I knew I wanted to go somewhere, but the decision was where. I don’t think I’m quite ready for a trip too far away just yet, so somewhere hot in Europe was top of my list, and Bologna won out.
I managed to find a lovely studio apartment for £450 or so on Airbnb, for four weeks in the centre, and knew I wasn’t going to do much better than that. I think going forward I’m going to spend at least 4 weeks in each place. Airbnb offer amazing discounts for longer stays, and I don’t want the stress of moving every week or so as I did in 2016 during my trip to Spain.
Bologna also worked out well for other reasons, and the decision was made. I handed in my notice at talkSPORT, and began the planning. When I say planning, all I did was book a flight, that was really about it. I had some flights that were cancelled earlier in the year due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, so it was all a straightforward process as I had some vouchers I could use.
I wasn’t too anxious about making the trip, mainly because I was working up until the day before I flew out, so I was extremely busy. I had to navigate leaving work, and all the things that come with that, as well as arranging to leave my shared flat in London. I didn’t finish sorting things out in my flat until about 12.30am on the day I was flying, and after a few hours sleep, I was on a coach heading to the airport for my flight.
I think there was some relief, as I’d had a pretty rough few months in my flat. Originally there was a damp issue, which would leave me sneezing and with itchy eyes. There was then a big leak in my room, which soaked the carpet through, and had a definite effect on my health. I would wake up very chesty, feeling full up, and generally under the weather. This didn’t help with anxiety, and I was relieved when I was given the chance to move to another room in the flat. This meant moving everything from one room to another, but it gave me a chance to start organising things.
As mentioned, after choosing Bologna, and sorting accommodation, I didn’t really do much else! Being here for four weeks gives me the chance to really immerse myself in the city, and I plan on visiting other areas as well. My other half’s mum lives near Bologna, so the girlfriend is spending some time with me as well, as she is currently furloughed from her job in the UK. She speaks basic Italian, and it’s reassuring to have a familiar face close to me as I start this new adventure.
I loved my time in Spain during the first early midlife crisis, but that was done on my own, and there were definitely occasions when I felt lonely. It’s nice to have company to kick things off.
I’m writing this during my first few days in the city, and as of yet, there isn’t really too much to report. My flight was nice and smooth, and I managed to sleep for a bit of it, which is a rarity for me. The journey from the airport to the station in Bologna was eventful, as the bus broke down close to our destination. Police came and helped matters, and I was left to find my way to my booked apartment.
It was boiling hot, and I was wearing jeans and a hoodie, which believe it or not was a calculated choice. I knew I had to pack correctly (I packed way too much in Spain), so wanted to wear my bigger items on my flight out. I had a half hour walk to the studio, and decided to go for it. I won’t lie, this might not have been one of my smarter decisions. Here’s me after said walk, an absolute sweaty mess.
I had a much-needed shower, and met the other half and her mum an hour or so later. We went for aperitivo in Piazza Santo Stefano (a few minutes’ walk from the apartment), and boy did it feel nice to sit down with a beer and enjoy the free snacks. I’ve already developed a bit of an infatuation with aperitivo, despite my lack of smell and taste
There have been a couple of days of rain which I’ve actually kind of appreciated. I’ve been exhausted, so it’s nice to catch up on sleep and take things easy. We’ve been for yet more aperitivo, and also got to see Bologna’s famous two towers. Fun fact, the smaller of the two towers (the Garisenda Tower) actually leans more than the world-famous leaning tower of Pisa!
We also went to that cultural hotspot Lidl, and got to experience some delicious ice-cream.
There’s plenty more to come, and I’m excited to see all of what Bologna has to offer.
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