Ok, so I haven't done the blog thing before but this time it's important. I'm departing on a grand journey on Sunday, one that is years in the making. I'm frantically packing up my life so I'm keeping this first post short.
Eight years ago I moved to Paris for my 3rd year at UBC through the Exchange Program. Over the next year I would experience the most exciting part of my young life; living in Paris at 20 years old. Throughout that year I changed as a person. Once shy and reserved, I became outgoing and...popular? I fell in love with the city and all of Europe, and Paris felt like home. I made friends all over the world. It was hard to leave all that.
I came back, and the following year made a trip back to Europe; I rented a car with my friend Kristen and we drove through Germany, Eastern France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. I got to see some of my great friends. But I never made it back to Paris.
After I returned to Vancouver, I finished up at UBC and entered the job world in Set Decoration in the film industry....hooray, I'm not poor! But I put off travelling again...and again...and now it's been 7 years since I saw Paris, and 6 since my last visit to Europe. It's time to go back.
And this time I'm seeing old friends, but some new places. And I'm going for the first 8 days with my Grandma, who's 83, who wants to see where her father, my great-grandfather, fought in the First World War. So I'm taking her, and I'll learn about my lineage at the same time. SO stoked.
I'm moving out of my house of roommates and best friends. I'm selling my car *shock*, and when I get back, I'll be house-sitting for my mom while she takes her own grand journey overland through Southern Africa. And in January or February, I'll find my own place to live, and start the year and my life from a fresh perspective.
So why write this blog? Well for a couple reasons: One, I have a bad memory. I remember things vividly when prompted, but I forget the little things. I'm using this blog to keep my memories as I live them. Two, I made the mistake before of not sharing my awesome experience enough. I told stories of times in Paris, and have a few photos to look back on, but I never really shared them with anyone...and I think people wanted to know.
So follow this blog.. Maybe it will inspire you to want to get up and travel and live something different. To get an idea or inspiration to write or create something new.
I won't be able to post pictures along the way, but I am taking my awesome new SLR camera with me, so expect to see a shitload of them when I return. I'll link them to the blog somehow.
I have to now finish packing my room and get ready for a wedding I'm MC'ing on Saturday, the day before I leave. So subscribe and I'll write again soon.
Catch you on the flipside...
Brendan (SartorialSaga = Taylor's Story)
MY ROUTE:
BRUSSELS > MONS > PARIS > ROME > MILAN > CREMA > COMO > BARCELONA > MADRID > MUNICH > BERLIN > DUBLIN > LONDON
= 48 days, October 3rd - November 19th, 2010
