Today is my thirty eighth birthday. I’m celebrating in Prague for the second yr in a row.
Each birthday, I write a submit going over the previous yr. I write a lot in my month-to-month recaps that you simply guys know what I’ve been as much as the previous yr — visiting my ultimate three Italian areas; spending one other winter in Mexico; falling head over heels in love with Naples, Italy; welcoming a brand new might-as-well-be-a-nephew; canceling a street journey in Iceland as a result of I can’t drive a guide automotive.
I additionally managed to keep away from COVID, regardless of two very shut calls this previous yr. Still haven’t had it. (I attain down and knock my hardwood flooring each time I say that.)
But there have been two large issues that I didn’t point out right here but.
Charlie and I are engaged!
Charlie requested me to marry him once we had been in Lake Como in July! And I mentioned sure!
I share bits and items of life with Charlie right here, however I maintain many of the private relationship stuff personal. We’ve been collectively greater than three years now, and I don’t assume I’ve talked a lot about how we received collectively.
Charlie and I met on-line in 2017. Charlie reached out to me saying that he noticed I used to be planning a visit to Ukraine, and whether or not his firm, JayWay Travel, may sponsor my journey there. I agreed and I ended up with a beautiful journey to Odessa, Kyiv, and a memorable day in Chernobyl. I liked Ukraine a lot, I named it my favourite vacation spot of 2017.
Charlie and I grew to become Facebook pals and infrequently commented on one another’s posts, and we additionally had a ton of mutual pals. We lastly met in individual on the Traverse convention in Trento, Italy, in 2019. And we hit it off immediately! So a lot that Charlie flew BACK to Italy a couple of days after getting house so we may journey extra collectively.
That summer season I ended up subletting my New York condominium for a couple of months; Charlie purchased me a ticket to Azerbaijan for my birthday and deliberate a Georgia weblog journey for us and our pals. That was the start of touring to 14 international locations collectively to this point, two winters dwelling in Mexico, and visiting 17 of Italy’s areas collectively.
Things received tough when 2020 hit. Suddenly we needed to cope with a pandemic, getting banned from one another’s international locations, and wading via pink tape and ever-changing border closures to get again collectively. Not to say the obliteration of the journey trade and our two companies, all of the monetary stress that induced, and painstakingly constructing them again.
I received to Prague in September 2020, and we adopted our kittens Lewis and Murray in November. A month later, we discovered Lewis was dying from FIP. Charlie discovered the lifesaving FIP therapy on Facebook, and we saved Lewis, giving him 12 weeks of painful every day photographs till he was absolutely cured. That was a extremely troublesome time, to not point out costly, however Lewis being completely satisfied and wholesome is so extremely price it.
I do know that going via these challenges will give us energy once we inevitably hit powerful instances sooner or later.
Life has stabilized a bit extra prior to now yr because the journey trade and our companies continued to recuperate. I really feel like our life in Prague is cozy, enjoyable, and crammed with the issues we love.
And I really feel so completely satisfied and fortunate to have discovered Charlie. I’m so excited to GET married to him and so excited to BE married to him!
We will probably be having a giant marriage ceremony in Prague within the spring and a really small marriage ceremony in New England.
And as for the honeymoon — we’re aiming for December 2023, and wish to go to a rustic that neither of us has visited earlier than (so nowhere in Europe, Southeast Asia, or Central America). Somewhere extra far-flung, possibly just a little beachy however not all beachy, with very nice lodging. Any concepts?
I began a brand new enterprise!
Over the previous couple of years, a number of journey bloggers have began vacation spot area of interest websites as aspect hustles. You take all of your expertise from years upon years of running a blog and throw them into rising a model new web site targeted on only one vacation spot.
I’ve wished to do that for awhile, however I had hassle discovering a superb vacation spot. You must hit the candy spot of someplace you realize effectively that has a number of demand however isn’t coated to dying. Prague, for instance, wouldn’t work as a result of it’s a reasonably slim area of interest and there are already tons of Prague blogs.
Then after months of pondering, it hit me on August 11, 2021.
New Hampshire Way. A web site all about New Hampshire journey.
My sister and I’d make up a track we referred to as, “That’s the New Hampshire Way,” at any time when we drove into New Hampshire as youngsters. The second that phrase entered my thoughts, I had 100% readability. This was what I used to be ready for.
I purchased the area instantly.
I spent all of my childhood summers in New Hampshire, and I nonetheless journey there typically to this present day. I do know the state backwards and forwards, particularly the White Mountains, Lakes Region, and Seacoast. And my data goes deep, too. At election time, I’m the one explaining the nuances of why Granite Staters vote in another way than most New Englanders.
Is there demand for New Hampshire journey? YES. Did you realize that New Hampshire will get extra vacationers than both Vermont or Maine? Seriously!
Beyond that, virtually all of New Hampshire’s guests are from the US, particularly New England. Some Canadians come down through Québec, and a few worldwide vacationers come throughout foliage time (normally as a brief a part of an extended New England journey), however that is largely a US journey vacation spot for US vacationers.
That’s good for enterprise for 2 causes: Americans earn the best charges on show adverts, and native locations are safer than worldwide locations in instances of pandemic, inflation, and recession. I’m doing this to provide myself extra safety long-term. (Same motive why I’ve been writing a lot about Massachusetts right here recently.)
So how did I get began? Well, you may recall that final yr I did the mom of all New Hampshire analysis journeys, criss-crossing the state, packing in actions from sunup to sunset, photographing every little thing, taking copious notes.
I revisited outdated favorites just like the Flume Gorge and White Lake and did new issues just like the Mount Washington Cog Railway and the M/V Sophie C mailboat on Lake Winnipesaukee. I visited 26 breweries (!!). I fell in love with the Monadnock area, the southwest a part of the state I hadn’t explored a lot earlier than.
After the journey, I started working: organizing, writing, and link-building. I discovered three terrific New Hampshire writers who’re consultants on subjects I’m weaker on — Bekah wrote about mountain climbing the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire, Jeff wrote concerning the finest eating places in Portsmouth, and Katie wrote about the most effective New Hampshire ski resorts.
Guys — I’m LOVING constructing this web site SO a lot. It seems like coming full circle to my childhood.
My favourite posts I’ve written to this point: my information to the Kancamagus Highway, probably the most beautiful drive in New Hampshire. New Hampshire Winter Getaways is a candy little submit on so many various sorts of winter journeys you may have. I’m happy with my information to the most effective New Hampshire breweries, ceaselessly a piece in progress.
And when you have no clue what New Hampshire has to supply, try my submit on the most effective issues to do in New Hampshire. I labored onerous on this checklist to make it genuinely fascinating and numerous, and it’ll in all probability shock you!
So far the positioning has earned me about $50 to this point. Woohoo! But site visitors is rising very quickly, and I hope to be on the identical show advert community as Adventurous Kate by the top of the yr.
What’s subsequent for age 38?
Getting married! That’s the massive factor, and nothing else comes shut! Charlie and I’ve a lot to do, and we’re trying ahead to all of it! Our large aim is to throw a tremendous multi-day expertise in Prague for our pals and family members.
We’ve really already booked the band however have but to safe a date or venue. Ha. That will probably be this week, in all probability. Luckily, weddings are far more chill in Prague than within the US, the place you want to lock down distributors a yr upfront.
But first — I’m taking Charlie to New Hampshire! Haha, sure, I lastly get to mix the 2 largest issues in my life within the final yr! Charlie is already a giant fan of New Hampshire’s tax-free buying however he must go someplace that isn’t an Apple retailer!
We’re going to the White Mountains throughout peak foliage and doing a few of the finest fall actions: the Conway Scenic Railroad, driving up Mount Washington, the Kancamagus Highway. I’m excited to remain on the Sugar Hill Inn, among the best inns within the state in certainly one of my favourite cities within the state.
We will probably be round for NH Brewfest in Portsmouth, and I’d like to complete visiting the breweries in Portsmouth and Manchester so I can do a submit on every metropolis’s breweries. I additionally wish to take Charlie to a few of my favourite breweries, like Schilling in Littleton and Rek-Lis in Bethlehem. (Schilling actually has a Czech Pilsner named after a neighborhood down the road from us, Palmovka!)
Right now New Hampshire Way has 39 posts stay. How many do you want? I’ve heard 50 is an efficient quantity to purpose for within the early days, and 200 is a superb long-term aim. We shall see!
Other stuff arising for age 38? It has been a very long time since I’ve visited a brand new nation — the final one was Cuba in December 2019! It could be good to go to a brand new nation this yr. No thought the place or when, although.
Charlie and I’ve determined to spend a quiet winter in Prague this yr as a substitute of going to Mexico. Last yr we missed the cats an excessive amount of, and we realized that January is our large work-work-work month and it’s not a super time to go away.
We may make a journey someplace heat for per week in February or March.
Beyond that, I’d like to get again to Paris this yr. I miss it. Charlie and I’ve talked a bit a few weekend in Rome (I haven’t been since 2006, pre-blog). I’ve my 20-year highschool reunion round Thanksgiving however am going forwards and backwards on whether or not to go — it’s a great distance for a visit.
I’ll be talking at Traverse in Brno, Czech Republic, in September, speaking about the way to weblog within the age of TikTok! If you wish to attend, you may get 20% off with the code AK20.
I’d wish to get a Czech tutor this yr. I took Zoom classes with a bunch earlier than, however hated the breakout periods facet as a result of everybody was shy and I felt like I needed to be the trainer. I feel a tutor could be significantly better. I must say my marriage ceremony vows in Czech, in any case!
And simply extra time with good individuals. More time in good locations. More time dwelling life to the fullest.
Thank you for being right here for me, each yr. I really feel so fortunate to have you ever as readers. Cheers to you all!
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