“Go to Venice Yasmin, you’ll love it.”

“Oh Yas, it’s so you!”

“You only regret the things you don’t do…”

I didn’t need much convincing, but I also wasn’t totally prepared for just what a stunning, captivating, magically enchanting place in which I was to celebrate my 21^st birthday. I’ve never really been big at planning my own B-day…I’m not one for being the centre of attention (I’m genuinely really bad at it – but we’ll save that for another day!), and, being born in May, my birthday has always been marooned amongst exams and deadlines. However, I took the plunge and went to Venice for this one…you’re only 21 once, right?!

Okay, so admittedly, arriving to Venice in the midst of a thunder storm, spending our first boat trip riding waves a surfer would have been jealous of, and sheltering in a doorway…only to notice the “wet paint” sign after we’d been stood there trying to read a map for, urmm, quite some time, wasn’t quite what I’d anticipated…but in hindsight, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Never have I been more desperate for a wee than as we crossed the bridge to what I can only call my own little Wonderland, never have I been so (geographically) lost as when we trudged round the Venetian streets, complete with suitcases for 2 hours, counting house numbers in a desperate attempt to find our apartment. And through it all, never have I laughed so much as I did those three days.

As tourists go, we might as well have been doing the cha-cha slide, in bright green alien costumes (complete with antennae, ofc), welly boots, waving flags that said “we’re British”. With our pale skin and increasingly bewildered looks, we were quite a picture…and we knew it! We’d already been briefed (multiple times) on how we should be very weary of men trying to sell us things, so already possessed a “deer in the headlight-esque” expression. And we were dressed with the full intention of modeling our ENTIRE summer wardrobes…who were we to know it would be hail stoning upon our arrival?! On about the 5^th time of walking through the same square, which so happened to be lined with bars, the locals were evidently laughing at us, our suitcases and our now very soggy maps! Add to this that, as English Lit students, we’re self-confessed wordies…and by default that compromises our common-sense and deeply effects our navigational abilities…who’s idea was it to resort to counting house numbers?!

Regardless, we found our apartment and instantly felt welcomed and at home – already complete with some truly memorable moments! Keen to see Venice early in the morning, before totally swamped with tourists, we headed out fairly early the next day and were so glad we did – I still cannot get over how one place can be so beautiful. We found a lovely little patisserie with the cutest staff ever (who remembered our orders when we went back the next day and seemed so genuinely pleased to see us back – I have no doubt I’ll visit again one day) and enjoyed morning coffee and some little delicacies and then headed out to Murano island.

As we only had one full day in Venice, we weren’t sure we’d make it to any of the islands…but it’s amazing what you can squeeze into a day when none of it feels remotely like a chore! We all bought some little bits from the glass island (and made some fab American friends who joined our photo shoot – thanks Ronald!) and spent the rest of the day eating ice cream, wandering round the lovely little streets of Venice and then boarded a Gondola! I 110% recommend! What better way to see the intricate details of such a richly historic area (made even better when your gondolier sings “happy birthday” to you in Italian..but, well, I can’t promise you that one!

Could I have stayed longer, yes! But, that said, I don’t actually feel I missed out on much, and, well, as I’ve said, I’m pretty sure I’ll be back some day. Postcards and photos, Pintrest and Instagram can give you an idea, but they cannot convey the true extent of real life and its beauty – live it for yourself. If Venice is anything to go by, which I have a sneaky suspicion it is, you really do only regret the things you don’t do. Travel – there’s more value in it than you realise. Travel, because it’s a big wide world out there. Travel, because you never know what you might find in ice cream parlours, art galleries, on public transport, or famous bridges. Travel, because even when you’re soaked right through, huddled in a doorway with a soggy map, genuinely considering yourself without somewhere to stay the night, you’ll laugh nonstop and realise how lucky you are to have such truly special friends to share this living with.