Though Santorini wasn’t my favorite part of Greece, it was picture perfect. Photos below.
Tag: links
Croatia Road Trip: Split, Zadar, Krka, and Plitvice
After Gareth arrived in Zagreb, we grabbed our rental car and set out on a road trip through the country (and into Bosnia). We were heading to Dubrovnik, with stops at Plitvice National park, Zadar, Krka National park, and Split along the way.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
After Gareth landed at Zagreb airport we headed straight for Plitvice Lakes National Park. It has 16 terraced lakes and dozens of waterfalls. It is stunning.
There is parking at both entrances (7 Kuna) and for adults entry is 80 Kuna (£9) January to March and in November and December; 180 Kuna (£21) during April, May and October; and 300 Kuna (£34) for June to September.
Zadar
I’ve heard wonderful things about Zadar but we were only here for about 18 hours. We had dinner and drinks on the water and watched the sun set. This was a cute little town but we left early the next morning for Krka.
Krka National Park
There are buses and a ferry that give access to the park – we risked it and drove all the way there and bet on finding parking (there’s apparently also a car park in Lozovac but we didn’t know that at the time). We were successful and after about a 30 minute walk down the path we were there!
You can only swim June – September which was a bit gutting, because it looks wonderful! We didn’t time it right to take a boat tour (included in ticket price) but we’d do that next time for sure. There’s a cafe with food and drinks and it’s a nice place to relax for a few hours and take in the beauty!
Split
Again we were only in Split a short while before our last leg in Dubrovnik, however we really loved Split. We had dinner at Konoba Marjan which is a really delicious fish restaurant, and most importantly found a old tavern, that I cannot remember the name of but that felt like it hadn’t changed in decades. We hung out there for a few hours playing cards and had a lovely time.
We walked up Marjan Hill to have a nice view of the city. We didn’t have time for a tour of Diocletian’s Palace, which Game of Thrones fans will recognise as Meereen and also the dungeon Danny keeps the young dragons in, but we did peek in and it looked very cool!
From there we drove up and spent a day in Mostar, before reaching Dubrovnik, our final destination.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
When I was younger, one of my aunts had businesses all over Europe, and visited them constantly. My dad would never let us go with her (thanks, dad), but she promised that when we turned 16, my sister and I could choose any city in the world and she’d take us. After reading a book called Postcards from No Man’s Land when I was 12, I fell madly in love with Amsterdam from afar, and knew this was where I would pick. And while a change in fortune prevented me from going when I was 16, I promised myself I’d make it there one day.
That day ended up being last December, in between Berlin and Poland. Gareth wanted to wait until the Spring, but I l’d already waited over ten years, so off we went.
We arrived (barely) after a ten hour bus journey from Berlin, and from the moment we stepped off the bus we were already excitedly talking about how this is where we want to live. I still feel that way. Amsterdam felt alive and inspiring and immediately like home. I spent all our down time researching the logistics of a move to Amsterdam, and it’s still probably the number one place in Europe I’d like to live. I really hope it happens one day!
We only had two days in the city, and missed out on some vital stuff. We’d already said we’d go back in the spring to see the tulips, and will know to book ahead to see the Anne Frank house. But I wouldn’t trade our winter trip for anything. The city wasn’t very crowded, we got to pop in for a mulled wine whenever it got too cold, and spent an evening ice skating next to the Van Gogh Museum. That said, there was a shocking lack of Christmas markets in Amsterdam, which I hadn’t expected. However they did have ice skating and mulled wine, which are the best parts of Christmas anyway.
We didn’t do the “other side” of Amsterdam at all. We accidentally walked through the red-light district for about a minute, but didn’t see anything other than some literally red lights.
Things I’d recommend:
The Van Gogh museum is worth it. The collection is huge, and it’s not just his art but history of his life, personal items and letters. I remember being in second grade and learning about the crazy guy who cut off his ear. It seemed so insane back then, far away and from a different world. I loved being able to see his things, look at his writing, view his work.
We went to Omlegg for breakfast both days. I know you’re supposed to try new places, but we’d already found the perfect spot and were happy sticking with it.
We decided early on that after the Van Gogh museum we’d try to spend as much of our time as possible outside. We took a long walk from one end of Amsterdam to the other, which I’d highly recommend copying. Omlegg is in De Pijp, which was imo the coolest neighborhood in the city. It’s easy to go from there to the Albert Cuyp Market (largest market in Europe, open 9-5 every day of the week except Sunday). Then take a stroll through Museumplein Park, and along the river.
We saw so much of the city just by wandering around, popping in the shops, chatting with the servers, and got to know the city beyond just its tourist attractions. End the walk at Arendsnest to try the local beer brews. This was a highlight of the trip, even for a wine drinker like me. Honestly, this place is incredible.
There are a lot of bookstores around, and we had so much fun stopping in them (or maybe I just loved it enough for us both). Like I said earlier, the city felt very creative and young, and the bookstores were no different. I got this book, and it was SO good. I learned so much about the history of Amsterdam and it was so well written, I flew through it in just a few days.
Amsterdam is hard to capture in just a post. The bikes, the young population, the crisp air. The whole time I was there all I wanted to do was read and write and explore, and that feeling is basically what I’m looking for when I travel. I don’t know when or how we’d live there, but it’s still something I’d really, really like to do at some point.
(feature image photo source)
LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA
About five years ago I saw a picture of what looked like a fairy tale brought to life. It was of a gorgeous lake, surrounded by towering mountains, with a tiny island in the middle with an old church on it. I wasn’t sure if it was real, but eventually tracked it down: Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Slovenia. It sounded remote and was definitely not a place I already had on my list. But after seeing that photo, up it went, and I am so incredibly glad I was able to go last Semana Santa, in between Italy and Croatia.
I made friends with a few people from my hostel, and we decided to spend the day in Bled together. Getting there from Ljubljana is really easy. The bus leaves right from the main station, and drops you off right at the lake about and hour and fifteen minutes later. They depart hourly, and are 7 euros each way. Some buses even continue on to Bohinj, which is another gorgeous looking lake. You can also go by train, which is faster but the stop is a few miles away from the lake so unless you feel like a walk, you’d have to then catch the bus or take a cab.
It was as stunning in person as it is in photos, which isn’t always the case, and even though it was Easter we only had to share the lake with about ten other people. We spent a few hours walking the loop, and at about the midpoint found a little shop that had groceries–we picked up some wine and the makings for a picnic. There’s a trail almost directly across from where you first enter that leads to the most incredible view point. It was a lot more steep and rocky than I had expected, but WOW were the views worth it. We stayed up there for about an hour, picnicking, and soaking in the beauty.There are hostels nearby if you want to stay for the night, but unless you’re planning on going to Bohinj the next day, there’s not much to do in the area once you’ve done the lake. It’s a perfect as a day trip from Ljubljana, and such a perfect way to cap off any trip to Slovenia.
48 HOURS IN LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
A weekend in Ljubljana was the perfect rest stop between the craziness of Italy, and the I was about to embark on with G.
A tiny capital city, there is very little to do but wander around, soak in the beauty, and speak to the amazingly friendly locals. Also ask again and again how to pronounce it–apparently it’s Loo-blah-nah. But the Spanish call it Libby-anna, the Germans have something else entirely, and it seemed like every person I asked had their own take–even the natives! So I guess the best advice is to just go with your gut and hope not to get it too wrong.
There weren’t many tourists while I was there–and this was over Easter holidays. I love avoiding tourists and instead trying to get a feel of what actually living in a place might be like. And after the loneliness I felt in Venice, Ljubljana was the perfect place to do some solo travel.
The bus I took from Italy was delayed at the border due to what could only be described as some pretty serious racism. It was horrible to have to powerlessly witness it, and be unable to do anything to help.
Because of the delay we didn’t get into the city until past midnight, and I entered in a bit of a panic–my phone wasn’t working (the new rule that keeps EU phones working across borders is THE BEST, but hadn’t yet gone into effect), my hostel had a 21:00 pm check in cut off, and I had no idea how safe it would be to walk the streets alone at night.
Luckily, I was in Ljubljana which is probably the most charming, friendly, and sweet European city I’ve visited. They had free wifi everywhere, so I could easily log on, find my hostel, and alert them to my arrival. Walking the streets felt a lot safer than it does in London or even LA. There wasn’t a single moment I felt nervous walking alone.
I stayed at Zeppelin Hostel and I really loved it. However—I woke up on my second morning to discover that both me and the girl below me were covered in itchy red marks! BED BUGS. I don’t know if it’s me in particular, of if everyone is equally horrified by the idea of bugs crawling all over them whilst they sleep, but it was a really horrendous discovery. The hostel was fantastic, moving me to a new room, washing all my things (pretty great after a week on the road), and made my entire stay free. They were great people and from talking to others around Ljubljana, it sounds like it’s a huge problem at all the hostels—the bed bugs come up from Northern Italy—even the trains and buses that do the route are infested. So if you’re staying in a hostel, check the mattress carefully before climbing into bed!
BUT, even bed bugs could not get me down, as Ljubljana was fantastic. There’s not much to do, to be sure. You really only need a day or two in the city–it really is the perfect respite. I hiked up to the castle that sits atop the city, swung on the swing, and read a bit.
Honestly though, wandering around the city, popping into shops, and eating the delicious food was so refreshing. To anyone who needs a respite after a bit of hectic travel, I highly, highly recommend taking a break in Ljubljana. There’s no need to sightsee, because the city is the sight. That, and Lake Bled, obviously, which is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been.
After 48 hours hanging around in Ljubljana, I was ready for the next adventure. I went into the bus station, and there were so many bus companies that weren’t listed online, with routes to Belgrade, Sarajevo, Trieste, and more, all for under 10 euros. My advice would be to check here before booking anything online, where the options were much more expensive.
I had a week before I had to meet G, and could go anywhere. The freedom was such a fantastic feeling, only hampered by the realization I couldn’t do it all. After checking out the weather, connections, and timings, I decided on Zagreb, as it was where G and I were meeting, but we wouldn’t actually spending any time in outside the airport. And seriously, it was the right choice!
MOSTAR
Once more a visit to a place I saw in a photo and couldn’t miss! Luckily, while in Split during our trip to Croatia, we were only 2.5 hours away and would be driving past the border on the way to Dubrovnik anyway, so it wasn’t hard to convince G to make the detour. Mostar was tiny and you need only spend a day or two, but it is so worth a visit.
Drinks
We had drinks at Labirint which was along the river and such a stunning location to sip some wine, play some cards, and even watch the locals jump off the bridge!
Dinner
We ate at Šadrvan which was incredible and highly recommended! The food is delicious, there is a LOT of it, and it is traditional Bosnian fare. We made a reservation and our table was 5 minutes late so they made sure we had (free) drinks while we waited, and the service was just top notch all around.
Activities
There’s not much to do in Mostar, but one thing you should absolutely not miss is climbing to the top of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque. As someone who is terrified of heights and claustrophobic, I was nervous. The climb up is long, circular (so there’s no end in sight), and extremely tight. Still – do not miss this! It’s around 5 pounds for entry to the mosque and to climb up, and the view is STUNNING. Seriously, I can’t imagine a better view of Stari Most.
Tips
Some of the borders are only for people with either Bosnian or Croatia passports – we drove to the nearest one on Google maps and were turned away. The drive was great but very windy and my car sick (and hungover?) self was not pleased about this mistake!
Mostar worked into our Croatian trip very well, but we weren’t prepared for how much Bosnia would appeal to us – we were so sad to leave after just one night, and regretted not planning to go on to Sarajevo. If your schedule allows, perhaps plan further travel in Bosnia.
Enjoy your time there! It’s such a fairy tale place, and to this day the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
2017 WRAP UP
Well, 2017. You weren’t the best.
The year started out pretty well, actually. New Years was great, and in the first part of the year, Lee visited and we went to Belgium, Faye visited, I got placed in Granada for the coming year, spent Semana Santa in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia. It was a great Winter/Spring, and such a fantastic time in life.
Things since then haven’t been nearly so happy. I haven’t posted about it, but in June Gareth’s mom was diagnosed with cancer. I moved to the UK a few days later, and unfortunately the cancer was incredibly aggressive and she passed away at the end of June–only a few weeks after diagnosis. There aren’t really words to describe what it’s like to watch someone get sick so quickly, or watch the person you love lose their mom, so I’m not going to try. But suffice to say, it was and still is hard on a daily basis.
We moved back to London from G’s mom’s house at the end of July, and I got a full time job in a sector I love. However, the plan was never to settle down long term, and as it looked like the plan to travel was getting further and further away, I was finding it harder and harder to be content with life in London–not to mention Gareth and I finally moved in together under the most stressful circumstances imaginable. Life has been hard and sad lately, though I have hope it’s getting a bit brighter each day.
I try to keep things relatively happy on this blog, hence the lack of posts for much of this year. But the reality is, the second half of 2017 was not nice, and sometimes that’s life. Things aren’t great all the time, and there will be seasons where you just need to survive.
So, 2017 had some highs as well as lows. I’m quite ready for the year to be over, and here’s to a happier 2018!
A WEEKEND IN PRAGUE DURING CHRISTMAS
It’s getting downright frosty here in London, and the sun has set by around 4:00 every day. Instead of finding this a depressing shock to the system, I’ve decided to get into the Christmas spirit early. The one good thing about living abroad where American Thanksgiving is strangely ignored, is that post-Halloween (another largely ignored holiday), it’s basically Christmastime. And there is nothing like a weekend in Prague during Christmas.
I’ve booked a few trips for December, and planning them has me thinking about what an incredible trip I took over the puente last year in Spain. As I said before, it was a whirlwind trip from Berlin to Amsterdam to Prague to Poland. I only got around to writing about Berlin last year, but it’s time (or about 10 months past time) to talk about the others. Because they were fantastic.
I’m starting with Prague because Prague in December is quite literally the most magical place on earth. As much as I like to explore new places, had I found affordable tickets I’d be spending a weekend in Prague this December, without a doubt. While Berlin was a bit crowded and overwhelming, Prague was much less packed. It honestly looked and felt like we’d time traveled back a few dozen (hundred) years. The Christmas market was filled with wooden stalls where people were making their crafts–metal workers, jewelry makers, booksellers, wine vendors–it was a nice departure from the more modern and pricey markets I’d been to elsewhere. There were also animals around, and a little place where you could feed donkeys. While it got a bit crowded at night, it was never to the point where you couldn’t mill around comfortably, and take in the views of the beautiful tree or the church or the astronomical clock.
48 HOURS IN PRAGUE
Stay close to the action. We stayed at Prague Square Hostel which I highly recommend. It wasn’t that expensive (about 10 euros a night for an 8 bed room), but only a two minute walk from Old Town Square, and an easy walk to all the other main things you’d want to see in Prague. If you stay around here, Cafe–Cafe had a few good breakfast options (including eggs!) and some really delicious cakes and coffees.
We missed it, but I’d recommend starting with a trip to the Old Jewish Cemetery. Then walk across Manesuv Most bridge up to Prague Castle. This is up a hill and offers some great views of the city. Walking around this area is a look into what the less touristy side of Prague looks like, compared to Old Town Square. If I came back anytime other than December, I’d try to stay around here.
The Castle is incredible, and parts are free to walk around. We didn’t actually go inside, though if you have the time and money I’m sure it would be worth it. Instead we walked around the grounds–there’s an area called Golden Lane where Kafka used to have a house, that I’d recommend checking out, and a little old toy store built into the castle where I really regret not buying something for a future kid, because everything in it was wooden and gorgeous. When we were there were quite a few stalls selling food and mulled wine, and it was a really nice place to spend some time.
From there we headed down to Kampa island, which is a teeny island off of the western side of the river that divides the city. It has a nice park, and some great views of the other side of the river.
On our way to the bridge we found Lennon’s Wall, and joined the dozens of French tourists taking pictures in front of it. Then we made our way up to the bridge (this was actually fairly confusing and eventually a guard just walked us there). I was honestly not expecting much–how big of a deal can crossing an old bridge be, really? But it was so beautiful, the sun was close to setting, and there was live music playing that just heightened it all. It was definitely a, “how is this real life??” kind of moment, one of the ones that make traveling so special.
After the bridge we went back into Old Town Square, where we had a really great dinner right on the square, overlooking the market. I’d recommend being a bit picky about the restaurant you choose–so many were incredibly touristy, with the menu is dozens of languages and a bit void of heart. Instead we tried to pick one where it was mainly Czech people eating, which ended up being the right call. We ended up at Restaurant White Horse, which I highly recommend. We sat outside, because the Christmas market was a lovely view, but the inside looked incredible as well. I had Goulash and it was so, so yummy. Definitely give that a try, and the pork knuckle is meant to be delicious as well. We didn’t get to go to Svata Klara for dinner, but it’s on my list of places for if I ever return. If you go, please have dinner there and report back–it looks so cool!
We saved the actual market for the next day, and after a lie in and a detour to buy warmer jackets (it is literally freezing in Prague at that time of year, bring the heaviest winter coat you can find), we spent hours exploring the stalls, trying the food and drink (find a stall with honey wine, you won’t be disappointed!). We also used this time to go to the top of the Astronomical Clock, which is something you can’t miss. The views, especially when overlooking the market, were so pretty, and a great overview of everything you’re experiencing down below.
Prague was everything I ever dreamed a Christmas market could be, and though I see the value in visiting during other parts of the year, I’m already trying to figure out how to make annual December trips part of my life plan for the next few decades!
24 HOURS IN BRUGES
Before leaving for Belgium I heard over and over again that Brussels wasn’t worth visiting and Bruges is where we should have planned to spend most of our time. It’s the Venice of the north, they say. It’s like a fairytale. And as Venice is one of my favorite cities in the world, and the two fairytale like place I’ve visited have forever charmed me, it was hard not to have some regrets that we’d only planned a day trip.
However, I have to say I am pleased it worked out as it did. We went on a random weekend in January and Bruges was so full of tourists it almost felt like a resort. Brussels was big and exciting, and was meant to be international. Bruges was gorgeous but felt set up mainly for tourism and a day trip with the following itinerary was the perfect amount of time to see and do everything we wanted. I’m sure long term you could get off the tourist track and see the local side, but I don’t think adding a day or two would have accomplished that.
If you’re traveling by train from Brussels, note that there are stops at multiple stations in the city, so you can find the most convenient one based on where you’re staying. ALSO please note that a relatively direct train will take you about 90 minutes, and the others will take MUCH LONGER and move at what one might describe as the pace of a snail. We are obviously smart people who planned to take the fast track there… back however, we just got on the next available train. It was a mistake, but I read nearly an entire book during the never-ending journey, so at least there’s a bright side.
Upon arrival, you can follow the hordes of people to the city center. I was not expecting Bruges to be so touristy, but I swear for every local person I saw, there were ten tourists. For breakfast, we went to Marie’s House, because we heard they had good waffles. With the caveat that we weren’t able to try their signature dish, I have to say I wouldn’t recommend them. First, they don’t start serving waffles until 2:00, so you have to time it right (aka waffles aren’t breakfast for anyone in the world but Americans), but also, a bottle of ketchup randomly exploded all over us and the staff saw it all happen and did not react. They didn’t give us anything to clean it up without us having to ask, or try to replace the food or drinks that were covered in ketchup. It was all just a bit meh. Instead, you should try Books and Brunch, which sounds incredible and about which I’ve only heard good things (though be sure to have a reservation).
From there head to Markt, the main town square. Markt is gorgeous. Take some pictures of the buildings, check out the horse drawn carriages, and maybe stop into some of the bookstores. They all have an English section, and the books range from popular current fiction and non-fiction, to books about the local city, which I love.
After getting your fill of Markt, head over to Rozenhoedkaai, which is the most photographed place in Bruges. It reminded me a bit of “The Most Photographed Barn in America” from White Noise, but it was incredibly gorgeous, so again, justified.
From there, if you’re interested in getting off the beaten track and a fellow book lover, you can head to In Den Eenhoorn, which is just outside of the main part of town. I loved this walk because it felt much less touristy and a bit more like the Bruges locals see. The bookstore is huge and has books in so many different languages. We picked some up in Spanish to challenge ourselves.
There are so many cool museums, like the Torture Museum, a Dali exhibition, and the Frietmuseum which is the history of frites! After checking out some of the collections, wander a bit and take in more of the gorgeous surroundings, and if you need a break find a coffee shop to get a snack, waffle, or some tea.
Of course, you can’t forget the beer. Go to Duvelorium Grand Beer Cafe, if you have time wait for a table by the window, and enjoy your pint with a perfect view of Markt Square.
One of the chocolatiers we stopped into had a huge box (17 pieces) for a flat rate of 6.50 euros. We asked if we could fill it with less than 17 pieces, trying to exercise some form of self control, and the woman looked at us incredulously–she couldn’t begin to understand why would we ever WANT to do that. That is my kind of place.
Plan your 24 hours in Bruges well, i.e. do not take the next train but the fastest train, and you’ll leave happy you went but also feeling like you’ve seen everything you needed to see.
24 HOURS IN BRUSSELS
I was not excited or mentally prepared for this trip. It was January 20th and since Thanksgiving, I’d either been traveling or hosting straight through, and even without those factors the weekend’s schedule was daunting. We were traveling/sleeping in buses or airports both Thursday and Saturday night, and only had accommodation booked for Friday. My outlook was more defeated exhaustion than one of energetic excitement. Add in that I had not heard the best things about Brussels, and those 30 euro return tickets started to feel like more trouble than they were worth.
But! I was so wrong! Belgium was amazing. I had heard Brussels was pretty boring but Bruges would be like a fairytale, and while the latter was correct, I loved Brussels! The international vibe, the gorgeous architecture, the super nice people, the bilingual population, and also THE FOOD. So much chocolate. So many frites. And the waffles. Man, those waffles. Brussels is a chocolate and beer lovers heaven on earth.
Also we were there during Trump’s inauguration. There were trilingual protests and a fantastic women’s drumming band from Spain.
We only had a day to spend in this amazing city, and while knowing what I know now I wish I had planned more time there, I think we had a good itinerary for the time we had. Check out my itinerary for 24 hours in Brussels below.
Itinerary
First thing in the morning, head towards Grand Place. We took some pictures of the amazing square, and at this time of day the sun is out and makes the gold buildings shine in such an incredible way. It’s also central to everywhere else you’ll want to go.
From there walk just around the corner to Maison Dandoy, which is SUPER cute and delicious. It has an upstairs that feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room, and it is a great place for your first waffle experience.
And as delicious as those waffles are, one isn’t nearly enough, but that’s perfect because it leaves room for Fritland, which is AMAZING. Man do they give you an insane amount of insanely delicious frites. Not going to lie, I ate an entire order all on my own. And it was so worth it. Fritland is again, just around the corner.
After that you can wander around the area a bit heading towards Au Bon Vieux Temps, which is the oldest bar in Brussels, open for over 300 years. On the way, check out some chocolate shops, because that chocolate is amazing. The bar really actually looked like an old bar, and you could feel the history. That said, they were playing 80s pop pretty loudly, so the ambience was a bit compromised, haha. Here we took a little break, had some delicious beer, and discussed how surprised we were with how much we like the city. Maybe our expectations were really low, but we were all really enchanted.
Then you have time to wander through Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which was gorgeous but pretty expensive. My camera died, but the window displays were incredibly creative and artistic, well worth the trip. There is also a bookstore that I really wanted to check out, but we didn’t have time to stop in. If you like books, I’d check out both that and Muntpunt, a library and information center, as it is one of the coolest and most unique libraries I’ve been to.
From there, you’re right next to street full of restaurants, but most have people out front trying to force you inside. I don’t trust/like this method, and we ended up going to Chez Leon which didn’t have anyone peddling out front. I highly recommend it! The place looked small but was actually huge, made up of about 10 different cozy rooms connected by maze like hallways. The food was delicious and there was a wide variety of prices on the menu. We got the mussels, which were incredible. If you go, get the mussels.
If you feel like an after dinner walk, Grand Place is beautiful lit up at night, and well worth the quick stroll.
After that we headed back to our hostel, Meininger Hotel, which I also recommend. The common areas were really lively, there was a bar, a kitchen, and our rooms were comfortable and well designed (each bed had a plug and a personal light). At $25 a night in the city center, it’s fairly priced, and they also let us hang in the common room until 4 am on our last night, even though we hadn’t booked a room. We had an early night partly because we hadn’t slept at all the night before, but also because we were waking up early the next day to go to Bruges!
Like I said, I hadn’t expected much from Brussels, and while I do think we got a great feel for the city and saw the most important parts, looking back I would have planned to stay longer. I wanted to check out the flea market and the EU Parliament. Guess it’s just another city I’ll have no choice but to return to!