–Thank you so much for your comments on this post! I’m so grateful for all of your support. I haven’t talked much about wedding planning yet but since it has its unique challenges from abroad, I’ll share some soon…including our wedding date! Which (**spoiler alert**) is kind of alarmingly soon.
–I only have five weeks left of school! My private lessons will continue, and I’ll be taking part in several English summer camps, but my schedule will lessen considerably. I see-saw between exhaustion from barely surviving my crammed days to feeling nostalgic about saying farewell to all of my students.
–Prague has changed in these recent weeks. We’re really seen the influx of tourists, and it impacts so many things, from trams (they are stuck in traffic more!) to communication (suddenly everyone is speaking to us in English!). While I am loving the weather, although it is inconsistent, I am missing the quiet winter days of Prague.
–We are missing our visitors! One of our favorite couples came to visit for just over a week at the beginning of May. I planned like crazy and wanted it to be perfect, as they were our first visitors and I wanted them to have a fantastic trip. Of course, it wasn’t perfect, but I think it went really well and I’m so, so happy they came! Cue the homesickness, though!
–I am always a sucker for a view, but after the Budapest flat, I am obsessed with finding rooms with views for every trip if possible. Especially as we had stayed up all night on our poorly chosen night bus, and our friends were terribly jet-lagged, and we wanted some relaxing time. The view and the balcony made us feel like we were still wandering around Budapest, while actually chilling in our pajamas.
–After a long weekend in Budapest and a few days in Prague, our little group headed to Ireland. It was my second time there–the first time was in 2007, though!–and I’m still obsessed. While it was my first trip to Dublin–and I didn’t love Dublin as much as I hoped, although it’s a nice city–I am completely enamored with the Irish countryside. What is it about it that makes it just…pure magic?! I am already plotting on when to go back…
–My parents will be here in ONE MONTH! I can barely contain myself. They will be spending a few days in Prague while I wrap up my school year, then we are heading to Salzburg/Hallstatt (because they can’t not go after I raved about it so much), Bavaria, Munich, and Karlovy Vary! We will also be driving and I can’t wait for a road trip. Any recommendations on any of those places are always welcome!
–My cousin is coming in early June, and E’s family is coming in July, just to Prague. I am planning a variety of day trips, but mostly I am so excited to continue to explore more of Prague. I made it up into the castle grounds for the first time with our visitors in early May, and I was ashamed I had waited so long–it’s incredible! And that’s only the part that was free, ha!
–We are having some visa issues that are making our work schedule this summer complicated, so to help things out, we are leaving the Schengen zone for three weeks in July/August. I would make you guess where we are going but I’m too excited…drumroll please…Croatia! Well, hopefully Croatia and Montenegro, to be exact. I am really holding out that we can make it to Slovenia, as well, but it may not work out with visa stuff. sigh. Either way, it will be an epic trip and I cannot wait! Now I gotta go earn me some money for it…and please!! Send tips.
–I/we have finally made some hard choices about our future (or the next year at least). I’m not quite ready to make announcements on everything–from whether or not we are staying in Prague to our wedding date to our honeymoon–but stayed tuned! Announcement coming later this week!
Tell me…what’s going on recently with you? I want to know!
Good luck with the visa stuff. So excited to hear your announcements later this week! And wow, so many visitors! Lucky 🙂
I definitely didn’t like Dublin as much as I hoped I would either which is definitely the reason I haven’t been back to the country yet, but since I love the Scottish countryside, I feel like the Irish counterpart must be pretty dang good too!
You would LOVE the Irish countryside! I think it might be tied with Scotland for me, although the Irish wins a little only because I haven’t spent much time in Scotland yet. Are you back in the States now preparing for your wedding? I just realized that you’re getting married in Washington state…so are we! Cool 🙂
Croatia is amazing! I was there in August and the weather was pretty good! I would say old town Dubrovnik is worth a visit, and its a lot of fun to walk to wall around old town (great views and great pics). There are also nearby islands that you can take a Ferry to for a day trip. I went to one (sorry don’t remember which) and had a great day laying on a beach, wandering the island, eating at a little cafes and enjoying rum & coke & Chocolate ice cream :-)! The night life in old town is pretty good too, and there are lots of good restaurants around the old square! I hope you guys have a blast there! It holds a special place in my heart!
Hi! Thanks so much for the tips! We are traveling down the whole Croatian coast and ending in Dubrovnik, although we are hopping over to Montenegro for a few days I think 🙂 I think we are island hopping between Split and Dubrovnik! I would love to spend more time in Dubrovnik but it’s by far the most expensive city on the coast so we’ll only have a night or two there. I have wanted to visit since you did–I don’t think I’d heard of it before your trip! 🙂 wish you guys could come with us! miss you! xo
How great you get so many visitors! Gah, Croatia, I just love it there! If your looking for a relaxing time I def recommend staying on Korcula for a few days, my favorite stop of the trip.
Thanks!! I’m so excited for the summer. Your summer plans are awesome, too! 🙂 And thanks for the tips, I am searching your Croatia archives right now–Korcula is high on our list! I mean, an island known for it’s wine? What could be bad about that?!?
Aww, I hope your visa process comes through! I have to prepare the papers because my renovation starts soon, have lots of fun with your visitors, so exciting!!
Thanks, Isabel! Unfortunately we got bad news this week so we’ll be leaving Prague in August. Bummer, right? But I think we are squeezing in a trip to Slovenia on our way to Croatia! So I will be emailing you for tips and maybe a meet-up 🙂
Sounds like life suer busy! I don’t think I could handle so many visitors!
Are you and your parents renting a car for the road trip? How are you going about that? Just curios, since I’m hoping to take some road trips and trying to work out the best way/companies to rent a car and whatnot.
Yes, we’re renting a car to drive through Austria and Germany and part of the CZ. (and yes, I am nervous about visitors and trying to soak up my alone time lol). We’ve found some good deals via kayak.com, and will likely rent from the airport! I’m not sure the best company yet, I’m still doing research, but I will let you know how it goes!! Hopefully well, I’ve never rented a car ever, much less abroad!!
I will definitely check that out, things like this start to confuse me as there’s always so many options on the internet! Me neither, but I really want to go on a roadtrip!
Yes it’s kind of stressful! But I’m hoping it works out because I am excited to drive again and not be at the mercy of bus/train schedules!
How exciting! Having visitors come is the best thing ever, right? And i’m excited to hear more about your wedding plans 🙂
Yes I’m so excited for visitors! My parents will be here in about two weeks, woohoo! 🙂