Ok, so I’m a control freak. Anyone who knows me is well aware of how I LOVE to plan things. I had looked ahead to get the train out to the airport today and there were plenty of trains so I get up and quickly jump on the Metro app to see what train I’ll get on. “No results found” what?!? My heart drops. I now have no idea what to do. I speed up my pace and quickly farewell dad. I think if I can get to the major train station here I might be able to get a bus – maybe? It’s nearly 6.30 and I need to be at the airport which is just over an hours drive away. My flight closes check in at 8.55am. Now that sounds like a lot of time but it ticks away quickly. 

I head to reception and draw on their local knowledge to see what I can do. He tells me that there is a shuttle bus service if I go down to a place called Porte Malliot. I call and Uber and start googling. The location is about 20 mins away. Luckily the traffic isn’t bad but my heart is racing and I check this shuttle bus website to see that the airport run for my flight would have left at 6.25am.
I arrive at Port Malliot and see a line that says Beauvis Airport with a queue. I buy my ticket and join the line. A bus pulls in just moments later so it seems I’ll be getting to the airport. But will it arrive in time. It’s now close to 7.30am and I check google maps and I think I will just make it. But I’m already online planning worst case scenario, new flight, maybe another night in Paris. I really can’t relax till I’m on the plane.We pull in and I’ve got myself a seat near the door in case I need to run. I’d booked my flight with Ryanair a budget airline with very strict rules about check in times, baggage etc. If I was even a minute late I would not be allowed on the flight.Beauvis airport is small but loud. There are lines everywhere and I try to read the signs to see which line I need to be in. There’s a baggage drop area, but you are basically checking in again so it’s very slow. I finally make the front of the line and have my boarding pass. After a quick bite to eat I head to security screening, but WHAT another line. They were drip feeding the line through. My flight will be called for boarding soon. Seems they have an interesting process of getting people through, but eventually call anyone for Treviso through.Security is another line up but is moving relatively ok, and when my bag is scanned I’m stopped and asked to open. It seems I forgot that I had some mouthwash that didn’t meet the size criteria and they wanted to scan my Lonely Planet. Finally I’m through and I get to the gate with 5 mins to spare. I’m so exhausted and it’s only 9.20am. What a way to start. 

I sleep nearly the whole way to Venice. But thank goodness it all worked out. As I get off the plane I follow the crowd into the baggage claim area. There’s an advertisement for a shuttle to Mestre station which is right near my hostel. So I jump online and book a seat while I wait for my bags, which meant I can just walk straight up to the bus. Glad I did it before I got outside. The bus was full and off we go.
The scenery is very different from the last 2 countries I’ve been in. I know there’s about 45 mins before we get to Venice so I just relax along the way.
After I get off the bus I’ve already got the address ready to go in maps and it’s only 500m to walk. I head off and am so very surprised by how modern and big this hostel is.
The foyer and bar area is impressive and although I can’t check in just yet I get my bags held and room number allocated for later on.

Once I’ve dropped off my stuff, my next stop is the bar. I need a drink after the morning I’d had. I tell the bartender about my morning and she says I better pour a bit extra in for you. At £3 for a prosecco I am not complaining. I sit down to regroup and plan the rest of my day. No time to waste.

I am heading over to the island of Venice and step outside into the beautiful sunshine. It’s 25 degrees and I’m loving the sun on my skin.
I ask someone outside if they know how to walk over the bridge, and she says she walking that way and can show me. She introduces herself as Kate and goes on to tell me she is Russian and works in the hostel as a cleaner. She points out the supermarket and gives me advice about the bus numbers too.
I walk a little bit of the way and then decide to jump on the bus. The bridge is as long as my morning walks back in Australia so I opt to conserve my energy.
When I get off the bus the place is buzzing. I’m always amazed at the amount of people in tourist locations. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed this in Australia but maybe I’ve not been paying attention either.
I am mesmerized by this place. But my first stop is to locate a restaurant overlooking the Grand Canal because I had only had something small at the airport earlier and it’s now 2.30pm. I find a place that meets the brief and am shown to my seat.

At lunch I jump online to book a gondola ride and then decide to spend about an hour walking through the maze of Venice. It’s just so magical and romantic. There are all kinds of people exploring and you never know what’s around the corner.

I realize it’s close to the time for my gondola ride and make my way to the meeting point. There’s a lot of people around and we are led down another laneway to get into our gondolas 6 people at a time.
While I’m in line I over hear a Kiwi accent and strike up a conversation with the couple. It’s then that another couple of women behind us pipe in and they’re from Australia. I get some advice about other places to see in Venice as they’ve all been here for a couple of days.
As we approach the front of the line I am helped into the gondola and sit right at the front so the others in our gondola can sit together. There’s the kiwi couple and a group of 3 American girls who are traveling to celebrate their college degree finishing.

We make our way though the smaller waterways and then out onto the Grand Canal. We pass restaurants and shops, and pass other gondolas, some with musicians on board singing in Italian. It’s just gorgeous. I ask the name of our guide and he says “Bond, James Bond”. We all laugh but he doesn’t crack a smile, with his dark sunglasses on and serious face, he really was doing the brooding thing well.

I do some more exploring and found myself in St Marcos Square. I took in the sights and wandered around finding Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Zara and many other impressive brands. I can’t believe this all fits in here so compactly.

Its getting late, although you wouldn’t know it. The sun is still shining and is very light still. But I need to sit down for a bit and get settled into my hostel. Not to mention a much needed shower.
I jump on a bus and grab my bags and key. I’m in the lift and a lady next to me notices we are in the same room. She’s here for work as an actor in the theatre and just needed somewhere to stay for a couple of nights. We get to our room and I’m impressed. There’s 3 bunks (6beds) and only one persons bed made so far so we make our beds and get to know each other.
The beds are equipped with 2 USB ports and a light. The bathroom shared just for our room is clean and spacious too. My actor room mate gets going back to rehearsals and I jump in the shower, thinking I’ll stay in tonight and maybe chat with some people around bar.

Feeling fresh I pop downstairs for a drink. I meet Jocopo who is staying for a night while he waits for his luggage to arrive as it has his keys to his apartment inside the suitcase. He gives me some advice about the wineries not too far from here, tells me about the beach over in Lido, and talks about his short time in Australia where he has traveled for work. I showed him some of the pictures from my hometown of Terrigal, NSW and thinks it’s beautiful. I agree with him of course.
I spend some time planning my travel down to Matera which is proving to be an expensive exercise, so I decide to take an overnight bus and push back my check in a day so I can save plenty of money (and an extra nights accommodation).
I then go on to meet a Columbian couple who are having their last night of a 3 week Italian vacation and also a group of Italian locals who live around the corner and have stopped in for a couple of drinks. I chat with them for the remainder of the night, and crash into bed at about 2am.
Tomorrow will be a relaxed sleep in I think!