Ok maybe what I really meant was after a nap, a massage, laundry, another nap, and a day of work.  Sorry, I’m bad about that I know.  As glad as I am to see my friends again I really wish I could have had a longer stay in Europe.  It was really difficult getting on the plane in Dublin. Looking out at all the hills surrounding the airport just reminded me of all the beautiful things I had seen throughout my trip, and I didn’t even get to do all I wanted to!   Now I’m back in Lubbock.  Back to my usual routine (without any nice scenery).  I really enjoyed not knowing what I was going to do everyday.  I might get lost.  I might meet some cool people.  I might eat some cool new food.  I know every day isn’t EXACTLY the same, but it can get pretty predictable.  I was pretty bummed out at first because my initial thought was that I’ve taken my dream trip, so now what.   Now, it makes me more anxious for more trips!  I’m thinking this was the trip for learning, especially learning what not to do.  It was awesome, don’t get me wrong, but I think I tried to take on too much in to little time.  I still go to see a ton of stuff, but it was pretty rushed.  Now I can daydream about all my future trips.  Still spontaneous, but with a little more structure and a lot more time (and hopefully money).  I can plan trips based around beaches, hiking, vineyards, ruins, just about anything.  For a moment I felt that by fulfilling a dream it, I was extinguishing it.  I think what I really did was throw a can of gasoline onto my dream-fire. 

 

I can’t wait to do it again, but for now I’ll be content just dreaming about it.   It is still a little surreal to be home.  I’ve woken up a few times trying to remember what city I was in for the night, then realized I was in my room.  I will admit that it is nice to have a shower that stays on without having to push a button and not having to dry off with my top sheet because I didn’t want to spend 2 Euros to rent a towel.  Yes, I really did that.  A.  I’m not spending 2 Euro just to rent a stupid towel and B.  it was too hot to sleep even a top sheet, so its not like I dried off with it then slept with it.  Don’t judge me.  You say ghetto.  I say frugal.  :o)  Having AC is awesome too.  I love sleeping with the windows open, but when its 100+ outside gimme my AC.  I miss public transportation.  Driving feels weird.  I’m miss fresh bread too.  And gelato.   Most of all I miss all the scenery.  Everywhere I went it was so pretty. *sigh*  I’m glad I have the memories and pictures to hold me over until I manage to take another adventure.  Hopefully I’ll be on my merry way soon.  Not soon enough I’m sure.  Thanks everyone for keeping up with me!   Hope you enjoyed my writings (and maybe a little ranting) and the pictures.  I’ll let you know when I do it again! :o)  I hope some more of you get out there and do it too!  If lil ol me can do it…anyone can.

I think I still have a few more blogs left in me, but I'm wicked tired from traveling.  I need a nap...then I will write.

Soooooooo pretty.

I bet hiking here sure would have been nice.  *siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*

I STILL didn't get to go hiking today :o( !  I made it all the way out to Killarney, but since it was Sunday there were only a few busses running to bring me up to the trails.  If I would have caught the later one I wouldn't have been able to make it back in time to catch the train back to Dublin tonight.  And it was raining on and off most of the time I was out there.  It wouldn't have been too much fun to hike in the rain, or at least not in what I was wearing.  :o(  I REALLY wanted to go too!  I couldn't go in Switzerland (well, I skipped Switzerland all together..too much $$), I couldn't go in Austria because I went to the wrong city and I couldn't go in Ireland because it was Sunday.  Grrrrrrr.  I guess the next time I make it out here I will be doing a hiking tour.  I've had my fill of museums for a while, so next time I'll get to do all my outdoorsy stuff.  At least the ride out to Killarney was pretty.  So many different shades of green.  I haven't seen much countryside that I haven't enjoyed, now that I think of it.  France, Italy, Germany and Austria were all beautiful.  I've bet they've all got nice trails of some sort.  Hiking trip it is.  Next time.  

Well, I had planned on taking a picture of me hiking today to post along with this one,  but since I didn't get to go hiking (still!)  I figured I'd still post this sweet picture of my mum anyways.  I think she's in Maine here.  I've been wearing her belt through out my trip.  It barely fits me!  Look how teeny she is!  I love this picture! 

Sorry I don't have any hiking pictures!  But I guess I'll show a goofy picture of me at the beach in Venice instead.  ;o)

 

One of the things I did in Vienna was visit this massive old cemetery.  I've got a thing for old cemeteries.  There were some really incredibly graves.  Some were these huge monuments built to their families.  It was really neat to see instead of the usual headstone.  There were some really beautiful ones.  There were also quite a few pretty famous people buried here.

Beethoven

Schubert

Strauss

Brahms

This is a monument built for Mozart, but he isn't actually buried here.  He's buried a few miles away in a mass grave.  Check out the movie Amadeus if you're interested about his life and music.  Good stuff.

I'm about to take off to catch a train so I can either check out the Wicklow Mountains or Killarney National Park.  Whichever train leaves first is the one I'm taking.  There must some unwritten rule that any hostel in Dublin must be absolute crap.  Compared to the first one I stayed in this place is much better, but I've stayed in so much nicer.  I actually wasn't even supposed to stay in the place I was arranged to stay at this time.  I got to the place I actually booked last night and there a big sign in the window saying that they've had to close unexpectedly for a few days.  I see someone inside so I buzz the doorbell, but as soon as he sees me he ducks into another room.  What a TOOL!  I was pissed!  Then I notice there's a bunch of papers on the windows telling us where we've been reassigned.   Luckily it stays light out until about 11 here so I still had a fair amount of daylight on my hike ACROSS TOWN to get to my new place.   I couldn't believe that place!  I'm glad they rebooked me somewhere else, but you'd think they could have at least called or e-mailed to let me know they'd be closed!  The site I booked all my hostels at requests that you leave reviews about all the places you have stayed.  I can't wait!  This one and the place in Brugge are going to get reamed.  It may not phase any of them, but it will make me feel a little better to tear them a new one while warning others about their disgustingness/unprofessionalism.  Well I'm determined to go hiking, so I'm getting out of here.  I meant to in Austria, but I should have gone to Innsbruck instead of Vienna to do that.  Oops, now I know.  Vienna was still nice though.  I'll write more when I get back tonight.  Love you all!