
Today I am leaving around 3:40 to go to Sorrento with the Gonzaga Group. It is going to be quite the schlep there-- the bus is going to be over 6 hours. Yesh! I am sure it will be worth it though. We are going to be staying in cabins apparently. One thing that worries me is there is going to be lots of hiking. I love hiking, but my right foot is in SO much pain right now.
Let me explain... here in Florence we walk EVERYWHERE-- and when I say everywhere I mean it. I don't even have to worry about gaining any weight from the fatty Italian food because I burn it all on walking from place to place. This has been a bittersweet thing because although I am getting great excercise and get to explore Florence and other parts of Italy, my feet are definitely suffering. On opening tour I was dumb and wore my flip flops on a four hour walking tour and got pretty bad tendinitis in my left foot for a week or two. I ended up having to wear tennis shoes the rest of the trip, which was unfortunate because I am very much a "flats, sandals, and flip-flops" kinda girl. Well, I got over that, and I thought I was getting used to the constant walking, but lately after all the traveling, walking around Florence, and hiking my feet have been in so much pain. In both legs I often get shin splits (especially if I am walking at a quick pace) and as of last week my right foot now has gotten the tendinitis even worse than my other foot did on opening tour. This time it is not so much from flip flops, but the flats with no structure and support. I know its probably my own fault, but even when I wear my sturdy tennis or athletic shoes my foot still kills!
My mom suggests to take ibuprofen, and ice it (which I don't really have to access to) but that only mediates some of the immediate pain. It still is very painful to walk with shoes or without shoes, and all the time. This weekend trip is going to be filled with more moderate to difficult hikes and I hope I can make it without being in too much pain.. often times its a very sharp pain and depending on the shoe it can pretty excruciating. I think I might see the doctor next week because it is getting worse by the day (since last week).
Anyways, enough of that! I am done with classes for the day and I'm about to have lunch so I probably should get going, but again if you have any suggestions for topics for me to write about go for it!
**The picture above is from my tour yesterday to Santa Croce. This is where famous people such as Michaelangelo and Dante were burried!