Visiting Tegernsee

The 6 January is a public holiday in many countries in Europe, including Austria, where I live, and Germany, where my boyfriend lives. It also just so happens to be the day I flew on a one-way ticket to Australia, with the 2024 edition marking five whole years to the day since I left Canada.

I had planned to leave Canada for a six-week backpacking trip to Australia. Things happened and... I never went back. Instead, I moved on to New Zealand, where I ended up living for nearly two years, before making my way back to Europe, based first in Belgium and now in Austria. I've been to 48 countries since leaving Canada, many new, and some revisited from my childhood. I've had a few different jobs, called quite a number of places home, and met hundreds of wonderful people along the way.

To celebrate this milestone - one I could have never anticipated for myself five years ago on that cold January day in Vancouver - we drove down to a very snowy Tegernsee in Bavaria to go for a slow Saturday morning chai latte overlooking the lake at Aran, and for a long walk along the shores as snow gently fell on our heads.

Here's to the next five years - who knows what adventures they may bring, and where I may end up.