A long time coming…

… An even longer time because clearly I am very out of touch with this writing lark as I managed to accidentally and permanently delete everything I just wrote. Perhaps it’s a sign I should throw the old blogging towel in, hang up my clogs, or one of those other sayings I’ll probably get wrong.  I think I’ll just start again and make a mental note to save. I’ve definitely already forgotten everything I wrote, all the witty one liners I came up with now seem abit awkward or even plain ridiculous trying to remember them a second time. Never mind, I am sure my Dad will appreciate this if nothing else!

Now where was I… I think I was going to fill you in on my complete and utter silence before I get cracking with some posts that I think might be more exciting than this dribble so far.

So after returning to the UK in 2014, I moved to Oxford and ran a backpackers for a year. Oxford, what a beautiful city! One that will always conjure up images of sitting in Thirst necking back tequilas, looking for the best highlighter in Staples, and cleaning up guest’s vomit because I was the best manager. No, really. And of course the other lovely quirks to the city such as the gargoyles that feature on the beautiful architecture and the parks and the pubs perfect for afternoons off sipping some delicious cocktail concoction. Oxford you stole my heart! And led me to mon francais amour, mon petit possion! Or Loïs as he is actually known by. Loïs who lived in Scotland for that matter, which meant it really was time I decided to venture further north in good old Blighty than Nottingham; really visit the ‘Great Unknown’! And blow me sideways and call me Sally, wee bonny Scoot-land is absolutely delightful! A few trips to Scotland, a year wrapped up in Oxford (did you know, all books published in the UK must go to the Bodleian library in Oxford; to create space a large portion of the library is underneath the very heart of the city! This creates a little wave of magic in my imagination and I can’t help but think of little Gringotts goblins working under the cobblestones.) a 1000km hitchiking trip on the continent and a 6 week stint on the good old Isle of Wight, known affectionately to me as ‘home’ and it was time to say goodbye to my nearest and dearest one more time. 

Goodbyes in hand, reassurance of a visit at some point in the future and the seed of encouraging international trips to see me in some u known destination well and truly seen, it was time to hit the road! On a 10 hour bus to Paris. Which is better than the aisles of the hypermarket in Calais, thank god. Did you know Paris is full of people from Paris, not France? Two distinctly different things I have been told. So of course we must venture to la vrai Francais and carry out more goodbyes (but really we mean a bientôt!) before finally leaving. Back to Blighty for one more night, a quick reunion with Marge in departures and we are off! We being Loïs, one of my old-timers and life sisters Annie, fellow French recruit Bastien and myself. Really off this time. To Nepal! A month long adventure, trekking in the Himalayas, whiling away days against mountain backdrops and eating endless supplies of Dahl bhat and momos, Nepal was a glorious experience that I will be writing heaps more about. It deserves everybody’s attention. Nepal was followed by a relaxing jaunt for the festivities of Saint Nick in Thailand, followed by hitching down to Malaysia and finally flying to Perth, Australia. 7 months later and we are still down under, having a love-hate relationship with this massive dessert.

And that, is a kind-of long winded, but at-the-same-time definitely short summary of life over the past 18 or so months. (This is assuming anyone will actually read this anymore after my significant lull, asides from my biggest and only fan, my father). More to follow!