European Vacation: The Cruise - Things I Learnt

As with any break from routine, holidays give us the opportunity to step outside of ourselves for just a little while - to stop and notice things big and small; to think about the world, our lives and what's important to us; to look at where we come from, and what makes us who we are.  But for me, they mainly just confirm that I really, really like hazelnut gelato.

On this trip, I also discovered that I really, really like saying the word 'romper'.  After resisting the all-in-one / jumpsuit trend (and possibly quietly ridiculing a person or two for wearing them), I bought this romper in the best little shop in Corfu:

The one I bought is in a different fabric but you get the idea.  The print is by Liberty of London (perhaps my favourite store in the whole world, their fabric section makes my pulse race...), and the romper is by Sessun (never heard of them before, but now I think I love them).

The fabric is deliciously soft and light, and it's an all-in-one people!  No matching tops to bottoms (which I am completely useless at).  I love it very much.

So I am now a romper-wearing kind of girl (as the 12 year old said  - and I quote - 'to be perfectly honest, it is a bit weird').  And now I can say 'romper' anytime I feel like it.  Try it.  'Romper'.  Fun, yes?

(As a side note - don't you adore buying clothes on vacation?  Then every time you put them on it reminds you of your time away.  And they also allow you to casually drop 'oh yes, I bought this in a little boutique in a town near Portofino' into the conversation.  Not that I would do that.  I'm not shallow or anything.)

Some other things I learnt on this trip:
- Cruising is a whole lot of fun provided you don't take anything too seriously.  It is also ridiculously good value and is chock full of hilariously lovable traditions.  Like having to dress up in formal wear for no reason other than that you are told to.  Like drinks with the Captain.  And like waiters marching through your darkened restaurant, singing opera style and holding trays of flambe bombe alaska high over their heads.
- Watching old couples dancing the tango, however badly, can be a surprisingly moving experience.
- My husband is actually getting worse at estimating driving times in Europe.  I did not think this was possible, but apparently it is.  On the final day, we set off from our agriturismo in Umbria for what was meant to be 'about an hours drive' to lunch on the coast.  After one hour, two vomits and only a third of the distance covered we (thankfully) retreated to a much easier Plan B.
- Martinis.  With lots of green olives.  Oh yeah.

The photo at the top was taken in Bari, Italy - you can see more holiday pics here.