Well, I´m on the road again...

Gotta tell ya, it wasnt the best way to do it...spending a night at the airport again sucked. I just dont think its worth whatever saving you get. It´s virtually impossible to sleep...but...oh well...íts an experience´

So after arriving at Girona airport near Barcelona, I decided to head straight for Valencia, as I´ve already done Barcelona 2 years ago, and so far its been pretty good. Obviously i was quite wrecked by the time i got in, but had a good look around town, and it seems like a place you can have a lot of fun.

Today I hit the markets, then followed that by a few hours at the beach, and this beach is a good one! Walked along it for a good 10 minutes and there was still no end in sight. I found a good spot and parked my but for a few hours - aside from the occasional dip of course. After enduring a cold and wet Irish ´Summer´, its good to see that big yellow thing in the sky again. Do ya know it never got below 22 degrees last nite. I dont think its gotten above that in Ireland all summer.

Was good to get back into the hostel environment again. Has been 6 months now, so you tend to forget the bad bits (large groups from particular countries...) but its been quality.

Was thinking I should do some sight seeing tomorrow, but ya know what, I might just look at the beach!

Spain!

Well just a couple more days till im off to Spain and travelling for the next two months solid.

I think this time im doing things as a proper backpacker for the first time. My budget will be VERY tight, without the usual buffer I like to have, but thats only gotta make things more exciting hey?

I'm also packing lighter then ever before, with just a couple of small backpacks, rather then the giant posh bag I've had previously...cant wait.

Flying out Sunday morning from Shannon airport, which means spending the night there saturday night. Does it get any more backpackerish?

Been keeping an eye on things in Morocco, but at this stage it still looks good.

Man I cant wait for the heat! The summer here has been terrible, so I'm gonna spend my first few days in Spain dying - but it'll be on the beach at least!

I've been having a good last week here. Doing absolutely nothing as I finished up my job a week early...not really by choice, but...thems the breaks!

Anyways, my next post will be on the road...bring it.

I gotta go…

Its time to go! I’m leaving Cork in three weeks. My flights are booked and I told my boss at work yesterday – leaving them somewhat in the shit – so bring on the 29th of July!

While I think they’re quite disappointed that I’m leaving (especially at a time when everyone is going on leave!) my bosses understand that I gotta make the most of my OS experience, so there’s no hard feelings.

My plans have become a lot more solid in the last few weeks. I pretty much now have the next 5-6 months till I’m home planned out. First off, of course, theres 6 weeks through Spain-Portugal-Morocco, then back for a couple of days in Ireland. Then I’m off to Belgium for 5 days, followed by a few days in London, then Oktoberfest in Munich, before arriving back in Ireland on 26th September to pick up my things in Cork and head to Galway. I was in Galway on the weekend, visiting my friend Kim, and I realised I cannot leave Ireland without having first lived there for a couple months. Really is a top town.

I’ve recently made plans for the first 2 weeks of December, I’m gonna head to Norway, Sweden and Finland on a bit of a flying trip, before my last week at the Beehive.

It’s funny how things can change. After spending 3 months on the road last summer travelling through Eastern Europe, followed by another 3-4 months of not working before getting the two jobs in Cork, I’d convinced myself that I didn’t really need to do any travel this summer. That I just wanted to work, and bring some money back home with me to Australia, and get ready for my next big trip (USA/Canada/Latin America for 2-3 years) starting mid next year. Who was I kidding?

I miss sleeping in a room with 11 strangers.

I miss sitting on a bus to some place you heard was good fun, and hoping that you can get somewhere to stay when you arrive at 10pm.

I miss meeting random people in a hostel and feeling like you’ve known them for years for the 2-3 days you hang out before never seeing each other again.

I miss not being able to understand a word that ticket inspector is saying!

I miss the sun (apparently it makes no appearance in an Irish summer?)

Most of all I just miss knowing that everything I see and do and everyone I meet will be for the first time, every day for a couple of months. There’s nothing like it.

It doesn’t help at the moment getting emails from the likes of Katrina, telling me about how she spent 12 hours at the beach yesterday, while I was rugged up in my winter coat trudging home after work.

So I’m gonna be dirt broke when I get home, and I’m gonna have to save even harder for that 4-5 months before heading to the America’s, but for mine its all about having a good time while you’re around, and worry about the money later.

That’s why I gotta go.