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Showing posts from February, 2009

Sunday morning

Totally lacking imagination for the name of this post. Here I am over a week back. I'm still not sleeping well - waking up very early. I think it's a combination of jeglag (not wanting to let go of English time) and the stress of the past week at work. We won't go into that here...let's just say one more week and then it's over. I made a decision while on vacation that will affect my bank balance but make my life happier. Yep, cutting down my retirement working hours. There are a lot of other options out there. I intend to make my life simpler as well - how much simpler I can go is a question mark as I don't have a car nor do I own property - both matters of choice. A friend at work told me about the blog of a lady who has retired and is living in Mexico -I am now addicted to reading it each day and to me her life sounds idyllic. Like me she does housesitting and petsitting. I think I would like to try it in a few years once my working days are

She's outta control

Yep I am - spent most of the morning booking flights. Tried to use my NWA points to fly into North Carolina and out of Vegas with a cheap flight in between but they won't let me do that. I have to go in and out of the same area. Snarl....hiss! So luckily snagged a seat sale on West Jet to and from Vegas and then booked my freebie air miles flight to North Carolina. I was ready to punch my fist thrugh the computer screen though as my computer kept crashing when I would go to complete my purchase on the NWA site. If I booked it on the phone they would have charged me an extra $20 so I kept trying - I am cheap when it comes to stuff like that what can I say. So in just one month and one day I am off for two weeks in North Carolina to visit my oldest friend Linda and her family. Can't wait!!! Gonna be fun, fun, fun and I will get my ocean fix too. As long as Al the Alligator stays in their backyard pond and doesn't join me for my morning coffee life will be good.

What can I say

Less than 48 hours home and already working on the next trip. I managed to score not one but two tickets (one for my friend Pat) to see Paul McCartney in Las Vegas April 19th. He is opening up a new night club in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - standing room only seats. I GOTTA BE FRIGGIN NUTS!!!!! So now I am working out how to get there from North Carolina where I will be visiting my good friend Linda and then home on air miles - the back home on air miles isn't working too well. Ah well.....it's fun to be insane.

Three countries in one day

Yep we all knew I am a jetsetter but you know you are when you have three currencies in your wallet and using them all the same day. Morning came early yesterday...after enjoying the musical "Mama Mia" the night before I got up to discover that the fuse had blown at the B & B and except for my bedside lamp which was plugged into an outlet that wasn't affected the whole second floor was in darkness. Oh goodie - so I had my shower with just the light from outside (which at 5 a.m. isn't much) and worried about getting my "bag from hell" down the stairs in the dark. My fears were unfounded as I heard footsteps as I was getting dressed so Simon obviously knew about it and the problem was fixed. The taxi arrived on time and got me to the airport in half an hour flat. I was impressed. Haven't spent that much on a taxi but wow it was worth it. Had my last cappucino at Costa Coffee. :( The flight to Minneapolis was all right but I've had better. A whole &

Fantasy time

Well today started off windy and rainy but while it's still cold and windy the sun has come out. After waiting for a taxi forever we finally got into Worthing and did a bit of shopping. I was let loose in Marks and Spencer and for lunch we are going to have Roasted Mushroom and carmelised onion pie and vegetable casserole with parsley dumplings - with brussel sprouts. And for dessert a hot apple crumble with double cream. Slurp! Can't wait!!! I was able to go down to the beach and take some piccies of the English channel - so that was fun. Hope I didn't embarass Judi TOO much with my excitement!!! :) I have already decided that Judi should get a dog and I will come over and look after it when she goes on holidays. Tonight it's back to London and two more days before my wonderful holiday comes to an end. I will be so busy running around I might not have time to blog!!!

Chilling with champagne

Here I am in Lancing, W. Sussex with Judi - drinking champagne - it's a tough life. We are having a great visit and setting the world right. I am boring her with stories about my trip!! It's pouring buckets out there but we are snug and warm inside. I am spoiled and Judi is fixing roast chicken, potatoes and veggies for supper tonight. Double episode of Corrie tonight - life is good!! Tomorrow we will probably go into Brighton IF THE WEATHER BEHAVES and then back to London tomorrow night. Hey, not complaining about the weather as next week at this time I will be freezing my ass off!!!

Another day in paradise

Okay not quite....but had an enjoyable day. Not too cold here today - no wind anyway. It was a park day today - Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. I started off the day going to the doggie area at the park in Muswell Hill but only one dog to stalk...how sad. Anyway I sat outside in hope and had a coffee but nobody showed up. Oh well.... What can I say.....sounds like a boring day as not much to talk about and am very tired but it was good.

A foodie day

Am full to bursting after a day of good food. Started this morning at the Borough market - well I wandered around and got myself a brownie (best brownie in the world..devoured it this afternoon) and a small bag of cherry tomatoes. I had a cooked breakfast at a nearby cafe as the market was too cold to spend any time in - had bubble and squeak which is potatoes with cooked vegetables in. Very good!! I then jumped on the bus and went to Hackney...just because....wanted to see what it looked like. I stopped to look at a church and was reading the description when a lady came up to me and said they are with the church and help those less fortunate and asked if I wanted any hot soup or coffee. I said no thank you and she said are you sure and patted my arm and I said no thanks I can buy my own soup. She said if you are sure and looked so concerned. Geesh I know my jacket is getting a bit travel weary and my hair was wind blown but didn't think I looked that down and out!!!! B

Hi from Oxford

Am in Oxford now - decided to go for it for a change of scene. It was snowing when I arrived so walked around and took photographs of the snow. Then I looked in the shops and had lunch at the covered market. Lots of book shops here so I was in heaven - I got a copy of one of my favourite travel writers new book and she is supposed to be at the travel show tomorrow so hope to get it autographed. All about her dog sledding in the Yukon - nothing like going to England to buy a book about Canada!! My bus leaves in about an hour and a half so decided to pop in and check up on email and blog. The bus was very clean and it is the law here to do up seatbelts so felt much more secure than riding the hound. Plus the trip was much shorter than my usual hound trips - less than two hours. I bought a cherry loaf from a bakery in the market and I am salivating - can't wait to get back to the B & B and make a cup of tea and have a piece...or two. I hope it is as good as it looks. I

Chaos in Cairo

Well an early start - Lorraine and Mark knocked on my door and said a final goodbye and I was dressed and ready to go. (they were due to be picked up at 6:30) A few minutes later my phone rang and the taxi was there for me even though it wasn't booked until 7. So off I went - got to the airport at 7:15 and the airline did not open up until 8 a.m. They would not let me into the check in area - it was secured with a guard who would not let me in. So had to sit and wait. Finally got checked in but only got a boarding pass as far as Cairo as my flight to London was with BMI - part of the Star Alliance with Egypt Air. (as Air Canada is) The flight to Cairo was okay and I even got a meal (free) for the 75 min. flight - which was a lucky thing. In Cairo we got to arrivals and all transits were bussed to the transit area. As I was walking in a fellow looked at my ticket and said "flight cancelled, bad weather London - number three, get luggage and go to hotel". I am like

Back in London

Nightmare trip back but made it. Will post more on it later. It was a gong show in Cairo - I flew from Amman via Cairo and the flight was cancelled due to snow here and talk about disorganized there. Yikes. I spent yesterday in bed as have a bad cold and felt horrid. Today is a bit better - my legs are a bit shaky but desparate times call for desparate measures. I have no clean clothes - your clothes get very dirty/sandy/dusty in the Middle East!!! So off to the laundromat to spend another ten pounds again. The snow is melting now (although the park opposite me is still covered and kids were out making snowmen yesterday) but guess it was a nightmare on Monday. Supposed to be more later this week...oh goodie. Things come to a standstill here as they are just not prepared for it. I am due to go to Oxford tomorrow on Megabus - had booked my pound each way trip a few weeks back. Will see how I feel - had planned to do a 10km walk there but can't see that happening but I

Amman

Here I am in Amman, Jordan - my last full day in the Middle East as I fly back to London tomorrow. It's been a great tour and such a positive thing for me - full of all sorts of new experiences, making new friends, seeing fantastic sights, learning more about a culture so foreign from ours but learning we are all the same inside. It's been great. Some of the people on our tour have been having a problem with accomodations, food, etc. but when you stay in hostels and the bathroom is down the hall you can put up with anything. Hey, I get my own bathroom every night to myself - yay. I thought we are going to have a mutiny on our hands last night - you get what you pay for. Must confess I was just at Mickey D's as it's close to the hotel. Never thought I'd do that as I hate it but oh well...tonight is our farewell dinner with the group so should be fun. Up early tomorrow as I get taken to the airport at 7 a.m. It will be sad to say goodbye to everyone knowin