From Ashes to Airports – The Start of Something New

June was the worst month of my life.

It started with my camera gear getting stolen. Then my house burned down.

In a matter of hours, almost everything I owned was gone. My cameras. My books. My clothes. All the little pieces that made up daily life — turned to ash.

But even in the middle of all that loss, something incredible happened: people showed up.

Friends. Family. Strangers. They rallied around me, and they made sure that one thing I’d been holding onto — the solo Europe trip I’d been planning for months — could still happen.

On the morning I left, my old roommate Andrea texted to say she was stopping by. She showed up with a breakfast burrito from my favorite spot and the kind of emotional support you don’t forget.

Andrea sending me off

Then the travel chaos began. My flight was delayed. I got bumped from first class to economy. My seat wouldn’t recline. And I landed in Amsterdam with only 45 minutes to make a connection that should’ve had a two-hour cushion.

Flight path

Thankfully, customs was waiting for me. They literally pulled me out of the crowd and fast-tracked me so I could sprint to the gate. I was the last person to board the flight to Prague.

While racing through Amsterdam, I still managed to catch this perfect little airport detail:

The First thing i saw in Amsterdam and it made me smile

After landing in Prague, I had grand visions of exploring immediately — but jet lag had other plans. Day one was just me fighting to stay awake until 9 p.m. Still, I caught my first real glimpse of the city.

First look at the castle while taking the train to my hostel

This trip didn’t start the way I planned — but maybe that’s the point. I’m not carrying the life I had before; I’m building something new.

Thanks for following along. More to come.