A Trip To Montalcino In Italy Was A Reminder Of Where I Want To Be

Sometimes we forget to live our lives at home. A holiday is a great reminder of what we need from our lives. Of what we really need from it. Happiness, time, sunlight, smell of grass, a long walk, time with family and such things. For me, what I need most is time to do nothing. Simply sit and stare. And put my clock-ticking mind to rest.

One such vacation, we headed to Montalcino, the heart of Italy's Tuscan region known for rolling hills, miles of vineyards, and plenty of pasta wheat, old churches, hot springs, little medieval towns, spires and more.

We landed in Rome. The journey was lovely, the landscape around East Europe, that merges into Drove a few hours out in the broad region of a steep mountain town called Siena. Here people move around the highs and lows of the walled mini city via escalators. Siena is famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year. And there are some gorgeous boutique stores of cheese and wine. Half an hour from this picturesque and historic town is Val D'Orcia (within the region of Montalcino) where we were staying.

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Just waking up every morning and looking through the square window at what seemed like a natural Instagram view, was simply therapeutic.

I realised when I am on leave I am thinking of things that I have no time to think about when I am in my routine. For me this was a pause. It sort of rushed my life reel over those four days and made me think about what I have missed from my to do list. In an emotional sort of way, Val D' Orcia became my #LifeChangingPlace. So I sat myself down. Literally with a pen and paper and put down seven things I have wanted to do.

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1. Learn the drums. I have always wanted to acquire skills in a percussion instrument. Drums all the way. The feel of banging the drumsticks on the cymbals. Aah. It would be part of my bucket list.

2. Catch up with old and dear friends with whom I have had such amazing moments but like many things in life, we all just got stuck in the rut.

3. Read and read more: Legs at 45 degrees lying on a bench against the horizon of sunshine, grass and blue skies. Books would read themselves to me?

4. Meet New People: I met a warm family from Holland. We played football with the kids, and just rolled downhill.

5. Leave my comfort zone: So interestingly when you are most comfortable, just like while on a vacation, that's the best time to think of how one can do more. Out of the box stuff, new things, ideas and energies. That works a lot for me

6. Curiosity: In the rut of my life, one thing that chips off is my sense of curiosity. Travelling changes that in me. It revives my brain cells and adventure cells to push boundaries, ask questions, and be curious.

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