“We arrive in the village on dusk after a drive that takes us past the 2009 earthquake destruction of L’Aquila and surrounding villages. As we drive to the soft commands of TomTom Navigator we are surrounded by piles of stones, ghost towns and rubble…. My eyes fill with tears, how could people survive this terror - every house is rubble and they are ALL made of stone. We all look at each other is Santo Stefano di Sessanio still intact ????”
“They say that life is made up of moments; moments that sharpen your senses and reinforce your vision and when your sense unite, you realize how fortunate you are to be in the moment and recognize it for what it is – a window in time. “
I wrote this just on a year ago now, never thinking I would be writing about Christchurch in the same situation. A year ago I was blind to the concept of what an earthquake could really be like. Terror is a word, sadness, loss, munted are more that help describe the City I live in. All these words are true for me as for many others, and I have days of knowing I must get up, I hear myself say in the mirror “Getup, when you get down Get Up”
So what is getting up: I pondered this for a while, rebuild my house? relocate my business? find a place to live?or is that just things I have to do. “Getting up” after days of reflection I decide that “Getting Up” must be fill of JOY and HAPPINESS, being the best person you can be despite all,”Getting Up” is holding out a hand to help someone else up to so I AM” Getting Up” and putting together something to share that is full of friends and joy and happiness to help others Get up as well.
Many of you have requested more tours and at the time I felt so broken and everything around seemed broken, I just couldn’t see my way clear to organise them. Now I get that the way starts with one small step.
This years Tours will be 
Tour to Bali in August - this is a “Calm Down Tour”, I think this should work very well for my friends in Christchurch right now.
Tour to Italy in September - ” The art of being Happy, no matter what Tour”
Both tours are named because of my experience in Christchurch in the past 6 months and are skills I have forgotten for a moment in time.
If you or anybody you know is interested in either of these tour contact me robyn@globalgourmets.com.