saving vs travelling

At what point do people pack up, run away and live from their savings? Do they budget enough to come back to some money or just live until the money dries up and then make their sullen way back to reality?

At the moment I am working and saving. Although I get to have the odd break away every month or so, the idea of just having no job for a couple of months and bag packing around the world is very appealing to me. I know so many people who can tell me countless stories of travel and although at the moment I am working abroad I will never have that freedom until I am jobless.

The debate of money vs memories is a constant struggle in my head, in ten years time will I be happier to look upon a big bank balance or to reminisce on all those great times I had whilst having no responsibilities and not a care in the world?

For now I am not going anywhere in terms of quitting my job but it’s a nice thought to have, maybe one day I will do such a thing. What about you? Any previous thoughts or experiences on the matter? I would love to hear about them in the comments section. Dan.

the 5 best concerts i’ve ever been too

During a recent conversation with a customer about music I mentioned that I had recently been to see Pearl Jam in the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam. We then got onto the topic of the best concerts we have ever been to. While I can’t decide on a particular order to place these concerts here are my top five.

Some of these bands I’ve seen more than once so it’s hard to differentiate between each concert.

The Foo Fighters, Rock en Seine festival, Paris 2011 & Tennents Vital festival, Belfast 2012

Unquestionably my favorite band and the second time I seen the Foos I went with one of my best friends, we drove for about four hours to get to the gig, I had a couple of beers but we were sober for the whole thing and we rocked our hearts out for a three hour gig then made the long journey home afterwards.  An unforgettable night.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The 02, Dublin 2011 & Croke Park, Dublin 2012

The first time I seen the Chilis I went with the same guy I went to the foo fighters concert with. The second I went with my dad and brother as a Father’s Day gift. Each time I seen them they were electric, what a gig. Such energy and enthusiasm from these guys after all those years, the kind of band you have to see live.

Vampire Weekend, Oxegen festival, Kildare 2010

A rainy summers day did not dampen the spirits of this indie rock outfit. This show stands out from all the other artists I seen that weekend and have seen since. Unfortunately they have not returned to Ireland since. A relatively new band at the time of the show they had only released their second album, since then they have released one more. Absolutely a band you have to listen to.

Imagine Dragons, The Olympia, Dublin 2013

According to their bio the imagine dragons are an alternative pop band, and listening to their album you could say that. But after this gig with just over 1000 people I would say they are a bit more rockier than they get credit for because these guys were phenomenal they absolutely blew the roof off of the minute Olympia theater. My favorite thing about this gig was how much they would jam and improvise, and for me this is what made such a remarkable show.

U2, Croke Park, Dublin 2005 & 2009

Each time I seen U2 in concert they were amazing. The first time my Dad took me and the second time I went with my whole family so I have great memories of these concerts. U2 are one of those bands with countless classic songs so when you hear some of these ballads live there is a certain awe to it.

So that’s it.  My top five concerts, although I’ve actually included eight. I would love to hear what you guys think in the comments section. Tell me about the best concert you’ve ever been to. Dan.

 
 

coffee shops

Im sitting here in a hipster coffee shop surrounded by creative types with sketchbooks and laptops, drinking some slow filtered Colombian coffee beans.

As of late I find myself flocking to these new age, independent coffee houses. They offer a much more chilled out atmosphere, some great music that you’ve probably never heard of, and a cool barista who knows all there is to know about the multiple kinds of coffee beans that they currently have available.

Recently I have ditched any milk, cream or sugar from my coffee and started to drink espressos or slowly filtered coffee. Learning to taste different coffee beans and I have discovered one important thing, if you are drinking good coffee then you do not need to add anything to it.

How is the inner coffee monster in you? Have you tried drinking ‘the baristas favourite’, an espresso? As always feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comment section, I look forward to hearing your opinions. Dan.

The featured image in this post has been taken from my Instagram account – danphillips13

the pros and cons of being a barman

I have been a barman for about three years now and I’ve been working full time in the job for about a year. There was a time when I was hugely passionate about this trade although I’m beginning to rethink it now. However that is not to say that I do not enjoy my job, like every job it has it’s pros and cons.

Pros

Let’s be honest at the best of times it is a fun job, there is usually a good atmosphere behind the bar when you are working with like minded people, especially in an Irish bar abroad when everybody is here with the same attitude, to travel and have some fun.

The customers. I am constantly meeting new people from all corners of the globe, whether they are passing through or like myself have emigrated from their own countries. Its always great to get a perspective on life, different cultures and mind sets from all of these diverse people.

No commitments outside of work, at the moment we are all working crazy hours because of the World Cup but normally we just work our contracted 43 hours and then that’s it, as a barman I don’t have any commitments outside of those hours so it’s nice to be able to enjoy your time off work, and it’s exactly that, time off.

Normally it’s a fairly easy job, to an extent. True, bartending is not for everybody and things can get fairly intense behind that counter on a Saturday night but usually I find my job to be relatively easy, and for the moment that’s perfect for me.

Cons

Although I don’t think being a bartender is a terribly tough job it is definitely a tiring one. Being on your feet all of the time and running around for people with a tray full of drinks can certainly be arduous.

The hours. Lately the hours have been insane. With some weeks piling up as high as 55-60, which in my opinion is way to many, and I for one would certainly rather have my two days off per week than some extra overtime pay.

The customers. Yes I already mentioned the customers as a pro but not all of them fall into that category, yes the majority of people can offer a stimulating, thought-provoking conversation. However, give some people a few drinks and they are quick to show you their not so charming selves.

Overall I quite enjoy my job and i hope I do not come across to sour about it. I think working in the service industry is something everybody should do for a while, it would give some people an insight on how to treat their fellow human beings. Also it helps people develop a vital life skill; the art of making conversation with complete strangers, in my opinion a valuable key in life.

Maybe one day I will return to college and leave the world of bartending behind but for now I definitely believe this time abroad working the bar is serving me well. What about you? Do you have any experience in the industry, what are your thoughts? I would love to hear them in the comments section. Dan.

the 5 best things about living in a city

I left Ireland almost seven months ago to the day. I’ve been here in Antwerp for about two months. Since then I have certainly grown to appreciate this city and city life in general, let me tell you why. 

1. Great coffee at your doorstep

There are coffee shops, restaurants and bars everywhere. In particular there is one place just across the street from my apartment called ‘Caffe Mundi’ here they have an excellent selection of about six different coffee beans at any given time, which is great for an espresso drinker who wants to try out new things. 

2. There’s a certain open-mindedness among people

Different people everywhere, everywhere you go there are different styles and trends all blending seamlessly together. For the past twelve years there has been an Irish Pub and an alternative rock/grunge type late bar next door to each other, both bartenders and customers getting on perfectly despite their differences in lifestyle choices. 

3. It’s never to late to do anything

When you work in a bar that serves until 4am you would think that there is very little to do when you finish work. However compare us to some places and we actually close quite early. Kebab shops and Frituurs (Belgian chip shops) open till 6am, the late bars serving until 8am just as the early bars begin to open, night shops open practically 24/7 which are basically just overpriced supermarkets.

4. A certain unfamiliarity

Outside my apartment is the ‘Grote Markt’ which literally means ‘Grand Market’, every day there is something different happening there, a couple of weeks ago we had the world city mountain bike championships, last week we had a giant screen and a couple of thousand people for the Belgium vs Russia World Cup group stage game, and every second day it seems there is an antique fair or some sort of market. 

Grote Markt – Antwerp

5. The beauty of an old city like Antwerp

Antwerp and a lot of other old European cities have a certain aged beauty to them. The old architecture has stood the test of time, for example standing at about a thousand years old is the ‘Cathedral of Our Lady’, A city like Antwerp doesn’t receive to much press even though every where you look there is something magnificent to see and that is one of the many reasons I love it. 

Catherdral of Our Lady – Antwerp

At this stage I believe city life is perfect for me, maybe one day I will desire something more peaceful and quiet, how do you feel about living in a city? Dan.

All pictures featured in this post have been taken from my Instagram account – danphillips13

here we go

Once upon a time about five years ago I ran a blog. It was something I really enjoyed, somewhere along the way I stopped and it got lost in the vast extent of the web. Here’s to another shot at it. Dan.