My lifelong ambition has been to travel alone around Europe. I had never left the country or traveled alone before appearing on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, when there were many people following my every move. Being able to accomplish it for myself and do it without a boyfriend or partner was crucial for me.
I made the decision to watch Jordan-shot Special Forces before moving on to Italy. Knowing I’d be travelling on my dream trip soon after definitely helped my mental state and helped me go through the hardest thing I’ve ever done.I contacted my friend Stacey Cousineau, who specializes in luxury trip planning, for advice on where to go. Since traveling alone as a woman can seem intimidating, I desired protection. In addition, I really wanted the first place we went to be relaxing. I wanted to get massages and facials and just rest by the pool. We decided that since my boyfriend, Adam Woolard, was employed at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris, I should visit Italy alone before meeting him there.
I went to Positano first, and stayed at Villa Franca, literally at the very top. It was gorgeous. I had seen pictures of Positano on Pinterest and Instagram so much, and it’s truly breathtaking. I laid by the pool, I got a great massage and I splurged on a pretty Missoni dress. I ate twice at Chez Black and became good friends with the owner. They were just so sweet to me.Then it was time to go explore. I didn’t want to be booked and busy to the point that I couldn’t just wander, because that’s what I’ve learned is the beauty of travel — to just totally immerse yourself with no plans. I’m pretty comfortable in my silence, and I love to people-watch. I’m the worst eavesdropper there ever was, but unfortunately a lot of times it was in a language I didn’t speak.
