Half of February is past...

I've not posted in a hot minute, eh? Things have been crazy and I've been trying to do as much as possible while I have the opportunity. I have a feeling that is why I am currently lying in bed in my hostel, happy to finally catch my breath. My body is also very annoyed with me, I suspect, as a cold has been brewing for several days now but I'm fighting hard with vitamins, large quantities of water, and the occasional scotch to stay on my feet. So are the trials and tribulations of traveling in winter.

I've been in Edinburgh, Inverness, London, Cambridge, and Oxford in the UK by now, and I must say Ireland was still more of a highlight. This I attribute mainly to its wonderful people. That's not to say the UK has been short on good people (although my favorites there were usually other travelers who weren't locals)! But Ireland was exceptional.

I've learned on this trip just how valuable people are to traveling. They can make the most dreadful weather bearable and lift your spirits when you're exhausted. Some people I only spoke to for a few minutes and others for hours or days. We talked about the rain, our studies, our backgrounds, feminism, boys, girls, Americans, Germans, Chinese, learning new things, our biggest risks, heartbreak, alcohol, drugs, hot chocolate, history, politics, Nando's, the awesomeness of Tesco, etc.

How crazy is that?

And now I have people I can ring up when I'm in southern Brazil and Austria and Australia and Paris and Singapore and Barcelona and Poland and other parts of Germany.

I've passed the halfway point and I think I've finally become fully comfortable with traveling alone. It's still awkward to go into a restaurant and tell the host or hostess that you would like a table for one for dinner. I don't know if that will ever go away. But that won't stop me from deciding to get out there on my own, climb some hills, hike up some mountains, eat some delicious food, take a tour, admire some incredible landscapes, and introduce myself to a new person.

Until next time, keep up that wanderlust!