one year.

This morning Jordan greeted me with the exciting, 'Guess what?!' phrase. The 'what' is that one year ago today I returned from overseas.
I responded with, 'It's good to be home' *cuddle* followed by 'I wanna go again...'
I guess this is the 'bug' everyone talks about. Does it ever go away?
If I never get to travel again I will never forget:

• The manic atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar with its intricate jewellery, quilts and clothing.
• Eating sweet rice out of a bamboo stick.
• Climbing my first 10b at Planet Rock, Ann Arbor, without being 'on the rope'.
• The exceptional and breathtaking view from my aeroplane as we flew over the Alps.
• Wandering through the humid, cramped markets of Thailand with my Mum, Dad and sister.
• That quiet, quaint street of Paris littered with a pile of personal photographs.
• Floating beside giant monoliths in an 80m deep dam in Thailand.
• Awaking one Saturday morning to a winter wonderland outside my window in Ann Arbor.
• Drinking red wine out of plastic cups in our dirty hostel on my birthday eve in London.
• Wandering through the University of Florida in my first days in the US whilst listening to Stanley Climbfall on my (then) new iPod.
• The magic of Venice.
• The joy of a small girl in Detroit learning the difference between a 'b' and a 'd'.
• The stunning, surreal Le Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France.
• Cheese and Wine night in the attic of a friend's apartment with snow falling softly outside in Ann Arbor.
• The steep stairs winding up to the Sacre Cour.
• Seeing the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.
• Walking across a frozen lake in Germany.
• Salzburg. :) xox
• Seeing Les Miserables in London. Thanks Danny.
• The Gospel Choir in Manhattan.
• Christmas carols with the Melches family beside their real Christmas tree with real candles.
• 'Craps' at bizarre times of night with Libby, Andy, Paige and Melissa.
• Visiting Lisa, Niagara on the lake and the Jackson Triggs winery.
• Driving from Florida to Michigan in the middle of Summer a cramped rental with broken air conditioning.
• New York cheesecake in New York.
• Being scared out of my mind about walking across the iced over bridge at Neuschwanstein.
• Sitting at the base of die Zugspitze (Germany's tallest peak) with Neish and Martha, eating our sandwiches.
• Laughing at my Mum and her incredible bartering skills in Bangkok!
• Our 'shut in' days in Istanbul with my ridiculously sick sister...:( But somewhat fun?!
• Dad taking me rock climbing in Thailand.
• The buzzing lights of Broadway.
• Cheering and taking photos of our speedo as we hit 200kms/hr on the Autobahn in Germany.
• Summer in June/July.
• Wandering through Berlin with Jordan over a cracked frozen river, past the Berlin wall, through graffitied neighbourhoods.
• The laughing, smiling faces of children in the Compassion compound (the 'happily' poor).
• Riding an elephant, feeling its skin under my bare feet and swaying from side to side under the impact of its giant steps.
• The beautiful people of Gainesville, Ann Arbor, Germany and Krabi, who looked after me.
• Sharing the joy of travelling with my sister, parents and husband.
• Arriving at Brisbane airport to my fiance, beautiful friend and my first ever surprise party...one year ago today.

For everyone who was a part of this amazing trip and helped to make it possible. Thank you. God: thank you for such a beautiful, diverse world...when can I go again???