ALEP really got my mind cranking. It was, in my mind, a perfect weekend. I don't use that term much, but it felt perfect. Joy and pleasure all wrapped up into a few wonderful days of bliss.

Since then, I got home and started working on my Celtic Invasion of Italy. I already have six people signed up for the trip, and haven't even gotten a forms from five people who have originally asked to be part of the trip. Thus, it is pretty much sold out.

Wow! What a thought!

I am thinking I might expand the number of attendees a little bit. But I can't do a lot, else transportation becomes a total nightmare. But the trip looks amazing.

So now, I'm prematurely thinking of future trips. Scotland and Prince Edward Island (yay! Anne of Green Gables fans!) are both on my mind as places I would really love to do next year if this first trip's organization doesn't turn into a total nightmare. In 2010, I was thinking of France, taking mules into the Grand Canyon and maybe even New Zealand. Plus, beaches in Florida, Australia, Yellowstone, Ludvig's castles, Sweden, Norway, ahhhh the possibilities are endless. And that doesn't even touch the Far East.

(If you have thoughts or suggestions please post them!)

I just love traveling. And it's so exciting to see the many opportunities opened by doing these trips.

The break from ALEP also brought about a bit of reality to me, that moving might not offer that fulfillment that I'm hoping it will. I am moving ultimately because I want to find a community to call home (among many other reasons). That's one of the exciting things about the Celtic Invasions, the possibility of creating my own community, for short-periods of time, around the world.

Ultimately, I am looking for a place to settle down though. So my cats don't need to be on the road. And a good community to call my own, even while I'm gallivanting around the globe. A place much like The Shire that I experienced at ALEP would be lovely. It was happiness and those fond memories will stay with me a lifetime.