mind over matter

what makes you happy

Yes I think I shall

Artwork courtesy of Amy Tangerine

i'm baaaccckkk!!!!!!

From my trip of a lifetime.

6 weeks

15 countries

21 cities

I literally had the best time of my life.

My top 10 highlights were:

1. Seeing snow for the first time of my life. I was so incredibly excited. We made a snowman, snow angel, and had a snowball fight in the most beautiful spots on earth- Lauterbrunnen. Honestly felt like I had stepped into a christmas story book with fur trees, wooden cabins and snow everywhere!!!!!! It was just magical. There was a tavern there which was very cool with coasters hanging from the ceiling and felt soo cozy and we also had the most delicious porridge ever and cheese fondue there. We also caught a train to the top of the mountain and stepped out into a blizzard which was definately a once in lifetime experience !

2. Pulling up to the Eiffel Tower at night and seeing it twinkle in all its glory. There was a guy on our tour who was asleep and he awoke, and looked out of the coach bus to his right and there was the Eiffel Tower! It really was so incredibly awe-inspiring. It had the feeling of "I have finally arrived".

3. The Basilica in Rome- I was a little naive with this one... We had just completed the Vatican tour and were about to head off when a girl on my tour said "Aren't you going to go inside the Basilica?" to which I replied with "What is that?" and she said "Only the most famous church in the world". When I stepped inside it took my breathe away. I think it will always be one of the most amazing sights of my life. I remember saying I could of stayed in there all day.  

4. The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg-  We drove up through the snowy Austrian alps, past frozen lakes, barnyards and Red Bull's headquarters (and being super surprised to suddenly be driving by this award-winning workplace that I had been researching at work only a few months earlier that all I knew was "somewhere on the other side of the world") to the delightful little town of Mondsee. It was snowing, and I had the best apple strudel of my life- very fitting considering it is the home of apple strudel!

5. Wandering the streets of Florence, Italy- This place is an absolute gem. Cobblestone streets, laneways, stationery shops selling commedia dell'arte prints of harlequin and pantalone. I felt like I had been transported back in time.  

6. Gondola ride in Venice- This was magical. A few people who have seen my photos said they looked like they were postcards.. that is because everything over there really looks and feels like you are IN a postcard! It is so picturesque and it was such an incredible life experience to be actually doing the thing you have seen other people do so many times before you.

7. Unexpected beauty and history of Budapest and Prague. These two cities were places I knew really nothing about... I had never seen a picture of them (unlike the Colosseum or Big Ben which we grow up with) so I went there with no expectations whatsoever. So it is suffice to say they both went above and beyond exceeding any expecations I could of ever imagined having. Budapest was gorgeous with hues of orange and turquoise and horses and domes.  It was also a very moving educational lesson for me, particularly the insight into the devastation they went through during WW2 when we went to The Terror Museum and they had video footage of the Hungarian people who were telling stories of standing outside in -30 degrees barefoot and had frostbite. Visiting in winter, I was freezing outside in -1 degree, with about 5 layers on.. jeans, socks, boots, gloves, scarf, hat so couldn't even imagine what they must of gone through. It was unbelievable to me that these people had walked the streets that I was now walking. It doesn't matter how many history books you read over here, it's not till you get there that it really hits home.

8. Amsterdam was incredible- the canals, the bikes, the history. We went on a bike tour which I was a little aprehensive of at first as I thought I might get run over by all the cyclists, but the tour guy kinda rode at a beginner level in fairly safe places. The wind whipped through my hair and I knew why I loved cycling... such an invigorating 'being free' feeling. We also went to Anne Frank's house which again made it sink in all the history of this place. Walking up these extremely steep steps to get to her room with blackout curtains, where she couldn't make a peep during the day was astonishing. Walking back by the canals just showed what a lovely feel Amsterdam has to it. It felt very liveable- such a cool laid back vibe.  

9. Meeting the most amazing people on my tour. We all bonded pretty much instantly, they all kinda seemed familar and we really felt like a family by the end of it. We had so much fun, nearly everyday of the 24 day tour I was had tears from hysterical fits of laughter ! 

10.  Staring out the coach window at the incredible landscape, whether it be snow-capped Swiss Alps, Austrian mountains or Italian vineyards and just being in a constant state of bliss. I really felt like "This is living. This is what life is all about". I've never been happier and couldn't wipe the smile off my face.