Just wanted to stop in really quick to wish everyone a Happy, Safe and Healthy New Year!  

 

 

I owe so much to the SlowTravel Community:  http://www.slowtrav.com/  I studied their trip reports, read their notes, viewed their photos and shared their  passion for travel for the past two years.  Now, I feel more confident than ever in my ability and skills for traveling solo.  Something I was forced to do as my original plans to South America with friends sort of fizzled out.

 

This past trip I came to a life changing decision.  I decided that in a few years I want to relocate to Europe.  Since as far back as I can remember I have always wanted to travel to Europe and now I want to live there.  I'm not sure if it would be a permanent move, but I do know that I want to at least try it.     

 

So 2007 is truly the start of New Beginnings for me and I am up for the challenge.  It will take a few years for such a huge change.  Meanwhile, I'll continue to make trips to new and familiar destinations in hopes of discovering new adventures.

 

I have so much to be grateful for this year and I am so looking forward to where 2007 will take me!

 

Ciao' for now!

 

 

 

Well, I've been pretty busy so haven't been blogging lately.  I wanted to wish everyone a belated happy holidays! 

 

Last Friday, I hosted a small dinner party with our old pals from our Grand European Trip in 2005 (Kevin, Lauren and their new born son, Karsten).  I had intended to cook, but chickened out and catered a nice Italian dinner instead.  I must say the dinner was pretty delicious and we all had a good time catching up.  Naturally, I couldn't resist showing some of my photos of my recent trip.  

 

Now that the shopping madness, gift wrapping, bank account depleting frenzie is over I'm beginning to wind down and reflect upon my life in preparation for the new year. 

 

My life in the past two years has really changed dramatically.  All I can think about are my travel plans!   It's almost become an obsession.

 

During my last trip I finally came to the realization that I will somehow end up living in Europe.  This gradual revelation started with a dream that I had a couple of years ago.  In this dream I was in a place (that wasn't California or my birth place, Hawaii) in which I felt completely at peace in.  It was somewhere that I knew was home to me.  After this recent trip, I am convinced that this "place" was somewhere in Europe.  I'm not a person who normally believes in "destiny", but I somehow feel like I am destined to settle and live in Europe.  I always thought that I would live here in California for the rest of my life, but my life has been forever changed after these last two trips to Europe.  

 

I absolutely love Italy and always yearn to go back, but in my dream it's not clear to me where this "place" that I will call home will be.  And I am determined to find out where that is?

 

I already told my sister that I think I'm going to end up in Europe.  And now I'm seriously making arrangements and will start to unloading many of my material things.

 

I think this move will take a few years to accomplish in order to establish the financial independence necessary for such a life change.  But for anyone who knows me, once I set my mind to something I usually put my heart and soul into it to make it happen. 

 

So in this next year I plan to continue my travel promise to myself and will plan another trip to Europe.  My goal is to discover as many new places as I possibly can in hopes that I may find that "place" in my dreams that I will call home!!

 

 

I've been busy organizing my photos from my recent trip and it's taking me a while because each time I look at a picture I relive some of those special memories.  I'm also working on a trip report to submit to my favorite travel site, Slowtravel.  I know that my report will pale in comparison to other reports, but I've benefited so much from reports written by other members that I felt a need to make this effort.    

 

The good news is that I'll be able to also use that report for my "Back to Europe Trip 2006" web page.  Of course, I'll tweek it a bit to add a little more of my signature silliness. 

 

Naturally, I selected a picture of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle as my Picture of the Month.  Pure Magic!

 

 

I can't believe how time is flying by these days.  I already took care of some Christmas shopping before I left but still have quite a few more gifts to get for people before all is said and done. 

 

I think I've got to get my act together and do the Christmas decoration thing this weekend.  Maybe that will help me to get into the holiday spirit a little more.

 

Sorry for the rambling but I'm trying to squeeze this in before heading off to work.  TGIF everyone!!!