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Another year has come and gone. It zipped in the blink of an eye and boy has it ever been a stressful year. As we did at the end of both 2021 and 2020 we wanted to review our year. Whether that be travelling, tattoos, or just living, a moment to reflect and appreciate what brought us to where we are today is important. That way we can appreciate things despite what a crazy year it has been.
We had our 2022 travel plans, but as always travel plans change! So starting off our reflection on 2022 is my dear wife, Lisa.
Lisa’s 2022
Back at it again. 2022 has definitely been a year full of learning and growing. After quitting my job on December 31st of 2021, I started my new job in February. The beginning was definitely different than expected as my learning curve had been more of a vertical line. Thankfully my new job allows me to have a more flexible schedule, which means I am able to take trips every once in a while without using my vacation days.
Rome
The first trip of the year was a weekend trip to Rome with my best friend. Personally, I didn’t mind the chilly weather in March. After missing our flight there because we were unable to correctly read the boarding time, we spent the weekend wandering around Rome without a plan. Should have had a plan, but I enjoyed it very much.
One evening we got lost and asked a stranger for directions. He was a student who was on his way to the student quarter and thankfully showed us the way there. He gave us a recommendation for a restaurant in the area. As we arrived we were able to get the last available table. Neither my best friend nor I speak Italian so we asked the waitress what she recommended. Her recommendation was their penne carbonara with wild pig bacon.
HOLY COW!
This dish was the best I’ve had in my entire life. We enjoyed every. Single. Bite. After making it home in time, there wasn’t much travel for me.
Life was a bit mundane for a while in the summer as I was supposed to go to our scout camp but instead spent it isolating myself with corona. While Jenson was in Croatia, I enjoyed being at home by myself. Thankfully I was able to visit him for a few days, but frankly, it was more of a party vacation than a relaxing one. I made some new friends and got a bit of a tan before coming back home. He actually came back early than planned to surprise me at a friend’s party.
North American Trip (Lisa’s Viewpoint)
In September we went on our big trip of 2022 to North America. It was a time of many firsts for me. My first time in Mexico, my first time driving in Mexico (I don’t think I will be doing that again), my first time almost driving off a cliff (definitely don’t want to do that again), my first time in the states, my first time visiting a diner and shooting a gun(not doing that again unless there is a zombie apocalypse) and first time getting stuck in London on my way back home (could’ve skipped that). I had a great time on this trip and ate a lot of good food. In case you haven’t noticed, I really like trying out new food. To sum it up, I loved this trip.
After that, it was time to go to work again. The last trip for this year was a three-day trip to a thermal bath in Austria. I desperately needed some time to unwind and relax. A dip in warm water and a few trips to the sauna did the trick.
We spent Christmas with my family and now I’m writing this year’s year in review before going to a friend’s house to “slide” into the new year.
I am looking forward to 2023 and everything it has to offer.
The Madness That Was My 2022
Even as I write this while on a train heading to a New Year’s Party, I can’t quite believe another year has passed. This past year has been a rollercoaster for me.
If I’m being honest I don’t recall much of the first quarter. I don’t know if that’s because it was so monotonous that I can’t quite place anything on a timeline. The other option is that something really bad happened and I’ve blocked it out. Therefore I choose the former as the latter is just too depressing to consider.
Croatia
Either way, the year really started for me when I headed to Croatia. Seeing my friends Aaron and Ashley, the owners of Hurricane Hostel in Split, was an absolute highlight of my year. I love those guys dearly and wish them nothing, but the best.
While down there I met way too many people and made some friends that I will never forget. Even if they forget me. People like Alex and Niall, who I went to the Blue Lagoon with, or Allen, one of the founders of Tried. Anton and George of Funky George and Shotgun. Seeing Jo again. These moments, these people, will never leave my memories or my heart.
It’s really the people that you meet and spend time with that make a trip go from ordinary to extraordinary. Although I suspect I may have burnt some bridges. Yet I hope not as that would be one of the few things I truly regret in my life.
North America (My Viewpoint)
After coming back from Croatia I spent just over a month in Austria before Lisa and I headed on our grand North American tour.
First stop? Mexico City. I packed way too much into our week there, but we rarely head that way so I packed as much in as possible. Mexico City, tattoos in Tequisquiapan, thermal baths in Tolantongo, and finally back to Mexico City for a couple of days before heading to a resort south of Cancun.
We spent a week at that resort for my Grandfather’s 70th birthday. It was amazing being able to see my grandparents again after so many years. This trip had been postponed several times due to Coronavirus. Not to mention that I don’t think my grandparents get the respect, admiration, and credit that they deserve.
From there we headed to Dallas to spend more time with them for 5 days. Time well spent visiting them and a few friends. From there we flew to meet my friend Tyler in San Francisco for a day while on our way to Canada.
Canada
Lisa’s time in Canada was fairly short-lived. 5 days and she was off. Therefore we packed as many things as possible into those 5 days. All the things Lisa wanted to do of course.
After she left it was “off to work” for me. I had a list of things I had to get done before I could come back to Austria. Most of them meant excruciating periods of waiting for things to come in the mail.
Therefore I did the friends and family tour around Alberta. Spending time and seeing people I hadn’t seen for years. As it has been at least 4-5 years since I left. That included my great-grandparents who seem to be on their way out.
Near the end of October, I was ready to go and booked a flight back. Making sure to stop to visit people in Toronto for a few days on my way back. That was an adventure. What with a rerouted plane to Ottawa, cancelled flights, and a terrifying fever. Yet that’s a story for another time. From there it was a quick day stop in London before back to Austria.
Back in Austria
I know that I haven’t done my due diligence in writing about the above experiences. Hopefully, this next part might give a small insight as to why.
I was inclined to write “over the past few years”, but in all reality, it’s been my entire life that my mental health has been a problem. It’s just in the last few years that it moved from problem to impairment.
Therefore I immediately dropped almost everything after getting back to focus on my mental health. It’s been a painful journey, but I feel like I am finally getting to a place where it’s going back to the “problem” phase as opposed to full-on impairment.
There’s still a long way for me to go and a lot of work I need to do. Yet I believe that I’m back to being a “functioning” individual.
This journey is something I plan on delving into much deeper detail about in the coming weeks, but for now, that was my year. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m looking forward to the changes 2023 might bring.
How was your 2022? What are you looking forward to in 2023?
Until next time, stay authentic, stay Nomadic, and let the world inscribe itself upon you more than you do so upon it.
Happy New Year’s from Jenson, Lisa, and the Nomadic Inscriptions team!
