The Philosophy Of Travel - Open Your Eyes

Hey all!

well, i have some good time to just sit down and write out a big blog - i think i could not describe the beauty and wonders of Prague and Berlin in 2 short blogs. i have just so much going on at the moment its hard to keep up!

I am now back in London and i have found London is essentially my base for now, so i'm in the mode of simply making ends meet. I am on the road to a job and sorting my living arrangements out. things seem to be (as Nikki would put it) just flopping into place. I have alot to look forward to in this crazy city of London. I hope to gain some invaluable work experience, and a sense of independence above what i have already achieved. being here in London and just trying to get through each day is entirely self dependant. sometimes i feel like i'm two people, collaborating and delegating with each other, asking the other if this is the right thing to do, where should i go, what should i eat today, what do i need and how do i feel. its an odd sensation. but one thing that has been on my mind for so long if my family - and as an added bonus - Adam is coming to Europe! this will be the journey of a lifetime and i am so excited and blessed to be given the opportunity to experience this world with him as i intend to share the rest of my life with him.

Prague was so amazing. it really makes you feel like you have two feet on the ground, in a place on this giant earth of ours. it was a very grounding experience. everywhere you turn there is so much beauty. the old style of buildings were just amazing and interesting as to what it housed. the streets were lined with designer boutiques - much out of my price range. me and em had a peep in the 'Cartier' window. I'm not entirely sure how to describe the demographics of Prague, but i can only assume the various 'towns' i.e. old town, new town, have quite a economic segregation. I think i mentioned in my previous blog that shopping is not fantastic in Prague, clearly there is very little import/export so all the products are identical in every shop. However Prague has a very good silver and gold industry so there are alot of jewelery shops with amazing stones and designs. I don't think anyone could hate Prague. it has an amazing night life and the city is so well preserved and clean. you walk down one of the many alley ways that create the maze of the city that is Prague, and the streets come alive with culture. there is stalls of hand made craft (very expensive tho), musicians playing the day away, puppeteers on the streets which is good old fashioned fun, and the weather was just amazing. not a day under 30 degrees, even though it usually rained in the mornings. i think Prague is in such a brilliant place on this earth, in summer it is hot and the sun shines, and so does the city. but in winter, it snows and lightly covers the tops of the magnificent buildings that bring a shimmer to the city, a glow that fills you with life. its breathtaking. i have only seen photos of the snow, but i can't imagine anything more peaceful.

The people in Prague, however, we not the nicest people. they appeared to be very drained and hard at work, and clearly do not like tourists. you often feel like a pest, but none the less, wondering around the gorgeous city is free and is more valuable than buying souvenirs from grumpy Czech sales people. On the one hand tho, me Paul and em went to Plzen (where they make the Pilsen Urquell Beer - so we went to the brewery) and on the train there we were in a carriage with this lovely old Czech lady. she was a cack! so funny! she spoke moderate English so it was quite a challenge to establish a conversation, but she told us of all the places we should go see and things to do in Czech Republic (if only it wasn't my last day there!) and she also gave us some traditional Czech apple cake. it was surprisingly nice. she made it herself and told us she was quite the chef having two grandsons. We named her Nanna Czech cos we couldn't pronounce her name.

The Pilsner Urquell brewery was awesome too! i think it would be Tom's heaven, even if he doesn't like the beer, it was just so cool. we learnt how beer was made, and saw all the machinery and an amazing fact of the day: they make 60,000 bottles of beer an HOUR! wow! We got a chance to try unfiltered beer straight from the barrel. i nearly threw up it was foul, but i was told it was good for skin, nails and hair, so i drank up! Paul seemed to love it tho! the brewery itself was awesome too cos it was in like a mini city. it reminded me so much of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Also, the food in Czech was very strange. i had a traditional meat dish for lunch on the first day. Get this! it was beef with potato dumplings with a mustard creamy sauce...with JAM AND WHIPPED CREAM!!! tasted awesome! one of the many wonders of the Czech Republic.

Berlin, much the same, only has a very deep and moving history. there is alot to be learnt and told of berlin. It is a beautiful city and the people are very friendly. i learnt so much in Berlin, the majority of which was about the war, but alot were things you dont know or hear about in books or school. i think you have to go there to really understand and appreciate what happened there for the past century or so. it makes you really appreciate living in such an amazing country such as Australia. and it makes you appreciate having your family there every day. i cannot fathom what it would have been like to live in Berlin during the wars, to never see my father or brother again, to only see Adam 3 times a year on strict regulations, to be separated by a wall that was built in the dark night - to wake up and know i may never see the people i love on the other side of the wall. to know i could be shot dead at any given time, or to watch my family be murdered or taken away in the night never to be seen again. i don't think people realise how tragic the situation was in Berlin. people see the Berlin wall and think it is merely a tourist attraction, but what it represents is something that most people will never experience in their entire lives. and something that should never ever happen again - the monuments around Berlin are beautiful and moving and a reminder to us all that history really can repeat itself, its up to us to stop these monstrosities from ever happening again.

i have such an appreciation for the good people in my life. for the people i love and care for, and who love and care for me in return. you just cant buy that, and they're not something that can easily be replaced, if at all. I now hate the saying 'you don't know what you got till its gone' cos it is such a common thing to say, but in essence, it simply means you did not realise what you had when you had it. i will never say that. i know what i have - i know what i value in my life, and i will always appreciate the good people in my life. humans are born to interact and to grow together, to build positive foundations and to share a life of compassion, excitement and happiness. i know that the people in my life mean more to me than anything in this whole world, and i do not doubt, nor neglect this for one second. know what you have when you have it. don't wait till its gone.

I am so appreciative of where i am right now in my life. for once, i am not fretting about my next job, my career and university and all the rest, because things just seem so much clearer. just by travelling i have found myself. i have found a sense of harmony in how i feel about my future, my goals and aspirations and for some reason, i truly think it will all just fall into place. if you think about it, we can make so many plans in life, but how often do those plans follow through? life truly has a set plan for you, so no matter what, you'll end up where you need to be, its called fate. its just a life lesson to not worry so much about the destination, rather, enjoy the journey, otherwise what is the point of it all? I just think that we should live for ourselves, cos this is our life, and our only one. if we're always guided by other's thoughts, then what's the point in having our own?

and i have learnt to find comfort in my own skin and in my own sense of self. i have learnt that if you can be comfortable in your own skin, and to be truly comfortable, then where you are, what misery surrounds you, or negative forces will not matter. just find harmony in yourself and positivity will find its way to you. we just need to learn to love being who we are, and if we can do that, we can learn to love others - two halves cannot become whole unless each half is whole within itself.

I miss you all so much and i hope i have made an impact in your lives as you have mine.

love u all,

ashinlondon.x