Thankful (Beyond Words)

I wrote this the day after I got home, but unfortuntely I just now got around to posting it. 

I am beyond thankful.

I had a lot of time on the plane yesterday to think about things... and one reoccuring thought was about the miracle that was (and is) each and every day.

I know quite a few people have said, "I don't know if I could do that!" (Travel solo) .... But that's what's so amazing! I couldn't do it either! That is not me at all, but guess what?! I did it! It happened!

The trip went smoothly and I couldn't have asked for a greater miracle than to come back in one piece safe and sound.  :)

Traveling solo makes you realize you're never actually alone. I was surrounded by amazing people throughout my journey and it fills me with such hope.

A few examples.... There was a man looking through garbage cans trying to find some food, and my sweet friend Carla pulled some bread out of her bag and gave it to him.

Also witnessed someone sharing a meal with a homeless man on the street in Barcelona. 

There were so many wonderful people that were looking out for me along the way. (My sweet American moms and my new Aussie friend!)

The world is such a beautiful place. And I am thankful enough to get to see and experience so many new things! :) 

Last day in Espana!

I can't even begin to describe everything that I'm feeling right now. 

Physically, I'm pretty tired. For someone who is normally pretty reserved, quiet, sticks to the same routine, etc... this trip has taken a lot out of me. Leading up to the trip I was pretty anxious and there were a couple days in between that were high anxiety. Usually, it's just me being my normal self... making mountains out of molehills, but nonetheless I can't control how my body reacts. 

While that part is never fun for me, I enjoy all the VICTORIES along the way.  How many times did I jump on a bus or a train and figure out the metro system? How many times did I find my way around a city completely alone? 

At the same time, as stated before, I'm dreading coming back home. Traveling is a sort of addiction for me and I can't stop. I'm always thinking about where I want to go and what I want to see. Not only that, but the people! I LOVE talking to them and swapping travel stories. :D   

(which only further lengthens my list of places to see!)

Highlights from my trip:

It was so AMAZING to me to see the BIG landmarks. As cheesy and as tourist-y as that is... I couldn't help but just stand and stare. (Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Sagrada Familia)  I also really enjoyed the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. :)

I talked to quite a few Aussies, a couple Americans, a couple New Zealanders, a couple Irish folk.... THEY MAKE TRAVELING WORTH IT. I love walking around the streets and being on tours with people from ALL OVER THE WORLD. That is such an amazing thing. 

Today was spent in Barcelona. As stated earlier, Sagrada Familia = AMAZING to see in person. We did 2 free walking tours. One was of the old city and one was a Goudi tour which was actually my favorite :)

Have a 9 hour flight to New York tomorrow and then gotta catch another flight to Cincinnati.  

                                    Hasta mañana. 

Hola from Valencia

Suprising fact: People in Spain are SUPER nice. Aside from Paris, Spain (as a whole) was what I was most worried about simply because I heard so many stories of pickpocketing. Spaniards are very nice and helpful... New Zealand/Australia still rank as THE nicest, but Spaniards are a close second! (Maybe Irish are #3?)

Anyway... This is day #2 in Valencia. We walked around on our own yesterday and saw a lot of the major sites.  Today we took another tour gratis (FREE!) and walked around the city again with some explanation this time! Valencia is a lovely city. I'm becoming obsessed with tapas !! I think I had crab the other day, which I otherwise would not have eaten in the states. I just grab whatever looks good even though I have no idea what it is. It's actually really fun. :)

So yes, Spain is going well.... I love being in a country where English isn't the first language. (As long as it's Spanish!)  Although, the other day, I honestly forgot which side of the road people drive on in the states... In Spain they drive on the right, but I'm so used to other countries being opposite us, I couldn't remember!  I'm also really, really, really dreading coming back home... 

There is something inside of me that dies a little when I return home. I love traveling, I love experiencing new things, I love being challenged, I love meeting new people from all over the world,  I love it, I love it, I love it. Ohio is just so... Ohio.  :(

Tomorrow we are off to Barcelona and I leave on Monday for home! This trip has been perfect in that it hasn't gone by too fast and it hasnt' gone by too slow.... I'm still not wanting it to end though.

Already working on two different trips for next year  !

España day 1 in Madrid

Yesterday I woke up at 3am. 

I waited in el aeropuerto for 4 hours. (2 in the beginning and 2 waiting for Carla)

During the time I was waiting for carla, I wasn't able to get currency with my credit card. I also didn't have wifi so I couldn't tell Carla where I was.

I also realized how little Spanish I knew. 

I was having a rough morning. 

But then Carla arrived and my day turned around. I honestly haven't laughed so hard in... who knows how long! We got lost on the train and I was in tears from laughing so hard. (If Carla wasn't there I probably would have had tears, but of another variety!)

We walked around Madrid a bit and took a tour gratis! (Free tour) 

Today we explored el ciudad (the city) some more and went to quite a few parques (parks) 

Tomorrow we are off to Valencia !!

Sleepless and day tour to Paris

This post is really weird for me because I'm blogging from my phone... I don't like it !

Why am I blogging from my phone? Because I'm at the airport and it's going on 5am! 

Yesterday I had a day tour of Paris... Woke up at 5 am yesterday and a quick day tour is exactly what it was... Had lunch on the Eiffel Tower, went for a river cruise, saw the major sites (including the Mona Lisa !) and made some new friends (American and Australian !)

Today I had to wake up at 3am to catch a flight to España! I'm meeting up with my German sister (the one I traveled with in NZ) and I couldn't be more stoked to see her !

FAQ about solo travel

People have been asking me how I'm getting around by myself so I'll do my best to answer... I'll give you a heads up right now and let you know I haven't been the most budget conscious on this trip just because I HAVE been alone...I would rather pay a little more for added security (even if it's just in my head!)

IRELAND:

Obviously, I flew into in Dublin. After having been up for 30 some hours and not wanting to mess with the system, I grabbed a taxi to the place I was staying. I was in the city centre so I could just walk around the city.... I signed up for 3 different day tours through Irish Day Tours and would highly recommend them!  As I left the city, I was bit more conscious and I took a bus back to the airport.

I did also jump on a Hop on Hop off tour on my first day... (again, not really awake) This was beneficial because I got more history and information than if I were to just be walking around by myself. I also had a few hours to kill before I checked in so I just rode it around a couple times. :)

LONDON:

Flew into London from Dublin....  I took Heathrow Express which is an airport rail link that dropped me off at a station close to the place where I was staying and then walked from there.  I ended up getting The London Pass which enabled me to get into some attractions for free (and have fast pass!) as well as have use of the tube, busses, etc.

I have become quite the pro at the tube! :)


So that's all I have so far....

Tomorrow I'm off for a day trip to Paris! Have to wake up at 5 am so I'm not thrilled about that part of it.... and the following day I'll be waking up at 3 am to fly to Spain.  (YIKES!)

Also of note: I WENT TO HILLSONG LONDON TODAY!! :) :) :)

Here are some more pics of London:

Let's be British

Nothing whatsoever happened on Thursday. It was kind of a waste. :(  I slept in for the first time since I don't know when. (I was getting up every day at 5 something in the morning for tours!)

I went at the airport and waited for 3 hours since the flight was delayed... got into London and crashed in my room.

Today (Friday) was my first full day in London.  I did a bike tour in the morning which was a good way to get an overview of the city and see the major sites.

And... rode the London Eye:

Note of accomplishment:  I am THE WORST at directions. I can't explain to you how bad I am.... BUT! I took the tube today and (since my phone died) I didn't have directions to get back to the place where I'm staying... Here's the great part... I REMEMBERED STREET NAMES AND LANDMARKS FROM YESTERDAY. THIS IS A RARE FEAT FOR ME AND SHALL BE COMMEMORATED AS SUCH. 

See, Daddy? You want me to learn directions and how to navigate... just send me to a different country and I'll figure it out. :)  

CRAIC is the new SWEET AS

Do you remember how I adopted the phrase, "SWEET AS" from New Zealand? (Sweet as ... as in sweet as pie! that's awesome!)

Well the Irish have this word called, "CRAIC" (pronounced crack) ..  used in a sentence: "have some craic!"  Having craic is having a good time or a laugh. (basically, FUN)

I'm having some craic and it's sweet as.

BOOM.

So today was my last day full day in Ireland and tomorrow I leave for London.

I'm a tad bit FREAKING OUT.

Ireland was a good way to start (which, by the way, Ireland reminds me soooo much of NZ! But NZ is still better!)

Ireland was good because I had a day tour each of the three days and I didn't really have to worry about anything. London... I have nothing planned. It's intimidating. And knowing I'll be figuring out bus, tube, etc. on my own is IUDHFJSLFKDF !

I'm excited for it, but it's overwhelming because there is SO much. And I have no clue about anything. I almost wish I had done a tour so everything was planned for me, but at the same time, it'll be nice to take my time and do my own thing.

We shall see...

20 cents #lovetheworld

Originally my post title for today was going to be, "I kissed a stone and I liked it." (Lame right?)

But something happened in between kissing the Blarney stone and the end of the tour.

We were dropped off in Cork for an hour and a half of exploring. These are always my least favorite parts because I'm so bad with directions. It's more like a mean game of someone blind folding me and making me find my way back.

So the highlight of today... are you ready for it?

It wasn't the tour. It wasn't the Blarney Stone. It wasn't the obnoxious Americans sitting behind me who wouldn't shut up.

Ready... ??

I gave an older gentleman 20 cents so he could use the bathroom.

HIGHLIGHT.

Let me start out by saying that I have yet to have to pay to use the bathroom here in Ireland, but I went into a bus station and they charged 20 cents to go through the turnstile to get to the bathroom. I started digging through my bag to find 20 cents and over next to me I could see a guy doing the same thing - looking for 20 cents.

I found my 20 cents, but he was still searching for his. Thankfully, I had 2! I handed him my other 20 cent piece, but he politely declined and said, "no, that's okay. thank you."  He was kind of scraggly and for some reason I just really wanted him to have my 20 cents so, again, I handed it to him. He acted like it was a big sacrifice for me and even offered to give me the 2 cents he had in his pocket.   :(

My heart exploded when he finally took it and thanked me profusely. For 20 cents. To go to the bathroom.

The smallest, dumbest thing ever and yet it made my day.

P.S. Crazy lady at the Blarney Stone FREAKED out cause she said she kissed the wrong stone and demanded a redo.  How do you kiss the wrong thing!?

#GodsPromise and Cliffs of Moher

Please play this song while reading this entry

Another quote from the fabulous book, The Circle Maker, ties in PERFECTLY with today.

"The older you get, the more faith you should have because you've experienced more of God's faithfulness. And it is God's faithfulness that increases our faith and enlarges our dreams." 

I have never in all of my life seen so many rainbows. Literally saw 6 or 7 rainbows in between light sprinkles of rain (all while we were driving, thankfully!) and absolutely beautiful sunshine while we were out and about.

Anyway... I maybe got 7 or 8 hours of sleep after having been up for close to 40 hours the day before and woke up at 5:50 (YIKES!) to get ready for the tour today through Irish Day Tours. (HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS COMPANY!)

I made sure to leave the hotel earlier than normal because you know how bad I am with directions... The tour started at 6:50 and people were supposed to be there by 6:40.  I probably made it by 6:56.  I got lost.  :(

I was 90% sure I wasn't going to make the tour, but thankfully the bus was sitting there when I got there so I made it!  Not only that, but we had overabudance of people so the driver needed someone to sit in the very front with him so guess who sat in the almost-drivers seat?! ME!!! Talk about BEST VIEW ON THE BUS! (Flashback to Australia when the Aussie guide invited me to the front and we became best friends LOL) I don't know what it is with me and sitting up front with the guides, but it's kind of my favorite thing ever. So we ended up chatting quite a bit as well. 

Here are some pictures from the CLIFFS OF MOHER:
(I took so many photos, but it was so amazingly beautiful. More will be posted on facebook!)

No filters were added to the pictures!  The grass is so green and the sky is so blue! I'm in awe.

We went some other places too, but the abbey was probably my second favorite :

Again, no filters! It is THAT absolutely stunning!!

35 hours and counting. first stop: Ireland

I haven't slept in 35 hours. Which also means I haven't showered. Which also means I smell bad.

As I was waiting in the airport, I came across these quotes from THE CIRCLE MAKER,
"...the day we stop dreaming is the day we start dying. 

I learned that if you aren't willing to put yourself in "this is crazy" situations, you'll never experience "this is awesome" moments. If you aren't willing to run off the cliff, you'll never fly."

Love it ^^

So I arrived in Dublin at 6:50am and I was too lazy/tired to figure out what to do so I snagged a taxi. SWEETEST old Irish guy EVER!!! I hopped in the backseat and about 2 minutes into the trip he pulled over and made me sit up front with him. We had a lovely chat ANDDD!! DON/BILL, I already told someone (him!) about EnterTRAINment Junction. I should get paid to do this. Ahem.  :)

Anywho, so I got dropped off at the place I'm staying and of course the room wasn't ready... so I decided to walk around the city and try to find some of the sites. Long story short, I'm horrible with directions so that wasn't working out so well for me. Not only that, but once I saw a landmark, I had no idea about the significance so I decided to join a Hop On/Hop Off bus which had added commentary. (I was originally thinking about doing that anyway on my first day so it actually worked out well as I stumbled upon them)

 St. Patrick's Cathedral

Dublin Castle

Anyway, I'm exhausted. I haven't slept in 35 hours (did I mention that already?!) and tomorrow I have to wake up at 5:45 AM for a day tour of Ciffs of Moher!

The Night Before (europe edition)

 

                                             ^^ My current obsession


I leave tomorrow for Europe.  16 days. On my own.

Someone said to me, "Sometimes I look at your life and think, wow, you're either really brave or really stupid." 

Right now, I definitely feel like the latter... Nerves are getting to me, feeling a lot of stress and anxiety, but I'm thinking that once I get to the airport tomorrow I'll be okay. I've been planning this since last year and I can't believe it's already here!

I'll be arriving in Dublin on Sunday and staying there for a few days...then I'll head to London for a few days... a day in Paris... and then a few days in Spain.

I'll try to update with pictures and stories. (kind of like I did for my NZ trip) Sadly, this one isn't going to be 2 months worth of blogging - just 2 weeks.


"This is why once you’ve traveled for the first time all you want to do is leave again. They call it the travel bug, but really it’s the effort to return to a place where you are surrounded by people who speak the same language as you. Not English or Spanish or Mandarin or Portuguese, but that language where others know what it’s like to leave, change, grow, experience, learn, then go home again and feel more lost in your hometown then you did in the most foreign place you 
visited.

This is the hardest part about traveling, and it’s the very reason why we all run away again." -kellie donnelly