And so it all ends....

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Well after 5months on the road I've probably damaged my ears because my Ipods been on full blast,slipped a few discs in my back lugging around my suitcase, my skin with the unexpected sun, my feet with the walking that they're definately not used too, my liver with all the alcohol (cider!! :P), my stomach with the different kinds of food I've been eating and you know what, its all been worth it..

I've discovered some much about myself, I've learnt something I've always really known, that I am strong enough to stand on my own two feet and I dont need anyone else to make me happy, I know now more than ever that you cant be happy until you truely let go of the past and live in the present.. Forget and forgive really is a wise saying.....

I've discovered true friendships and appreciate the people in my life so much more now, those that will keep me up to date with everything thats happening, those that will call, email or text message me randomly so I know Im not alone, those that will put up with my whinging and complaining and try to answer impossible questions.. And of course those that will lend me close to $1000 dollars, no questions asked...

Having said all that, I know believe that if you're gonna do a trip like this, for as long as this, you have to disconnect yourself from home to a degree.. You cant let yourself be bought down with things that you have no control over, you've just go to live in the moment, I truely admire the one I know who has been able to do that, he knows who he is, and I have much to learn from him (just dont go getting a big head now!! hehe)

Its funny, you leave to go travelling to find yourself, sometimes what you find you wish you hadnt, sometimes you find what you weren't expecting. When I left I had definate ideas about what I wanted, now I find they're completely different, my expectations about some things were not meant, other they exceded all expectations. I come back different, grown with a different view on the world and the people in it, the people around me and the ones I wish were..

I left feeling there was something missing, I came back with the same feeling, not knowing what it is but knowing that I havent found exactly what it is I was looking for, at one time during my trip I felt sure that it was waiting at home, now Im not so unsure but thats something that will only make itself known in time.. I also left feeling ready to settle down when I got home, find a proper job, buy a house and basically just establish myself and settle down.. Now Im feeling like I dont want any of that, well not yet anyway, now I want to have a job which allows me to take a month or two off at a time so I can keep travelling, I definately want to keep doing that, and see more of Europe and more of the world.. The only thing I wouldnt do is go for as long as I did this time.. Maybe just by being away I've found so much more..
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MUCH NEEDED THANK YOUS
*Maxine: First of all my brilliant travel agent, who arranged everything, then rearranged everything and made the whole thing possibly, exactly how I wanted it, without her, none of it would have happen..
*Mum and Dad: For giving me the strength to travel and to continue despite everything going on, for chasing up airlines, banks and credit cards...
*Emma: for being abit of a packhorse and bringing my extra little bits..
*Brad: For being a packhorse and bringing my extra little bits, despite the fact that you actually ended up using them hehe, oh and for the wise man comments.. 1min 53..
*Cal: for the equally wise man comments 😊 and the perspectives... I might have to crash ur couch next yr :P
*Special mention- Brad and Cal: for being lifesavers in Dublin, for looking after me and lending me money, for putting up with my whinging and basically just for the company which was always much needed when we met up.. oh and for forgetting the CC!! and of course for the toloberone.. which you guys ate anyway haha..
*Dan: Good company in Salzberg, your still nuts tho!..
*Moosh: for being my tour guide around London despite getting lost and needing my map hehe..
*Amanda: Crazy night in Prague!
*Mich: For the missions hehe and keeping me sane when I needed it.. Bunbury here we come!! hehehehehe..
*Loren: for the 4hour chats!! And the keeping of my sanity...
*Renee: For always making sure there was an email ready and waiting in my inbox, gonna paint the town red now!!..
*Jef: donkey! Hmm dont know if I should really be thankful for that hehe
*Petrina: Always my voice of reason, and always putting up with my whinging!
*Peos: For some of the funniest text msgs Ive ever received! haha made me smile when I needed it!!
*The Irish jig, Team London and the Munchies.. Whatever happened to Fred??...
*To the people who sent me random msgs and who made me smile cos I knew you were thinking about me hehe (Kel, Julian, Mike, Scott, Kristy, Ryan)
*To all the people who offered to take my photo over the last 5months! Cheers, more interesting if Im in them hahahaha.....
*Undoubtedly I've forgotten someone.. So Im sorry and thank you!!!
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PLACES I LOVED
Oxford
Edinburgh
Dublin (the 1st time, 2nd time.. bad memories now)
Sligo
London (moved up after the 2nd visit)
Salzberg
Prague
Krakow
Frankfurt
Singapore

PLACES LIKED BUT NOT LOVED
Kilkenny
Waterford
Kilarney
Galway
Belfast
Paris
Rome
Munich (the company here however.. loved!! :P)
Warsaw

PLACES I WOULDNT GO BACK TO
Manchester
Glasgow
Cork (Blarney gorgeous tho!)
Limerick
Cardiff

*Brussels- I´ve been trying to work out for the last month where to put Brussels and I really cant decide, I dont think I got to see enough to make an accurate judgement.. But I would definately like to go back there and explore furthur as well as exploring Belgium in more depth..

MUST SEE SPOTS
Blarney Castle, Blarney, Co. Cork, Ireland
Waterford Crystal, Waterford, Co. Waterford, Ireland
Loch Lamond, Scotland
Loch Ness, Scotland
A West End show, London, England
Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin, Ireland
Cliffs of Moher, Co. Galway, Ireland
Disneyland Paris, Paris, France
Fontana del tritone, Rome, Italy
A Sound of Music Tour, Salzberg, Austria
Auschwitz, 70km outside of Krakow, Poland

BEST PLACES TO STAY
10 Hill Place, Edinburgh, Scotland
Best Western Eviston House, Kilarney, Ireland
Sleepzone Galway Hostel, Galway, Ireland
Clarion Hotel Sligo, Sligo, Ireland
Days Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Barkston Gardens, London, England (location location location!)
Hotel Parker, Rome, Italy (not for location, abit out of the way, but fantastic hotel!)

BEST LOOKING BOYS
Oxford!
Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow)
London
Prague

THINGS MISSED THE MOST (other than family and friends obviously)
MY CAR!!!!
My neck piercing that said goodbye in Cardiff (tough choice between this and my car as to which I miss most!)
V
Juice in the middle of the night
New music
Sundays at the pub 😉
My own bed
Not having to pack every few days...

MY NEXT TRIPS
Well first theres Bunbury (haha Mich!!)
Phuket and Singapore apparently hehe but after that...
Back to England to explore the rest of the country furthur, same with Scotland..
More of Belgium (Brussels, Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp..)
Switerland (just because Ive heard nothing but Swiss Swiss Swiss in the last 5months from 2 gorgeous boys hehe.. fine u win! I'll go there :P)
Croatia
Budapest, Hungray
Russia
Berlin, Germany
Rome (I can think of reasons to go back hehe 😉
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I HAVE LEARNT
That a random, unexpected text msg from home can warm the heart and brighten your day in ways you can only imagine until you've been away for months on end.. (or devaste you)

That Australians have a real reputation all over the world for coming to Europe for months and months on end..

That there will always be people after your heart but never the one you want most...

To never leave unfinished business at home..

That travelling light does have its advantages..

That life at home doesnt stop just because you arent here..

That you have to live in the moment, and put all distractions aside...

That inspiration comes from the most unlikely places..

That some things are better left unsaid, better left unasked, because as much as you need to know, you will very rarely ever like the answer...

That I feel safer walking down the streets of London at night than I do the streets of Northbridge on a Sat night (consider the crime rates, thats just wrong!)
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So there it is, journey over, on Thursday arvo I step foot onto Australian soil for the first time in 5months and the journey will be officially over, nothing but a distance memory...

So what now? To be honest, I have no idea, I have a few things that I need to do, but only time will tell as to what the future holds for little ole me.....

My next trip is well and truely in the pipeline already, so much so I've already started planning it and yesterday I bought a backpack! Yes next time I will do the backpacker thing, Im so excited to head off again, buying stuff for the next trip before Im even home from this one!

Thank you for reading, hope you've enjoyed reading as much as Ive enjoyed writing..
So Ciao, Auf Weiderstein, Goodbye,
Michelle Martin, over and out xoxox

P.S keep updated with my journeys on myspace... www.myspace.com/chellesfootsteps

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Comments

[Mumsie]

Welcome Home
It has been a long 5 months for dad and I. Can't believe the mess in the loungeroom atm. Loved meeting you in Singapore. Got the tears out of the way a few days earlier just so you could have more tears from dad. Hope you enjoyed your welcome home pressie. For all those reading, Michelle had her photos developed by 8.30pm Thursday night and all her parcels opened and sorted into pressie piles. One adventure has now concluded but I know you are already planning the next one. Always remember that lessons learnt in life will make you a much stronger person and all things happen for a reason. Love you heaps.