One Year Ago Today

On April 2nd of last year, I was scrambling to pack my bag and set out on what was supposed to be a year spent travelling around Europe (with a brief stop in Ireland to pull a few pints). One year later, I call Ireland Home. So how'd I get here and what's up next? I'll try to condense it...

365 days ago, my best buddy Jeff and I flew to London to get the trip started. Soon after we jumped over to Amsterdam.  A must see city. Jeff said goodbye and Anne said hello. Thanks to Anne, I had an amazing time in Holland and I doubt I will every be able to repay her.

Met up with my Kiwi friends again (saw them in Amsterdam) and took a train to Brussels. From there I went solo to Ghent and had a chance to see / spend time with Els, the first CouchSurfer to ever sleep on my couch back in Calgary. She is one cool lady. After stopping in for a look around Bruges, I headed back to Amsterdam for the big Queen's Day party. The canals are where the party's at.

Come May, I was ready to try something a little different, so I booked a ticket to Turkey. It was exactly what I was looking for and I was rewarded with many great experiences. On the flip side, it was also the only place I had a case of missing my own bed.

Keeping to some sort of timeline, I skipped past Greece and went to Albania. Hooooooooonk. I would have liked to see more of the country but plans changed. Had some of the best sleeps of the year at the Tirana Backpacker Hostel. A few buses later and I was in Montenegro. While in Kotor, I traded a small tin of mints for drink, cheese and ear-to-ear smiles. All because I  wasn't sure if passing the mountain goats was a good idea.

In Sarajevo, I met cool people from every corner and one interesting fish. "I am the fish that is made of gold, what is your wish?" In Mostar it was the same story, except for the fish. If you're in town, stay at Hostel Majdas. You will be treated better than any backpacker ever should be.

Picked up some travelling partners and headed to Croatia. After Edi and the bunker, my group was down to two. Maria and I made our way to Split and, while enjoying the peace and quiet, had a random adventure with "Uncle". I really need to get that guy's name.

It was late June now and we were headed to Slovenia. A quick stop in Ljubljana and then it was off to the lakeside town of Bled. Great place to relax and row a boat. When was the last time you rowed a boat? I was on my own again and made my way to Maribor. Home to the world's oldest grapevine - yes, it's the only fact I can remember from Maribor.

In 2009, I met Sophie in Fiji. Fourteen months later, I stopped into Graz, Austria, to say "hello". Lucky for me, Sophie remembered who I was and decided to show me around. I couldn't have asked for more. Spent time in Vienna, Salzburg, Graz and the Carinthia Region. A truly beautiful country that gave birth to Red Bull, Mozart and the Governator.

After Austria, I made a short stop in Munich before catching a flight to Dublin where I was planning to unpack my bag for a few months. By the time August was over, I had found a home and a job (it turns out they do have cubicles in Ireland). I consider myself very lucky to have found both.

The next three and a half months flew by. I met some great people, had a few pints of G and even managed to see a bit of Ireland. I found my rhythm and had a nice little life in Ireland. By the time the holidays hit, I took a break from work. First stop, the United States of America, where I spent Christmas with my parents and uncle. Second stop, Austria, where I rang in the New Year with Sophie. Third stop, Hungary, where I took a long, warm bath outdoors.

By the end of January I was back earning my keep. I had already been in Ireland longer than I had anticipated  so was trying to figure out what I was going to do next. Plans changed daily. I decided to work for February and March and then, starting in April... I would not work (just finished up two days ago). It was time for a visit home. I leave in two days. What's up after that? Well, a trip to Portugal with Sophie is booked and then, maybe a move to the west coast of Ireland? We'll see.