Anita Desmet - Certified Trainer, Fitness Instructor & Nutrition Coach

22/09/2026

22/09/2026

SKIPPING THE ALARM, ITALIAN APPOINTMENTS & LEARNING TO DRIVE LIKE I LIVE HERE… SORT OF! 🇮🇹😂

Another lovely, cruisey day in Calabria. ❤️

And for now… I’m skipping the flipin 4:15am alarm! 😂🙌

I’m actually LOVING waking up naturally, with that gorgeous subtle sunrise slowly filtering through my window. 🌅

No rushing.

No alarm screaming at me.

No “COME ON ANITA, GET YOUR ARSE OUT OF BED!” 🤣

Just slowly waking up and enjoying where I actually am.
I did a little housework, gathered up the garbage — which, by the way, has the most fascinating rubbish collection system. Six days a week! 🤯

But that’s a story for another day… 😂

So, after a very casual morning, I jumped into wee Bessie 🚗💨 and headed along the absolutely stunning coastline into Scalea.

I had an appointment to have a wee look at a potential holiday apartment… with an ocean view, because obviously if I’m going to investigate regular stays in Italy, I may as well investigate the important stuff! 😂🌊

And this is where things got… interesting.

Language barrier. 🤦‍♀️
Directions… somewhat unclear. 🤣
10am appointment actually happened at 10:37am.

Which, I'm discovering, is simply Italian time. 🇮🇹😂

Once we eventually connected all the dots, we got there!

And honestly, I find it SO fascinating looking at properties here and seeing how differently people live.

Watching.
Listening.
Learning.

It makes you question what you consider “normal” and opens your mind to different ways of doing life.

And maybe that’s one of the biggest things I’m getting from this trip…

Growth doesn’t always come from having everything figured out.
Sometimes it comes from being willing to look at something completely different and think…

“Hmmmmm… what if?” 🤔❤️

From there, it was off for a coffee with a friend at the Oz Beach Club. ☕️🌊
Super chill. Great coffee. Ocean views.
Not a bad way to continue the day! 😍
And then…

I GOT TAKEN OUT FOR LUNCH! 🥰🍝🍷
When was the last time someone took ME out for lunch?!
And in Italy, no less!
Well… I wasn’t saying no! 😂

It was absolutely lovely and one of those simple little moments where you think…Yep. This is exactly why I came. ❤️🇮🇹

Tomorrow Ange and Mark arrive, and I know they’ve had a hectic trip, so I thought I’d better get myself organised and stock up on a few refreshments and something resembling dinner. 😂

So off I went again in wee Bessie. 🚗💨

And I have to say… I’m starting to feel a little more confident driving around here!

I’m getting my bearings.
I know where I’m going.
Mostly. 🤣

I’m starting to recognise roads and landmarks and generally feel like I’m not going to accidentally end up in another bloody country.

Although… give me time. 😂

Food shopping is another story.
Reading labels?
Unless it’s something ridiculously obvious…
TOTAL GUESS-TIMATE. 🤣🤣

So the menu is…
🍝 Pasta
🥗 Salad
🥂 Prosecco

Because really…
You can’t go too far wrong with that in Italy! 😂🇮🇹
Even the checkout experience is becoming far less stressful.

My Italian vocabulary is still VERY basic, but apparently it’s enough.
We seem to get by.

I smile a lot.
They smile back.
They might be laughing at my awkwardness…
They might be smiling because they’re being polite…
Or they might genuinely just be lovely people.
I’m choosing the last one. 😂❤️

This gal is POOPED! 😴

My social life has suddenly evolved into something completely different and, truthfully, embracing that has been one BIG thing I’m actually proud of myself for.

I’m meeting people.
I’m accepting invitations.
I’m getting out of my comfort zone.
I’m driving around a foreign country.
I’m attempting Italian.
I’m figuring out food shopping.
I’m looking at properties.
I’m learning.
And I’m jolly well giving things a go. ❤️

So today was a pretty chill day with not a huge amount to report…
But maybe that’s the beauty of it.
Not every day needs to be an adventure.
Sometimes you just need coffee, sunshine, a bit of ocean and prosecco. 🌊☕️🍝🥂
SIDENOTE: 👇
I’d LOVE to know how YOUR workouts are going! 💪
Seriously…
Comment below and keep me up to date.
I want to know who’s training, who’s walking, who’s lifting, who’s smashing their goals…
…and who’s currently negotiating with themselves about getting off the couch. 😂
This social stuff is exhausting! 🤣
A light dinner, a glass of something Italian and beddy-byes for me. 😴🇮🇹
Have a beautiful day wherever you are. ❤️
Much love,
Anita xx 🇮🇹❤️

19/09/2026

**ANOTHER GORGEOUS MORNING IN CALABRIA! ☀️🇮🇹😍**

And yep… I’m home safe! 😂🙌

My body has FINALLY decided it lives in the correct timezone.

Took me bloody ages this trip! 🤣
Is it menopause? 🤷‍♀️ Who knows… who cares! I’m on holiday and I’m rolling with it. 😂🍷

After my now very established Italian morning routine 💧☕️🌿, I jumped in the car with Nadia and headed off to the local real estate office to look at a couple of apartments.

**Holiday rentals… NOT permanent. Just saying!** 😂🏡

The agent arrived looking VERY Italian — fitted shirt, shorts, loafers, tanned skin, swished-back hair and a few tasteful bracelets. 😎🇮🇹

Unfortunately… he was also rather dismissive of me. 😬

Now, I don’t understand every word of Italian, but I understand enough to know when I’m being slightly brushed aside! 😂

Not impressed, Mr Real Estate Man. 🤣

Anyway, a little work chunk during the day 💻📱 because apparently I’m on holiday, but my brain hasn’t quite received the memo yet. 🙄😂

Then it was time to get ready and head off to meet my new South African friends and their crew. 🇿🇦❤️

I parked Bessie 🚙💛 in Scalea, jumped into Josie’s car and off we went — stopping for a few refreshments for the gathering along the way, naturally. 🥂🧀🫒😂

About 15 minutes up the road, we arrived at Leslie’s apartment.

And WOW…

A beautiful mix of nationalities all squeezed into one little Italian space overlooking the beach as the sun was setting. 🌅🌊

Americans 🇺🇸
Irish 🇮🇪
Italians 🇮🇹
South Africans 🇿🇦
…and a Kiwi 🇳🇿

Salami, cheese, olives, chips, bubbly… and eventually a beautiful spaghetti dinner made by Leslie in her wee Italian kitchen. 🍝❤️

And you know what?

**I wasn’t nervous. Not even a little bit. ❤️**

I sat down, poured myself a wee bubbly 🥂 and just started chatting.

And somehow… strangers became friends pretty bloody quickly. 😂

Loads of laughs, amazing conversations and thankfully, a shared slightly warped sense of humour. 🤣

We were originally meant to head up into the mountains, but staying put made much more sense.

And honestly?

**I’m SO glad we did.**

I had the BEST night. 🥂❤️

It reminded me of something…

Sometimes we spend so much time worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet.

I had absolutely nothing to fear.

Just lovely people, great food, plenty of laughs and a bunch of strangers who didn’t feel like strangers for very long. 🥰🌍

Feeling very grateful tonight. ❤️

It’s now after midnight, so I’d better stop rabbiting on and get my arse into bed. 😂🛏️

**Tour guide date tomorrow… WOOHOO!** 🇮🇹🚙😂

Have a beautiful weekend, wherever you are in the world. 🌎❤️

Much love,
**Anita xx** 🇮🇹😘

18/09/2026

Another day in Calabria… and I’m starting to get suspicious that I could actually get used to this life! 😂🇮🇹

A beautifully relaxing morning waking naturally with the sun ☀️ — no alarm, no rushing, just warm weather and nowhere I absolutely have to be. Bliss. ❤️

I’ve even established my Italian morning routine because apparently I’m still a creature of habit wherever I am:

💧 Big glass of water
🌿 Spirulina
☕ Espresso
💩 You know what… 😂
🥣 Greek yoghurt, fruit & my psyllium husk mix

And yes… a little bit of work snuck in there too. I can’t completely switch off! 🤦‍♀️😂
Then Nadia kindly offered to take me to the real estate agent to have a wee look at some properties. 🏡👀

I suspect she was quite happy to be behind the wheel after experiencing me and Bessie yesterday! 😂🚗💨

We did a bit of sightseeing around this gorgeous town, stopped at the beach so I could put my feet in that ridiculously clear, beautiful water 🌊😍 and once again I thought… how bloody lucky am I?

I caught up with Di & Allan on a call ❤️, then decided it was FAR too hot not to go for a swim.

September, apparently. 🥵🇮🇹 Far out, bean sprout!

I bravely parked near a “free beach”… only to discover that free beach does NOT necessarily mean free parking. 🤦‍♀️💸😂 FFS -ticket.

Anyway, I sat on the beach wall scouting out a spot, noticed two ladies who looked like they might speak English and thought I might just stroll on down and plant myself next to them.....after eavesdropping and hearing approximately two English words, I boldly jumped in…“Do you speak English?”

And boom… we were away! 😂

We chatted for ages about how they ended up here, the wonderful expat community and life in Calabria.

They’ve even invited me along to dinner tomorrow night with other expats, somewhere up in the mountains. 🥂⛰️

Safe? 🤔 Maybe.

Slightly random? Absolutely. 😂

Am I going? Yep! 😂

I’m trusting that it will all be just fine… and if not, it’s been lovely knowing you all. 😂❤️

Now it’s time for my creature-of-habit dinner — chicken, salad and a vino rosso. 🍷🥗

I think of you all every day as I leap a little further into this unknown adventure.

Much love from Calabria ❤️🇮🇹
Anita xx

16/09/2026

A chill day, out for a runabout with my new yellow bestie Bessie… and discovering my NEW FAVOURITE THING! 🇮🇹💛😂

Some days are just for chilling.

Who would have thought? Me… learning to roll with my feels, slow down and actually be okay with not having to do all the things. 😌

Another absolute stunner of a day here in Calabria. ☀️🇮🇹

School is back, it’s midweek, so I thought I’d clock up a bit more experience on these Italian roads and get a little more comfortable before I pick up Ange and Mark from the station next week.

I was secretly hoping I wouldn’t literally run into Crazy Moped Guy again. 😂 Fortunately… NOPE. Clear sailing. I’ve got this! 🚗💨

I spent a good chunk of the day at my day desk (aka picnic table with an ocean view 🌊😂), sipping espresso, taking in the scenery and actually getting some work and study done.

YES, I was working.

But not hard. 😉

Now, I’m pretty sure we all discover a new favourite thing at different stages of our lives.

For me, it was my $59 leaf blower when I moved back to Australia. 🍂😂

Then came my pool, when summer decided to turn the temperature dial to “bloody ridiculous” and we were hitting the high 30s. 🏊‍♀️🔥

And NOW…

NOW IT’S A BIDET.

🚽💦😂

I’ve been to Europe a few times and, until now, I’d never been brave enough to give one a whirl.

“Righto… how complicated can washing your bum actually be?” 😂

Turns out… not very.

And bloody hell… how good are these things?!

Clean as a whistle. Fresh as a daisy. 😂💦

Although I will admit… there was a little unexpected tickle the first time. 😳🤣

I’m now seriously questioning why Australia hasn’t got behind this sooner.

I came to Italy looking for beautiful villages, good food, community, sunshine and a possible future…

And I’ve apparently found the bidet.

Priorities change. 😂🇮🇹

Not too much to report today, but another lovely reminder that slowing down and looking after yourself really is a blessing for the soul.

And getting out there and experiencing life expands the mind, body and soul.

You just never know where your next adventure — or favourite thing — is going to come from. ❤️

Righto… time for an afternoon snackie and a wee aperitivo. 🍷🫒

Ciao for now, much love,
Anita x 🇮🇹❤️

15/09/2026

Learning to holiday… apparently it’s a skill. 😂🇮🇹

My online client didn’t happen this morning, so I thought… school holidays are over, let’s go explore the beach in San Nicola Arcella!

Off I went in Bessie the bright yellow FIAT. 🚗💛

The narrow, windy roads down to the beach were a little hairy-scary, but I braved it and felt pretty bloody proud of myself.

Then I parked in what I thought was a perfectly innocent spot at an accommodation resort.

Yeah… nah. 😂

“Signorina! Qui non c’è assolutamente parcheggio! Sposti!”

Translation: “Lady, MOVE YOUR CAR!” 🤣

So I moved.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I headed back up the mountain, starting to feel rather smug about my Italian driving skills…

Until a bloke on a moped came screaming around the corner ON MY SIDE OF THE ROAD straight at me.

FAAAAARRRRKKKK! 😳😂

I nearly had kittens.

He swerved, nearly came off his bike, then looked at me like I was the problem.

FFS. 🤦‍♀️

I’m also swearing considerably more since arriving in Italy. Coincidence? 😂

So I went home, had a snack and… had a nap. 😴

And honestly, that might have been the best part of my day.

I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately, and normally I’d find it incredibly difficult to stop and sleep during the day.

But I opened my bedroom windows, looked out at the pomegranate trees, cactus and herbs… and drifted into the most beautiful sleep. 🌿☀️

Later, I explored some beautiful properties with my new Italian friends — who have been incredibly kind and welcoming. 🏡❤️

I’m slowly learning that being on holiday doesn’t mean I need to be productive every bloody minute.

Rest isn’t laziness.

And switching off work mode when you’ve spent years being switched ON…

is bloody hard.

But I’m learning. ❤️

One beach adventure, near-death moped experience and nap at a time. 😂🇮🇹

Just keeping it real and taking you along for the ride.

I hope you’re all well
Much Love, Anita x

14/09/2026

THE BRIGHT IDEA OF RENTING A CAR IN ITALY! 🇮🇹🚗😂

Loving this trip so far. The beauty and serenity of Calabria is simply out of this world. 🌿☀️🇮🇹

There is one small issue though… you really do need wheels to get out and about.

So, because I’m not particularly good at sitting still, I thought, “Hmmm… I’ll rent a wee scooter!” 🛵

Alessia, my beautiful host, called around for me and discovered it was actually cheaper to rent a little car than a scooter. 🤷‍♀️

Perfect! Independence, freedom, no need to bother Nadia driving me around… happy days! 🚗

That was until this morning when Nadia casually mentioned…

“It’s a manual.”

HOLY SH*TBALLS. 😳😂

My heart started pounding and I’m pretty sure I was about to either s**t my pants or throw up.

It’s been about 35 years since I drove a manual — my trusty 1976 Toyota Corolla — AND I’d be driving on the other side of the road, on narrow Italian streets, with sparse signage, in a country I barely know.

Yep… brilliant idea, Anita. 😂

So I did a little breathwork to calm my nervous system, had a word with myself…

“Settle petal. You’ve been through bigger challenges than driving a wee car in Southern Italy.”

And off I went.

Nadia wisely suggested I follow her for a coffee. ☕😂

I felt like a teenager again on my restricted licence!

AND… I DIDN’T STALL ONCE. 🙌

Well… not until I got back to the villa. 😂

Then I got brave and went out on my own.

Got lost once ✔️
Couldn't figure out reverse ✔️
Found the town ✔️
Found the grocery store ✔️
Had a crack at speaking Italian ✔️
Made it back in one piece ✔️

I’m calling that a WIN! 😂🇮🇹

And honestly, I’m already feeling a whole lot of growth on this trip.

Sometimes you just have to get uncomfortable, take a breath and bloody well have a go.

Even when your brain is screaming…

“WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU DOING?!” 😂

And through all of this, I keep coming back to how incredibly grateful I am to Alessia and Nadia at Villa Andrea. ❤️

Their hospitality has been absolutely NEXT LEVEL. Nothing is too much trouble and I have felt so welcomed from the moment I arrived.

If you’re planning a trip to Calabria, I genuinely cannot recommend this beautiful place highly enough. 🏡🇮🇹❤️

📸 Villa Andrea Instagram:


Never a dull moment… and I wouldn’t have it any other way. ❤️😂

Much love always,
Anita xx 🇮🇹