The honeymoon

Let it be known that I am very excited indeed about going on a honeymoon in two days’ time.

It was all a bit unexpected, to say the least, in fact I've just been to Pisa and Florence a scant 3 months ago, I certainly wasn't planning to return to Italy so soon. But when the opportunity arose to bask in the Mediterranean sun for a few days and to discover the delights of “Cinque terre”, I slept on it and decided to “seize the moment” and embark on this impromptu holiday.

….but a honeymoon, you might rightly ask. Yes, that’s right. I am going on a honeymoon, but not my own. If you have visited this blog previously you may be aware that I found myself quite unexpectedly performing the role of a bridesmaid at my friend Mari’s wedding in Helsinki in the Spring. From what I gather it wasn’t quite going to be like that, and I guess it wasn’t quite going to be that I should join her on her honeymoon either, but it’s just the way things worked out. The newlyweds are currently enjoying their romantic break, but following a pretty boring visa/work permit kerfuffle with the Turkish and Chinese authorities, the husband has to take his leave and return to China a tad prematurely. Oh, alas! So I received an emergency phone call last week from the bride who was less than prepared to spend the second half of their honeymoon on her own. Fair enough.

The nuptial sejour is based in Manarola near La Spezia in Cinque terre, which is a breathtakingly beautiful cluster of 5 Unesco world heritage villages, just south of the Italian Riviera… which in turn is only a stone’s throw from ‘le Midi’ (where I had been secretly plotting to go for a little jolly for some time now). A quick Google session revealed that I can hop on a train in Genova and in just 3 hours disembark on French soil in Nice. Parfait! It wasn’t really such an arduous decision to make, even though the thought of going on someone else’s honeymoon might seem just a little bit on the exotic side.

Adding the fact that the unplanned appearance as a bridesmaid in May indeed turned out to be my (unlucky) third time in this role, if I was at all superstitious I might draw the conclusion that this may well be the nearest I ever get to a honeymoon… all the more reason to make the most of it!

In summary, my dear friend’s matrimonial misfortune has given me an excuse to embark on a week-long rampage on the Italian and French Riviera.

I have no complaints.