Milan in the Rain

I was excited. I was grateful. And, unexpectedly, I was a little heartbroken. After 32 years, I finally had the chance to return to Europe. It felt surreal to think that the little girl who once travelled here with her mum was now making the journey again, this time without her. That was probably the hardest part. 

This was the first holiday where I realised I couldn't be carefree in quite the same way anymore. I was genuinely happy to travel again, but there was also a quiet sadness that stayed with me throughout the journey. 

This trip isn't really about ticking off famous landmarks or chasing an endless bucket list. Instead, it's about reconnecting with family and friends who shared so many wonderful memories with Mum and have remained close to both of us over the years. There are a few special people I want to see and a handful of meaningful places I want to revisit. Beyond that, I'm happy to simply let the journey unfold. Well... except for Spain! 

I decided to squeeze in a little solo escape to Madrid because I've been learning Spanish for years, and I thought it was finally time to put it to good use. But first, Italy. 

My main destination was Italy, where one of my relatives lives. After around 18 hours of travelling, I finally landed at Milan Malpensa Airport. Thankfully, everything went remarkably smoothly. I had a short layover in Bangkok before boarding a 12-hour flight to Milan, and despite the long journey, I arrived feeling surprisingly human. 

It was just after 7 a.m. when I reached immigration, and luckily the queues were short and the whole process was quick and efficient. Even better, my relative was already waiting to pick me up. Rather than heading straight to Verona, we decided to spend the morning exploring Milan before collecting his daughter from school later that afternoon. 

Perhaps it was because I was still half asleep after the overnight flight, but Milan immediately struck me as calmer than I had imagined. For such a major city, it didn't feel overwhelmingly busy or chaotic. The streets were lined with beautiful old European buildings rather than towering skyscrapers, giving the city an elegant, timeless charm. The weather, however, had other plans. 

It was grey, chilly and, before long, it started to rain. As someone who grew up in the tropics, I was absolutely freezing. I ended up wearing two jackets before daring to leave the comfort of the car! Our first stop was the magnificent Duomo di Milano. The enormous cathedral dominates the equally impressive square, and even under gloomy skies it was breathtaking. 

Unfortunately, the rain meant I could only snap a few quick photos before retreating. Still, I smiled to myself. "I've made it to Milan." Sometimes, that's enough. 

From there, we wandered into the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. We stopped at a café upstairs, where we could admire the entire arcade from above. It was every bit as grand as I'd imagined, soaring glass ceilings, intricate architecture, elegant boutiques, restaurants, cafés, and even a lovely bookshop. It felt less like a shopping centre and more like walking through a work of art. With the rain refusing to give up, we escaped into a nearby shopping centre for a while, browsing the shops and simply passing the time. 

Lunch was an unexpected choice; a Chinese restaurant. On such a cold day, a bowl of warm congee accompanied by dim sum felt incredibly comforting. Sometimes, familiar food is exactly what you need, even when you're in Italy! 

Thankfully, by early afternoon the rain finally stopped and the sun began to peek through the clouds. We took the opportunity to stroll around the Cordusio area and admire the nearby fountains, soaking up a little more of Milan before it was time to leave. Our sightseeing was intentionally relaxed. 

We stayed mostly in the city centre because we only had a few hours, and to be honest, after an 18-hour journey I simply didn't have the energy to do much more. By around 3 p.m., we were back in the car, leaving Milan behind and heading east towards Verona; my home for the next week. 

And that's where the real adventure begins... 

To be continued.