Saturday, June 18, 2005

We're outta here!

Tomorrow we are leaving for our little Eastern Europe jaunt. I am exteremely excited and happy, although admittedly a little nervous.It's just great to be getting away for a reasonably substantial length of time, going to places I've never been that fascinate me, and doing the whole backpacking/travelling thing that I've missed so much in the year since my last proper trip. It's a bit scary to be going somewhere where I speak literally none of the language, and, I suppose, somewhere that is seen as quite volatile, although it is definitely pretty safe to go there (as I keep reassuring people whose first reaction is 'isn't there a war there?') But it will also be very very interesting, very very different, and, I hope, good fun. Provided we don't get too horrendously lost or mugged or kidnapped or something..... Which I'm sure we won't. Hopefully we will also manage not to argue too much as well, since I think that's the real risk. Graeme hasn't done this sort of travelling before, so I hope he can hack it. I'm sure he will. He's not exactly a wuss so it shouldn't be a problem.

Anyway, I am going to continue making lists and packing and getting train times of the internet and generally being exteremely excited in every way. I am such a geek when it comes to travelling, I love every little bit, even getting to the airport. And getting snacks for the journey. And making lists of things to see. And everything really. I feel all giddy and silly! Which is quite nice really. Perhaps I will try and post in this blog whilst I'm away, although it won't be much because i think we will have more exciting things to do!

Saturday, June 04, 2005

still here!

Damnit, I have already become lame and irregular in my blogging! In my defence, I have had eff all time in the last week or so, and absolutely none where I've had the computer to myself, no one reading over my shoulder, and been in the right frame of mind. Things have all been going horribly wrong and messed up since coming home, well, since before coming home really but it's only just come to a head. But I don't feel this is the place to rant about it so I will gloss over that.

Last Thursday night (wow feels like years ago now) was amazing. In a kitsch ironic way of course. We went to see DR KARL KENNEDY from Neighbours with his band at Walkabout. Oh good lord it was fabulous. If you are sad Neigbours obsessive. Which I am of course. It was basically a fifty year old bloke and some mates playing bad cover versions of cheesy songs, but with hundreds of young women screaming like crazy because he's in Neigbours. A beautiful thing. He did a cover of a McFly song that I can't remember the name of because it's shit, and adapted the lyrics to talk about Izzy and Susan. Amazing. At one point the blessed Karl was just dancing around the stage with a tambourine. Beautiful. I got wasted and stood on a chair screaming and singing along. The next day I got up at 1.30pm, watched Neighbours, threw up twice, went back to bed and got up again at 5.30. Being a student is great.

Unfortunately now I am not a student, I am a shop worker living with my parents, and this is horrendous. It aggravates all other bad things and makes them unbearable. Even though it's only for a few weeks. Never mind though. Work isn't too bad, although I was crap today cos I am sleepy after going to Anna's last night and eating fairy cakes. And, most excitingly, we (few girls from work) are going to have a knitting evening on Wednesday! How good is that! I have to be the teacher which is quite scary, but it is fabulous and amazing. People to knit with! Unbelievable! And I have decided Sarah at work is actually the loveliest girl on earth, and very similar to me. And Australian which makes her interesting, hehe! So not all is bad. Really.

And, of course, 2 weeks tomorrow, we are off on a big exciting trip, which I am currently planning a bit. Maybe i'll make this a travelblog... Although I think the chances of me getting on the internet enough to do that during 3 weeks in Eastern Europe are very low. It will be exiting. Fly Manchester to Budapest, then on to Belgrade, hiking in Montenegro, sunbathing by the sea in Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Mostar, Sarajevo, then back from Ljubljana. I am reading obsessively about the history of Yugoslavia at the moment, it's absolutely fascinating. Disturbing and worrying, but very interesting. I'm glad I am finding out about it, becasue the ideas I had before, based on distant memories of news reports when I was very young, were not exactly helpful. Anyway, it should be different! Bet it rains...