Rainbow Connection: Life on the Road. Rainbow Wahine in Europe (Episode 1)

Clare-Marie Anderson #44, Wahine Sand Volleyball Defensive-Specialist

Blog Entry #1

5/17/2015

Buongiorno Hawai'i!

We made it to Italy! After three planes and 24 hours of travel, we're finally here in Milan. Straight off the plane we caught the bus from the airport to our hotel where we saw greenery, quaint neighborhoods, and lots of little Fiats! We made a brief stop to drop our bags off at the hotel, then got down to business right away. We walked to the Italian National Training Center where we practiced for about 2 hours. It was really cool to be able to get some reps in with the international balls because they're quite different from the ones we're used to. They float a lot more, so they're a bit tougher to pass. However, despite the unfamiliarity and lack of sleep, we were able to have a good and effective practice. By the time we were done, we were starving, and very thankful for the three-course meal that followed at the training center comprised of mouth-watering vegetables, pasta, and pork chops. 

After practice and our meal we headed back to the hotel to shower and rest before meeting up at 5 to go to Milan.

Once 5 o clock rolled around we were all excited to sight-see. We boarded the public transit, which took us right into the heart of the city. One of the standouts of our evening in Milan was seeing the Duomo: a gorgeous church with breath-takingly beautiful stained glass and statues. We also got some gelato. I had a combination of Amareno and Caramello flavors... yum!! The night ended at a delicious Italian restaurant where we ate some of the best food I've ever tasted: risotto, authentic spaghetti, margherita pizza, and lasagna. By the time we finished our stomachs were extremely full and we were very tired from all the travel so we went back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

Now I'm tucked into my bed ready to sleep after a day full of adventure, fun, and most importantly...food!

Areverderchi,

Clare