I didn’t waste any time once given the green light to go and booked it to Kochi, a smaller city on the coast of Southern India. We flew a small Kingfisher prop plane through a monsoon to get here so had a ball as usual. As soon as we got here, I immediately felt more at home. The apartment overlooks the Arabian Sea and from a distance it reminds me of the intercoastal waterways of St. Josephs Sound. Once you get closer the differences between here and home become more apparent: the trash, the murky polluted water, the smell of trash and polluted water. It’s sad but it’s still the Arabian Sea and I’m happy to be able to experience it. My roommate and I decided that the perfect post busy season getaway would be a ... read more

This Sunday was Independence Day in India and we went to the flower festival in the Bangalore Botanical Gardens to celebrate. It’s nothing like the 4th, no fireworks or anything, but still pretty fantastic! I asked people who they were celebrating their independence from but was told no one in particular, they were just happy to be independent from someone. Maybe I look British to them. The gardens were wall to wall Indians and 5 white girls. There were so many people jammed into this place that there was a guy beating people back with a stick just to get the crowd under control. Of course, and for no apparent reason, we were escorted right past all the crowds of people and led directly into the park. I felt pretty horrible about it…but not enough that ... read more

Night time is the right time in Paris. This was my second time here and I loved it. We walked all over during the day and took the riverboat tour at night. Amazing! ... read more

Next we took Ryanair to Frankfurt Hahn and hit up the Rhine River area. Very quaint and beautiful. I kept looking for Hansel and Gretel but never found them. I was also on the constant lookout for someone wearing Lederhosen but apparently those are not currently in style. One thing I noticed about Germany, everyone drives a BMW, Audi, or Porche! Yeah, they don't play around.... read more

First stop was Dublin to visit my cousins! Had a great time as usual! I wished Will was there; he loves dark beer. Well, all beers really. The flight from TPA to ATL was so bumpy that the passengers started screaming like they were on a roller coaster ride in hell. I'm not exaggerating. By the time we landed I had made promises to go to church and just be a better person in general. I should have known we were in for it because the passengers that had just gotten off the plane we were about to get on all started clapping when they got into the terminal. Personal goal in India #1: Focus on finding some zen place in spiritual neverland I can go to when I need to be flown around. I have ... read more