It's a little belated, but happy New Year to all of you on this planet. Hopefully it supplied for you all the things it's supposed to, like champaigne and kisses.

The run down on my trip to Barcelona.

• Barcelona is a very busy tourist mecca.
• Not coincidentally, my brother and his girlfriend, a South African and an Italian, and the person who connected the latter two to us, my sister, all happened to be there as well.
• Gaudi's (an architect) La Segrada Familia (a building) was absolutely awesome. Over 100 years into it's construction it's about half done, but what's there is already magnificent. A photo which can't do it justice here.
• We met a girl from Wallonia at a bar. For most this may not be interesting, but for some meeting a Walloon is a cause for joy.
• It turns out my family can hold their own in the party stakes. Many bottles of spirits and beer were consumed between the six of us and fun was had by all.
• If you're getting ripped off by a dodgy Spaniard, it helps to have an assertive South African with you. Noone says "You are f*cking with the wrong guy" like someone with a strong Afrikaans accent.

New Years Eve itself started off incredibly well. We walked around Barcelona drinking until midnight chatting to random Italian ladies about their red underwear. Then after midnight we met up with the Walloon again at a bar packed full of Australian, American, Belgian, English etc. tourists, and no locals. It was like one big happy family. Then I left that bar and walked the streets again in the company of a couple of American girls. They liked me because I discouraged dodgy Spaniards from groping them, and I liked them because I could try to sell them to almost as dodgy Italian men.

All was going well until about 5 hours into the new year, when my wallet was flogged. I pursued the evil pickpocket, but gave up when I saw it handed over (possibly) and realised they were taking me into a scary area of town. To add injury to insult I was tackled at some point during the chase and did a little damage to my knee. So I limped home walletless, alone, and quite bitter.

I was very happy to get back to Estonia, which now feels very much like home. Money is only a temporary minor issue, but the biggest buggers are losing the contact details of some cool people I'd met in my travels, and my drivers licence. We were planning to drive to the world cross country skiing championships, but now have to miss the first day because we have to take a bus.

The worst part is that it was a bad ending to a very good night.

My photos from the trip can be found here.

Wally