Change of Plans?

One of the things I really try to do every year is visit somewhere I've never been before. Last year was Vietnam, the year before was South Africa and the year before that was New Zealand. This year I decided I was going to Ireland.

I've always wanted to go to Ireland. My dad was part Irish (but born in Canada) and I'd heard how beautiful it was there and it is just one of those places that really intrigues me. In fact, I thought Ireland would be a great place to go on a honeymoon (I have NO idea why) so I never really planned a trip there, but always thought I would go one day. Well.... the thing is, I still want to go and at the rate I'm going, I'll be dead before I ever go on a honeymoon, so I thought - what the fuck? Why am I waiting? If you want to go - just go.

And so... I've been tentatively planning in my head to go to Ireland this August, but I haven't done anything concrete yet - like buy a plane ticket (but I have bought a Lonely Planet...). And see, the problem with tentative is, it's just that, tentative. It leaves you open to changes....

So, the other day I was in the local Newsagent's/book store and came across a coffee table book put out by the Lonely Planet group: it's a picture book of all the cities in the world and each city has two pages devoted to it. (Let me tell you, they don't do Toronto justice, however, my Scottish friend thinks they're bang on for Glasgow.) As I was flipping through the pages, I came across the pages for Katmandu.

I want to go there.

I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, I should hold off on Ireland a little while longer and go to Nepal this year instead of Ireland. I mulled this over in my head for a while and was almost at the deciding point when I read the newspapers. Know what was in the headlines the next day? Protests, rioting and deaths in Nepal.

Thinking my change of plans need to be changed again. Ireland is now back on the agenda.