Ciao Italia!

It's a beautiful day here and I'm in high spirits.  The sun is shining, it's a Saturday, and it's nearly the holidays.  And... I'm going to Italy!   So I have lots of reasons to be excited:

1. It will be my first time abroad
2. It will be my second time flying (that is, if you don't count a spin in a friend's homemade plane, which wobbled somewhat when the prop was spun round, but thankfully held together in the air)
3. I love Italian food....
4. I get to see some pretty awesome engineering stuff whilst I'm over there, too (as I'm going with some folk from my department)

so, the last couple of weeks I've been buzzing round buying a case, 100ml bottles, and plenty of euro to see me through (I was dissappointed to find that they are much like pound notes, only these ones are nice and crisp and new...), etc etc.
I went on one such shopping trip today, and then remembered, as I played the dodging game, weaving in and out of the throng of dozy shoppers, why I don't usually go shopping on a Saturday... There were numerous buskers out, as usual, and as I meandered round the shop, I was serenaded by some pipes outside, playing such tunes as 'we will rock you', 'if you're happy and you know it', and countless other tunes I didn't even know it was possible to play on the pipes... another piper further down was giving a rendition of 'amazing grace', (in tune, for a change)...and someone else was playing blues.
Anyway, as I was wandering along, it occured to me that, for once, I didn't feel constrained by anything - no deadlines or worries, and I was immensely thankful for that.  Coming from a small town, the pace of life in a city sometimes gets to me, and I need to remind myself every now and again just to stop, slow down, take a deep breath and stop worrying about tomorrow.
So, after a long semester, I am looking forward to a bit of a break from the city and (after Italy) time to recharge again ready for the exams...