SUVs, McDonalds, and Conservatism - Back in America

The first few days back have been nothing short of surreal. Everything is readily at my fingertips! Going to the grocery store is a common occurence. Hot showers are the norm. Clothing options are unlimited. Texting friends is easier than ever. Luckily I can appreciate all of these things much more after living out of a backpack for the past four months. I'm surrounded by wonderful people who have openly welcomed me back to Obamaland! And I've never been more excited to be in America!

Back to Ireland!

With a night in the airport and a quick flight back to Dublin, I stepped off the plane and felt home returning to the starting point of my trip. I rushed through the airport, navigated the streets of Dublin like a pro, and hopped on the bus back to Newtownmountkennedy and Sli Na Bande. Returning to a place with which I was familiar and people with which I felt comfortable was exactly what I needed. Within 10 minutes I felt completely at home and had forgotten that I ever left. My first night back, Manon and I reminisced about our Wicklow Way adventure and after checking the weather forecast, decided to finish the last 30 km! Hiking in the Wicklow Mountains again was an unexpected but welcome experience. One last night of camping, amazing views of Dublin, and back on the trail with Manon was a great ending to my trip. The last few nights of my adventure were filled with pints, homemade pizza, and good company. Saying goodbye and leaving wasn't easy but as I waited at the bus stop for the thousandth time in 4 months I dreamt of a time next week when I'd be able drive and never again rely on public transportation.

Four flights later I arrived in good ol' Charleston, West Virginia. Home sweet home.

"Not all who wander are lost." - Tolkien

Sunscreen is Expensive

After arriving in Portugal, the travel bug started to wear me out a little. The freedom of visiting a new place and meeting new people had started to lose it's appeal as I began to wish for consistency (and a car). Nevertheless, I'm trudging forward and making the most of my time!

After leaving southern Portugal, I headed to the central region to visit Coimbra, a beautiful university town. I was then lucky enough to have a place to stay in Madrid where I toured beautiful gardens and parks, and tried not to melt away in the afternoon heat. But per usual, I once again said goodbye and hopped on an aircraft with the least amount of leg space possible to Basel, Switzerland. Basel happens to be the birthplace of the greatest athlete ever, Roger Federer, and as soon as I walked off of the plane I was immediately struck by his presence and calm energy. With high Swiss prices and a friend waiting in Germany, I happily left the country for the depths of the Black Forest and a small town called Stulinghen. As I walked down the only street in town, I was happily greeted by an old friend, Erica! We did all things American, including eating fluffy pancakes for breakfast, contemplating the uselessness of duvets, and watching movies all day. Couldn't have asked for a better weekend!

With just a few days left on this extended journey, I'm returning to Ireland for a few days then back home!!!!

WWOOFing Round 3

Despite warnings to the contrary, I decided to try my hand wwoofing in Portugal. I lucked out. In the southern region, I found a wonderful English woman who generously took me to the beach and a typical Portuguese music dance during my ten day stay. A typical day consisted of the following:

8:00-9:30 work outside (weeding and raking)
9:30 breakfast (where I was introduced to a British favorite, Marmite)
10:30-11:30 a little more work if it was possible without melting outside
11:30-5 lunch, nap, relax, swim/kayak in the lake...Siesta!
5:00-7:00 work
7:00- dinner and a few British comedy shows before bed

All in all a great time!