My love of travel was acquired from my wonderful parents Stuart and Ruth Allaby, who took their five daughters (smartly not at the same time) for various trips across Canada and to parts of the United States. All this in a small cherry coloured trailer with a bright orange interior, Dad was always blamed for that colour choice.

At sixteen my parents sent me on a trip to Switzerland where the travel bug took hold, all whilst I sat eating cheese in the Swiss Alps. For as long as I can remember, I saved my pennies (now out of circulation in Canada) to fund my trips and of course my cheese fixation.

In 1995, I married a remarkable man who shared my joy of travel and discovering all things new; different cultures, sites, people, food and wine.

Following a glorious trip to Tuscany in 2006, we began dreaming about living abroad someday.

The moment that changed it all was in 2014, I received an email from a wonderful British couple who were selling their Casale. This Casale happened to be located in the villa we had rented from them in 2006. I could not press the buttons on the phone quick enough. I called my husband shouting, ‘we have to respond‘! Our life list took flight, the timing was right and we set off in a new life direction.

So in January 2017 we took this challenge on and purchased our Italian Casa. Many people ask me “why are you doing this?” “Why not just lease?” and best yet “ Have you lost your mind? “(Perhaps).

My answer and rationale is simple, I wanted to live in a foreign land, learn the language, understand as best I could the people and the country’s history, enjoy the food / wine and move beyond being a tourist.Tuscany to me, is like being dipped in a vat of happiness. Some days my vat runneth over.

The intent of my blog is to share my adventures, some challenging and some life changing while living in and exploring Tuscany.

Please join me on my Tuscan Travels and I hope you enjoy my weekly posts.

Ciao,

Carolyn Allaby Maxwell