A little Christmas story and Happy New Year

2019 had been a really peculiar year for C and I. We have been very busy and were unable to travel as much as we did in previous years due to some changes forced upon us, one of which was having to move house. Here is the photo of our moving day dinner.

We spent our Christmas in Germany. We usually like travelling to Germany on a train, but the move simply stole away so much of our time, that by the time we were ready to book in early December, all affordable tickets were gone. Reluctantly, we succumbed to Flixbus.

Please now allow me to tell you my little Christmas story. Since I don’t have any photos to go with the story, please enjoy some random food photos from our German winter break.

Getting on our Cologne bound coach in Victoria coach station in London, C and I were saying how happy we were to finally start our holidays and say good-bye to 2019. But deep inside, I guess we both knew that 2019 was not going to let us off that easy.

We have done a fair amount of bus journeys in our lives, but never had a tyre burst, never had we have to wait on a motor way (in the coach) for 7 hours and we certainly had never been asked to leave and find a nearest train station by walk in the middle of nowhere, in the dark, after 7 hours wait. But in this journey, all of this happened.

After having us wait for 7 long hours, Flixbus decided to basically just abandon us. But there is a twist to this unfortunate story. Just when we thought our Christmas was now completely and utterly ruined, our driver did the unthinkable. He really fought for us and by the looks of it, actually convinced Flixbus to arrange a replacement coach and take us all the way to Cologne. Getting rid of us and going home would’ve been so much easier for him, but he drove on for the next 9 hours and took us safely to Cologne.

I never thought I would use the words ‘Christmas Miracle’ in my real life, but this time, I actually did.

It was most appropriate and a perfect curtain call for our 2019 which had been rather strange and stressful at times. C and I both feel deeply grateful for this humbling experience and thought-provoking ending to our trouble-filled 2019, and of course to the amazing driver and for his selfless act.

So now 2020 is here.

I would like to make 2020 a year of ‘change’. There were many changes in our lives in 2019, but they all came from outside and were pretty much forced upon us. I felt like I was in a spinning cycle for the whole year; spun around, pushed and pulled until I didn’t know what was going on and lost control totally. In the end, I was exhausted, feeling numb and completely lost. Life is always full of surprises and changes that we can not do anything about, but this year, as well as dealing with …life, as gracefully as possible I might add, I would like to actively make changes by myself and for myself.

To celebrate my new start, I went to a local Poundland and really spoiled myself with not just one, but TWO different kinds of hot drinks. I also popped down to the local Sainsbury’s and got myself a bottle of Superior Dark Rum Expertly Blended Smooth and Rich (35cl, £6) to go with my two different kinds of hot drinks.

I now officially welcome 2020. Please stay tuned for Japan travel blogs from the Summer 2019, which I was just unable to complete due to other commitments and general 2019 strangeness.

Thank you for reading and Happy, Peaceful New Year.