My Rules for a Great Solo Adventure

Before I went on vacation, I wrote down some rules I wanted to follow so I could maximize my time alone and come back refreshed.

A page from my notebook. Literally.

Everyday, I would take my time, waking up without an alarm and only moving when I felt like it. I normally had some bites on hand, so I didn't have to rush to go out for breakfast, and my first real meal was normally brunch.

MY NAKED LOOK

Because I wasn't rushing, I had time to put on Naked make-up everyday, so it would look like I had no make-up on (this look takes time ha!) even if I did. Hahaha.

I only made do with the tools I normally carry in my everyday handbag.

Everyday Selfie in London

Everyday Mirror Selfie in Florence

Everyday Selfie in Paris

Now if only I had the energy to do this everyday in my real life…

DO NOT RUSH

I think the hardest rule to follow was to right the natural instinct to RUSH! I really had to keep telling myself, to relax, and go with the flow. I just had a general list of things I wanted to do per city, and my logical brain was telling me I needed to do all the things that were close by together – which put a time pressure on getting things done, so I had to fight against this by telling myself it was ok not to get everything done at once.

ENJOYING EACH MEAL

At first I was concerned about eating alone. I even had a notebook where I jot done all my ideas, to do and to buy lists “to keep me company” during meal times because I was too lazy to carry a book or a magazine, but I realized, that I didn’t even need to bring it out.  In some cases, eating alone even worked to my advantage, because they could easily squeeze me into a table, while the rest of the people in groups, needed to wait a long time to get seated.

Normally, I only have time to kill during the lull between when I order my meal, and before the meal arrives. I normally use this time to check my phone (thank you local data plans!).

Once my meal comes, after I take a picture from several angles, I am just in heaven enjoying it.

LONDON 

Steak and Guinness Skinny Pie with Mashed Potatoes and Sausage
from Square Pie

Meat Plank from Jamie's Italian

FLORENCE

Steak with Wild Berry Compote from Cucchietta 

Eggs with Truffle from the restaurant in Fiesole

Steak with Truffle Sauce and Arugula from Trattoria Zaza

The tastiest melt in your mouth beef from Nerbone at the Mercato Centrale

PARIS

Light dinner from L'avant Comptoir, an Hors D'Oeuvres Bar in Paris.
Anything that serves Foie Gras on a stick rocks!

Three course meal from Le Bistrot Paul Bert
Truffled Eggs, Steak Frites and Grand Marnier Souffle

Pan-Seared Foie Gras with Truffle Sauce from Le Petit Sud Ouest

Pancake Fried Egg Pancake Fried Egg and Crispy Bacon Stack
from Holybelly Cafe

Moules Frites Ardenaise from Leon de Bruxelles

For the meals I really savored, I thought, I would just pick out the really outstanding meals I enjoyed, but it turns out I really enjoyed most of the meals I had, especially most of my meals in Paris. So I guess this was one rule that I really lived to the fullest.

ME TIME

I loved spending time with myself every time I sat down for a break or for a coffee whenever I needed to rest or JUST BECAUSE I WANTED TO (which I don’t get to do in real life).

Watching the hustle and bustle of Portobello Market on a Saturday

Time to stop and smell the roses. I mean tulips, at Hyde Park.

Going out of Florence, so I could have lunch overlooking it.

Sitting beside Le Tour Eiffel

and having overpriced coffee in its vicinity.

So I conclude, my rules worked for me. I am very thankful for the two weeks I had for myself, and if I get the chance to do it again or to do it every year (dare I wish), I would love to do it again, even if I had to follow the same set of rules. just saying.

Restaurant List:

LONDON

Square Pie from Old Spitalfields Market

Jamie's Italian (multiple branches in London)

FLORENCE

Cucchietta on Via Firenzuola (Le Cure, Firenze)

La Reggia in Fiesole (The only restaurant on the look out point above Florence)

Trattoria ZàZà on Piazza del Mercato Centrale

Nerbone inside the Mercato Centrale

PARIS
L'avant Comptoir on Rue Carrefour de l'Odeon

Bistrot Paul Bert on Rue Paul Bert

Le Petit Sud Ouest on Avenue de la Bourdonnaise 

Holybelly Cafe on Rue Lucien Sampaix

Leon's de Bruxelles (multiple branches in Paris)