I really missed travelling solo. The world seems to have a problem with solo female travellers. Especially Indian tourists travelling with an entourage. Two aunties asked well-meaning questions on why I’m travelling alone in a space of two hours. Not that it’s any of their business but for some reason, people don’t seem to get it. Some of us actually LIKE travelling alone. We like travelling without an agenda or a plan. We like to decide what we want to do on the fly. We really do like it.

This time took the idea of “deciding on the fly” to a whole new level. My travels are usually planned weeks, if not months ahead of time. Every minute detail, from travel to accommodation to forex is meticulously accounted for and executed to ensure minimum glitches. I’ve been almost obsessed with the need to know literally everything before I set foot out of my house. And it’s worked every time. I’ve usually travelled with zero problems or roadblocks. I believed that this was the only way to do it.

This time was slightly different. I didn’t have time to plan. Except that I wanted to arrive in Singapore a day earlier than needed, I wasn’t quite sure of much else. I wanted a vacation. I needed one. And I knew that Bintan was a good bet. But other than that I literally had no clue what I was going to do.

With four days to the travel, I managed a hotel booking. But I still had no clue how I was going to get there or get back. And then, with one day to go, I booked the ferry. If you think the story is over, you’re mistaken. I checked the time taken from Changi airport to the ferry terminal and for some reason, Google Maps told me it was in Malaysia. That’s when the panic set in. But it was too late to do anything about it. I checked again and still no updates. I was sure I’d booked myself into the wrong ferry from the wrong country and there was nothing I could do. And I did the only thing I could at that point. Took a beauty nap.

I woke up to leave for the airport and shelved the reflection around the ferry and the terminal. It was only when I arrived in Singapore that I checked again and to my relief, the terminal was less than fifteen minutes away from the airport. To cut a long story short, I got my ferry. From the right country and the right terminal. And I also managed to book my return to Singapore. But that’s when it hit me. It’s a simple life truth that lack of time to plan taught me.

Sometimes you may not know where to go and how to get there. You may not even know what the hell you’re doing. That’s ok. It’s ok to not control every minute of your life. It’s ok to not know how to control or direct it. It’s perfectly ok to not know what next. You just need to trust that it will be ok in the end. Otherwise it’s not the end. And yes, while you’re at it, travel more. Travel alone. Reconnect with yourself. Especially if you’re a woman. It’s ok to sit down and have a drink in solitude. It’s ok to do NOTHING in solitude. If you don’t enjoy your company, who else will?

This vacation draws to a close. On the way from Florence to Pisa to take a flight back to Paris, I feel free. This is the first time I’m taking a vacation alone. It’s taken me 31 years and over 10 years of work life to gather the courage to go somewhere alone, just to take a vacation. When Pratibha said she couldn’t make it, I had serious second thoughts. I’m glad I took the plunge.

There is something liberating about not planning every minute, not being required to be at a certain place at a certain time. That dictated my decision not to take guided tours. And I’m happy about my decision. It’s been the best vacation I’ve taken so far.

Italy lends itself beautifully to the idea of a solo vacation. Lovely place with the most amazing sights and sounds. The people are cordial and willing to help. You might have some trouble if you don’t speak Italian but their cordiality more than makes up for it.

The police and officials at the tourist information desk seem to be trained to help non Italian speaking foreigners and are almost always willing to go the extra mile, at least in the major tourist attractions such as Rome and Florence. It might be different in the smaller towns.

On the whole, if you’re planning to take a few days off, Italy must be at the top of your list. Yes, even higher up than Paris.

Special exhibition happening in the Galleria dell’Accademia on “Acknowledging Michelangelo”. Starts today and open until May 18. I’m just plain lucky!

No photos allowed inside the gallery…am so disappointed.

David simply adds itself to my list of not-to-miss works of art. Capturing a fluidity and grace that’s hard to explain David captivates even the casual observer. Not that I am an artist, but it’s breathtakingly beautiful to behold. It’s sheer perfection, from the tip of the toe to the top of the head. It’s very easy to see why this statue is called the symbol of 7000 years of human art. My words do no justice to David’s perfection. It’s perhaps for the first time today that I’ve been struck dumb by what the human intellect is capable of.

This is well and truly Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Every muscle on the leg, the rippling abs, the exposed male genitalia that symbolise virility and fertility in ancient Greek and Roman art and every curve of the body is perfect. Perhaps the most difficult thing to do in art is to capture human anatomy with any degree of accuracy. That’s precisely why artists must master the nude in order to be recognised as good artists.

David is a masterpiece precisely because that aspect of art is perfectly done. It’s hard to compete with perfection.

Over time, David has become symbolic of civic liberties and freedom. And,for good reason. It’s easy to see why the Florentines are so proud of their heritage. If only we Indians cherished what we have as much.

Plaster model of Machiavelli in the gallery. Aptly cunning expression on the face.

The theme of Mary Magdalene’s sainthood recurs through the centuries in various art forms: painting, sculpture, murals…

Also, the Virgin appears frequently in Catholic art, something that completely disappeared in the Protestant sect.

Some lovely sketches in the Galleria degli Uffizi.

In ancient Greek sculpture, elaborate hairstyles signified power. That’s interesting! Loose hair meant a woman of loose morals…seems familiar in the refrain “thalaiya virichi podathey”

It’s amazing to see how Europe preserves its past. We must learn the art of conservation. We have many thousands of years of history that has been list due to negligence.

Birth of Venus by Botticelli is impressive. A large painting approximately 6 feet wide and 4 feet tall, it deserves it’s fame. There’s quite a lot of detail in the painting.

Interesting to note that in every variation of Pieta, there is Mary Magdalene along with the Virgin. Da Vinci’s painting is so realistic…even the tears seem real.

Stormy landscape by Jacob Isaaksz van Ruisdael is captivating in its use of colour.

Since when did I begin to analyse painting???

The judgement of Paris. A captivating theme about the triumph of love (Aphrodite) over power (Athena) and wealth (Hera). Greek mythology is so fascinating…

I wish I could sketch…there is so much to record. Too bad my creativity is limited to the verbal and does not extend to the visual…

Two striking paintings, The Burning of Troy and Hell, both belonging to Don Lorenzo di Medici. A burning Troy bears a very close and striking resemblance to Hell as described in Dante’s Inferno.

Random thought: women with bare bosoms and loose hair always have copper or red hair.

It’s confirmed now. The Italians are different from their other European counterparts. They don’t understand the meaning of the term “queue”.

The train is quite nice. Comfortable with on-board WiFi for a cent!

Found the hotel quite easily. The lady at the tourist information desk was nice enough to hand me an English version of the guidebook and give me directions to get to the hotel.

In a lovely little trattoria. They have lots of vegetarian food!!! But, Piccadilly Square is a very inappropriate name for a restaurant that’s exclusively Italian…

In the Colosseum. Awe-inspiring edifice. Brought up a Hollywood pop culture, I couldn’t help picturing a very sexy Russel Crowe in the arena. ????

But, what’s a Christian cross doing in a pre-Christian Roman monument?

Interesting to see men dressed in ancient Roman costumes.

Palatino Museum: Sculpture dating back to Roman antiquity. Main distinction between these and the sculptures present in the Vatican museum is that those in the Vatican aren’t in the nude. The genital area is covered with a fig leaf. Must find out when Christian mores started influencing Roman art.

When I see these sculptures, I somehow can’t get two statues: Pieta and the Winged Victory of Samothrace out of my mind. Something about those two that touches the deepest recesses of the heart. Now waiting to see David in Florence.

The Imperial Fora and the Colosseum took most of the day to see…plenty of walking with music for company. Lovely day. It was bright and sunny, with temperatures going upto 19 degrees. What more do I need?

Rome needs better connectivity…the metros aren’t enough.

The Vatican really must discourage guided tours…they get annoying beyond a point…

St. Peter’s Square is actually a very large circle and a beautifully maintained one. Can’t imagine the chaos when this place is filled to the brim with thousands of people during the papal elections.

Successfully climbed the cupola. Partly because I paid for it and partly because once I started climbing, there was no way to stop.

The climb is difficult but worth the effort. The view from the top is marvellous.

If you’re planning on visiting Rome, don’t miss climbing the Cupola. The climb starts as a five foot wide ramp, narrows into winding stairs of 3.5 feet. The stairs get progressively narrower as you climb until it’s just about 15 inches. At this point, I thought I was going to suffocate! Then it gets worse because the climb is not only steep, but the ground is inclined at roughly 10 degrees. But the view from the top compensates for all the trouble!

Peak hour traffic in Rome metros resembles Chennai trains in peak hour. No space to stand.

Really not enough trains for the demand.

Neck pain because of the camera. Didn’t realise it was this heavy.