What next?

Some of you might be wondering what exactly I'm up to, since I've finished my degree but have failed to vacate the country. Well, that is a very good question. I started applying for jobs, and actually got an offer at a renewable energy consultancy in Glasgow, but turned it down. And at this point, to be honest, I don't exactly know what I want to do next. I have a couple ideas though.

Aaron and I have a new flat in Edinburgh, so I plan on staying in Scotland for at least a few more months. I'm working with my advisor on shaping my dissertation into a paper to try to get it published in a peer-reviewed journal -- which would be very cool. I'm going to try to take some time to do some of the travelling I meant to do this year but never got around to. For starters, my friend and I will be hiking the Great Glen Way, a 73 mile trail from Inverness to Fort William, starting tomorrow (I'm on a computer in the hostel we're staying at in Inverness right now). After that, I'd like to do some travelling in France, Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales...and maybe a couple more places. In between all the travelling I may try to do some temp jobs to keep the cash flowing.

Aaron and I are also toying with the idea of taking an extended trip to Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. That will require much more planning, obviously, and perhaps more serious saving of money beforehand. But its an idea, and doing this travelling now, before I get another full-time job is an opportunity I want to at least consider.

So that is what I'm doing and thinking now. Who knows; by next week I might have a totally different plan. But I figured I could update whoever out there in cyberspace cares on what I've been up to.

Wish me luck on my first 19.5 miles of hiking tomorrow!