Jet lagged but sunny!

Caitlin Moran, 'How To Be A Woman' is brilliant. I started reading her book on Wednesday in Heathrow. At one point, while discussing how ridiculous it is that fashion in popular culture is dictated by the porn industry, she makes a comparison about pubic hair in a porn film with the Mitchel Brothers from Eastenders and a funny shaped sausage. I laughed out loud on the plane.

Every woman needs to read this book.

Me and Sharon (the wonderful woman who bought me Caitlin Moran for Christmas), at the airport

So I am jetlagged, and therefore woke up at 6.00am, unable to get back to sleep. Then the neighbouring Hari Krishnas started up with their chimes and chanting and after that there was no going back. Might retaliate one morning by playing 'Do The Bart Man' by The Simpsons like Mum and Dad did to those students when we were on holiday in France in 1992. 

To make up for my early start, I have been trying to write my blog coherently and in an interesting manner, but keep coming out with, 'and then we did this, and then we did this..'

I was pretty ill until yesterday. The food on the plane was wretched. I landed and just assumed I was soo tired it meant I wasn't feeling well. And then carried on with the day, wasn't able to eat.. basically I was exposed to Korean Airways food for 24 hours which consisted of a strong smell and taste of sesame seeds. It might take a while for me to ever want to eat Thai/ Pan Asian food again. *shudders*

Note: Don’t try to ‘embrace the experience’ of any form of foreign food you are not used to eating if it is being presented to you in square portions on a long haul flight.

Worst breakfast ever

I tried to get on with things regardless. Loz had planned a very chilled out day of checking out the local area in Parramatta, then a film ('Strictly Ballroom'!), then some food for dinner. Ploughed through, but properly felt like I'd left my personality on a Korean Airways flight and wasn't sure when I was going to be able to retrieve it.

Yesterday we headed out to Cockatoo Island on the Parramatta ferry, Loz and Josh pointing out all things 'historical' all the way.

 Cockatoo Island is, ‘.. the largest island in Sydney Harbour. Located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, Cockatoo Island is a former imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and gaol..’http://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/about/index.html

Sydney Harbour Bridge from Cockatoo Island

It’s pretty cool- there are these huge bunkers and warehouses still intact from when they were used in the first part of last century. Very atmospheric and some clever clogs over here thought they should be used as a venue for an arts installation. Everywhere you walk, there are these amazing huge murials and graffiti images. In the past it has been used as a music festival venue (much like the Warehouse Project in Manchester) but due to logistics (lots of people getting ferries?) I gather that hasn’t happened for a few years. 

Art Campaign to save the endangered Tasmanian Devil

We then headed out to Balmain, which is a bit like West Didsbury in the sun, near the sea. Really nice. Bought tasty designer macroons (Mojito flavour? Yes please!)

Posh Macroons made by man from Master Chef Australia

And there is sunshine. Apparently Sydney is having a 'cold' summer, but to me it's perfect. Sunny with a few clouds, but hot enough to be comfortable on a beach and sit outside in the sun on a ferry. 

It was only yesterday that I started to feel better, which was nice because it meant I could go out with Loz last night to meet her friend who is getting married next week. The bride to be is a graphic designer who has created a lot of things for the wedding, so we helped her do some crafty bits of the service arrangements. She has very kindly invited me to the afternoon tea on her wedding day too!:)

So apart from Korean food and a few pesky cockroaches (I encountered one in the toilet this morning- not fun) it's really good so far. I'll start looking for a job sometime in the next two weeks. 

We have a few options for New Years Eve, still to be confirmed, but as long as I am with nice people and a glass of wine outside, I’ll be happy.

I hope everyone else’s seasonal plans are going well, xx

Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas! (Travel Eve)

Well, I’m not sure I’ve mentioned it enough at parties/gatherings/on facebook/ when talking to bus drivers etc – I’m going away to Australia! And going with the natural path of such a journey, I am going to try and write a blog. ‘Try’ being the operative word as I tend to get crazy busy and leave such things to one side, but I’m hoping this project will be a bit different.

It’s not a decision that came out of the blue - I’ve wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand since I was a teenager, and I did go at the end of 2007 for a 3 week holiday. 2 weeks in the North Island of NZ and 1 week in Sydney. And I have wanted to go back ever since.

  

Tomorrow (Boxing Day), I will fly out of Manchester to London, then London to Seoul, then Seoul to Sydney where my lovely friend Loz will collect my jetlagged self at the airport. I cannot wait to see her!

My rough plan is work in Sydney, then travel to New Zealand (both North & South Island), maybe head over to Fiji and then back to Australia – I’ll see where the road takes me after that. Back into Manchester end of August.  

Buying the ticket was an interesting day. I only planned to pop in and look at prices… I had been dressed as a sailor in the Manchester Pride parade with my good friends Paddy and Richard (if you do one thing in your life, take part in a parade- it’s amazing!).

After chair dancing in Paddys silver truck to ‘Y.M.C.A’ along Sackville Street in Manchester, I took off my sailor hat, changed into more suitable shoes and headed to the travel agents. It was only after hhmming and ahhhing about prices, dates and making a payment that the lady behind the desk asked me, ‘So, why are you covered in glitter?’. Ooops..

And since then things have been hectic.  I’ve played a vampire slayer in a play (‘Once Bitten!’), left my house, sold my little car (Cecil) for scrap as I wasn’t sure what else could fall off/fail/break/rattle, left my job and now I am staying (stranded?) at my parents house, typing a blog on Christmas Day. 

 This last month has been like one long leaving do. Note: You should always live like you’re about to go to Australia* - I’ve seen and met so many amazing friends, visited places I love, both new and old to me, danced, laughed, done things I wouldn’t normally do and just made the most of my time.

So Manchester, I am leaving you on an absolute high- thank you!

Bring on the travelling..

Natalie, Myself and Mark at my leaving do..