travel – Page 11 – that lemon life

A new chapter

Hola everyone.

It’s me, Laura. And no, I’ve not fallen into a big black hole I couldn’t get out of. Yes, I do still exist. What a miracle. Ha. Ha. Okay, but seriously, I’m back, for real. I’m sorry it took me so long, but if you’ve been following me for the past months or even just weeks, you’ll know that I’ve had this big move to Brighton and I just had to fully concentrate on that. But yeah, this is over now. I mean, it’s still happening, at least in my head, which I still can’t get around the idea that I’m now living in the UK, where people live, think and speak differently. It’s so so crazy and I’m really glad that I get to share this journey with you guys.

As you can probably guess, my life here in Brighton and my new uni will be a big topic throughout, well, the next months and maybe even years. But for now I’d just like to share everything that happened in the past seven days with you guys. I know that nowadays it’s a bit more common to move to a different country or city to study or work there and everyone always tells you that it’s a great thing that will shape you, blah blah blah. But what noone really tells you is how hard it is to leave everyone and everything you know and love behind. I don’t regret any part of this move and I don’t want any of you to think that. It’s just that this really great thing also comes with a lot of heartbreaks and anyone who’s in the same situation as me should never feel like you always have to be happy from the first second on because you’re doing this really cool thing and basically fulfilling your dreams. Because it’s okay to not feel okay. Okay?

So, you can probably guess by now that the move wasn’t easy for me. The last week at home was a total dream for me and probably one of the best weeks ever. I saw all of my friends and I got to spend a lot of time with my family. And yeah, it was just really nice. And I was truly doing fine, even on the day of the move. But then I went into the garden to say goodbye to my cat and said “Peaches, I need to say goodbye” and it was the first time I had to explicitly say it and yeah, it was kind of my trigger word. From that moment on the tears just kept spilling. And you know what, I even let them, because I knew that this was the most normal reaction on earth. And I also knew that saying goodbye to my pets would be the hardest step. I mean, I kind of had an internal panic attack during the flight, but oh well. And you know what, the human mind is something truly crazy sometimes, let me tell you. Because suddenly I had all of these worries popping up in my head. “What if I don’t understand them?” “What if I can’t properly talk to people?” “What if I don’t like my new home?” “What if…?” It was driving me mad.

Rationally, most of my worries were pretty much total nonsense. Of course I still worry sometimes, mostly about uni right now and my new classmates. But you know, I always try to calm myself down by thinking that I can’t be perfect. I didn’t grow up in the UK and wasn’t raised bilingual, so of course I’m going to make some mistakes. But I’ve been progressing every single day and it’s actually really cool to notice how my brain slowly adjusts to the new surroundings and language. And I’m also already in contact with one of my new peers and yeah. Everything’s gonna be just fine, I’m hundred percent sure of that.

Besides that, I truly love my new home and Brighton and my new “family” and just pretty much everything. The house is freaking amazing, my room aswell, Nick and Silvia are literally the nicest people ever and the location couldn’t be any better. If I truly concentrate on it, I can even hear the waves crashing into the shore when I open the window. It couldn’t be any better, seriously. But for any of you who are planning on moving to a totally different place, I can just recommend having your parents with you for the first few days. I think that’s what really helped me to both adjust to my new home and not get a heart attack at the same time. I mean, watching my mum get onto the train and leave without me was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, but moving to Brighton all on my own would have been a completely different and also harder story. I just really needed them and I’m happy that I had them with me. Also, I’ll be seeing them again in just 32 days and I already can’t wait.

You know, when I first got to Brighton I was asking myself whether I had made the right decision or not. Maybe it would have been better to just stay at home, do my Masters degree and then get a job at some magazine or whatever. Maybe that would have been easier. But then something very, very, very exciting happened. Some of you may know that Felix Kjellberg, aka PewDiePie, aka one of my favorite YouTubers, also lives in Brighton together with his fiancée Marzia Bisognin. And when my parents and I were walking to their hotel just after getting to Brighton, I actually told them all about Pewds and Marzia and was like “oh my god, imagine me walking around and then seeing Marzia with their two pugs. One is white and one is black. That would be so crazy.” I was probably annoying them, let’s be honest. And then we were passing this street and I looked to my left side and suddenly there was this guy, wearing a black jumper and black joggers. And I thought “hmm, why do I feel like I know him?” And then I looked down and saw them – Edgar and Maya, the two pugs. So, there he was. Felix. The one and only Pewds. I thought I was dreaming. I, of course, went completely crazy and whispered/shrieked at my parents “IT’S PEWDIEPIE. IT’S PEWDIEPIE.” And my mum was like “WHERE????” (she knows him – of course she does). And my dad was just staring at us like we were some crazy people. And then I looked back at him and he was looking at me and oh my god, I probably looked like a total freak. My mum then basically ordered me to turn around and walk past him, which we did. And as soon as he was out of sight, I basically went nuts. I couldn’t believe it. I had just moved to this city like five short minutes ago and as soon as I stepped outside Pewds walked by. How crazy is that? I still can’t get my head around it. And yes guys, he has got some looks to serve, I’m just going to be completely honest now. And it might be a bit crazy, but I took this as the sign that I had made the right decision. Because when mum and I visited Brighton two years ago, I was basically scanning every single face I went past and nothing happened. But this time I saw him, completely out of the blue. That just had to be the sign.

Since then I’ve used every singe day to get to know my new home better, street by street, house by house. Let me just tell you one thing – Brighton is damn beautiful and living next to the sea is one of the coolest things ever. Honestly, I feel like the luckiest person ever. Thanks to Silvia and Nick I don’t feel so alone here and they kind of prevent me from getting too sad about the fact that my family isn’t here. Which I’m very thankful for, seriously. I’ve already started to decorate my room and usually spend my days walking around in the city, doing a bit of shopping and stuff. And I’m also really looking forward to fresher’s week that’s coming up. In short, apart from missing my home, life couldn’t be any better right now. I’m basically living my dream and yeah, I’m just really happy and thankful.

And now I’m going to stop talking. Firstly, because this post if getting far too long and secondly, because it’s already past midnight and a new episode of Bake Off is waiting for me to be watched in bed. So I’m gonna go now. If any of you have got any questions about my move or Brighton or anything else, please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. I’ll try to answer them as fast as I can, I promise. Also, down below you can find some pictures of Brighton that I took the past few days and I really hope that you enjoy them. And yeah, I wish you all an amazing weekend. It feels really good to be back. Thanks for reading, guys. x

Hungarian nights

Hola everyone.

How are you guys? I hope you’re all doing good. On my behalf, I’m getting quite nervous with every day that’s passing, as it means that the move to Brighton is getting closer, day by day. But like I said, I’m mostly really excited for everything that’s coming up. I sometimes just wish I could cut my house out of the ground, shrink it like they do in Ant-Man and the Wasp, stuff it in my bag and take it with me to the UK, including my family of course. But sadly, I don’t live in the MCU. I can only keep reminding myself that thanks to all the new technologies, the world has become a lot smaller and that I can talk and see my family and friends whenever I need to. And I can always fly back home too, so yeah. I’ll stop being dramatic now and stick to my more optimistic thoughts, like, hell, I’m seriously moving to the UK to study music journalism. How crazy is that?

On another note, here’s what I actually wanted to talk to you guys about today. As summer is slowly coming to an end, I thought I’d continue my series about my trip to Budapest and share another collection of pictures with you. And you guys know that I’m a sucker for black and white photography, so it probably won’t surprise you that I just had to take some pictures of the city at night. I’m also proud to announce that some of these pics were actually taken by my mum – and yes, they are amazing. Go, mum.

I don’t know about you guys, but I just really really love the look of black white photos, especially when they were taken at night. It just gives them such a magical tone and I love how the lack of colors can transform a city landscape. As you can probably see on the pictures, mum and I really did enjoy strolling around the city at night and looking at all these huge, impressive, old and historical buildings. If you’re asking me, some really gave us some serious Hogwarts vibes. It was just so so cool and I enjoyed it so much. That’s exactly why I love traveling and exploring cities so much.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy these pictures just as much and please don’t hesitate to share all your opinions. Also, I’m very sorry that the past few posts have been quite short, just like this one right here, but you’ll probably sense that the move is taking up most of the space I’ve got left in my head. I promise it will get better again as soon as I’ve moved to Brighton and made myself comfortable. Besides that, I also have to tell you guys that sadly this will actually be my last post for about two weeks or so, as I really want to focus on enjoying my remaining time here at home with my family and friends. But, before you all get super mad at me, this also means that when I’m back, you’ll get to hear all about Brighton and my move and uni and everything else. So, please stay tuned. And until then I wish you all a great weekend and an amazing time. And, as always, thanks for reading. x

Budapest

Hola everyone.

Can you believe that it’s already a new week again? I can’t. The move to Brighton is getting closer and closer and next Saturday seems to be approaching much faster than I had anticipated. More and more people keep asking me how I’m feeling, whether I’m a bit scared or nervous. But honestly, I can’t really describe the state I’m in right now. I’m nervous and a bit anxious sometimes and of course sad, especially when I’m lying on the couch with my whole family and feeling their presence, fully knowing that I’ll be missing this exact feeling. But I’m also really happy and excited for this new chapter in my life. Seriously. I already have so many things planned and just the thought of seriously living the one part of my life I’ve always dreamed about makes my stomach fill up with butterflies. I think if you can feel ready for such a huge thing, then that’s what I’m feeling.

It’s currently a bit after one o’clock am on a Monday night and I’m sitting on our couch at home, Thor Ragnarok glimmering in front of me. You know, you can’t really go wrong with this movie and it makes me laugh, so. But that’s not what I want to talk to you guys about. I don’t want to talk about my love for Marvel or my move to Brighton. Today I’d like to talk to you guys about my trip to Budapest or even rather share my favorite pictures with you. To be honest, the cities beauty and coolness really did surprise me. I loved the whole look of the city and especially the crazy amount of historical buildings. I mean, have you seen the parliament? It’s freaking beautiful. And besides that I also loved the modernity when it comes to food and fashion. The whole city is packed with vintage stores and vegan restaurants and shops. It was just so so cool. And I think that also shows in the pictures. I hope you enjoy them just as much as I enjoyed taking them. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and questions down below and I wish you all a great week. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Welcome to Brody House

Hola everyone.

I hope you’re all doing good. Just as a little update from my behalf, the Justin Timberlake concert was freaking amazing, I don’t know if I’ve ever been to such a crazy, ornate show. I didn’t even know where to look, there was just so much going on. And hell, JT knows what he’s doing, he’s such a fantastic dancer and singer. So, looking at that, I’m pretty much on a cloud. But besides that, unfortunately, I’ve been sick since coming home from the concert, which feels so weird for me. Like, I’m never ever sick, this is so unusual for me. And now I’m stuck at home, feeling like a sack of potatoes and I freaking hate it. It’s so annoying when you’re a naturally happy and jumpy person and then from one day to another your body and mind just change into a meh-mood and even walking from the kitchen over to the couch becomes the hardest thing ever. I hate iiiiiit. I so hope that I’m going to feel better soon. Please.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you guys about today. So, let’s bring on a bit of a happier mood and let’s get right to it. As some of you may have read in my recent posts, I’ve also just come home from my trip to Budapest together with my mum. And yes, it was so so so nice. It was actually my first serious trip to the city and I really enjoyed it. I was actually surprised by the cuteness and coolness of the city. I really really loved it. I’ll tell you more about the trip in my next posts and of course about our day at Sziget festival, which was a total dream come true.

But today I’d like to tell you all about the hotel we stayed at. It was called Brody House and situated right at the city center, so a perfect spot for us. But that’s not the best, no no. The best part was the hotel itself or the interior and overall look, I’d say. Not to be dramatic or anything, but this is seriously the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I was baffled. If I ever got the chance, I would move in there within a second, it’s just so so beautiful. The most amazing part was the clash of modern pieces of furniture and art with the old and rustic vibes of the walls and window frames. I adored it. If I ever get to live in and decorate a nice flat, I swear I’ll just hand over the pics I took of the hotel and tell everyone to decorate it this exact way. But without further ado, take a look for yourself. And yes, it really looked like that. What a dream.

I know, I know, it looks absolutely fantastic. If any of you ever get the chance to stay at this hotel, please do it. It’s freaking amazing. And you can have your breakfast in any of the rooms. I mean, imagine having breakfast while looking out of the window right at the trees from the park next door while a small breeze twirls itself around your skin and 20s/30s music is playing in the background. Yes, it was that good. What an experience.

So yeah, that’s Brody House. Such a cool hotel. I hope you like it just as much. Like I said, I hope you’re all doing good and that you enjoy this little post and the pictures. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments down below. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Black Mountains, White Skies

Hola everyone.

Can you believe it’s already Monday again? Because I can’t. It’s seriously more than crazy how the time is just zooming by. Just wait. I’ll blink once and then it will be September and I’ll be on my flight to Brighton. Holy moly. But let’s not freak out just yet and focus on the here and now, shall we? So, how are you guys? I hope you’re all having a great start of the week. And I hope what’s coming next maybe makes it even better.

So, a few weeks ago my parents and I drove to Salzburg for my cousins wedding. First I have to say that the wedding was so damn beautiful that it’s hard for me to find any words. But what gave the whole ceremony that one special cherry on top was the location. We celebrated in the middle of a valley, surrounded by the phenomenal mountains and the breathtaking nature. I loved it so so so much. And as I of course had taken my camera with me, I took my chance and went hiking for a bit to take some pictures. And oh wow, was that cool. I tried to really capture the vibes that I got, the slightly icy, cool feeling I had and the imposing greatness of the mountains. And I actually wanted to try something different to my otherwise very colorful, vibrant style. So yeah, without further ado, I present you my selection of the best pics I took during the wedding-weekend. What I probably like the most about them is that the actual intensity of the surrounding mountains can be seen on the pics, especially with the ones where both my parents and Molly are walking at the bottom of the photos with the big mountains right behind them. Like, honestly, I really like the pics. And I even more hope that you do too. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts down below and I wish you a great week. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

Hello again

Hola everybody.

And welcome back to my blog. I’m officially and finally back from my study/exam break and I seriously can’t even describe how much I’ve missed posting stuff on here and talking to you guys. I mean, I have, like, such a long list of topics for different blogposts, that I don’t even know where to start. And even just writing this right now fills me with so much joy. God, what would I do without this blog? I seriously have no idea.

I’m beyond sorry that it took me so long to get back again, but I just started my summer break, which basically means that I began working this Monday and I just had to get used to that – for example to having to wake up at 7 am every single freaking morning. I still haven’t fully found my perfect rhythm, but I’m hoping to accomplish that within the next few days, so I can actually start writing my bachelor thesis and my last few projects for uni.

But I have to say, I’m really really happy to be back home again. I’m currently sitting in bed and Peaches is lying next to me and seriously guys, whatever I’m feeling right now, I know it’s pure, unconditional love. This cat is the love of my life. No joke. And I can’t wait to spend the upcoming months with her. And the rest of my family and friends too, of course.

I actually just wanted to use this post as some kind of update and welcome. But I know that you’re all curious about what happened during my break, so here’s a little sneak peek. So, first of all, all my exams went down pretty good and if I’m not mistaken, I think I’ve passed every single one of them. Which means that I just have to finish my thesis now and then I’m officially graduating from uni, which is the craziest thing ever. It’s so weird to actually finish something you’ve been working your butt off for years. I mean, all I could think about in secondary school was uni. And now I’m already graduating. That’s so unbelievable. I mean, I’m not finished finished, you guys know about me moving to the UK to continue studying, but I’m leaving Vienna and basically my home country and that’s crazy enough, trust me. And if we’re already talking about moving to the UK – guys, I’ve finally found a place to live in. And holy moly, I actually can’t believe that I seriously managed to find myself such a great place and such an amazing family. I’ll be sharing the house with a couple and gosh, they are so cool. I mean, they’re basically me, just with a few more years of life experience. I couldn’t be happier, really. And the house is located just two minutes from the sea and the beach, which is like pretty much the most amazing aspect of the house. I mean, I’ll be basically spending the upcoming year at the beach, I can already tell you that. God, I’m so excited, this is going to be so so awesome.

And last but not least, as I already mentioned in my latest posts, I need to tell you all about my time at the festival that I got to work at. It was so freaking amazing. Oh my god. I can’t even describe it. It was one of those moments and experiences in life that basically change everything. Like when you first try Nutella. That changes you. And that’s what this week at the festival did to me. I seriously can’t wait to spend the rest of my life in that environment. I just love it so much, with all my heart. But before I’m starting to give away too much, I’ll just stop right here and keep the rest for the extra post in which I’m going to tell you all about my time there, from the beginning to the very end.

So yeah guys, there you go. Those are basically the most important things that happened during the time I’ve been away. Apart from that there are quite some new albums and songs waiting to be discussed about and I did a little photoshoot with what could be the dreamiest dress ever and I have so many new tv shows I want to tell you guys about, so please stay tuned for more. Like I said, I’m officially back again and yeah, I’d say let’s bring this blog back to life, shall we?

Anyways, I hope you guys are doing great and enjoying the summer. And, as always, I hope you enjoyed this little post and I wish you an amazing weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x