One of the most beautiful places on earth….home.

For me, my life is just starting. I have spent the past 20 years having the time of my life ticking most things off that bucket list that I drew up when I was just 16 years of age. I have travelled the world over and over again, bought every material possession I have ever cared to own and have a wealth of experience in business. But the most important accomplishment is my family and friends.

My family are the most down to earth, loyal people you could ever meet. They put no pressure on me to conform and are always there to hold my hand whenever I need them to be. As a first generation Australian and possibly the last generation Australian, I have been blessed over and over again with the diversity of my family, the different cultures that inhibit the different members of my family and the fact that each of them are such good, kind, generous people.

With this in mind, I am spending my birthday in Europe, with my family, in Pirovac, Croatia, connecting with my family members some of which don’t speak English. Pirovac is still very much a village with less than 1846 people. It is the place where my father has been buried and one of the most beautiful beachside towns in all of Croatia.

I will spend time with every member of my family, try poorly to speak Croatian, eat and drink local wine and cuisine made my family members and soak up the rays of sunshine in one of the most stunning places on earth.

I can’t wait to be told “that (sic) I am too skinny” over and over again by the elders in the family who will try and fatten me up, nor can I wait to hear the stories of yesterday.