Finishing with friends

Fifteen years ago I came over to the USA on my first ever year away.  I was 18, had never been on a long flight before and saw the year as the biggest adventure of my life so far!  That year change my life and ignited my passion for travel.  I lived with an American family taking care of the twin girls.  Today, I am still friends with the family and usually make the hope over the ocean once a year to visit.  The twins are now 15 which makes me feel quite old! 

So that is how I have ended my year of travel, back where it all started 15 years ago.  We took our usual trip to the mall for some shopping but also ventured further north to the outlets this year.  My love of shopping is always well fueled here as Delaware has tax free shopping so it's always a little cheaper, which of course means, you can buy more things!!  We also visited the gym for a Zumba class and swim.  Supporting Kelsey at a hockey game and watching movies filled the evenings easily.

With all of our purchases after the
first trip to the mall.



Smiles all round after a fun Zumba
class with Jen!

After a lovely visit with my friends in Pennsylvania, I hopped on the bus to New York to catch up with my other American friend.


Maura and I met 5 years ago in Australia when we were both nannies in Sydney and have stayed friends ever since.  This year was an extra exciting visit as she is pregnant with twins!!  (The fact that both my American friends will then have twins is kind of funny!)


Here's what I got up to in New York...

Maura and I visited Wave Hill Gardens and
listened to a great Blue Grass band.

Met Minnie and Mickey mouse
in Times Square.

Went to see Mary Poppins and Sister Act
on Broadway.

Wandered around the museum of modern art.

These are the booties I bought in
Guatemala for Maura's babies!

And now the year is over, the blog is finished and it's time to go home.  Here are a few facts about it...

• Weeks away - 47
• Countries visited - 13
• Flights taken - 20
• Books read - 49
• Mile travelled - many thousand!
• Favourite Spanish word - ferreteria (which means hardware store!)
• Favourite countries visited - New Zealand and Guatemala
• Favourite food eaten - sweet plantain throughout Central America

I have had an amazing time this year and in many ways this has been the best of the three separate years that I have spent travelling around the world.  As always, I have the next destinations in my mind and plans are already being laid for the next holidays.  Now it's time to start a new chapter by moving to Colombia and teaching in an International School.  It's time to be a normal person who goes on holiday for 2/3 weeks, well in theory anyway!!