Netherlands

Europe is burned into me.

On the surface I shouldn’t like it.

The cities are busy and often crowded. I prefer open spaces.

The weather is variable, often downright freezing in the north. I prefer hot and sunny.

It’s expensive. I definitely prefer cheap.

And yet, every time I come here, I get a feeling that I struggle to put into words.

There’s something about Europe that talks to my soul.

Last time I was in Amsterdam it was the end of summer, and other than a few overcast patches I was blessed with warm days and blue skies the whole time. Cycling along the canals with the sun on my back it was easy to forget that in a few short months the canals would be frozen and the wind would be howling in off the north sea.

On freezing winter days like that, it’s important not to forget that it’s not just people who need to stay warm. In a city so obsessed with bicycles, it perhaps wasn’t a surprise to find that someone remembered that things with two wheels need to be cosy too…

Of all the things I love about Amsterdam I think it’s the canals that grab me the most.  Beautiful and ever-changing, they form an integral part of life in the Dutch city and I’d love to live in a houseboat on one even if just for a week or two. One of the city’s other [...]

Another ‘Year in Review’ post, you ask? Why yes, yes it is. I figured there weren’t enough of them floating around at the moment. I’m sure you’d agree … right?

Tomorrow it’s New Year’s Eve. Twelve months ago I had dinner and drinks at a bar in Melbourne, watched some fireworks, got drunk with good friends and went home. This year I’ll be doing exactly the same thing. It’s almost like nothing has changed – except for the minor detail of leaving a soul-destroying job and backpacking round the world for six months in the meantime.

Here’s some of the highlights of the best year of my life.

I’m no expert when it comes to things of a nautical nature, but I have a feeling this boat isn’t about to make a quick getaway anytime soon…