I think it's time to Elf Yourself!!!

One of the annual delights that cannot be missed. Come on, you know you want to...

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1709704967

www.elfyourself.com

Enjoy!

Now THAT is a good idea.

Just found this on a fb group wall:

everyone in my family is getting an individualised interpretive dance for christmas....

Is that not the best idea you have ever heard??!!

Bring it on!

Christmas Cheer!

Am feeling that this year is a little lacking in Christmas Cheer, and wanted to do my bit to make sure I wasn't contributing to the reign of the grinch.

So Merry Christmas to all, and to all good night!

The plan is underway...

So far so good.. Step one complete: I quit my job. Hurrah!

There is something really good about being unemployed and homeless. Thinking it might be something I look into long term, if only i could figure out how to finance it all..

Anyway, I have had the most amazing time in Vegas for the last two months. This really is a fantastic city, lovely people, lovely scenery, lovely atmosphere. Definitely a city worth spending more time in.

Am leaving for Sydney on Tuesday, due to arrive sometime Wednesday night. The car is looking and sounding good to go. There were some amazingly disconcerting noises coming from under there somewhere. Thanks to Mikey they seem to be under control now, which is a fantastic relief. With that, and the new map that the guys from work got me, Janelle and I might even make it to Melbourne!

So generally, to recap, life is great, and worth enjoying!

The Plan! - Take 25

So I've come up with another plan.... (strange and out of character I know...)

But the plan is this:

12.12 Pack all I own (and that will fit) in the little car and drive south.
13.12 Keep driving south
14.12 After a little more driving in a southerly direction I should arrive in Sydney!!
15.12 Hang in Sydney
16.12 More hanging
17.12 Hang some more
18.12 Pack the little beast again, and drive south again.
19.12 Drive a little more south and a little to the left, or is that west, or inland, or maybe just in a more downishly direction.. but in any case, I should arrive in Melbourne around the 19!!!! Hurrah!!!
20.12 Hang in Melbourne
21.12 More hanging
22.12 Hang some more
and so on and so forth until it comes time for me to get a job and stop bludging off my sister.

So I do realise that this plan will only take me to Christmas, and that there is probably some more planning that needs to go on.. but, all that being said, I have a reasonable idea what I am doing for over a month ahead.. and that is definite progress.

Really looking forward to catching up with everyone in SY and MB, missing you all like crazy.

Just found this

Was going through my gmail unstaring emails from long ago, and came across this thing i had written and felt inspired to share..

Jeanie Mayo came and spoke at church a couple of months ago, she asked one of the guys to come up on stage and hold her glass of water, then she bumped him and the water spilt all over the stage. She kept talking, and then bumped him again, the water spilt. She did this one more time and then asked him why the water was spilling. He turned around and said it was because this beautiful woman kept bumping him, (crawler) we all laughed until she said no, it was because there was water in the glass to begin with. Interesting thought.

See the reason that I would get angry at things that were happening was because there was anger inside of me. Do you get what I mean? If I was at peace and at rest, then it would have been fine. Like they said at leadership, we are a tube of toothpaste, squeeze us and what is inside comes out. You can't blame the person doing the squeezing if you don't like the flavour. (did they say that at leadership, or did I just make that up??)

But it is an interesting thought hey? What if I couldn't blame my circumstance for how I was feeling, what if I really was responsible for all my actions. Like really. How often do we just blame everything on the circumstances, how often do we get angry at the person who is making us mad, rather than dealing with the anger that is on the inside?

This whole theory is so much bigger than just anger, it counts for everything. Joy, fear, aggression, love, compassion, jealousy. What if we all stopped for a moment and took on some accountability for how we were reacting to things. I'm thinking it would make a bit of a big difference.

Anyway, this is my plan. I am going to work on having more love and compassion inside, so that when i get squeezed, I give out something that will do good for the world, and for me, and for the people around me. Sounds a little go-save-the-world-ish to me, but then, if we're not trying to save the world, what are we doing here really? Wow, in trying to lighten this whole thing up i think i just made it a whole lot deeper.. thinking i am going to leave it at that. :-)

You an Aussie???? Eh????

I just came across a phrase:

Ask the master to pass a banana.

Sounds a little odd? Maybe, but what a fantastic way to tell if someone is a aussie! There is no way that you can fake that one.

Was chatting to my cousin the other day, and she said that she had met a a guy who backpacked through Oz for a bit and had defined Australia's in like this..

If they come from Adelaide, they ask you what church you go to.
If they come from Melbourne, they ask you what school you went to.
If they come from Sydney, they ask you how much you earn.
And if they come from Brisbane, they ask you in for a cup of tea.

Pretty accurate, I've been an aussie all my life and have never been able to define it like that. Got to love the outside perspective.

While we're talking about people from different perspectives.. just have to tell you what happened to me the other day. I went to a gun shop the other day (long story) and was totally shocked at what I saw. There were one Pauline Hanson poster with her hugging a aussie flag, a signed photo of Pauline, and this amazing sign, it said "Austrians against immigration, protect the Australian identity" Have you ever heard of such a thing?

Now I don't want to put anyone down here, and I really don't want to offend. But if we against immigration, and all about protecting the aussie identity, then should we all really be adopting Aboriginal culture. After all, we're all immigrants after them.

My view is my view, but I tell you what, every time I meet someone new I learn, I grow, I learn to look at things differently. We all have so much to learn. Just because someone is born is Australia, or says "Ask the master to pass a banana" the same way I do, that by now way means to say that we share the same views, or have any greater right to live in Australia than I do.

Now I know I am probably getting a little carried away with all this, but what is nationality about anyway? I mean, really, look at it, the English settled in Australia, but now, because of a law someone decided to pass, I cannot stay in England, the English can only stay in Australia for a limited time as well, yet all of the EU countries can come and go as they please.

And while I'm on it... lets just talk about property ownership for a bit. How on earth can we really justify the purchase of a piece of land. If you start from the beginning, who are you going to buy it off? God?? The chemicals that caused the big bang? How did we come upon the concept that we can own a piece of earth and control who can and cannot walk upon it? Where did we get that right?

Anyway, a bit of a ramble, but these are my thoughts. Nothing against anyone political views, and nothing against property ownership. Sometimes I just get thinking about these things.

So I was at work the other day...

It was a Sunday and I was at work, not the best, but sometimes it happens. This guy who works in another department to me was helping me clear up the office. We went up to drop some boxes into the big bin, this guy says to me, you'd better bring your car keys.

Car keys? I ask. Aparently so.

We walked to the carpark, stopping outside a white van. This guy turns to me and asks a question, one that I will never forget. Do you use tampons or pads? That's right, looking directly at me, he just asked, just like that.
My responce....? I looked away, and mumbled under my breath, "depends".. opps, not good, not the right responce. Now he's going to think I am using depends depends, like those pads for people who have trouble getting to the loo in time!!!!!
It was not going well..

In responce, all he did was open the van, and start loading a plastic bags full of tampons and pads for me. It was explained to me that some of the boxes we're as full as they could be, that space was not being used as well as it could be, I was shown how I could save more space by adding an extra tampon into the boxes of two, making them into boxes of three, then if I wanted, I could keep that in my bag for an emergency. Great, stratigic tampon carrying tips from a middle-aged-I'm-ok-talking-about-tampons-with-women-man!

I couldn't believe it. This was actually happening. Here I was, in the work carpark, loading a plastic bag with STOLEN tampons, pads and pantyhose. OMG! Can you get arrested for that??

You know what's worse?? In all the imbarrassment, I just dumped the bag in the boot of my car to do the best I could to forget about it. Then... I had to get my tyres changed. Think I remembered to take all the tampons out before I got them to check my spare???? To all the men at Bob Jane's thank you for your tack. They just calmly moved them onto the back seat and said nothing when I went to go and pick up my car. At least some people are still a little discreet about these things.

Not so unemployed anymore..

Luckily for blogger I now have a job. Cancel the lawsuit, it's been sorted.

Started this hecticly busy job on Monday with DPI, is good, pays good, which, I must say, currently is the most important thing. Call me a capitalist, but 5 months without a pay check and the size of the next one suddenly becomes important. :-)

So.. that was not what I wanted to talk about. There is not really anything huge that I wanted to say. Just a bit of a ramble really I guess. Have been home now for 20 days. Seems like a bit. But really, it's not.

So I have gone from having all this time to chill out and do whatever to being super busy and totally spacey.. turns out getting back into this whole work thing can take a bit out of you.. you know, that whole having to use your brain thing :-)

Excuse me!

Blogger does not have unemployed as a job option!

All I can be is non specified. I am not non specified, I am unemployed. That's employmentist.

I currently am bum. I sit and drink tea and sometimes beer. I have read 4 books in 8 days. I have watched 3 movies. Do they think this is a free ride? Is that why they feel the need to negate my occupation or lack there of??

I am in contact with recruitment agencies. I travel around the city in a suit, in the heat, at their whim, for no avail. Why does blogger feel the need to berate me so?

I was in a kiwi, throwing a kiwi, at a kiwi!

So, I mere 30 odd hours and 4 flights from Canada and I was in NZ. The surf board made it, although they did have to ask me what it was in Saskatoon.. can't say I blame them, there's no ocean for about 1000km from there :-)

Clare came to meet me in Wellers and then we took a bit of a road trip to see her folks in Taronga. I just couldn't get over it, in one day you drive though like 10 different types of landscapes, flat with sheep, mountains with sheep, farming with sheep, cities with sheep hanging out on the outskirts. It was awesome. Makes sense how they were able to film all of Lord of the Rings there.

On Saturday we played some putt putt, I let the Kiwi's win, didn't want to get them all fired up about how good aussie's are at sport and all that. Then on Sunday on the way back we stopped in at the ski fields to have a look. Now what I am about to say may sound a little blonde, so please allow me to justify. On saturday while we were chilling at the beach, eating thickshakes and playing putt putt, clare got sunburnt. On sunday, when we got in the car to go to Wellington, it was still hot. So I wore my jandles/flipflops/pluggers/thongs. Makes sense right?

Well then we got to the snow.. my first time walking in snow since I was 5. I was so excited. We jumped out of the car and raced up to have a look. And.. it turns out that playing in the snow in jandles is not a good idea.. I very quickly lost all feeling in my feet, and at one point walked off leaving my pluggers behind without noticing. :-)I now realise the error of my ways. One more lesson learnt.. isn't that what they say travelling is about?

Saying goodbye wasn't the easiest thing I have ever done. Geez I miss that girl. She's a bit of an inspirtation that one.

I have decided that I want everyone to come with me. How fun would that be? We could all travel round in a group of 50 or so! So maybe not the most practcal.. but am definately feeling the effects of spending the last 4 months catching up with everyone everywhere, and now looking at the possibility of not being able to travel again for a long time. Ohhh uni.. why must you cost so much???

Ohhh Canada....

So.. I have totally been home for over a week now.. but I've conciously decided not to get all hung up about it, these blogs have definately not been in real time anyway. That being said, it does feel a little odd to write about the rockies in 30 degree Birsbane spring heat (that's right, it's not even summer yet).

Had the best week in Canada with Kim. It was seriously awesome, not sure that I have laughed that much in a long time. That girl is one of the worlds best. We started in Saskatoon (WOW FLAT!) and then went on a bit of a road trip to the mountains. Awesome, amazing, huge, awe inspiring, and flippin tall. Banff was cool, totally what I had imagined Canada to be.

So as not to bore you all, thought I would just throw up a few photos of the highlights, so that you can all see for yourselves.

Ohh and by the way, the stupid surf board made it. It's here with me. Haven't had even the slightest inclination to look at it let alone take it out.. Am hoping that this will come.. it has to come, there is no way that I took this board all this way for nothing :-)

Diary Excerpt - Brasil to Canada '07

When I was in Brasil volunteering in 2003 I bought a surf board, a giant one. I left it there at the time, thinking that it was just going to be too much trouble to take to London.. so now that I am living in Sydney I was thinking that it would be cool to have my baord with me.. It would have been easier if I would have been able to post it from Brasil, but I don't trust their postal system, not a bit.. so it had to come with me.. below is the story of that journey, which unfortunately is not over yet.. I am still in Canada.. still NZ to go.. but we'll take one step at a time.

This day was so traumatic that I think I just have to share it here once and for all, then if anyone ever ask me to explain what happened I can just direct them here, and never have to relive this in the telling again. So here it is, straight from the diary.. think I will leave the bits that don't make sense, think the jet lag might have been doing its work...

4 September, Toronto, Canada, 29 hours travelling

I want to write this down, there has to be a record somewhere of all the crap (edit) that went on.

Cris dropped me at the Rodoviaria, it was so sad to say goodbye again, not sure if I should keep coming here, it is so hard to say goodbye everytime that i have to leave. Maybe it is just better if I stay away... but anyway, by my calculations, if I paid for the bus ticket between Congonhas and Gurrulhos on my card I would have $R 45 for the day. I had some breakfast at the Rodoviaria before I got on the bus, I bought a book, $20 gone.

Caught the bus to Floripa fine, 3 hours, but not major problems. The transfer between the Rodoviaria in Floripa and the airport on the public was fairly traumatic, but more auckward than disasterous. When I went to check in at the airport I was told that the cost to take the surf board was $R100! Almost more than the cost of the ticket! On further inspection I found out that I could send it via cargo for only $R40, I was told that it would catch the same plane as me and that I would be able to pick it up in Sao Paulo at the cargo hold which was walking distance from the airport. So that was what I did. I had to walk around Floripa getting it all sorted, and had to draw more money from the cash point ($5 charge from ANZ - Bless them) but anyway, it was gone. I went and got some lunch, and ran into the Criciuma football team! Which was cool. Got on the GOL plane to Sao Paulo fine, the flight is just 1 hour 20 mins, so you hardly even reach cruising altitude before you start the descent.

Before all this had happened I had made a plan to go to the TAP office at Gurrulhos and collect the $US100 that they owed me from when they lost my bag when I arrived. I needed to get to Gurrulhos ASAP before the office closed. (to explain - Sao Paulo has two major airports, Gurrulhos - International and Congonhas - Domestic.)

But back to the surf board, when I went to find out the exact location of the cargo hold I was told that there was no way that I could walk - it was too far. They couldn't bring it to me, I had to go there, with all my bags. I could catch a public bus, but they're not so safe for foreigners, especiallywith giant backpacks. So taxi it was. After buying the book in Criciuma and lunch in Floripa I was down to $R20 or so.

So my plan was to get a taxi to the cargo hold, get the taxi man to wait with me, pick up the board, and then get back to Congonhas ASAP so that I could get the bus to Gurrulhos in time to see the TAP people and check in for my flight to Toronto. I checked with the taxi guys, $R15 each way, so being safe (so I thought) I got $R40 out. (another $AU5 for ANZ).

Ok, so I gave the address to the cabbie, explained the situation, he took me to the cargo hold, we chatted from inside the cab with the GOL people for a bit, they said that the board hadn't arrived yet. Not wanting to run up the meter I let the cab go and went inside to investigate.

Turns out that there are two GOL cargo holds in Sao Paulo. I was at the wrong one. By the time they told me the cab had left. So now I was marching down the streets of Sao Paulo with my very western face and a giant backpack. I found the other place ok, but they didn't have my board either.

Turns out that it takes 1.5 hours after the plane has landed for the cargo to be released. First I've heard!

So now it's 5.45, the sun is setting, I'm in some bazzar cargo hold in some industrual area of Sao Paulo with no board, and only 1.5 hours to get to the other airport in time to check into my flight to Toronto. So I started talking options with the guys, I was thinking that they probably go to both airports regularly, could I get a ride? No. Aparently not. It was going to take too long for the guy to load and unload his stuff.

The bus between the airports takes an hour, and leaves only once an hour. If the man at GOL in Congonhas would have told me that it takes 1.5 hours for the cargo to be released I could have taken the time to check teh bus times, but not, no one decided to mention that fact until I got to the 2nd GOL cargo hold.

By 6.20 the board had arrived, and I was in a cab on my way to Gurrulhos direct, there was no way that I was going to be able to make my bus.. there were only 2 slight complications 1. I only had $R30 or so 2. we had one hour and then minutes to make 50 minute drive, should be fine right? But this is Sao Paulo, this city has the same number of people as the whole of Australia and some of the worst traffic jams in the world. The government recently tried to build a metro system. Unfortunately they didn't research so well, and then they started digging they burst water and gas pipes and had roads and even houses falling into the holes in the ground.

So back to our drive, my cab driver was lovely. He did his best to get me there as soon as he could. We chatted along the way, but how do you know when you can trust someone? When we arrived at the airport there was a $R97 fare on the clock. I needed to get cash out from the airport, (another lovely fee from ANZ), but what was I surposed to do with my backpack and board? Could he be trusted to sit in the cab with it and not drive off?

By this time it was 7.50, I was surposed to be at the airport at 7.30. All I could do was make note of his cab number, 864, and the first three digits of his number plate, then I ran to find the cash point, I withdrew $R100 and got back to the taxi stop as fast as I could. He was still there! Praise God! So I gave him the $R100 and went to leave.

While we had been chatting on the LONG drive to the airport he had suggested that I get a receipt for the cab fare for that I could get a refund from GOL. It sounded like a good idea to me. He didn't want me to leave and got back in the car mumbling about something. He started looking for something, I figured that he was checking for a pen so that he could write me a receipt, but when I offered him mine he said it wasn't that. If only it was that easy.

He was looking for his calculator. Aparently there is a 40% additional charge because he had to leave his zone. So what was a $R97 fare now became $R145. I was now about 40 mins late to check into my flight and I still had to negociate with Air Canada about taking the surfboard. What could I do? I didn't have any time to go ang draw more money. Why didn't he tell me about this charge before I went to draw cash? I gave him all that I had, about $R130 and ran to check in. I felt so bad, the guy had been so nice to me, and now I was ripping him off. By what could I do?

I ran to the Air Canada desk, well, as much as you can run with a 20kg backpack, a 5kg dayback, purse and 9ft surfboard. After another $US50 for the board, a long wait through security and immigration I made it to the gate, just. Once we were all on baord the pilot announced that there was a problem with the control tower's radio we were going to have to wait for a while at the gate, so we did, for about an hour and 15. It's normally a 10.5 hour flight to Toronto. But because of the delay in Sao Paulo I've missed my connection to Saskatoon.

So, another queue through customs, and then at the connects desk with my bags and board on my back because they can't connect them themselves and I need to take them through security, and now I'm currently on standby for a flight at 12.15 and failing that, I am definately booked on one at 4.30.

They say that either way my bags will come with me. I have decided not to believe what they say anymore. First thing I wanted to do was call Kim to let her know that I was not going to be on the early flight. I was hoping that my mobile was going to work here, but aparently Canada is another of the countries that it prefers not to operate.

So I had to draw money so I could use the public phone. I tried for $C100 - Insufficient Funds.. $C40 - I was in. And talk about blessed, when I went to find a shop so I could change the notes to coins what did I find but a Starbucks! Hurrah!

Change in hand I found a phone, after a few tries of my own I had to call the operator. Aparently even though the phone says that you need to dial 0 first, you do not. If you dial a 0 first you connect yourself to Hungary. It cost me $C5 to call Kim and say that I was not on my flight and that I was going to be there either at 1.40 or 5.30.

So here I am, tired, smelley, hungry, poor and with the most giant pimple persisting to grow right under my nose.

On the bright side, 1. I am going to see Kim today, 2. I am stuck in an airport in the first world while I wait, 3. As much as I hate it at the moment, I have my surfboard with me 4. I am about to, hopefully, get on a cute little plane with external propellers 5. Although there is no TAP office here, there is one in SY, so when I finally get home and get in touch with them, I will have $US100 to spend.


Toronto - 31 Hours Travelling.

Counldn't get onto the 12.10 flight. It was full. What are the chances of everyone turning up for a flight? Good aparently.
Think I should go and call Kim and tell her that I am not going to be there till later. Got to love the 9 hour wait in the airport. I am going to go and see if they can give me a food voucher or something. Man I am hungry.

This trip is going to take me 36 hours - 15 hours fly time, 2 bus rides, 3 planes, 2 taxi's, 2 times through immigration, 6 security checks, and 1 5am phone call to Kim (opps, didn't realise that there was a time difference!!)

Fotos from Brasil..

Have been to Brasil 3 times now, and each time I swear that I am going to take some photos that will show what the country is really like. Turns out, well from my experience anyway, that that is not at all possible. Kim and I went to the Rockies yesterday, and it was exactly the same thing... you stand there, looking at the most amazing mountain range, take a snap, and then realize that there is no way that a little 2D photo is ever going to be able to show others the wonder. It's just like a crappy 50c post card.

But, all that said, I did take some photos, and even if they don't show it all, they do give a bit of an idea of the country that I love.

So from the top.. 1st.. my beautiful nephew 2nd.. Lia, Du e Leonardo 3rd.. Cris, Henrique, Paula and I 4th.. the area around Abadeus where I volunteered last time I was there (more to come on that)

Actually, speaking of more to come, there is a lot more to say about the time I spent in Brazil, but that will come in time.

Photos from Cananda coming soon too.. Coming into Brisbane on the 17th after a stop in Welly to see Clarey..

xxo

So your not that attached to stuff hey?

There once was a time (up until last week actually) when I would have told you that material things didn´t matter to me, and that I was happy to live with whatever I had at the time, that I had learnt to be content with what God had given me and that I was not striving for more.
Then.. the police stole my bag. 6 days in the same pair of jeans and suddenly the story was a little different. I wanted my stuff.

Anyway, after many many phone calls and my first arguement in Portuguese it was finally delivered on Friday, too late for me to go to the first part of the guaduation ball, but all the same, at least I got to go in the end.

Turns out that there was nothing in the bag that they didn´t like, they were just doing it to be annoying. In the end they didn´t even open it. So all my flash backs to movies like Bridget Jones were totally unnecessary.

So the plan for the moment is to go to Rio Grande do Sul this week, and go and meet my nephew. Then another week in Criciuma and I am off to Canada! then New Zealand, and then home. Geez it´s gone fast. A diary and a half worth so far :-)

I made it to Brazil! But my bag on the other hand...

Ola Gente!

Hurrah for Brazil! Made it, and love it here already. It sounds right, it looks right, it smells right (as in it smells totally wrong, but that´s the right wrong.. if you know what I mean) , even the food is just right! I LOVE THIS PLACE!

My bag on the other hand, doesn´t. I have come here 3 times now, and 2 out of 3 times my bag has decided to either stay where we were, or go on a holiday elsewhere. Lucky this time I was prepared, and even luckier this time I have travel insurance with no excess. All that being said you must please excuse me, I am going shopping :-)

Going to my `home´town this morning, will update in a bit. Love to all.

Wales

I had a bit of a traumatic journey from Yorkshire to Wales. I was supposed to get the train from Beverley at 12.30, to be in London at 4, to get the bus to Wales at 6.30. In my mind that gave me enough time for a coffee with Nel, but it wasn't to be. The first train hit a cow, so that obviously put a hold on things, the second train got stuck with it's doors open at the platform, and couldn't go unless they closed. The third train got stuck behind the second, and rather than just taking all the people off the second and moving it empty, we all just had to wait until they could fix the doors.


2 hours and 45 mins later I was on the move, I changed the route a bit, and went into Hull, the train I got on was going all the way to London, but I was only allowed to go on it as far as Doncaster, where I had to change and wait for a GNER train, as that was what my ticket was. They did offer to allow me to pay 30 quid to get a new ticket, believe it or not I declined :-)
Anyway, the bus turned out to be running late, so even though I didn't get to coffee with Nel, I did make my connection, and after 13 hours travelling we made it to Wales. Needless to say I slept well :-)


The plan for Saturday was for us to climb Mt Snowdon, when we got there it was pouring with rain, windy, cold, and generally crappy. I decided that given that I had not even heard of Mt Snowdon until 2 weeks before, and that I was feeling more like a coffee than been blown off a mountain for 6 hours, I decided to go tour another town. Elissa and Bap went up, the crazy cats, they made it all the way to their credit. Elissa is still hurting 4 days later the poor thing, but it is definately another experience they can add to the list.


We went to the smallest house in the UK, and got the little lady all upset by asking what made a house and house and trying to argue that a converted shed could probably beat this. She wasn't impressed, but I still maintain it is a valid point. What does make a house a house?


Anyway, we cruised around North Wales, go a stamp in our passports with the longest place name in the world (until the Kiwi's decided they wouldn't be beaten that is), drank coffee, drank beer, went to the beach, caught a steam train, saw Thomas and generally had fun.


Can't tell you how good it was to get to London on Sunday night and know that I wasn't going to have to travel anywhere for a week!

Bell Ringing in Yorkshire

Still can't believe that I can just sit here and keep coming up with new titles for these post with all the places I have been able to go. How cool hey?!

Last week was such an adventure, I absoloutley loved it. I have been crapping on about going bell ringing for weeks, ok months, and it was all that I thought it would be but more. I met Chris in London and we jumped on the FIRST CLASS train to Yorkshire. The church that his dad works at is amazing, huge, old and very church like.

We went straight to the bell tower. In my mind I was kind of expecting the little boys to be flying up and down in the air ringing the bells, you know, just like in Sound of Music, but no such thing, there were adults of all ages pulling on ropes in a rather dignified manner. Turns out it is a little more complicated than just pulling a rope, and that all these bells have specific positions, if you don't set it right you can smash the stay and the bell will ring free. Who knew it could be so complicated?!

At one point Chris asked me to stop smiling, and I really wasn't able to, it was just too cool to be able to see this in a church so old. We went down the pub with the ringers after, and they hooked me up with the details of some churches in Sydney where you can ring. I can feel a new hobby coming on, I really can.

The next day after my ears stopped ringing we went to York, and Chris gave me a guided tour, including the train museum. I ate a Yorkie in Yorkshire. Did a tour of a old old church, with an old old key. All in all it was an awesome couple of days.

Sweden

Here they are, two of my favourite people in the world...



I had the most magic few days in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Em and Jacob live in Goteborg, this lovely city in Sweden. Seriously, I am not sure if I have ever seen a city that works so well. Public transport looked like it worked, the streets were clean, it looked safe, there was free parking for people in smart cars.. I don't know, it just all seemed perfect.

It's been so funny to go to so many different countries in such a short period of time, I have done a bit of travel in the past, but to do see so much in just a few weeks, you can really get a feel for how things work. This felt like one country that did.

Just to explain the photos above, Em and Jacob took me to the beach, Swedish-style, then we had a BBQ with some of their mates, who were lovely, and then Em forced me, I mean invited me, to go and see some fish at her work, it was seriously the coolest place. :-) That's the photo of us with the legs. Don't think I have ever looked better :-)

It's so good to be able to go and visit people, there is only one problem, we keep having to say goodbye. What we need to work on is a plan where we can take all our favourite people with us. That would be cool.

South Africa!

Feels a bit funny writing about SA since I am in Sweden, but the internet hasn´t been so easy to come across. We had the most fantastic time in SA. That is one amazing country. Sometimes if you were to forget yourself you could easily think that you were in OZ, the countryside looked that similar. But then, the "Yah's" would start, and you definately know where you are :-)

We spent the first week in Pretoria with Nandi and her amazing family. It was so cool, South Africa hospitality is something that I think we aussies have a bit to learn from. They were amazing. From here we went on Safari to Pilansberg. We were so blessed, and saw everything SO close.

Then Ringo and I hit the road, and went to visit Heather in Pietermartizberg (questionable spelling on that one). Turns out that Corinne had met some of the most amazing people ever while I was in AU, Heather and Caroline are definately some of my favourites. From there we travelled down the coast to the Cape.

I took thousands of rock and sunset photos on the way, but I won´t bore you with all of them (maybe just one coz Ican´t resist), generally the trip was fantastic. In other good news my AU phone seems to be working again, there weren´t any texts waiting for me, so it seems everything that i was sent in the last 6 weeks has disappeared into the unknown.. so sorry if anyone has been trying to get in touch with me and I have not been responding..

I've been in London for a few days, and have SO enjoyed seeing everyone. I keep thinking that I want to move here again, but need to keep reminding myself that I am here while it is summer and I am on holidays, what this is is not the norm. Winter would come :-)

It has been an amazing trip, and I just canät seem to get my head around all that I have seen, but then I am not actually sure that I ever will. Will update again soon hopefully, take care of yourselves and each other, love ya!

Photos from Uganda

This is Junior. He was brought in on our first day at the Babies Home. We were in Uganda for two weeks and in this time we saw such a change in him. The second photo was taken on the day we left. Hard to imagine that some of the other kids from the babies home came in a similar condition. He is still very sick, and has TB, which is not normal for someone so young. Would be great if you could pray for him.

This is one of the other little beauties at the babaies home.


These guys I met when I went to visit Thembo my sponsor child. I have never seen poverty li like this. It was heart breaking but inspiring all at the same time. There is so much work to be done. I am on such a campaign to get everyone to sponsor at least one child. It was so great to see the work that Compassion was doing. They are making such a difference.

And this is Thembo. The first photo is all of the family and neighbours that came to see me, the second is him. Didn't get a photo of him smiling, mainly because he didn't. He was so afraid, the whole day. I was the first white person he had seen, and it was only the second time he had ever left the villiage when he came to pick me up. Poor kid. His family were lovely, they served me a huge meal, and gave me a gift (can you believe the generosity???) The third photo is of his mum and dad in front of their mud hut.




And to finish a few photos of the girls. It was the most amazing team, I love them all to bits! That is Sheila in the orange, trying to block the smell from the toilets. Didn't work. Nothing works. There have been some very interesting toilet experiences, but no need to get too much into that here :-) And the second photos is Man Jenny on her birthday at the building site. Our house looks grand, and we are master builders, who would have thought hey?


So there they are. Hope you enjoyed. Have a thousand stories to tell, but will save that for another day, I am at the mall and the girls are ready to go. Am in SA by the way, and we are going on Safari tomorrow, going to find me a giraffe!

Love you all lots, take care of eachother.
xxo

Uganda

Week two in Uganda, and I have seem and experienced more than i thought I would in the entire trip!

This place is amazing and I am in love! Before you get too worried I am talking about the kids, not some african man I am planning to marry... they are the most beautiful things in the world, and am seriously considering taking a few home with me... ok maybe not, but am coming to the decision that kids are actually wonderful, beautiful and fantastic for hugging!

The people we are staying with have been looking after us so well. it feels a lot safer than brazil even though the poverty is on a different level. We have finished building, and would like to say that I am a master builder, but unfortunately, I am not sure that the style they taught us here would cut it in Oz.. I can mix mortar, lay bricks, do corners and even cut mud bricks with a trowel. Think that will help get me a job?

We go to visit our sponsor children tomorrow, 7 hours drive to get there, and then we stay over night to go to their villiage on tuesday. I think that I am actually going to be able to see where he lives and where he goes to school and everything, which will be great. We went to a market to get some things yesterday, and teh whole processs of bargining and getting the best price was the most interesting thing ever. I am not sure how many white people they get in this place, but my thought is not many. They even offered to marry me! Could have something to do with my passport.. but details details..

Haven't got the camera cords with me, so no photos this time, but you'll be glad to know that there are some people in these ones, mostly cute little african people, but people all the same.

Hope you're all well, catch you in a week or two. Sarah

AFRICA!

I am going to Africa tomorrow!! Can you believe it?? Maybe you can actually. Maybe this is what happens, you book a trip, and then the time passes and you go. Maybe that is exactly what I should have been expecting, but somehow, I on the other hand, can't believe it is happening.

This is like a dream holiday. There is nothing that I am not doing, no place that I wanted to see (on this trip anyway) that I am not going to see. I honestly walked into the travel agency and gave the man my dream list, and he put together the most complex itinerary I've ever seen. I am going to cross the equator 4 times! 4!

Em asked me the other day what the first thing I wanted to do in London was... first I was thinking about going into Piccadilly, but really, what is a place? To be honest, the first thing I want to do is find all the amazing people I did life with, I want to find them and hug them, and then drink a lot of coffee while we catch up on what has happened over the past 12 months. Not just in London though, that's the awesome thing. I am so excited to be able to go and see all the people that have made such a difference in my life. Brazil, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand, London, Sweden. How small is this world getting!

It's only really been over the past couple of days that I have started thinking about the fact that I am actually leaving as well as going, if that makes sense. Sydney has been an amazing place to live, and there is so much that I have learnt, so many amazing people I have met, I have been able to work in a great job with some awesome people. It's been awesome.

We have been asked to bring our own condiments to the project in Uganda, so I must away to Coles to get me some vegimite. :-)

I am going to be in Africa for the next 6 weeks, and am not sure how much access I am going to have to the net. I am definately planning on taking a LOT of photos, which I should be able to upload as I go, failing that, I will be sure to post them when I get to London.

Take care of yourselves, be safe, look after each other, that's the key.

xxo!

Adventures Galore

I have been thinking lately that I have been doing a lot oframbling, and not so much Adventure telling, and to be honest, there hasn't been that many adventures worthy of telling. That was all until Emma and I decided to take a little road trip to Brisbane in the beast we call Clemmy.

She's a good car, always has been, but I've got to say that 2 years living outsides mum's place and 6 months living at the beach in Maroubra haven't done her any favours. As we learnt in the Easter Distributor Disaster the petrol gauge does not work these days, and unfortunately the list of things that are not working is getting longer. So when Emma and I got in the car after work on Friday to start the journey there was a bit of a Clemmy Orientation Speech that went on. Emelie has had it, as have Kim and Shelley, and to their credit no one has ever complained that there is no internal light, the headlights are broken, the water spray things for the windscreen don't work so you have to wind down the window (if you can) and pour water from a bottle in an effort to keep this blog short I will stop.. but you get the idea.

Anyway, I digress, back to the adventure. Emma and I left George Street just after 4 and drove straight into the biggest traffic jam ever, got to love Sydney on a Friday night, after all that was negotiated we hit the open road. We opted for the two-hours-on-two-hours-off road trip method, which I think works quite well, but am definitely open to discussion, but seriously, how else are you going to tackle a 12 hour drive in 16 hours?

Anyway, all was going well until about 1.30, we found ourselves in the terrible position of being low, like LOW on gas and stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no petrol stations open and no idea when we were going to find the next one. I prayed. A lot. When we were about 30km over what my tank usually gives me we came across a shop that was open, it was about 2am by this stage. The lovely man informed us that we were 38km away from the nearest open garage there was no way that Clemmy was even going to make it down the road, let alone into the next town.

We met a kind local, who offered that we go to his place and grab some of his fuel, he said he had some spare in the garage. He said that we shouldn't worry, that there was no one at the house, he assured us that he was totally safe... kind as the offer was, we took the other other alternative available, we parked outside the bowser and waiting for help to come. It did, at about 6am. I was never a girl scout, and brownies was always more about the food than it was survival tactics, but I was still prepared. I had a sleeping bag, warm socks and a warm cup of tea.. what more could a girl need (aside from fuel that is :-)

Anyway, the photos are below.. well, they will be when blogger decides to behave... it was a great trip and defiantly one that I will remember. We finally got into Brisbane at about 8.30am and was home with my mum eating toast by 9.30. The rest of the weekend was more amazing that I can possibly tell you, and there were more miracles and more lovely-ness that I can possibly begin to explain. I love my family, they are the best in the world.