And then I'm gone

My brain is properly melted since coming back from Granada. I can't seem to put together two coherent sentences, can't be bothered to go out clubbing with my friends in London and even in Ireland didn't get up to much debauchery. Just drank whiskey and tea and went to the theater (we saw Sweeney Todd at the Gate theater and it was amazing).

It's getting to be time for me to go back home. I'm kind of ready for it frankly though my definition of home has changed a bit along the way. Now, when my travel fatigue is taking over and I long for home I feel like Munich or Granada would do just as well as Seattle. In fact right this minute either of those places would do better than Seattle. If I could afford to, which I guess technically I could but then I'd go back home to no job and with no money in savings to see me through until I found a job, but if money weren't an issue, I'd go back to Munich or Granada and stay another couple weeks. In fact if money weren't an issue I might stay indefinitely.

It is time for me to get back to Seattle though, I'll be leaving London on Tuesday, and I thought a list might be in order, of countries I've been in, cities I've visited, attractions and events I've seen, people I've met and things I've done in the last couple months in Europe. A retrospective.
I've been in 10 different countries in the last month and a half:

Switzerland
Italy
Lichtenstein
Austria
Germany
Czech Republic
England
France
Spain
Ireland

I only drove through Lichtenstein and Austria, and France I was only in for about 12 hours and Italy for less, but the rest I visited properly.

I've been to the tallest viewpoints in many of these places:

I went to the Olympia Tower in Munich, I rode on the London Eye, and went to the top of the Chimney Tower in Dublin (but I didn't go up the TV tower in Prague).

I saw live theater in both London (We Will Rock You) and Dublin (Sweeney Todd).

I ate crap food in Germany and France but pretty good food in London, Ireland and the Czech Republic. Spain had okay food and absolutely fantastic tea.

I met some amazing people in Munich who will, hopefully, be lifelong friends and I also got to hang out in London with some of my best mates from back home.

I saw live music in East Germany but didn't end up seeing any in Munich, London or Ireland.

I drank more beer and whiskey than likely in the rest of my life combined...well, maybe not more beer, but definitely more whiskey. And my first ever Jager shot (and second, third and fourth). Interestingly, I drank no gin at all.

I saw the Paris-Roubaix. Stood right next to the pave and watched Tom Boonen ride by in the heat and the dust.

I saw palaces and castles in Bellinzona, Munich, Prague and Granada. I saw cathedrals in cities all over Europe. Granada has the best of both by the way.

I talked about politics, philosophy, books, movies, music, sex, religion, love, commitment and the weather with some amazing people.

I saw a ton of cute furry animals. Dogs everywhere in Spain. Dogs almost never on leashes anywhere I went. Birds everywhere in Spain too. Not to mention herds of deer just setting in fields by the side of the road or train tracks (and once in a park). Stray cats at the Alhambra. Tons of livestock including flocks of sheep, highland cattle, horses, pigs and goats.

I've walked over about a million cobblestones, nearly destroying a brand new pair of shoes in under a week.

I've learned that I prefer buses to trains (by a lot).

I've nearly gotten over my fear of flying (after 8 flights in 6 weeks).

I've sent two care packages back to the friends in the States and many postcards.

I bought souvenir paintings of Prague and Granada (my two favorite cities in Europe so far), and had my name painted in Arabic.

I took over 1500 pictures.

I've gained a brother (or two, or five).

I've acquired the taste for beer and whiskey.

I'm going to certainly come back to Seattle as one of those obnoxious world traveling people who insists that people in the States just don't know what real beer is (or real chocolate).

I'm ready to be done travelling, but I'm not ready to leave Europe behind me. I'm already trying to plan my next trip back here (to Sweden next time).