It was our last morning in Paris. We were due to fly out in just a few hours—but, like the rest of our week-long sojourn in in the City of Lights, we were making the most of every second. We were standing in line to climb up the Tours-de-Notre-Dame, the famous Notre Dame towers. As it was Sunday, admission to the towers was free, and I was determined to see the famous gargoyles and the view over the entire city.

It was early January, just a few days after the New Year, and it was absolutely freezing. Although we’d tried to get there early, there was already a line—that’s Paris for you. Since we pretty much needed to get to the airport as soon as we finished, we grabbed one last crepe each while we waited, shivering. Here’s a picture of me, my (faux) fur-lined coat obscuring most of my face, just my grin visible as I hold the crepe close to my face.

Paris was a dream, but on the tail end of a two week jaunt around Europe over Christmas, right before going back to my grueling teaching schedule in Prague, it probably wasn’t the best idea. We were exhausted. Add that to the fact that we were totally broke, and well…it wasn’t our most genius travel plan. In addition, Paris at the start of the New Year might be the busiest place…ever. We spent a lot of time waiting in lines.

Still, we’d managed to get as much out of Paris as possible. We were staying in a very tiny flat with unreliable hot water and heat, a pull-out couch the only bed, and a view over a decidedly unpicteresque courtyard. Still, just over the tops of the buildings behind us, we could see the Eiffel Tower. We watched it every hour, as we ate baguettes and cheese in our flat to save money, sparkling through the long and cold nights.

On our last day, we were finially going to do the activity I’d been dying to do the whole week. We’d seen the Notre-Dame, of course—hard to miss—but I was determined to get a view of the gargoyles (fun fact: the gargoyles are actually the drain pipes in the shapes of monsters; the statues everyone thinks are gargoyles are actually called chimeras).

Finally it was our turn, and we climbed the dizzying, slightly claustrophobic stairs, stopping periodically for the crowds and to snap photos from different points of view.

We made it to the top, finally, and there were the chimeras—staring over the City of Light, some thoughtful, some looking monstrous, some looking almost sad. And there, as I picked out a few landmarks I knew, I felt my eyes filling with tears.

Here I was, in Paris. The place of my imagination, the place of so many stories and dreams and so many other imaginations. Paris is chaotic, confusing, gigantic, overwhelming, and in spots dirty, dangerous, overcrowded and overpriced. But from this vantage point, it was mostly beautiful, iconic, and the Paris of my dreams.

I was heartbroken this week, to hear the news about the Notre-Dame. Such an iconic building, of course, but also one of my favorite memories from my few years living in Europe. Technically, it’s just a building, and even one saturated in so much history and age and beauty and culture, it could be so much worse.

Yet, while I’m sad, I’m also so grateful. I got to see it. The loss of such an important piece of human history serves as a stark reminder that nothing lasts forever. Not even you. You only get one chance to see the world, to see everything you want, to get the things you want. I’m here to tell you that the world is changing, your life is changing, and if you have dreams of travel, go for it, to the best of your ability. Waiting has its purpose, but nothing is ever guaranteed a tomorrow. Not even the places we think might be around forever.

The post Thoughts on Notre-Dame appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Read on for some of my best travels from 2017.

Stockholm, Sweden

Our first trip of the year was one of my favorites, because it was a return trip to Scandinavia–and our first stop in Sweden! Highlights of this trip were Gamla Stan (the old town), an epic dinner at Djuret, amazing burgers at Barrels and Burgers, and the Vasa Museum.

See my posts about Sweden here. 

Brighton, England

In February, I found out my friend had decided to take a last-minute trip from New York to England, and I couldn’t miss the chance to meet her in Europe! She was going to be in Brighton, on the sea, when I was available to go, and I went for it. I’d never really considered a visit to Brighton before, but it’s beautiful and we had so much fun!

Belgrade, Serbia

We went to Belgrade (via a night train) with our friends from Budapest (now they live in Spain–follow along with Ash and her adventures on her blog!). Belgrade is an up-and-coming spot in Europe for good reason. We had a great time exploring the Orthodox churches, wandering the streets, and eating things like cheese pie.

Macedonia

For my spring break, E and I took advantage of very cheap tickets to Macedonia. We spent most of our time in the gorgeous Lake Ohrid, and although I found out I was pregnant right before we went–and so was suffering from morning sickness all day–it was still such an interesting country to visit.

London, England

My sister came to visit (!!!) and after showing off Budapest, we traveled to London for a long weekend. Although cramming London into two days is not something I would necessarily recommend, I absolutely loved showing her the sites!

See my posts about London here. 

Exploring Budapest

I had to include a shout-out to our former home, of course! I still miss the majestic streets, my job, our little flat, the food, our friends, and the Danube.

See my posts about Budapest here. 

Polish road trip

My brother and my parents came to Budapest in June and after a few days of exploring, we headed off on a road trip through Slovakia to Poland! We all immediately fell in love with Poland. It’s inexpensive, with delicious food, the cream of the crop when it comes to Airbnb, fun tours, serious history and lovely architecture.

See my posts about Poland here.

Scottish road trip

For E’s birthday, we decided to finally take a road trip through the Scottish highlands. It goes on record as one of our best.trips.EVER. I’d like to go back now, please!

See my posts about Scotland here.

Iceland layover

Who can resist taking advantage of the awesome layover program with IcelandAir?? Not us. Although we’ve only seen Iceland during layovers so far–and trust me, it deserves more time!–each trip has been awesome.

See my posts about Iceland here. 

My birthday in Charleston

Thanks to my pregnancy/health issues, we ended up back in America sooner than I’d hoped–i.e., before my 30th birthday. BUT, since we had some airline vouchers that were about to expire, we grabbed a nearly-free flight to Charleston, South Carolina. The heat was a bit much, but the food, the beach and charm more than made up for it. Seriously, you guys…THE FOOD.

See my best travels from 2016 and 2015! 

Linking up with Adventures of a London Kiwi, SilverSpoon London, and Follow Your Sunshine!

The post Best of Travel: 2017 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

I’ve been chasing travel since I was 15 and never could have imagined how much it would impact my life (both the actual traveling part and the thinking-about-traveling part). I love writing about my experiences, and helping connect with and support people all over the world who are doing the same thing (like you, maybe, since you’re reading this, after all!). I’ve loved experimenting with different ways to write about my travels, such as my letter to Vienna, my poem for Korčula, and my travel game, Imagine If I Lived Here. I especially enjoy reflecting on living abroad, such as how living abroad has changed my life, 30 lessons from 30 months abroad, expectations, thoughts on home, all about anxiety and traveling, and more lessons from living abroad.

Sometimes, though, I’ll start a draft of a post and when my fingers hit the keyboard, nothing comes out.

There is not one singular reason for this. Some of these travels happened years ago and the details are fuzzier. Sometimes the clearest moments from a trip don’t feel blog-worthy. Some of them don’t have any pictures. Some of them were such disasters, I don’t care to relive them. On the flip side, some trips were so perfect I can’t describe them by anything but “amazing, awesome, great, you gotta go” and how many times can I write that?

More times than I would care to admit.

Recently, I saw this post on the blog Daydreams of Summertime (inspired by this one from Paper Planes & Caramel Waffles) and it got me thinking of all the stories I’ve never written about.

So, in the same spirit, here are some travels that haven’t made the blog, also known as…

The Unpublished

Hvar, Croatia

This was one of those perfect stays at one of our favorite Airbnbs ever. We had a scooter and scooted around the island to our little heart’s content. Our host made us an amazing freshly caught fish dinner, and circled little coves all over the island for us to explore. We bought olive oil and lavender from the little stand right outside our tiny house, and watched sunsets and sunrises. And, I was so involved relaxing and enjoying the trip that I barely took any photos.

Edinburgh

Another one of those trips that is just long enough ago that I can’t remember much about it except that it was wonderful–and also kind of a hot mess. I remember E leaving his phone in the taxi, and tripping and scraping up my whole leg, and the fact that we stayed way far out-of-town accidentally, and throwing up on a night bus after my first taste of haggis (I’m not sure the two are necessarily related, although I just can’t get over the texture of haggis).

Ecuador

My brother and I traveled in Ecuador for a few weeks after I studied in Peru. My camera died early on in the trip (while I was taking pictures of monkeys, nooooooo) so that’s part of why I haven’t written much. It also happened before this blog, back in 2009 or something like that (ugh, I barely remember. I’m old).

Panama

We were only in Panama for three days, and truthfully I didn’t love it. I think I’ve avoided writing about it because I feel guilty, like I should have loved it. I wanted to love it!! And maybe I will when I make it back there.

Southeast Asia

I backpacked Southeast Asia with my cousin in 2010, and was keeping another blog at the time. That trip was so huge and full of so much, I barely know where to start.

Ha Long Bay

If you can’t tell, I have trouble writing about the really big, really famous sights. Ha Long Bay, to me, also represents my travel writing dilemma–so many moments are crystal clear, but are those the moments I want to write about for the world to read? The girl who threw a fit because we were promised jam on the trip, and didn’t get any? The karaoke on the ship? The rats we could hear on the boat? The weird cave with weird lights? The absolute breathlessness I felt when I woke up and saw the bay in the fog? The indescribable color of the water?

Slovakia

I’ve been to Bratislava and the High Tatras and have barely written about either of those. Why is that?

Booze cruise, Vietnam

Ah, yes, the time my cousin and I thought we were going on a snorkeling boat and got on a booze cruise instead.

Road trip with my parents

My parents came to visit when we lived in Prague and we took an epic road trip through the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany! I can’t believe I haven’t written about it at all. It’s one of those Where do I even start??? types of things I think. Funny how some of my most favorite trips never even make it on here!

Switzerland

My first trip abroad! Over ten years ago. I didn’t even have a digital camera. I’ve scanned a few photos in, though! For posterity.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

We went there for my birthday a few years ago and I never wrote about it! Partly because I don’t want to spoil the tour for anyone, partly because I took exactly two photos, and partly because I always have trouble writing about things like that. Is it really interesting for me to take you along virtually in each room? I’m undecided.

Christmas markets in Germany

I get in my head about Christmas markets because I always want to post them at a festive time of year–not in say, March–but when said festive period hits, I get distracted by my life. Maybe next year!

Mikulov/Czech wine country

We’ve traveled so much since we moved to Europe that sometimes I forget the smaller, local trips we’ve taken. One of the best was to Czech wine country–such a gem! Of course, the thing I remember most about this is the hellish train ride on the way there. I don’t even remember the name of the towns we visited, just that I loved them!

Oktoberfest

Oh yeah, I went to Oktoberfest last year. It was so much fun–but how do you write about a drunken fest where I stumbled around from tent to tent, inadvertently finding seats and shelter, and forgetting to eat?

Dublin

Oh, Ireland in general always stresses me out to write about, because I love it so darn much and I’m so terrible at explaining why. However, Dublin is a little different–it’s a great city, but I didn’t find myself connecting with it as much as I hoped. Looking back, I can’t remember much that we did there except see the Book of Kells and eat a lot of good food. Which doesn’t really sound like a bad trip, no?

Santorini

Another one of those places that is so amazing and so well-known that I find myself at a loss for words–what can I say that hasn’t been said over and over? I really loved Santorini, although it wasn’t exactly what I expected. Truthfully, I think I might have liked Athens more!

Eger, Hungary

Another little local trip I’ve mentioned but have never really written about. The little Hungarian city known for its wine deserves its own post–I’ve gone there twice in one year!

Norway

The thing that gets in the way for this one is the photos. I took a rather obscene amount of photos there and I’m tired just thinking about organizing them all to find the good ones. Norway is so freaking beautiful that most of my pictures could be considered “good” (although I also took a lot of my hand, because I got so excited and just started snapping).

I guess I have a lot of blogging to do…

Tell me–do you find it easy to write/discuss travel? Why or why not?  

The post The Unpublished appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Here are some of my favorite travel moments from 2016. (See my best of travel for 2015 here).

Starting off the new year in Montana

I decided to accept my job in Budapest just before Christmas in 2015, so starting off the new year with family and friends in my home state felt extra special, since I knew I would be leaving again.

Exploring Budapest

Although the move to Budapest was rockier than I anticipated, it was exciting to explore the city knowing I lived here now. Seeing Budapest through the seasons has been so fun!

Read my posts about Hungary here.

Two weekend trips to Slovakia

Slovakia might take the cake as the most unexpected destination from this year. In the spring, we visited the adorable little city of Bratislava, and I was definitely charmed. In the fall, we visited the High Tatras with friends, and I was blown away by the fall colors. You don’t hear much about Slovakia in the travel world and I realized this year what a shame that is!

Read more about Slovakia here. 

Spring Break in Greece

Greece was probably the most-hyped destination I visited this year. I’ve wanted to visit Greece for years–who hasn’t?–and Greece is pretty impossible to visit without having some kind of preconceived notions. On top of this, so many things went wrong on our trip–but I loved that country so freaking much. Greece was a great lesson in how letting go can make your trip!

Read more about Greece here. 

E’s birthday in Transylvania

Romania is another destination that people are just starting to visit. E and I took a two-week road trip through Transylvania last summer, and I was amazed. I still have trouble describing this country, as it is so full of contradictions around every turn. In Transylvania, you’ll see carts full of hay on the highways, next to speeding cars; ancient churches and crosses next to crumbling buildings; Communist bloc apartments with the background of glorious mountain peaks. Romania is living, breathing history!

Read more about Romania here. 

Birthday in Ireland

Well, technically my birthday was spent stuck in an airport in Seattle (the joys of travel, sometimes!!!!) but it was meant to be in Ireland. I visited Ireland for the first time when I was nineteen, and I’ve wanted to go back ever since. This time, we decided to rent a car, which is such a great way to travel around Ireland–tiny roads and right-side driving notwithstanding.

Read more about Ireland here.

Layover in Copenhagen

We had just 24 hours in Copenhagen between Romania and Norway. I figured I would like Copenhagen, but the overall vibe and feeling of the city is just amazing. Copenhagen gets a coveted spot on the “I could actually live here” list…and pretty near the top, if I’m being honest.

Norwegian fjord cruise

Norway gets a lot of press for being one of the most beautiful countries in the world–and I found this to be completely true. I’d never been anywhere with the midnight sun before, so it was an experience! The classic (cliché?) fjord tour was incredible.

My sister’s wedding in the U.S.A.

I flew back in May for a whirlwind week in Montana to celebrate my sister’s wedding. While it was far from a vacation (I think I may have been more stressed for her wedding than my own) and two transatlantic flights in one week is no joke, I’m so glad I made it back.

Summer in America

We flew from Norway to L.A. to visit family in California. We rented a car there and drove around southern California, visiting grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, before driving up north to join a family reunion on the lake, and to see E’s grandparents. From there, we flew to Montana for a wedding–and from there, drove to Seattle for a week with E’s family in Washington. It felt more like a business trip than anything else–you wouldn’t believe the daily schedules!–but it was so amazing to see family, be a bridesmaid in my lifelong friend’s wedding, and soak up all that we missed from America.

Road trip in Slovenia

2016 was apparently the year of road trips–Romania, Slovakia, USA, Ireland, and finally Slovenia! Slovenia is one of those places I tried to get to again and again, but something else always came up. Well, it was worth the wait! Slovenia is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited.

Read more about Slovenia here.

Oktoberfest

E and I took a night train from Budapest to Munich to meet friends for Oktoberfest. It was–in a word–crazy. I think the first picture gives you a good idea of what our moods were that day ;).

Christmas markets in Germany

We first went to a German Christmas market in 2014 and ever since, I’ve been counting down to when we could go back. We found a really cheap flight to Nuremberg right before Christmas, so we snapped it up! My friend and her new husband ended up being in Frankfurt for part of their honeymoon, so we were lucky enough to meet them–and then they came to visit us in Nuremberg! Friends + German Christmas markets = heaven.

Read more about Germany here. 

Budapest for the holidays

Originally, we had a huge trip planned for Christmas–I get almost two weeks off, after all–like we did for Christmas in 2014. However, the more I planned, the more we realized it sounded like a tiring, logistical nightmare to do another big trip. So, we decided to stay put in Budapest (other than a quick few days in Germany). I’m so glad we did. It’s been amazing and rejuvenating to wander the Christmas markets here, visit cafés we rarely have time to go to, and feel no pressure to get out and see it all.

What were your favorite travel moments (near or far) of 2016? 

The post Best of Travel: 2016 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

And now summer is over. (without too much blogging to show for it, oops!)

I’m back in Budapest, at a new school, starting a new school year, teaching 1st and 2nd graders. The weather in Budapest is still too hot for my taste, but luckily the late summer nights have lost their edge. Our new flat–an amazing 10-minute walk from my new job–has a lovely balcony surrounded by leafy trees.

Even as I buckle down and get ready to adjust to a brand new school, and attempt to find anything in my new neighborhood, I can’t help but look back on the busy, busy summer with happiness and a bit of trailing exhaustion.

E and I are calling it the “Summer of Scenery” because, wow, did we see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world! (And because we like alliteration).

We started in Romania–Transylvania, specifically–and while the towns and cities we visited we totally charming, the mountains were a real highlight of the trip.

After Romania, and a stopover in Copenhagen (and I’ll say it again, but man do I want to live there!!) we headed to Norway. It was absolutely amazing and even though we spent only three days there, I can sufficiently say we enjoyed every second of our time there.

From Norway, we flew to Los Angeles to visit family–not a part of the trip where we were thinking of the scenery. I did find some pretty flowers, though! After we visited some family near Sacramento, we were able to join some of my extended family at Clearlake–and it’s so peaceful and pretty, especially in the morning!

Then, Montana, which is always picture-perfect. My friend got married in a beautiful spot while we were there, and another old childhood friend, who recently got her pilot’s license, took me up her in plane–so I got a whole new view of my hometown! I’ve flown commercially so often that I’m starting to feel ambivalent towards planes–not as thrilled as I used to be, for sure–but it was so much fun to fly in her tiny little plane.

Thanks to our awesome parents, E and I got a free ride between Montana and Washington (where my in-laws live). The trip is long but oh-so-pretty!

My in-laws live in a lovely area of the state (you may remember their yard was where we got married, and for a good reason) and it’s always nice to be back there.

While visiting that area, we hopped down to Oregon to visit my cousin and some friends in Portland, and hit the Oregon coast on our way back to Washington.

And still, after all that breathtaking scenery, we ended with a week in one of the prettiest countries of all time, my dreamland–Ireland!

I’ll be writing more about these places soon. For now…

The summer of scenery, indeed!

Linking up with Wanderlust Wednesday.

The post Summer of Scenery appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

When we bought our return tickets to Budapest through Ireland, the cheapest ticket by a significant amount was on my birthday, I wasn’t too bothered. I mean, I would be flying to Ireland on my birthday. Things could be much, much, much worse.

After we made it through security (with every step in the long line I was regretting this birthday-travel decision more and more) and arrived at our gate, we discovered our flight was delayed.

No big deal. Happens all the time. We still had plenty of time to catch our connecting flight in Philadelphia.

Finally we got on the plane, and as we were getting settled, we discovered that the radar was out over Montana (that’s my home state, thankyouverymuch) so no eastbound flights could go anywhere. We waited on the plane for over an hour, eventually they shut off the engine, and then–finally–we got moving again.

Then. I guess turning off the engines had triggered something, because one thing after another kept breaking–so we were sent back to the gate and told to disembark. At this point, I was getting stressed about making our connection. We watched in dismay as the minutes ticked by and we missed our red-eye to Shannon in Ireland.

As we worked out what we were going to do, begging them to find us another flight, we heard over the loudspeaker–our flight had been cancelled. And the next flight to Ireland that American Airlines would put us on had us leaving the next day, with an extra layover.

After receiving our $24 dollar meal voucher (so generous!), they sent us on our merry way to a hotel.

It was disappointing, I won’t lie–losing one whole day of our seven-day trip to Ireland. We rescheduled things and tried to make the best of it–it was still my birthday.

The next day we got up bright and early, excited to finally make it to Ireland.

Can you see where this is going?

We made the first leg to Phoenix okay. But…

It was so hot in Phoenix, the plane was too heavy to fly (severely simplified physics here). So, first they asked eight people to get off and take a later flight. Time dragged on as they figured this out. It got hotter. Suddenly there was something wrong with the air and so it got even hotter.

The minutes crept by until it seemed like there was no way we would make another connection to Ireland.

AGAIN.

Finally, they asked 35 more people to get off the plane. This time, they were offering vouchers for free flights, and since we had already missed our chance to go to Ireland that day (or so we thought), E and I quickly decided to get off. Might as well get something out of it!

We grabbed our vouchers and talked our way onto a flight that would still get us there a day and a half late, rather than two days late. So we flew into Dublin rather than Shannon, and drove too fast in rainy weather so our B&B wouldn’t charge us an extra night.

Of course, somehow our luggage had beat us, so we detoured to Shannon to grab our bags the next day.

Sadly, a million more things went wrong on our trip–I sprained my ankle by being stupid on some cliffs, inns didn’t have power, roads were closed, we got lost a million times, and more. It wasn’t exactly the relaxing birthday trip I had hoped.

And still, we were in Ireland. We walked on grassy cliffs and drank Guinness in lively pubs. We stayed a charming B&Bs and stopped at whatever vistas snagged our attention. It was still, essentially, the Irish road trip of my dreams.

So what, you may be asking, is the morale of this story?

Well, for one, that travel is not always glamorous–in fact, sometimes it completely sucks. And, in some ways, my 29th year started off on a rocky foot. But it also started with an important lesson about life–it will never always be smooth sailing. No matter how horrible the situation, you always have a choice.

You can make it a funeral, or you can make it a party.

It’s up to you.

(Bring it on, 29!)

The post Rolling with the Punches + Turning 29! appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

But first, I want to recap my fantastic year of travel. Here are (some of) the highlights!

NYE in Paris

Although Paris around New Year’s has to be one of the most crowded cities in the world, it’s still Paris. I’m not sure a first visit to Paris is advised at this time of year–but despite this, I enjoyed Paris. The lines were horrendously long, and the food was shockingly expensive (unless you knew where to go–which of course I rarely did), and a few interactions, including one horrifying Airbnb experience, made it a rather stressful trip to kick off the year. Yet, I had to pinch myself several times a day to remind myself that I was finally in Paris, one of the greatest cities in the world that I had dreamed of visiting for years. It lived up to its expectations–some good, and some bad!–but I know I’ll go back, someday. Just need time for my checkbook to recover ;).

Read my posts about Paris here. 

Enjoying Prague

While technically not “travel” since we were living there, we no longer are and I’m nostalgic for our Prague days! In effort to fully enjoy Prague, I made a Bucket List for the city and we attempted to complete it all. Of course, we didn’t get everything done–so I guess we’ll just have to go back!

Read my posts about Prague here. 

Getting Engaged in Venice

Venice itself is a highlight for anyone. Getting engaged there was just the (gigantic) cherry on top of our trip to Venice. I look back fondly on almost every one of our trips, even the ones that didn’t seem so idyllic while they were happening, but I loved Venice instantly. After so much European travel, I admit it was sometimes hard for me to feel that “love at first sight” feeling. But Venice had my heart the minute I came out of the train station. We spent days exploring the famous alleyways, venturing to nearby islands, riding on the canals, eating gelato and so many other delicious Italian things, and counting bridges. I love, love, loved Venice and I am so happy that it will also have the special distinction of the place we got engaged.

Read my posts about Venice here. 

Meeting Friends in Budapest

We met our first visitors in this awesome European city we will soon be calling home! Budapest reminds me a lot of my beloved Prague, but it has its own unique charms I can’t wait to experience. We got a pretty good snapshot on our short trip there, from swimming in the famous hot baths to eating much-lauded Hungarian goulash, and it was a blast to experience a new corner of Europe with old friends from home. Maybe you two can come visit us again?!

Read my posts about Budapest here. 

The Causeway Coast

Northern Ireland, just for one day, gave us an alluring introduction, taking us to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge, and a rainy Belfast. Despite the weather and being trapped on a bus, it was gorgeous. I was snap-happy all day and can you blame me? The broody coast calls to me and tells me to buy a cottage and never leave.

Roadtripping in Austria & Germany (with my parents!)

Driving through the stunning scenery of Tyrol and Bavaria, with my parents along, was one of my favorite travels I’ve done, ever. We stayed in adorable little inns, saw amazing castles and fulfilled lifelong dreams (my mom had wanted to visit Salzburg after seeing the Sound of Music at age nine!). It was so nice to drive a bit in Europe–we’d previously always been at the mercy of a bus, train, flight schedule–and have the flexibility to stop whenever we felt like it. We also got to see many tiny little towns, my favorite thing, that we would have missed on public transport. Seeing Europe through my parents’ delighted eyes is something I’ll remember forever.

The Czech Countryside

Whether it be our little Easter visit to Karlovy Vary, trying all the beer with my cousin in Plzen, showing off castles to our parents, teaching English in the mountains to kids, tasting wine in Moravia, visiting former students, or being charmed by Český Krumlov, the Czech countryside has so much to offer–and we experienced quite a bit of it! I’m so happy we made such an effort to get to know our host country.

Read my posts about the Czech Republic here. 

The Fjords of Montenegro

Montenegro! What an unexpected stunner. First, you have the deep blue waters of Kotor Bay lapping softly at the feet of gigantic peaks, then you add the charming little walled city of Kotor–why was I surprised?! Kotor will take you back in time if you let it–and you should.

Read my posts about Montenegro here. 

The Islands of Croatia

While Croatia anywhere is charming, I in particular had a wonderful time on the islands of Korčula and Hvar. Dubrovnik is a must-see, but the islands, with their laid-back lifestyle and ridiculously friendly, helpful people, are where the heart of Croatia lies (if you ask me–although I have a lot of the country left to see!).

Read my posts about Croatia here. 

My Birthday in London

My second birthday in London was a success with a visit to Harry Potter world! Plus, visiting Jessi, seeing the Borough market, having tea at the Victoria & Albert museum, and much more. London is such a fun, lively city to visit and it never fails to make me smile and fill me with awe.

Read my posts about London here. 

Our Central American Honeymoon

I couldn’t pick just one highlight from this trip–so I’m cheating and just lumping it all into one, long, six-week adventure! This trip was totally different from the rest of our travels in 2015, and that’s exactly what we wanted (or needed!). It was weeks of beach time, animal spotting, hammock hanging, zip lining, Spanish-speaking fun.

Read my posts about Costa Rica here. 

Home (Washington/Montana) for the Holidays

I am so happy to be home for the holidays. It was a big year in so many ways, and with another move overseas ahead of us, I didn’t realize how much I needed a good solid stretch at home until I was here!

What are some of your favorite travel moments from 2015–both near or far? 

The post Best of Travel: 2015 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

“Imagine If I Lived Here” involves sound and thorough research, in the form of the following questions: is it cute, would I feel scared, is there a lot of good food nearby, do I like this country’s food so far, how close is the ocean, is there a language barrier, how do I feel when I’m here, would I actually be able to survive here, and so on. It usually involves me putting myself in the shoes of a local, and wondering what their everyday life might be like. I try to pick a variety of locals, from the girl at the market to the fisherman on the bay, to try to give myself a glimpse into what it could be like. Of course, I have no idea what life is really like. It’s not my reality. It’s theirs. I’m sure I also make it much more romantic than it actually is. Such is my nature. However, I think it’s the best way to travel–to imagine the different nuances and daily events that happen in these beautiful places we visit.

While I am happy with our choice to be nomads for a while, it’s tempting (and fun!) to imagine what will happen next in our life. Will we ever truly live anywhere again…or will we decide to try living somewhere new? Perhaps in one of these places…

I’ve wondered what it will be like to move back to the Pacific Northwest, perhaps to the beautiful city of Seattle, where we’d be close to family and close to the water and close to the mountains.

I’ve imagined living on the small island off the coast of Croatia, Hvar, most specifically in this tiny house in the tiny town of Brusje, where I’d buy olive oil and limoncello from my neighbor, learn to make wine, drive around all the time on a scooter, and gaze at the ocean every day.

I’ve pictured myself living in Paris, learning about the areas outside of the tourist zone, living in a teeny yet dreamy flat, haunting the sidewalk cafes and learning French.

I’ve imagined moving to the island of Cozumel in Mexico, where my life would be all about scuba diving. I would improve my skills, perhaps even start teaching scuba, experience the island when no one is visiting during the rainy season, and remind myself that once I could speak Spanish (and maybe still can).

Imagine If I Lived Here, Part One; Imagine If I Lived Here, Part Two; Imagine If I Lived Here, Part Three.

Do you play a similar game when you travel? Where have you imagined living? 

Linking up with Travel Tuesday. 

The post Imagine If I Lived Here, Part 4 appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Unlike last year, I’m really not dreading this age very much. I actually feel very calm about turning 28. I couldn’t tell you why–this year isn’t so different from last year. Except instead of waking up in Prague…I will be waking up in London, again! We found the cheapest flights, by far, home from London, so we are using it as an excuse to explore more of the U.K. before we head back to the States for a little while.

I started to write several “28 for 28” lists and couldn’t make it past 12! Maybe 28 is older than I thought…

So, instead I’m sharing a photo essay of some of my favorite moments this year.

Can’t wait to see what you bring, 28!

The post Twenty-Eight. appeared first on Amy and the Great World.