Blisters in Rome - can you avoid them?

Newly REVISED *Originally posted on 10/04/2015


Oh how I love Rome!
If I were to count the ways, I would run out of numbers.

What a magical city my dear Roma is! 

So much to see and do, I could never go bored - and we all know how much I can't stand being bored! LOL

---

My first visit to Rome was in 2009. I can't believe that it took me so long to finally go. Sometimes I really wonder about why I didn't do the things I didn't do - and why I didn't go sooner.
​
But I did finally go, and once you go (if you are anything like me) then regardless of if you threw your coins in the Trevi Fountain, you know that you have to return! And of course I did! But since this is a Throwback story. I'll tell you about my first visit...

I was so super excited when the plan was made to go to Italy. I was all giddy and dancing around - I remember it well.

The first stop on this trip back to the "Homeland" was going to be Rome!

The itinerary was made and each step was planned out (I realize that not everyone enjoys this - but I do). My days were going to be busy and quite full!
I would wake up each morning before my alarm went off because of the pure excitement and adrenaline that was running through my veins. I would leave my hotel room and not return until much later that night.

I would walk the streets and explore until my feet literally bled. OUCH!

Seeing sights such as (but not limited to):
​
​PANTHEON
SPANISH STEPS
COLOSSEUM
ROMAN FORUM
TREVI FOUNTAIN
PIAZZA NAVONA
THE VATICAN
ST. PETERS
CAPITOLINE HILL
VILLA BORGHESE GARDENS
CASTEL SANT'ANGELO
TRASTEVERE

---

Well, ya see I had never been there before and fashion comes at a price.
And since I wanted to "look cute" I travelled with "cute" shoes.

NOTE: THIS IS BAD IDEA IN ROME!   

What on Earth was I thinking?!

HELLO cobblestone city!
I had even destroyed one of my suitcases while pulling it around Rome, how was I not going to destroy my poor sensitive feet?

So I limped along, because even if my feet were going to hurt or "kill" it was not going to stop me from sticking to my plans and seeing everything on my list!

But after a few days of that...my first and much needed stop was at the shoe store
- I don't see buying a few pairs of Italian shoes to be a problem!

---

The only problem was that perhaps it was a little too late and although I wasn't going to be wearing my heels (yes they were heels) around the city any more; I was going to be wearing and breaking in brand new shoes! 

​So can you guess what happened next?

I already had several freshly popped and bloody (sorry to gross you out) blisters all over both feet and now I gave myself new blisters under the "old" blisters, and I had blisters on top of blisters.


It was definitely painful and now that I know better, so of course I will (and have) done things differently.
Pain never stopped me before and so I kept on moving' and groovin'! 

I'll never forget that an Italian friend of mine who has travelled with me and knows all about my (insane amount of walking) style has told me "I'm sure you'll make their feet scalding" regarding anyone coming on any of my upcoming planned trips! 
​
Scalding feet or not...some trips are just so much better on foot!

​But boy oh boy did I need one hell of a pedicure when I got back home!

Traveling feeds my soul,
-T

---