Trippin' time!

As the cherry on top of quite a year, me and my roommate decided to end my Erasmus experience with a trip to South Wales! During my stay in the UK I have visited surprisingly few places outside of London, being quite happy and content, and most importantly busy, exploring 'just' the city. So I wasn't too specific about where we should go, as almost everything would be new to me anyway! We chose the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, as a kind of centre from which we could explore the surroundings. We rented a car from Heathrow, and after waiting for a very long time - apparently at the speed of Hertz - we were on our way to South Wales, and had a classic roadtrip experience: Sunshine, lovely views, stopping for coffee, singing our hearts out!

 

We had found a lovely cosy house as our base, and we felt at home immediately. The first evening was spent exploring one of the most famous sights close by, Rhossili Beach. It was quite a welcome to the area.

 

 

 

On our second day we decided to visit the area around Pembrokshire. We especially enjoyed the village of Tenby, wich has a beach on both sides of the town.

 

After that we went for a walk in the area of Stockpole, and found one of the most beautiful beaches ever - Broadhaven. We walked through the waves, dug our toes in the sand, sat in the sun and watched the tide come in. It was very peaceful and calm.

 

And to finish off that amazing day, we went to the beach where secenes from the final Harry Potter film were filmed. It's called Freshwater West, and it would have been more impressive if we had seen it at low tide...but it was still quite a view.

 

We then had a day of fog, rain, wind and general darkness, where we went on a drive through a National Park, but mainly we realxed at home and rewatched episodes of Sherlock. Fortunately the weather cleared up on the next day and we were able to explore further areas of the Gower Peninsula, the most beautiful being Three Cliffs Bay, with rather dramatic views.

 

On the next day we drove back to Heathrow and my experience abroad came to and end. This trip has not only been the perfect end to my Erasmus experience, but also a lovely experience exploring a new part of a country I still have only seen a fraction of, and of a country I definitely will return to. It was also great to find out that me and my roommate could travel together, since being friends doesn't always mean that travelling together is a good idea. But we got along so well and I hope it wasn't the last time we travelled together.   

Wanting what you can't have?

 

 

 

My Erasmus experience is coming to an end. I find myself wandering around this great city of London, feeling all sorts of things. First of all, almost all of my friends have already left. It feels strange not having people to call up and meet, at the same time, London makes it easy for you to not actually be alone. High streets, bookshops, cafés and museums are your friends!

Secondly, I can't believe how quickly the time passed. I'm sure everyone says that, but it is still true. I still remember my first days here, trying to find a place to live, the first time I set foot on campus, the first time I had class. I also remember all the excitement connected to that. Everything was new and there for me to explore. Which brings me to my next point:

Are we all just domed to want what we can't have? During my time here, I thought about home a lot. I found myself missing Vienna in all its glory, missing the Viennese dialect and of course my friends and family. Now, having not even one week left in the UK, I do look forward to going home, but I am also feeling something else - is it nostalgia already? It was always my dream to one day live in London. And now I have done that. Was it everything I'd imagined it would be?

No.

 

 

But it was all sorts of other things, and I don't regret it one bit. And I might not realize it yet, but I will miss this place a lot. But the questions remains - will we ever be content with what we have? Before coming here, all I wanted was to live in London. During my stay I longed for my hometown. And now? I can already see myself missing London like crazy, and telling myself what kinds of things would be possible there. But is that true? Is it only possible there? Or is that just something we tell ourselves as an excuse for not doing what we could do? This was one of the things I promised myself to take from this experience: The things you are looking for are available almost everywhere, you just have to look. And more importantly, you just have to go and do! I will admit that this will only be applicable for cities or towns of a certain size, but the same principle applies everywhere: Don't use your location as an excuse not to do something you really want to do!

Wow, that got really motivational and inspiring at the end... but some things just have to be said! This can also be seen as my way of saying that I will continue this blog even after the whole Erasmus thing! So I hope you'll stay for the ride! xxx

 

 

 



City love

Whenever I am out and about, there comes a time when I get hit by a smell that reminds me of another city I love: Bangkok.

This usually happens at the most random places, with no apparent source. So I could be walking to class from Euston Station - and BOOM -  I feel like I'm walking down Sukhumvit Road. Do other people experience this as well? This will happen about once a week, only with Bangkok, and it always brings a smile to my face.
Especially when London was a wet and dark city, thinking about Bangkok seems like a getting warm hug, that creates an unusually strong longing for that crazy, sticky and smelly city.
When people ask me what I love about Bangkok, I never quite know what to tell them.

 

Maybe it is something you have to experience once to understand it. The city has a certain magnetic power, and it holds this power long after you have left the country. One of the most striking characteristics of Bangkok is its combination of old and new.

 



Old temples are found right next to tall Apartment blocks, run down houses next to modern offices. You can go from shopping at Armani, to having a bowl of soup sitting on a small plastic stool next to the highway, then hop on the Skytrain gliding through skyscrapers and visiting a holy shrine. It really is a city of contrasts. I send much love to this wonderful city!