mish99

I was lying on my bed this evening thinking about the year, all that had happened etc...I was actaully really suprised at how much had happened this year. I had thought I had a boring year. So I thought we could all write the highlights of what had happened in the last year.

Here are mine:

- I turned 18!! April 25th
-My nephew was born! April 27th
-I moved to England. May 05th
-Tpunk Recognition!!!
-I got my first placement as a carer - June 06th
-My brother got a great job and stuck it out!!(sounds weird putting that in here, but im very proud of him for trying to pull his life together after a few years of drug addiction)
-I did my very first backpacking trip! Italy and France. Sept 10th
-I 'holidayed' in at home in Cape Town, and really discovered some gems. Nov 19th
-I bought my ticket to America.
-Making some amazing new friends.

My cons would be:
-Missing my nephew grow up
-My first Christmas away from home.

So, all in all I think I had a pretty good year. I know next year is gonna be even better!

__________________
Ive been to: England, France, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, UAE, USA - 14 states inc Hawaii, Vatican City

Currently Working in England

After:Jan 5 - South Africa. Sometime 2012 - Canada!

aliz

Wow, I had no idea you were only 18! what a great year you've had! here's my list:

- went to New York for 2 weeks with my mum in January
- my boyfriend and I moved to our own apartment in January
- Started my second year of uni in february
- went to europe with my boyfriend in june/july
- caught up with my best friend from primary school I hadn't seen in 8 years
- turned 21 in september
- went to my brother's graduation in september - he's a proper air force pilot now!
- bought tickets to see The Who next year (woo!)
- started my own online store
- got a distinction in every subject for my end of semester results
- helped my mum with her school's fashion parade
- started working with a designer and helped her with her fashion parade
- went to queensland to help my cousin plan her wedding
- got the job of making my cousin's wedding dress!

that's what I can think of off the top of my head... I've been a big fan of 2008!

ooh and in the year I turned 21, I've taken 21 flights. totally unintentional!

__________________
www.bell-street.com

Elizabeth

-February 5...second europe trip
-february 20...visited Россия at long last
-april 20 something...returned to work within two days of coming home!
-august 20...started university
-early september...promoted to assistant manager at the carousel
-nov 27...i turned 20
-beginning of december...received study abroad scholarship and bought plane tix
-dec 24...last day working at the carousel!
-dec 28...depart for istanbul
-spend new years eve in Istanbul!

pinknic38

great topic!

-spent 2008 new years in Afghanistan - Jan 1
-redeployed - Feb 14
-turned 23 - Feb 25
-bought my dream car (2008 toyota solara)
-went to NYC for the first time - May 5
-watched one of my best friends in the world get marred (and got really really drunk at her wedding) - may 17
-broke the law and lots of bad things ensued - June 8
-went on my first solo backpacking trip in Germany & Poland - June 14-29
-saw Celine in Stuttgart, Germany - June 16
-awarded scholarship to OSU - July 1
-separated from active duty and came HOME - August 25
-saw Celine in Columbus - September 22
-saw Celine in Cleveland AND MET HER AND SHE KISSED MY FACE - September 24
-started at THE Ohio State University - September 24
-began undergraduate research and more or less loving what I do - October '08
-finished finals week and had some amazing grades for being back in school for the first time since the end of '05 - December 5
-bought tickets to COLOMBIA for spring break '09 - December 20

umm... that's about it! :D

__________________
SO FAR: USA, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan
UP NEXT: Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Grand Cayman Islands - Feb 2012

tpunk gallery * twitter

mbo108

- Went to a few different countries throughout the Caribbean as I went on my first cruise (me, wife, her parents) and had a great time.
- Spent some time at the beach with our first "couples" friends
- Went to Amsterdam, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia with wife, bro-in-law, and his wife. Their first European adventure and we had a ball.
- Got accepted into my company's Advanced Technical Leadership Program
- went to a Goat Race at the bar down the street
- Bought a car (2007 White Xterra)
- Had my first Tpunk Meetup
- Ran the Philadelphia Marathon (and over 1,000 miles in 2008 meeting my New Years Resolution!)
- Bought my ticket to South Africa (for Feb '09)

raoulduke

Man you guys had a good year.

I followed up one of the most best years of my life with one of the dullest.

-Had the best Australia day party ever
-My brother got married.


Oh and one time I saw a blimp.

__________________
One of God's own prototypes. Some kind of high powered mutant never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die -HST

joe7f

^Adam don't cut yourself short, blimps are exciting Your 2007 made up for it

2008 was probably the best year of my life actually so 2009 as a lot of competition...

-I rang in the new year in El Paso, Texas after watching my Bulls get obliterated by Oregon in the Sun Bowl

-9 days later I was on a nonstop flight from Tampa to London
-3 days later I was in Spain after I casually flew to Gibraltar and walked across the border
-I spent a month in Marbella with a family I stayed with two years prior, continued my Spanish time with an apartment in Salamanca in March finally leaving in April
-Stayed at the coolest hostel ever in Lagos, Portugal
-I spent May Day in Bremen, Germany with the family of a friend I met in Barcelona
-Caught up with a former co-worker in Vienna who invited us to his home
-I took my first boat ride in Europe from Bari to Dubrovnik
-I spent my first night in a bus station (thus completing my sleeping at hubs of mass transit hattrick of airports and train stations)
-Received my first interrogation at an airport in London

-Went to Canada for the 2nd time and realized that Maine was not a peninsula when I drove over to New Brunswick

-Did my first real scuba trip down to Key West (a deep dive, night dive, and reef dive)

-Started a co-op at our local electric utility and resumed my masters

Man what a year!

--Joey

__________________


Countries visited: USA, Netherlands, Norway, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain (and Gibraltar), Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Austria, Ireland, UK, Japan, Canada , Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Andorra, Croatia, Montenegro

Next up: Mongolia, China

"I sought trains; I found passengers" - Paul Theroux

Help Travelpunk's continued existence with a small donation

SGRHewitt

I don't have a good enough memory to do these things. I probably should get a journal or blog, but I'd forget to update it haha.

Regardless...

-Went to NYC for the first time in May, saw the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
-In June I booked my flight to Australia.
-Many trips to Chicago, including my first Cubs game, and then up to Milwaukee for a Brewers/Cubs game.
-Made it to Canada finally, twice. Got to see Toronto FC play, the best football team in... Well Toronto I suppose.
-Went to every Ball State Football game but one.
-Made it to my second home twice this year, Green Bay. Once for a scrimmage, and once for a regular season game.
-Dec 20th, I graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Geography: Travel and Tourism with a minor in History . All while making Deans List for the first two times in my life (Spring/Fall semesters).

There is a theme here, I love my sports . I guess I didn't do to bad remembering things!

__________________
US Soccer and Toronto FC Fanatic.

July 23 - Sept 13: Back in Europe! Off to Brest, France for a French language course. Schedule is open before August 7 and after August 28, suggestions?

offhegoes03

Wow, great thread.

January-May : Finished up my first, and last year of teaching
June 9th? : Left for my month long European trip
July 11th : Get back in the US and go to the beach with my family 2 days later
Late July : Fly to Nashville to look for Apartments a week and a half before I wanted to move down
August 4th : Drive down to Nashville with my mom to move into my apartment.
Late August : Started up with grad school and became involved in Couchsurfing.
September-Now : Enjoyed as much live music as I could and started to meet awesome people in the city.

__________________
Life's a garden, dig it - Joe Dirt

Barcelona and Beyond, My 2008 European Blog:
http://www.travelpunk.com/blogs/offhegoes03

lauren313

Umm...

March (I think?! My memory is bad) - Long weekend in Barcelona with the boy.

July - started doing some casual shifts as a nursing assistant. It's giving me great experience, providing me with some much-needed contacts for when I finish my course, and helps me out with a bit of money!

August - had a reunion with my friends from uni - spent the week "posh camping" on a farm.

September - My boyfriend moved up to Birmingham... we finally live in the same city! (but still not living together)

October - had an article published in a mental health journal.

November - started my favourite placement yet - working in a psych hospital for adolescents. Have fitted in fabulously, and have been told they'd love to have me when I qualify in April.

December - Kings of Leon show - best gig of my life!

Decemer - Also found out I'm going to be an aunty again!

__________________

jengt

2008 was probably my best year yet, which helped follow up probably my worst year ever. I'm telling you folks, the ride only gets better the older you get.

• Mike & I flew to Charlotte to meet Marc & Roxy & I got a birthday massage
• Took my VERY FIRST solo backpacking trip to Costa Rica!
• Had my 20 year anniversary at The Ohio State University. 10 more years & I can retire with a plum pension & see the world!
• Had multiple Cbus meetups with various TPunks (LiveFreeorDie, Pinknic, Blinkchick, Brookers13 coming soon).
• Met Sijuki in Detroit on our way to...
• Went to Peru & hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
• Pac NW TPunk meetup to see some old friends & meet a couple new ones (Maracle, Abby & c0urt).
• Attended my first OSU/Michigan game (we won!)
• Was able to celebrate Thanksgiving & Christmas with Mike & both of our families.
• Had a fabulous birthday surrounded by friends, family & LOTS of balloons! (I love balloons)

I'm looking forward to see what next year has in store for me!

__________________

"Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."

~ Aldous Huxley

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer (an ad in the Smithsonian)

Travel is the enemy of bigotry.

Rhine

Lets see...

-Went on safari in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana.
-Went to a bush pilot school in South Africa.
-Met the girl of my dreams.
-Got a job that would take me back to Africa.
-heard that I can fill a position in Zimbabwe with my girlfriend.

__________________

mooloo

Hmm, I had a pretty boring year...

* Went to Christchurch again - made it to Akaroa - have always wanted to go there!
* Went to Australia for a couple of weeks.
* Moved back to my parents
* Then moved into a flat with my b/f - no flatties!
* Finally made it to Dunedin!
* Purchased my first backpack!

That's about it I think - here's to 2009!!

Great thread BTW!

__________________
"Twenty years from now you will be more dissapointed in the things you didn't do
than by the ones you did do....

Explore, Dream, Discover." Mark Twain

---------------------------------------------------------------
My World Travelogue - Bloggity Blog
Updated April 2010!
--------------------------------------------------
Soon
NZ or OZ
Saving for a year - 18 months for a decent trip

Soonest
Trying my hand at short walks/tramps in NZ
NZ or OZ Travel
Passport Stamps; Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam

DutchMonkey

Well I had a mixed year. I had some of the greatest experiences of my life and some of the worst. I've listed a bit of both I'll count the + or - and see how it turns out

+ Jan. started rehearsals for an original script of a children's show I was acting in.
- Theatre Department drama resulting in many of my friends disagreeing and some leaving the major
+ Mar. or April (I don't remember) second Caribbean cruise with the fam...the snorkeling was awesome!
- broke up with my boyfriend
+ May My youngest brother graduated high school
+ May-June My first backpacking trip ever!!! And I went solo!!!
- June I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease
+ started an internship at Actor's Theatre of Louisville
+ Sept.-Nov. went to almost every Ball State home football game
+ Oct. turned 23
- lost my health insurance and was denied 3 times for new insurance
- health got worse and my depression came back
+ Dec. Found out I'm moving to Germany for student teaching in Jan!!!!
- Long story but briefly, a guy I'm in love with but thought I was over then realized I wasn't as soon as he decided to fall in love and break my heart in the crappiest way.

Looks like overall it was alright! Ended poorly, but I'm moving to Germany in a couple of weeks for 4 months and then I'll finally graduate from university!

__________________
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, And that enables you to laugh at life's realities."
Dr. Seuss

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."
Dr. Seuss

Canadian Bacon

This thread is pure awesomeness.

This year I...

-went to Afghanistan for the first time
-got a new job in the Foreign Ministry, got out of my shitty previous job
-incited a rebellion, fought and won an epic battle with a tyrant (at work)... one of the proudest things I have ever done in my life
-had a thing with a beautiful girl I met while backpacking China who altered my life, and the way i think about life in general and relationships... I think this could be classified as one of life's 'curveballs'
-backpacked China for 3 weeks, and realized that its sometimes nice to blend in
-went through a lot of shit with my girlfriend... and we are still together for 4.5 years
-continued with school
-continued to smoke
-turned 26
-attended my first wedding as a groomsmen, and my first hardcore Hong Kong style wedding, and nearly had my eyeballs explode from wasabi overdose
-bought a bike, and can't go back to walking
-learned outbursts of swearing and emotion make people thing you are a little crazy... and its best to not let these show
-ate magic mushrooms for the first time... it was a good experience =)
-decided that life never gave answers, only spectacular hints

__________________
Vincent: "So what you gonna do?"
Jules: "Well, basically, I'm just gonna walk the earth."
Vincent: "What you mean 'walk the earth'?"
Jules: "You know, like Kane in 'Kung Fu'...go places...meet people...get in adventures."

Trips (only counting recreational travel):
FIRST TRIP (2005): FIRST EUROTRIP EVER! UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland
SECOND TRIP (2007): First Solo Trip! Greece, Turkey, Syria, Spain
2008: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Yangshuo) ...right before the Olympics!
2009: Japan & HK, Southern Spain
[size=1]2010: All over Lebanon, Ibiza (Spain), Oktoberfest (Germany), Thailand.
2011: India (Goa), Jordan, Jerusalem, San Sebastian (Spain), Amsterdam (again), London, Driving from Vancouver to L.A. (stopping in Portland, Seattle, San Fran and all the little stops), Montpellier (France), Geneva and Lausanne (Switzerland)

"Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it."

marc873

Well lets see here, It was quite a year that I am pretty damn happy to see end! Lets start:

Jan - A week in the Yucatan Pennisula, got to go to Chichen Itza!!!!!
Same month, Roxane and I seperated...
April - We sold and Closed on our home....
May - Saw RADIOHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!
June - Took a trip to Edisto Island and Roxane asked to end the seperation!
Got our 3rd dog, a Golden Retriever named Sullivan
Roxane and I moved back in together
July - Took a trip to NYC to see some friends we met in Greece!
Saw Dave Matthews Band
Aug - Saw Jack Johnson, and got a trip to Raliegh in...
Sept - Renewed our wedding vows on our 9th anniv.

Not too much for the winter months, just working and planning our next trip!
Aug 09, 5 weeks, Eastern Europe - Hungary, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania!!!

__________________
When an adventure ends you can never go back, never relive it, never hope to feel the same emotion. The secret is to not try and go back but to keep searching for new adventure....

BedtimeontheMoon

this thread is fun !

Jan - turned 22
Feb - Quit Corporate America to become a full-time student and traveller
Mar - Went to China with school for 10 days
May-Jun - Went on my first solo backpacking trip to Europe! 31 Days.
Jul - Back to school year 2 of my masters
Oct - Tampa for Halloween Horror Nights. Key West for Fantasy Fest
Nov - North Carolina for Thanksgiving!
Dec - Remembering a great year! Planning for 2009 to be equally if not more great!

The goods - Self- discovery and realization of my own capabilities

The bads - Rough times with the bf of 4+ years.

ScarlotteDorian

that's awesome!


let's see, pretty boring year for me, but the boring year has been just what i needed

• had the best birthday ever (27) when my pop flew in from chicago and we hiked around the olympic peninsula for the weekend
• rekindled a relationship with my mother
• stayed single for going on 2 years now!
• went to school all four quarters and did well
• hiked a ton this year
• kept on a workout plan and good eating habits
• backpacked the idaho wilderness for a week
• hosted 2nd annual orphan thanksgiving (30 people!)
• went to New York City for the first time
• climbed the highest peak in texas
• made some amazing friends

that's about it. it's been a nice and quiet year this year.:D

__________________

people travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long course of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering. -St. Augustine

SGRHewitt

Yay!!! I keep forgetting I'm not the only BSU 'Punk'

__________________
US Soccer and Toronto FC Fanatic.

July 23 - Sept 13: Back in Europe! Off to Brest, France for a French language course. Schedule is open before August 7 and after August 28, suggestions?

Thetraveler

Good topic!

- Spent 40 days in Europe (England, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Turkey)
- met incredible people while backpacking solo
- finally got to 10 dives now I am going to do my advanced open water certification.
- helped a friend plan his first successful backpacking trip (now he is hooked)
- almost done my last year of college and on my way to a great paying job!
- reunited with friends in Norway from a previous backpacking trip!

not so good things
- turned 20 and decided I am getting old :S
- all my friends seem to be getting married and having kids! Yikes.

__________________
Explore. Dream. Discover.