So, in just under a fortnight I’ll be on my way to Naples. After spending all Christmas reading up on Chinese pirates and chronic diseases, I really can’t wait to get away from the UK for a few days (even though I’ll have to take some uni reading in my hand luggage, yuk). 

I’ve now started my pre-trip planning ritual, which I thought I’d share with you. Before I go away on a short break, I like to make a list of all the places I want to visit (I’m a big fan of lists and bullet points.) I divide my list into three columns: ‘Definitely, ‘No’, ‘Maybe’. It’s pretty straightforward, but if there’s somewhere I’m dying to go to, I’ll put it in the ‘Definitely’ column; if there’s somewhere I would go to if I have time, it’ll go in the ‘Maybe’ pile. For places to avoid, I’ll put these in the ‘No’ section. It just means that when I arrive I can plan my trip around the things I really ought to see!

Definitely/Maybe/No. You can use this system when checking out hot guys/girls on the tube as well.

So, with my list in progress and my coursework out of the way, I was getting really excited about jetting off. Until –

Crisis!

One of my favourite things about Italy is, of course, the food. The pasta, the pizza, the cheese, the little bread things you get at breakfast – it’s my food Heaven! But, I’ve hit a small snag…

THE TEETH.

At some point in the last few months, I thought it would be a great idea to get my teeth straightened and my smile finally sorted before I graduate and go on the hunt for an adult job. But – and I’m sure some of you who have had braces will know this feeling – THIS IS A FORM OF MEDIEVAL TORTURE. I mean, seriously?! Why do so many people have these?! Not only do I feel like my teeth are being ripped out of my mouth, speaking is a challenge in itself and I have to be ultra conscious about what I eat in order to avoid damage to the metal. I’m currently living like a pelican and existing on anything slippery that will slip down my throat without needing to be chewed. Which, of course, means that pizza and the ‘little-bread-things-you-get-at-breakfast’ are going to be really fun to tackle. I only got my braces in yesterday and I’ve been assured it gets better after a few days/weeks (which is reassuring, as I don’t think it could get much worse.)

Italy + not being able to eat is my form of hell.