I awoke to the warm sea breeze and the New Zealand sun shining through my blinds of my little glass conservatory. The last breezy morning I would be spending at a place I had come to call home; 2 months of adventuring around the Island of the Long White Cloud and it was it was already time for “see you laters” to be passed around along with the feeling of bittersweetness in the air. With a new traveling companion at my side, the month of March was looking endless.
March 4th - Australia
Never really having any want to see Australia, the country was simply a pit stop and nothing more until my flight over to Europe. With the magical powers of Facebook however, I soon discovered I had a few friends who were actually residing in the Land Down Under. Suddenly, I was no longer destitute to sleeping on benches with my new compadre, Sir Buildsalot, and was welcomed into the homes of friends I hadn't seen in years. From wandering the bustling streets of Sydney, discovering it the cheapest means possible (believe me, that’s a task in itself in Australia) I found myself enthralled with people watching; simply observing everyday life for Australian natives. Sooner rather than I hoped, my freckled skin had caught the sun and it was time for an adventure up to Gosford. What seemed to be the fastest hour and half train ride of my life, I was suddenly transported from city landscape to endless canyons of trees, lakes, and breath-taking scenery. The rest of the evening was spent catching up with friends, eating fresh barbecued kebabs, listening to the kookaburras calls, and experiencing Australian chocolate. Falling into the soft waves of a mattress, one can only truly respect the beauty of a bed when one is without it. Straight back to Sydney Airport the next morning and off to Melbourne. Being told the night prior, that if one doesn’t want to stand out completely as a foreigner, pronounce it "Melbin". The next 2 days were filled with exploratory walks throughout the city discovering graffiti ridden alleyways, discussions of how overly priced alcohol was (66AUD/$50.50 USD for a 12 pack of PBR...) and an abundance of playing time with a kitten called Roo; Australia greeted me with open arms and reunited me with friends from across the globe.
March 7th - France
14 hours and 20 mins of crying children and a sleepless flight, I was then in Doha, only my halfway point to Paris. “Was it this treacherous getting over to New Zealand?” I kept asking myself but this was the whole point of my March Madness; an opportunity to travel around the world for real experiences and to muster down the crazy amounts of wanderlust that seemed to be constantly brewing up inside of me. When traveling such long hours, lists starts to accumulate of everything you should’ve done to make the trip easier such as:
Reusable Water Bottle (You're a couple thousand feet in the air, you're gonna get parched and the little water cups they offer you twice won’t do you any good except enhance the illusion of an oasis of water.)
Neck Pillow (Sure, you thought they looked ridiculous on the stand at the airport, but not as ridiculous as you look with your neck stuck in a fixed position now.)
Portable Charger Station (Finding a socket at the airport is everyones easter egg hunt, save yourself plenty of time and the misery of sitting next to someone who has yet to discover deodorant.)
7 hours later, I finally made it to the City of Lights. With a deep brume of jet lag settling in, we drove deeper and deeper into the French countryside. Speeding past vineyards, fields upon fields of oak forests; the French countryside became alive with mystery and magic. The next 8 days were filled with discovery of chateaus, some comprehension of the French language and admiration of French architecture. Having probably the most diverse dinner group I have ever had, each night was filled with intriguing conversations between my Irish uncle, their German neighbor, and my English friend all over invigorating meals and delectable wine, baguettes, and cheese.
March 16th - Ireland
Back in a country I have called home since I can remember, flying into the gray clouds and spotting endless green fields below, coming into Ireland is probably one of the best feelings I have always experienced. Having the opportunity to simply walk down the street to see my Nana and give her a haircut, to going out to the Ballyhooly pub and enjoy a Beamish with my uncle, or getting a 99 with my cousin and enjoying it in the town square is something I never have really experienced back in the States. Surrounded by such beauty and a constant reminder on why I chose to live in Portland, OR of all places, I sat back and simply enjoyed the spring time in the Emerald Isle. Wishing people a Happy Patricks Day with no rush to go see something, and no need for plans, the warm Irish sun kept spirits high and the constant flow of pints going.
March 24th - New York, NY
Flying over ice covered oceans, sipping down multiple cups of tea, I finally made my descent back into my homeland. With no idea what the Big City had in store for my journey, I couldn't help but smile as Aer Lingus Flight EI111 was welcomed with a fresh white blanket of snow. From the shuttle bus adventure shared with characters such as a man coming back to the city for the first time after finishing his gambling rehab, to a happy young couple speaking Chinese to one another with the only audible english being; "I am so happy right now", to a driver who simply wanted to befriend new travelers, New York had already swelled me off my feet. With the next 72 hours filled with extreme sensory overload, delicious food, and historic moments for any traveler, New York slowly won me over. Experiencing the bohemian neighborhoods of Brooklyn and interacting with the "in the moment" personalities of New Yorkers, it was the city at night that stole my breath away. With inspiration and creativity coming from any direction, I was pleasantly proved wrong, for New York was a city I expected to loath and even hate coming from my small towns and villages across the globe. But a city with Strawberry Fields, Bjork exhibits, and Dunkin’ Doughnuts around every corner, I soon found myself promising myself to return.
March 25th - Sacramento, CA
After what seemed the longest flight out of my entire journey, my “short” 6 hour flight came to an end, along with my entire journey. What always perceived to be such a treacherous place I never wanted to end up living, a sense of familiarity, happiness, and safety ironically started to brew within me. Was it possible entering my home state would be something that I didn’t even miss until I experienced being away for as long as I was? Instead of chilly city breezes, or scorching hot sunburns; the California warmth welcomed my skin along with the smell of spring in the air. There are countless monuments, cities, cultures and countrysides throughout the world I still have a burning desire to see but nothing can possibly ever replace that moment of seeing a familys familiar smiles once again and coming in to welcoming hugs.
March 26th - Portland, OR
15 airports, 5 countries, & 3 months later I was back in Portlandia where the journey was birthed and came to a close. What seems like a whole world ago, now gone with a blink of an eye, I find myself already creating new plans for the next “big” adventure. My time traveling brought me along to meeting so many unique, creative, loving people that only encouraged my journey and and inspired me to do more. After seeing so many diverse styles of art, music, and lifestyles it only made me want to discover the United States more thoroughly. Having only been to 4 states now, on my long drive up to Portland from Redding, CA, the realization of how many more amazing things there are still to see in my own backyard stuck me. Perhaps you need to go across the globe to appreciate the things that are right in front of you, but inspiration comes in so many different forms and adventure only enhances its arrival. Adventure is out there- you just have to step outside your door.
