Europe
Despite travelling the world full time, Europe is the place that always tugs at the hem of my plans. Maybe it’s because it still feels like home in two directions at once, the UK where I’m from, and Italy where my partner grew up. Or maybe it is simply that Europe makes it so easy to slip back into a life you recognise, even when you’ve been away for months.
“Europe is proof that a few hours can change everything”
I grew up in the Cotswolds and lived in Bath for ten years before we packed everything up, and there are still days when I can picture those familiar streets without trying. Europe is also home to all our family and friends spread between countries, and so is the food that makes us feel instantly grounded, or even just a proper cup of tea!
My partner is from Liguria, which means Italy has always been threaded into our travels. We return for the coastline and the pace of it, but we also return because Italy has given us some of our favourite versions of Europe.
But the most special Europe memory we carry is much farther north. We spent a month in Lofoten in winter (yes, winter!), and it is still hard to describe without sounding like I’m exaggerating. The days were short, but the light lasted, a constant golden glow that made the sea and snow look soft and fluffy. We hiked with cold cheeks and warm layers, and the reward was always the same: a cosy café stop afterwards, hands wrapped around something hot, a cinnamon bun on the side, watching the weather roll across the water.
