So Who Wants to Know What I've Been Up Too?

So this is an insane and cool predicament I’m in… well sort of. I mean It’s been over a year since I last posted. But this post is also a cause for celebration! It’s my 300^th post. Like holy fucking shit! Seven years and 300 posts!

I wish I had posted more. I mean I never even caught you guys up on the rest of my trip! Shit so much has happened and I’ve neglected you all immensely. Well not that many have been paying attention anyway. But this is still like my therapy, it’s a place to let shit out and relax and just say whatever and not be judged. It’s a platform that I feel like I can inspire people and just tell my store. I like telling stories. And I like telling my story.

Telling your own story is something you rarely get to do because everyone that you know has seen your story evolve and watched you become the person that you are. And here… here almost no one knows me. No one knows what shit I’ve been through in the last year. No one knows how depressed I’ve been. No one will judge me on the fact that I’m now gearing up for a trip to Europe where I will be totally selfish.

I’m going to Europe because I feel so trapped and suffocated in my life. I had a boyfriend for the last year and I can honestly say it wasn’t a relationship that benefited me. I learned a lot from it but I’m ready to move on. I’m ready for a new adventure and that’s what I’m off to next month. It’s been over a year now since I’ve had a huge European adventure.

Speaking of European adventures… After Oslo I went to London

Because everyone knows I can’t resist London…

I also can’t resist Trafalgar Square and it’s for an other post but I decided to show my love for Trafalgar in 50 pictures of the square. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

I went to Dover to finally see the White Cliffs that I have wanted to see for years!!

And I went to Worcester…

And got a Tattoo!

Then I went to Spain to visit Ana..

And I went back to the Lighthouse that I’d been at four years before and I couldn’t help but reflect even then how much my life had changed…

And then of course I had to go to Barcelona to visit Lenka!

I took a mini Gaudi tour of the city… but that’s another post as well I suppose.

And after Barcelona I went to Paris…

I’d met an amazing French girl while I was in London. We were both staying at the same hostel and she liked my blue hair. So we started chatting and I ended up staying on her couch while in Paris. I met up with Damien’s Sister and we went clubbing. And I lost my wallet. But then I got it back.

And Paris grew a little tiny fond spot in my heart….

After Paris I flew to Ireland. One of the families that I nanny for in the states moved there for 6 months for the dad’s job. So I went to see them.  And we had a fucking blast!

I got to see Cobh again…

They stayed in Kinsale and the town is so pretty…

And I got to see Cork.

It was an amazing trip and it was lovely and I didn’t want it to end. But well shit from home just started weighing me down. Things were really going to shit with the house and all that. And I was still worked up about my dog Charles.

He ended up getting pretty sick and on October 30^th we put him down. It was really hard and upsetting for me because he was my dog more then anyone else’s. So that was really really hard. But then so much changed so fast.

My dad and older brother moved to Mount Holly. Christmas sucked, I spent the morning with at the time boyfriend. Then I put together furniture at my dad’s house and had dinner with my brother’s girlfriend’s family. It was nice but…

Christmas had always been my favourite holiday. It had always been an amazing kind of day and all about family and food and I knew it had to end sooner or later because us kids would all find significant other’s but I still didn’t want it to end and to actually have what I considered an “adult” Christmas sucked.

But I got over it. New years came and went. And the rest of the year really just molded together in a blur of shit and work and drama. 

But in the less shit bit of it all I went to Denver with Jameson, who I was dating at the time. It was a fun trip. So I saw Denver...

And Rocky Mountain National Park.

I went to Canada for the first time and saw Niagara Falls! 

And I went to visit my mum in Texas. That was a bright spot in it all

And my best friend Sheridan came out from Nebraska and we had a grand adventure and saw Boston!

But those mini trips weren't enough to stave off the suffocation of routine. Then just a few weeks ago I decided enough was enough. I needed to clean my life up. I’d been in a constant depressed mood and I was tired of it. So I broke up with my boyfriend and really started to do more of what made me happy.

Since I’ve moved in with a friend. After losing the High Bridge house I moved in with my little brother for ages but then he got engaged and I wanted them to have the house so I moved in with a friend. I’ll be couchsurfing for a few weeks soon because I feel like it. I’ve had more time for myself and to do what I like…

I started writing a new book! And I got a third job. But it’s a fun job. So I nanny for two families on Mondays. Tuesday through Saturday I’m at the shop. And Friday through Sunday night I work at a haunted hayride.

And holy shit I realized since I haven’t blogged you all aren’t aware that I’ve had a “real” job sinc e I got home from Europe!!!! My little brother Hunter works as a mechanic. And two days before I’m home he messages me and asks if I want to be the Service Writer (aka glorified secretary). And I was like yes totally. So he was like okay come in for an interview Monday. I got Saturday night. So I was in for the interview Monday and I started Wednesday. And I’ve been working there ever since!

It was good money and I saved up and paid lots of bills and all that good stuff. I finished writing my young adult vampire novel while at work. So really it was perfect because I didn’t have a lot of work to do so I could write and read. And now it’s just annoying to work there. All the drama is killing me so Tuesday was my birthday!! I’m 26 yay!! And I also quite my job. I gave my boss my one month notice!

I figured I had to do it soon because I take off on November 14^th! So he knows I’m not coming back and it was good to finally let everyone know what the fuck I was doing. Because I’d bought those tickets over a month ago!

So there you are essentially caught up on my life without all the boring whining! And I couldn’t be happier with how it’s all fallen into place. I leave for Copenhagen on the 14^th. Why Copenhagen? Well I’ve never been and the plane ticket from JSK to COP was only $172!!! Yes one hundred and seventy two dollars on Norwegian air! From Copenhagen I fly to Rome and Rome to Prague for Thanksgiving with Lenka! And then I’m looking for a Hostel job in prague so I can chill there for a while. Otherwise I might go be an au pair in Milan… So we shall see! For now I’m leaving the door open to adventure and I’m sure it will all turn out just grand!

Cheers,

12 Flights 7 Weeks: Barcelona

Ahhh Barcelona we meet again!

This was my second visit to the lovely city of Barcelona. So it wasn't like I had to rush around and see sites. I did that last time. This time my visit was all about friends. I was meeting up with Lenka and Damien. And oddly enough Kelly. She had booked her weekend in Barcelona before she even knew i would be there. so it was funny. She was meeting a German friend of hers. 

I crashed at Lenka's place and let me tell you about her place. first off....

Like holy shit!! What a kick ass view! I sat out side one morning and wrote.

Yes it was December but it wasn't that cold... i was a typical toursit just walking aorund in a sweatshirt. Ooops!

Damien and I walked around Barcelona while Lenka had school and/or work. We met her for coffee one day and had it at El Corte Ingles with this view..... 

We also went to the cemetery because I really wanted to find a certain statue. I had missed it last time in Barcelona because it's a bit of a walk and I only had the one day to see the city. But this time I saw it and it melted my heart....

It's just really pretty you know? Then we walked on the beach and i picked up shells and put my feet in the Mediterranean. Because yes I have an obsession with beaches and putting my feet in foreign seas!

Also CHRISTMAS MARKETS!!!

I went to two of them in Barcelona!!

And we can't forget the Caga Tio! 

it's a tradition in the region. It's a log with a face and children feed it for a whole month leading up to Christmas. And then on Christmas you put a blanket over it and sing traditional songs while you beat it with a stick and it defecates... presents.... 

Hmmmmm. It is pretty cute though i a weird way i guess....

But the first night we met up with Kelly and her friend for dinner then drinks. Her friend was a major buzz kill.... but whatever. It's going to sound bad but it wasn't my friend so i didn't have to put up with her.

Although I wanted to punch her in the face the next night when we met up again and decided to go see the fountains at Monutjuic. And they were only on till 20h00. Since we were in the gothic section we kind of had to book it over there if we wanted to get food and have a picnic. But Kelly's friend was all like don't walk so fast, blah, blah, blah. so by the time we got there we only saw like 5 minutes of them. ugh.

 But again i didn't care because i had two bottle of sangria and Damien and i were headed back to Lenka's to drink for the night.

The next day was the epic part of the visit. We had a winter barbecue! 

It was awesome. and the view was obviously amazing! and it was so much fun. It helped take my mind off of what happened that afternoon.

So long story short. Damien and I went to the Christmas market to buy Cagatios. I needed to get some cash so we stopped at an ATM. And it ate my debit card! It took it in and refused to give it back! it was a total jerk and i was freaking out. Like straight up ready to cry. It was really fucking hard to just walk away from the machine. But I pulled myself together as we walked through the Christmas market. I still had some cash. So when we got back I called my parents and my dad went to the bank to cancel my card. So it was down to my one credit card for the rest of the trip. 

As you can imagine it was really nice to have the barbecue because I didn't have to think about it.  Because as it turns out thinking about it was way too depressing so I ignored it. 
Any way Damien left early the day. I saw him off to the subway. It was the first time we'd really hung out and talked since we broke up. And it was nice to see that our Ireland group was firm once again. 

My last day was spent hanging out with Lenka. We had coffee and cake at the really freaking cute place!!

Like come on! plus oh my god! the cake!

I wanted to die. Then we hit the book store because i wanted to get Daughter of Smoke and Bone in Spanish. i was going to learn Spanish by reading it but oops life got in the way. 

It was really nice to just spend time and talk with Lenka. Even though we've been friends since Ireland it was nice to get to know her better and i feel like we're closer friends because of it.

Then i had to make a mad dash to the airport! The WizzAir check in line was crazy and i just needed a visa stamp! grr!! I ended up just asking a lady at another desk and she's like we don't stamp your ticket only Ryanair does that. So I had just wasted almost 40 minutes in line and i was just barely going to be making it to the gate. 

So I rushed through security and legit ran to the gate. Only to find that my flight was delayed until further notice!! It was annoying that i had just stressed so hard over it only to find that there was no need to stress at all. I picked a seat and settled in.

I spent half the time worrying that I did indeed need a stamp and I would be denied boarding. So I was formulating what to do if i had to skip Romania. I had planned on staying with Lenka a further day or so before going to London early. And i was all ready to be okay with that when we boarded and I had 0 problems!! 

It only turned out to only be two hours late. I got into Otopeni at about 1 in the morning but I was ready for my Romania adventure to begin!!!

Cheers,