Day 396 (home sweet home)

I'm back...and what an adventure it's been!

Before I left Australia, the plan was to learn Spanish, teach English in Spain, and be home by Christmas. Little did I know that I would be visiting 22 countries in 13 months: walking El Camino de Santiago, volunteering with refugees, solo-travelling, and making incredible friendships! As you know, I missed the Christmas deadline (although, I had an amazing time with family and friends in the US), but I did make it in time for my cousin's beautiful wedding...

I've been back for nearly a month now, and so far, I am living at home, catching up with friends, and looking forward to work. I was beginning to get homesick when the temperatures started to drop, so I was definitely ready to return when I boarded my last flight in Fiji.

Other than that, it's all the same same but different here in Melbourne. Construction sites have become new developments, brunch prices have gone up $10, and there are no more Covid restrictions. I forget that everyone else has also done a year of their lives and I'm surprised to find everyone living in new places with new jobs.

In terms of funds for the year, I spent about $13,000 (not including my five months of work in Spain where I broke-even). Accommodation while walking in Spain and volunteering in Greece was very cheap. Fortunately, I was also able to save on food/accommodation by staying with very generous friends and family in Sweden, the UK, the US, and Costa Rica. I never made a strict budget and had always intended on returning when the money ran out. I saved by travelling by bus, staying in cheap hostels, cooking meals, and only carrying one backpack which restricted the amount of shopping I could do. In saying this, I did 'splurge' when it came to experiences. If there was a tour or museum that everyone recommended, then I did it. Overseas travel from Australia is long and expensive, therefore, I knew it was important for me to make the most of my time.

I am very proud that I have been able to maintain a sincere and consistent personal blog (although I have been behind on posts since leaving Greece). I want to say a very special thank you to all the family members who helped finance parts of my trip, and to everyone that hosted me along the way. For those who have travelled vicariously through me, I wish you all the best and hope that it's been a learning journey for you too. I've returned a little wiser, a lot tanner, and I certainly learnt more about the world and myself.

~ gracias ~

Notes:

- Everyone keeps asking me what my favourite countries and cities are so here are my rankings:

Countries:

1. Spain - delicious food and peaceful white towns

2. Albania - quiet, affordable, and has very diverse landscapes

3. Costa Rica - incredible biodiversity

Cities:

1. Seville - plenty of attractions and festivals

2. Lisbon - a beautiful place with lots to explore

3. Bratislava - an affordable city with an interesting history

- Next on my wish list is New Zealand, Comoros, and I've always wanted to go to Broome.

- I never ended up using it, but I heard that the Airalo eSIM (a card-less SIM operated through an app) can be used all over the world and is a great option if you want to stay connected)