Temperatures beginning to dip can only mean one thing: it’s time for a fresh fall bucket list!
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It’s fall, y’all! I don’t know about you, but this fall has been much-awaited. I’ve spent entirely too much time talking about the heat, so even the light break in temperatures we’ve seen this week has been gold.
One funny thing I’ve noticed here in northern Italy is that on September 1, people start breaking out their jackets. Outerwear is based on the calendar, not the temperature. There will be 80 degree fall days for the next month at least, but you can count on the locals to be dressed as if it’s November!
Culturally, I do think I do a better job of dressing more Italian (or at least European) in the cooler weather – their particular flavor of put-together is easier to copy when I’m not melting in the summer heat! So I’m definitely looking forward to that.
Before we get further, a thought: I suspect we are all a little cranky right now, and it’s worth acknowledging. The world has been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for months. We’ve sacrificed trips, moments, hugs, rites of passage. We lost time, experiences, and loved ones. We’re all exhausted from the confusion, fear and paradigm-shifting. Regardless of what you think about how things have been handled or what should happen next, it’s a good bet that we’ve all got some major COVID-fatigue.
So with that in mind, please remember to be kind. To yourself and to others. When this started, we all thought we’d have put this in the rearview by now. Even though Europe is having a drastically different experience than the US, it’s still very much a reality here and influencing what we can and can’t do on a daily basis. We can all stand to offer kindness and patience to those around us in these intense times.
That being said, summer was weird but good. We were able to travel within Italy, so we had a blast exploring the Amalfi Coast. After months of cancelled and postponed plans it was glorious!
Don’t misunderstand: there are so many changes to travel in a COVID world. I’ve dedicated space to this already, so I’ll skip the details for now. It’s a small price to pay to travel again!
It’s meant that much of our exploring has been in the Alps, hiking on trails where we don’t see another person all day. It’s not a bad way to spend our time, so no complaints here!
The heat was real this summer, y’all. Now that it’s (slightly) lessening, I’m realizing that I talked entirely too much about it. You know that meme that says “I’m sorry for what I said when I was hungry?” I felt like that with the heat. I now understand why Italians go on vacation the entire month of August – it’s too hot to think anyway, so might as well!
Fall Bucket List
Of course high on my list is travel. Europe is still very much in flux: the list of what countries we can enter changes almost daily, so I won’t be planning any international trips any time soon. But we’re hoping to do lots of Alpine adventures!
Like this year’s summer bucket list, I built this one around staying close to home. The fall still holds uncertainty, especially as we approach the cooler months. For that reason, this fall’s list isn’t as fall-themed as usual.
- go hiking when the leaves are turning
- go pumpkin picking
- make strata, parmesan roasted butternut squash, and fall prosecco cocktails
- write a letter to a relative
- vote
- explore a nearby town, park or hiking trail once a month
- read Every Day in Tuscany, White Fragility, and The Murmur of Bees
- explore a local fall festival, if possible
- buy yourself flowers
- watch a movie that came out the year you were born
- learn a new skill
- take a weekly walk
- try learning a new language on Duolingo
- do something nice for someone else once a week
- go stargazing
- create new morning and evening routines for myself
What’s on your fall bucket list? If you’re looking for a more traditional/less “stay at home” fall bucket list, try this one from last year!
As always, I share a free fall bucket list printable with my email list? Join up below if you want your copy as well as other travel tips and insider stories!
