bern, Switzerland because from what my Grandma Joan tells me I have descendants from there. Apparently my ancestors on my Dad's side were Sicilians who moved to Ireland and then to America later... and my mom's side is Swiss and English. So I am Swiss Italian Irish... sounds like nice combo : )
I am so happy for my trip... it is going to be quite the journey.. spiritually and physically. I can't wait to find out more about myself and the world...