The first thing i did after my fall- clear the broken lens filter from my camera and snap a photo from my current placing on the ground to make sure it still worked 

it did. 

Our day in Freiburg, although lovely, was not particularily memorable, except, naturally,  for the nasty moment where i thought i shattered my camera lens but didn’t (i fell.. hard). I really liked Freiburg, and the beautiful church, the sunny weather, and good company made for a great day. The next morning, we hopped in the bus and drove five hours through beautiful countryside. These photos show a little bit of the atmosphere of the bus. 

This bus ride included a little latin party music, , the discovery of an amazing film called “The Castle” (recommended by Reece Burke, the cinematic god himself) and some almost half-decent cuddling. I felt at peace, and that peaceful, cosy feeling did not leave me until the trip ended. 

After an eventful night at the hostel in Heidelberg, we woke up to rain and a long, wet, uphill trek to the Heidelberg Castle. It was, in fact, relatively impressive. Sure, we were all sweaty and tired and a little moist, but we had a lot of fun learning about the castle’s secrets (like the giant beer and wine barrels in the cellar… and i mean giant) and joking amongst one another. Here, I’m kissing the lovely joelle on the cheek as we both get soaked on a castle balcony. 

cute, oder? 

We got free time: 

Naturally, my friends and i decided to climb the mountain.

The first stop was Heidelburg.

After a long bus ride to get there, i had already been claimed by the australlian clan that were my friends, covered in fake tattoos and sharpie doodles, was slightly tired and overwhelmingly happy. In Heidelburg, warm weather was waiting for us as we stumbled out of the melodic-spanish-darkness of the bus and into fresh air.

There’s not many pictures of me on this tour, actually, so here’s one demonstrating the tired and happy mess that i was when we arrived. 

In the bus: 

We met in Duisburg. I drove there early in the morning with Ari and Noel, two of my good friends here in my city. We bundled up against german autumn wind, and braved our way through the parking lot before arriving at a large, grey travel bus with “Felix-Reisen” written in red cursive on it’s side. This bus was about to be our home base for the next two weeks of our lives, and i’d be lying if i said i wasn’t beyond excited. 

So we hopped on in the bus, everyone pushing to get that perfect seat. Mine, i think, was perfect. I was at the very back of the bus. On my right, was Reece, the incredibly smart and funny australlian. On my left, Gui from brazil sat in the only centred seat in the entire bus. Finishing the row was Ari next to Gui, and then Joelle at the windowseat on the other side. 

Behind us, we hung an Australlian flag. Above us, a blow-up version of a tube of caviar. (which, has been passed down [to me!!] as tradition demands) 

we settled down for what would be a tour of a lifetime. 

I’ve just gotten back from Deutschland tour- which is, simply put, a two week bus trip around Germany with stops in important cities all along the way.

55 other exchange students in my district and I left on October the 3rd for what were going the best two weeks of our lives, and none of us were dissapointed. Thirteen days later, we all said goodbye again and felt changed in a way that only we can understand.

In two weeks, we got to know one another and ourselves in ways we didn’t expect. As of now, we’re all struck with a profound sort of sadness that the two weeks didn’t last forever.

In the next couple days, i’ll be trying to eteralize these weeks with blog posts and photos that (hopefully) will help me remember these moments down the road.

Photo taken on Insel Mainau, Deutschland Tour 2015, RYE District 1870

More from London:

There is always one photograph in a series that really captures the kind of feeling i was attempting to capture. This, in an overwhelming capacity, is that one..

What do i love so much about this picture? I couldn’t tell you, specifically. Perhaps it’s the contrast between the yellow lights and the grey sky, or the old tower bridge and the new office buildings. Perhaps it’s the fact that some of the best people i met that week appear, dark and almost unidentifiable, in the forground of the photograph. Perhaps it’s the fact that that day i took this was the best day of them all, and that it gives me a very intense need to return.

My time in London was too short, but all that really means is that i’ll have to get back there some day. That friendly, rainy city will remain in my fondest memories, as well as the people who discovered it with me.

More from London: 

I really, truly do like the rain, especially the way the streets shine after the sun comes back out.