One year

So I just wanted to do one short last post to note that it's been a year since I arrived in a freezing cold journey to start my gap year. Feels like it was year's ago but it's so great to be back home and starting a new chapter.

Depature gate 2009

Arrivals gate 2010

Fly Away Home

It's time the write the post. I've thought about this one since the beginning of the whole blog. What should I write? What picture should I use to start it with? Actually, it was months ago I decided to use the picture of geese, inspired from the movie - Fly Away Home. Anyway.
I am listening to a song I haven't listened to since last year when I was planning this trip, Faith and White Light by Jimmy Khoury. I got it from a DVD that greatly inspired me for this year, A Map For Saturday.

This post may seem like it's going to be another Heathrow blog post repeat. It's not. This is about the whole 11 months. It's strange right now, because in the days before I haven't really been sad about leaving. Ok well, I've been sad about leaving Steffen. Now I've realised that all that was just because I was only thinking about leaving Germany before it freezes over. But it's more than that, my gap year is over. Done. Complete. And really, I don't know if I'm sad or just deliriously happy that it has happened. I think it's the latter. It's so surreal I can't believe that after 5 years of thinking, dreaming and planning, the 11 months is done.

There's a quote from the DVD I mentioned earlier and it goes "People say, 'oh, you're so lucky.' It's not lucky, it's about attitude" I cannot stress how true this is. If I were lucky I would have spent this year in 5 star hotels, with no problems, probably would have travelled to other continents other than Europe and someone would have paid for it, all of it. Real life example - I was lucky to go to America last year. For this time over in Europe it was my money and my way. Not luck, but attitude. While travelling I was asked my aged countless times, as soon as I said 19 the person either a) didn't believe me or b) simply jumped to the conclusion that mummy and daddy are rich and generous to their daughter. I'm not just guessing this last one either as when I said I'm paying my way they were always shocked. Anyone could have done what I just did. Anyone can do what I just did, whether it be the backpacking part or the living abroad part or both. As the Nike slogan goes - Just Do It.

So I think I will do one more post about being home again and then that could be the end of the blog, who knows. But, thanks for following, I hope you enjoyed.

Simone.

Steffen

This year wouldn't be what it has been if it weren't for Steffen. We've had some really awesome times and road trips, here's some of my favourite pictures and places we went together...

Posing in Berlin -
I never got a picture of us both in Cologne -
ANZAC Dawn Service in Villers Brettoneux, France -
Amiens, France -
Paris-
Hamburg-
Neuschwanstein-
Miserable in Munich -
Bern, Switzerland -
Konstanz, Germany

Graduation -
Dippemess -
Frankfurt -
Australia vs Germany FIFA WC -
In our Macca's caps at home
On the bike -
Offenbach -

Out-Takes

I've just had this strange urge to post up some of the strangest out-take-like photo's from this year...

You travel far to discover Home

Honestly, I am so so so excited about going home that there is hardly any sadness about leaving.

The Pavilion

On my second day in Germany I found the park which is now referred to as my park and within that park is the pavilion that I've taken pictures of in every season of being here. So finally I have all pictures!
Actually, I think I'll go back tomorrow to fix up the autumn shot. Wrong angle.

Doings

This week was my second last week in Germany and it has been freezing. Really, the colder it gets the easier it is to leave. Steffen and I have been packing up the apartment so we have boxes and boxes of wines, documents, you name it. I myself have been packing my bags getting ready for departure. I'd say I'm about 2/3 there but everyday I find something new that I have to take and it's starting to get a bit worrying.
Also this week I made it my mission, as in I won't go until this is done mission, to get some nice pictures of Steffen and I. Since buying my camera tripod I feel I've been cursed with bad weather but finally we had a sunny day so no time was wasted. We went out to the 'white palace' as I call it, even though now it's just apartments, with the tripod and got to work.
We had so much fun using the tripod and since it was so cold we took the bus home instead of riding back and Steffen got dog shit on his bike hehe.
That night we went into Frankfurt with the tripod again to get some nice night pics of the skyline and played with all my camera settings.
We've also gone ice skating but the outside rink wasn't open yet. Steffen's a really good ice skater and I have just seemed to become worse. Still fun though. There was the cutest kinds there, too, one even wore a helmet and one was always falling over then would just jump right up again. I suppose it's easier when you're already so close to the ground.

This morning we woke up really late so we did what you always do when waking up late. We went to the eis cafe for brunch. I had my final After Eight and Steffen had his spaghetti eis.
And tonight we finally had the German pasta I brought in Florence, Italy. Tasted just like pasta.
Anyway, one more week left!!