Bells and Whistles

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So, I'm logging into my blogger account for the first time in nearly a year and there are all sorts of new bells and whistles for me to get used to.
Firstly I'm pleased to see that there is now a stats tab, no need to add a code to an external site to track who is coming and from where. Of course the stats tab is not so exciting when no one is actually reading this apart from me. Guess I need to get out there and do the rounds to visit other blogs - even though I've been reading on RSS for the last year!

Ah well, that's what happens I guess.

Chocolate

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I never saw this post coming......

After spending a few months back in the UK last year where I was able to gorge myself on British made chocolate as much as my purse would allow I think I've actually 'grown out' of loving chocolate quite so much.

I loved and indulged myself with chocolate throughout my childhood, teenage years and early adulthood but it was only when I went to live in Hong Kong in 1998 that I started to fixate on it quite so much. Even then I never allowed myself to eat anything other than British chocolate so I'd go for weeks and weeks, sometimes months without so much as a nibble of the stuff*.
I think that having all those years of not having access to the chocolate of my dreams made me crave it all the more. So when I was back in the UK last year I found myself eating such huge amounts that I was literally making myself ill. I couldn't sleep at night, my heart was always racing, I had terrible heartburn and quite frankly I was setting myself up for an almighty fall.

Luckily after a few weeks I realised this and began to slow my intake down, I'd only allow myself to buy one bar at a time (instead of going with the panic hording that I'd done all those years while in Asia) and by the time I left the UK again last October I only packed 2 small bars with me.

Now I find myself not craving it at all. I still have a need for sugar, but no where near like before, which I am sure my pancreas thanks me for!

So 2011, the year of living with a bit less sugar......



* I did always get my sugar hits from mint and chews though.

A year later.........

Recap on the last year........

Living in the MidWest with my lovely man for about 4 months, then just when he was about to head into a 3 month whirlwind of traveling on business trips all around the globe I got offered a rather great job in the UK for 3 months - so I took it.
Living back in the UK for what I knew would be just a short time was great, I got to spend every weekend with people I love, visiting friends and family all over the country.
Then the posting was over and it was back to the US where the man and I got on a motorbike* and rode for four thousand miles over the North East (5 states) and Canada (5 provinces).
We stayed at posh hotels, camp grounds, mom & pop B&B's and one rather dodgy motel, it was quite the adventure.
2 months later the summer was over and it was time to go back to work, this time I had just a 6 week job waiting for me so headed back to the UK wondering what would happen next in this adventure. Within 2 days of my arriving back in the UK I'd been offered two very good jobs, one in the UK - tempting and one in the Caribbean - hmmm very tempting.
First day of November saw me packing up my summer clothes and heading to the beach, I've been here ever since and am loving it. Even more exciting is that the lovely man came down for a month over Christmas and decided that he loves it here too.
So he went back to the US, worked a few things out with his company, got a new job here on this island and is moving down to this small island in the sun with me.
He arrives in two weeks, all a bit exciting really, both of us living and working in the same country - together.

So that's been my 2010......



* Oh yes it turns out that I'm a bit of a biker chick - who knew!

Blue skies

I left this beautiful island with its stunning blue skies.

To live under this stunning blue sky.


And love, so much love that I can hardly stop smiling, even in the snow.

And more.....

Not sure that there is anyone still out there but after reading an email from DG asking me how life is on the new island I thought I'd do a quick post.


Life on the island in the Caribbean was just what was needed after 11 years of living in Asia, the slow pace and easy smiles along side the clean air and wonderful waters.

And then I met a wonderful amazing man who has totally swept me off my feet, so just before Christmas I left the wonderful island to be with him, in the Midwest of the USA. Now it's cold outside and there is lots of snow but I've never been happier and more cherished. And I quite like drinking Hot Chocolate.

We are very very happy.

Leaving on a jet plane.....

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I leave Asia tomorrow after 11 years for a new life in the Caribbean.


I'm really quite excited. It has been quite some time since I was this excited about new possibilities.

Top Tips

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Things I have learnt in the last few days.

Marble floors and wet rain are not a good combo.
Throw in some jostling by 2 policemen and 4 building management type people and it is a really bad combo.
Falling over in front of other people is not embarrassing if it really really hurts - then you just don't care who saw you.
Falling over and your head hitting the edge of a heavy glass door then bouncing on the floor is not good.
A block of ice wrapped in a clean tea towel really does help with the bump, but not so much with the pain.
Being disoriented and confused enough to actually call your parents and tell them of the above situation leads to them being rather worried - apparently.
Feeling crap but going to work the next day might well result in tears.
Going home from work alone while in tears might result in the journey being rather fuzzy.
Not being able to eat anything since the fall for 24 hours doesn't help much with the light headiness and dizziness.

Going to bed at about 6:00pm, sleeping through the alarm and being woken up by your boss who has forced their way in past the maid 14 hours later is not a good way to wake up. Especially when they are for some unfathomable reason very angry with you!

When confused, in pain, disorientated and being sick do not ask the above mentioned boss if they think you should go to the doctor - because sometimes the boss says stupid things like "oh probably not"

Do listen to your older sister who tells you on the phone in no uncertain terms that you should get yourself to the doctor ASAP.

Going to the doctor and finding yourself crying from the moment they say hello to the moment you leave with a 5 day sick note and orders to rest is a good thing!

Being brave

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I've been told that I'm being brave so often in the last few weeks, usually by people who spend their whole lives in the same town or even village where they grew up, but I don't understand why people keep saying this to me?
I've been talking to a couple of friends who I knew from school days, one of whom told me in all seriousness that she couldn't imagine getting on a flight and coming to visit me in Hong Kong for a holiday never mind making her life in another part of the world. Somehow I manged to convince her that she should come and visit - and finally after my gentle 'bullying' she agreed to come. She arrives next week for 10 days, we will spend time in Hong Kong and in Beijing and she is so very excited which I think is wonderful. I adore showing friends around my favourite city, its like sharing a delicious cake with a friend. I will get to enjoy my adopted city through new eyes all over again.

I'm so full of excitement about my move but fear doesn't come in to it. Whats the worse that can happen? I don't like living there so when my contract finishes I move somewhere new? If I really really don't like it then I can leave straight away. But after 11 years of living in Asia I'm confident that there is very little I can't handle - is this being brave?

My sister has been laughing at me as one of the things I'm really excited about is that I will have access to an organic food farm when ever I need, some fantastic bookshops and clean air. These things are important to me.

One step closer

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I totally understand the need for immigration procedure and red tape, but having spent hours filling out forms and collecting supporting documents I was relieved to finally get a visa for my next location squared away this morning.



The most interesting form (f0r me at least) was the one where I had to list the name of every country I had visited over the last 10 years and include dates - that took a few hours and lots of passport checking. After arriving in Hong Kong 11 years ago I've had plenty of opportunities and occasions to visit many places in the region. One thing that did strike me was that I have visited many different regions within one country over the years. And my new goal is to add at least one new country to my 'countries I have visited' list every year for as long as that is possible. I've not travelled around Europe since I was in my early 20's so there are quite a few countries there that could be saved up for last - till then there is a whole world of exploring to enjoy.

Excitment

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I was talking to a friend back in the UK a couple of days ago. She remarked that I must be very very excited about my upcoming move. My reply was that I am so excited I have had to push the joy way way down inside as so many people I work with are filled with sour grapes at the news and I'm seriously not 'allowed' to talk about anything at all!

Which is why I've come back here to the blog, where I can ramble along without the fear of seeing a dodgy look across someones face. Mostly because there are not many people out there reading any more. Plus of course I can't see your faces! ~grin~