where the music's playin

***disclaimer...this is a super long post...with a spoiler at the end...begin reading only to finish*** :-)

Long before, and all the way through this trip, we have been handed a helping hand now and then. Every single act of kindness has pushed us onward, cheered us up, helped us out, supported us, and made this trip everything that it has been. We would like to start off this post by thanking some wonderful people that have made this trip even more special than we could have imagined...
here goes...

All the friends and family who supported us in our planning for this trip, with advice, funds, emotional support, lodging, food, or anything else, (also by reading the blog!) it helped sooo much, and we appreciate you all. We are two lucky lucky people.

Mario, Diana, Antony, Karen and Paulo in Oxford, who have hosted us time after time, always welcoming us with wonderful company, great food, and warm hospitality

A couple of Mario and Diana's friends who we happened to meet at Cibo, Antony's restaurant, and who told us that we had better get started up to St. Bees a day earlier than we had planned...that saved us sooo much time and trouble

The super friendly and informative train conductor on the short train from Carlisle to Whitehaven (to start our hike in St. Bees)

David and ***Anne*** Hope, our impromptu St.Bees tour guides, and kind souls with good advice before starting our trek

Our hotel proprietor in Cleator Moor for good food, a comfy bed, and most of all, for picking us up in town and dropping us off the next morning at the trail head

the angel-like B&B owner in Grassmere who showed up in his car to pick up our weary bodies after a 15 mile day

Lilly and Reg, in the Italian restaurant in Penrith--what lovely people to dine beside, even offered us a bed at their house if we ran out of money!

Jon, a friend from two different pubs in Newcastle, for offering all sorts of interesting facts about the city, and giving us a warm friendly face in the rainy cold weather

the people of Great Britian for giving us free museums!! :)

workers in the Backpacker's Hostel in Edinburgh for working out an extra night for us when we realized that we were a day early, and for giving us a nights refund when we went to stay for a night with Carol and David

Carol and David!! two incredible people who treated us like family, like royalty even. Driving us around the city, feeding us incredible meals, providing an excellent bed for the night, and talking with us into the wee hours

yatzee for making such a great travel game

the friendly owners of the Meade B&B in St. Andrew's for good movies in the room, lovely porridge and breakfast conversation

the three musicians in Inverness for the first traditional music in a pub of the trip (and it was incredible)

Ther German at our hostel on Isle of Skye (Dunn Can hostel) for the use of his map. (If you happen to be reading this, we are so sorry that we have not mailed it back to you, we misplaced your address in our travels...if/when we find it, we will send it)

All the people in Dublin who helped us find the way to our hostel that night...it would have been much longer without you

The kind, kind, tour guide at St. Aoden's church for the free tour and letting us rub the wish stone there for good luck (I think it worked!)

Our Finnish roomates who entertained our conversation until late in the night until we realized they had to wake up at 5am and made them go to bed (and for leaving shampoo!)

Bernie, Mike, Ciaron and Anne for hosting two newlywed bums on their perfectly sized little bed and for being so welcoming and friendly to two people they had never met.

The owner for Letterfrack Lodge for some interesting entertainment

The man in the subaru and the couple in the mercedes for helping us get from point A to point B by taking a chance on two nice looking hitchhikers

All the hostels that have had 'free' boxes or cabinets...they were very. very. helpful

The super duper friendly man and his daughter who picked us up and took us all the way to the Cliffs of Moher, even stopping for a beach view along the way

The two women from Texas (who shall not be named) who picked us up on the way back! Even after realizing they had not picked up two Irish hitch hikers, they still took us where we needed to go!

Ms. Anna McMurray (and the other friendly members of the congregation) at the small church in Ennis. 93 years old, and full of history, stories, songs, and energy that would rival me on a good day. What a lady.

very nice hotel owner in Paris who gave us directions (oh no, much much too far to walk) to our apartment...whom we promptly ignored and walked anyway (over 5 miles)...but who was nice just the same

Scott for the great wedding gift of a couple of nights in Paris--how romantic

Annick and Jerome! for hosting us on their couch for three nights! also for all the wonderful food they shared with us! Couch surfing is amazing!

Bob and Corey (and their great neighbors), two fabulous people with a fabulous lavender farm who hosted us for a 'work week' on our honeymoon, which turned out to be an absolute highlight of the trip

Micky and her great, old house in St. Tropez. We stayed right beside one of the most expensive beaches for next to nothing! wow!

Micky and Carla for wonderful meals and company while in St. Tropez

The great Italian women on the train (the one that stopped for 4 hours...) from Florence to Naples that let us follow them so we would make it on the right train

Nonna, Linda, and all the family on Capri for making it such an incredible experience for us. We had an incredible time and so much of it was because of you!

Lorenzo for his amazing apartment

Josh and Chrisinda for coming all the way to Italy to see us!

Zach for his surprise letter in Capri!! What amazing friends we do have

Andi's parents for making us feel so at home in Germany, and for their kindness

Mr. and Mrs. Goenner for taking us all around Bodensee, sharing drinks and jazz, and for taking us to the airport!

Ute, Andi's friend, for taking us to see sights, and giving us good conversation in the only place of the trip where neither of us spoke any of the language

The kind lady at the bakery in Langenargen for happily putting up with our bad German

The apple growers and sellers in Bodensee! what a treat!

The nice Emergency crew at the Freidrichshafen airport for wrapping up Russell's hand when he cut it

London Paddington train station for having a Krispy Kreme...yes, really...it was amazing

Emma, Carol's daughter who was incredible. Tickets to a breathtaking show at the London National Theatre, complete with backstage tour and conversation over coffee--what an amazing way to spend our last days in England...

Continental Airlines for having over 300 in flight movies to choose from, something to distract us from our horrendous fear of flying

Jamie, the guy who traveled 295 days out of the year for work, at the Houston airport, for the corona and the fun conversation.

The Houston airport staff for understanding why I wouldn't want to fly into tornadic conditions...and allowing us to change our flight to the next morning

Linda and Greg for coming to pick us up at the airport...even though we weren't there...sorry! :-/

Shelley for coming to get us the next day and taking us back home

so!

if you haven't guessed it yet, we are back in the good USofA
that's right!
SURPRISE!

:)

Our only stipulation for this trip was that we would leave ourselves enough money to change our plane ticket, should we run out of money. So that when we did run out of money, we could come back home. The exchange rate chewed us up, spit us out and left us taking with it a third of our hard earned, saved, (and gifted to us by wedding guests!) money. Wow.
BUT! even back a little while before we were scheduled to come home, we have had one of the most amazing trips anyone could ask for, and do not regret coming home when we did. We'll be back for Thanksgiving now!!
And look at all the places we've been! All the things we've done! We are world travelers, married and ready to get started with our life together. This trip has only proved to us (once again) how well we work together, how much we love each other, and (again) what incredible friends and family (and strangers!) we have in our life.

Thank you for sharing in the journey with us!
Let's keep it going!
Love,
Maria and Russell




















Anyone who took our picture, gave us a good suggestion, gave directions or help in any way,