We’re on the road again this festive season, bringing in the new year in Munich, Germany! The city was really rockin’ it with blazing fireworks, a roaring crowd and rattling firecrackers. By 10pm, throngs of party people were already gathered at Marienplatz in front of the New Town Hall, firing up the sky with glitzy fireworks. Friends huddled in tight groups with a bottle of champagne in hand, and fire sparks on the other.
By midnight, the square was completely full and the entire sky was lit up so brightly with booming lights that your eyes would hurt looking in the sky. While I was carefully trying to avoid getting hurt (seriously), we managed to snap a couple of shots of the fireworks in front of the Neus Rathaus.
While we’ve been busy out and about, I haven’t forgotten to say my thanks and think about what I’ll like to achieve in the coming year. 2009 was a year of extreme for me, I’ve had so much good stuff happening to me it’s hard to believe how lucky I am.
A Look Back at 2009
2009 was definitely a big year for me. Alberto asked if I would marry him, and I said yes! How did he propose – He wrote beautiful words that came straight from his heart.
It was also an unbelievable year in my professional life: I jumped into travel writing full on, now I’m actually writing full-time – a dream that I’d always had but never imagined would materialize. I’ve never been happier, loving the freedom and flexibility to do what I like most in life.
Our travels in 2009 led us to some of the most astounding places in the world– we started the year off travelling in the Top End of Australia and cruising the coast of Melbourne. We spent some time with my family while living in Singapore. By summer, we’d left for our epic journey to Latin America – uncovering amazing spots like the Salt Flats of Bolivia, the giant sand dunes of Huacachina, the wildlife wonderland of Galapagos and an active volcano in Guatemala. We ended the year with sojourns to Morocco, Northern Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and Austria.
Through the year, I’d lost some friends but also made some new ones whom I know will be sticking around for awhile. We’d also made one of the most important decisions in our lives: to make Granada our permanent home. Moving back to Europe wasn’t an easy decision but I’m thankful for it.
My New Year Resolutions
2010 is definitely going to be packed with lots of travels and surprises: with a new life ahead in Granada, a full-time writing career and our unplanned wedding in summer (we’ll have to see), I just can’t wait to see what’s in stall for me. Who knows? We’ll just have to wait to find out.
A list of my resolutions to allow me to focus and strive hard to make the coming year an equally blissful one!
- Working hard at improving my writing and getting more articles published in dream publications
- Furnishing our new home in Spain and giving it our own touch
- Travelling to Iceland, Croatia, Russia and Mongolia (hopefully)
- To be happy (most importantly)
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Very nice blog. How do you manage to travel a lot? Happy new new Nellie.
Thanks Ian for the kind words! Happy New Year to you! Well I make a living out of travelling, and I'm literally broke, constantly.
Sound like you had a blast of a New Year celebration – thanks for sharing!
I really like your blog, your style and your writings – and I must admit I envy you. My compliment for your courage to make travelling and blogging a living!
Should have done it a long time ago; your on my blogroll now.
Btw: Here from Twitter, thanks for the add – looking forward to following you!
Renny, oh you're too kind! Thanks loads for your nice words and for adding me on your blogroll. Yeh New Year in Munich was a blast, literally! Looking forward to reading about yours!
I was in northern Germany right outside of Hamburg and know what you mean about not trying to get hurt. Fireworks were going off everywhere in the streets in very dense clusters being set off by some very drunk people. It was fun nevertheless but I was slightly on edge, especially as some of the fireworks went in directions other than up.
I am delighted to hear about your personal and professional successes in the past year and wishing you all the best for 2010.
Aww thanks Anil! Oh yes, some of the sparks actually went into my eyes when I was staring up in amazement. It was cool though seeing so much fireworks all blasting right above our heads. Happy New Year Anil!
A new year with new beginnings, new challenges and new resolutions. I also took some time off and soaked in the festivities in Barcelona, enjoying the last day of the year with the entire world. Happy New Year all!