Although still suffering from a bit of reverse culture shock, we did miss some aspects of Western living. So we decided to crash Aidan's parents' romantic getaway and follow them to Tuscany for some grand Italian cuisine.

We were aiming for Florence, and found a cheap flight to nearby Pisa. Andy and Rosy, having hired a little VW Golf, drove over to meet us and we stopped for some obligatory photos of the world famous Leaning Tower of Pisa before moving on. Unfortunately, Rosie and Jess subconsciously compensated for the tower's tilt and in most of our photos the tower is the only subject without a lean!

From Pisa, we followed the folks to Borgo San Lorenzo, where they were stating at a beautiful, peaceful agriturismo farm homestay. Although the sunflowers had just been harvested, the remote, rugged countryside was everything we had expected from the romanticised Tuscany. The owners were a humble, hardworking couple. There were flowers, juicy fruit trees, and at least twenty adorable kittens to entertain us. We splashed out and paid for the most expensive night we've had by far, but also the most luxurious! It was great, but we decided one night was enough at 75 euro and spent the next couple of nights in a quiet government run hostel on the outskirts of Firenze (Florence).

Even at this time of year, there were thousands of tourists swarming around Firenze, although it's not hard to see why. The city has a charm that makes you want to keep coming back. It has everything you would want from Italy, from sunny cafes to picturesque canals and rooftop views. Wandering around through cobbled streets, cathedrals and marble statues of naked people, it felt a world away from the Buddhist temples and dusty streets we'd left behind.

Jess had visited Firenze four years ago, so had already explored the Uffizzi Gallery, arguably Florence's most famous and impressive museum. The queues were still just as long, so we decided to skip it and instead buy a ticket for the Musee D'Accademia. This gallery houses some equally famous works of art, including Michelangelo's perfectly chiseled Statue of David! This famous statue represents a story from the bible, where the faithful warrior, David, skillfully defeats an evil Giant with a sling and a rock.

In two days we also managed to squeeze in a good wander along the Arno River, with stops for espressos, pizza, panini, gelato and wine along the way. All the while we tried not to think about our rapidly receding bank accounts, and just enjoy the moment, living the Italian life of luxury.

With a good dose of Tuscany and the countryside, we are now on our way to the Cinque Terre, heart of the Italian Ligurian Coast. Being Aussies, it seems none of us can stay away from the coast for too long!