Posts from September 2008

I love my boyfriend so much I'm often left speechless when I try to express it. You heard the brief story of my trip and how my camera was stolen (see previous entry). Last night he came over and gave me a gift. A camera. The very same not so cheap waterproof shockproof camera that I had gotten myself for my birthday. I couldn't help but cry. He's so good to me and I'm so grateful to have finally found that someone that completes me.

So...this means I should have cool photos from my upcoming weekend in the Seychelles! I'm hoping to get neato shots of fishes while snorkeling. We shall see. Miss you peeps. I wish Doha had seasons. I really want to wear a red sweater and walk in the leaves and have spicy tea while I make pumpkin bread. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. It makes my heart all fuzzy to read your kind words :) I had an awesome 33rd in Vietnam. I'll get you some photos as soon as my travel buddies get theirs up. I myself don't have any because.....the lovely wonderful sparkling new camera that I bought myself for my birthday was stolen as soon as I arrived in Hanoi, the night before my birthday.

We were all exhausted from a long journey but thought we would just pop outside for an hour before going to bed and check out the street market for this kid's toy festival that was going on. These 2 women knifed my bag. Luckily I caught them in the act so ALL they got was my camera and not my wallet etc. But still, it put a damper on things. I was so stoked about taking it kayaking and stuff because it was water proof. Meh.

So...I don't have time to recount my adventure just now because I've got a bajillion e-mails to catch up on for work. I'll def get something up before I head out to the Seychelles this weekend though! Ciao.

Haha, finally I can post! Just a quicky tonight I'm afraid dahlings. So, I saw a goat in the back of a fancy truck the other night. It's just one of those things that still catches me off guard. I like to think he was becoming someone's pet rather than a Ramadan meal.

Anyway...almost ready to head off on holiday with Rory and my friend Emily to "Cambodietnam". That's my nick name the trip. Vietnam and Cambodia. Should be great fun. We're supposed to get thunder storms too, can't wait!

In preparation I had to get a series of vaccinations, some boosters, some new. Let me tell ya,the Typhoid Fever vaccination hurts like a bitch for 2 days. I went to 4 hospitals in total to get everything I needed. Funny how the damn "Vaccination Clinic" doesn't actually have much in the way of vaccines. But they offered me chicken pox if I wanted it for fun.

So...the last bit which included Heptatis A and a prescription for malaria pills took a total of 4 hours. 4 bloody hours and 4 doctors! Really makes me appreciate waiting 1 hour to see the doctor stateside. At least you know it's sanitary. Seriously, some of the stuff I see here ....like random needles sitting on an examination table with an infant crawling on it - and it wasn't even from an injection HE got but the former patient. Eh. I hope I don't catch shit while trying to protect myself against other diseases!

Anyhoo kids, I'll be MIA for the week starting Thursday night. I'll try to make another post before I go. Anybody want anything? Ciao!

Weeeee, I'll play!

Good gracious I'm so behind on posting. Things were absolutely nuts here. I spent the last 2 weeks training the student staff and it pretty much ate up all my waking (arguably non-waking) hours!

Anyhow, just a quick love note to say I think about all you peeps often and I'm really missing rain right now. Luckily, I'm off to Cambodia and Vietnam in a few short weeks to catch the end of 'wet season'. Yeeehaw!

I got my typhoid fever vaccination yesterday and that little bugger HURTS. I can hardly raise my arm. It's good for 3 years, so I'm going to target vacation areas that require the vaccination so I don't have to repeat it!

Ok, I just wanted to say hi from the sandbox. Miss you all, muah!

....so in love

Yesterday he whispered in my ear, "If we were in a country that allowed it, I would be asking you to move in with me right now". I could feel my insides melting.

I always thought the line "you'll just know" was a crock of shit. But now I understand :)



I have more photos of Paris to put up but I've just started training my student staff and am really busy. I'll try to get to it this week!

• I fixed the photos from a few posts ago*

I had the most fabulous time in Paris EVER. I've been before, but it was SO much more enjoyable this time around with Rory's arm to hold onto. Finally made it to the catacombs which I found pretty amazing (and not at all creepy) but my camera sucks in low light. I have a few 'ok' shots, but I'll post some of Rory's when I get them, they are spectacular. Can you believe they actually exhumed 6 million bodies and shoved them in old quarries? Crazy!

We also made it out to Euro Disney which was entertaining, as if I haven't been to Disney like 5 times in the last month! It was interesting to compare and contrast rides. My votes stand that Aerosmith's Rockin' Rollercoaster and the Tower of Terror are way better in their US version. However...Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean were WAY better over there! Seriously. This also comes after having just ridden the newly updated version of Pirate's of the Caribbean in the US, to which I WAS going to tell you all is much better than it's first version. Just in case you ever go.....

There was also this restaurant that was 'inside' the Pirates ride, meant to look like you were in the jungle by a river. It was simply AMAZING! The food was really good, and the atmosphere was just divine.


first i took the train up to Lille to visit friends


i had a beer called 'kwak' which was served in this unusual way


tribute to joan of arc in the cathedral


my friend lived on the 5th floor, so the bathroom was....short


if you stand up in the bathtub your head sticks out the sky light


amaury


rory's flight was delayed and we got to our little hotel at midnight

more paris photos in next post, i have to finish sorting them out!

Time Smoke-Free: 5 days, 16 hours, 46 minutes
Cigarettes NOT smoked: 114
Lifetime Saved: 20 hours

I never asked him to, but he did it. I'm so proud of him!



Yes, I see my photos didn't post - I'll deal with it later. I just wanted to share my joy first :)

I'm so behind on photos! I finally sifted through all of @jbeatty's photos for the parts of the trip I was missing. Here are a few shots from the communist statue park we visited in Budapest. Also, a few from Disney/Universal. I'll try to get everything up on my photo site before heading out of town again! Ciao peeps.







run away!


he got me....


dinner with the peeps


my nephews on their first amusement park ride


mohammed at universal


lego family


fireworks

I had a delay getting out of Orlando, but still managed to get on my plane in DC. I was so, so, so happy to be back in Rory's arms. I also came home to an amazing surprise. They put up a partition in my hallway. "What does that mean", I hear you ask. Well dear friends, it means I now have a relatively private entrance to my part of the building, which means it is now acceptable for me to have male visitors in my residence. Which means, for the first time ever, I'm going to make Rory dinner at MY place and he can some over and enjoy it!!!!

Really, having that type of restriction wears on you. I mean I'm almost 33 for crying out loud! With the inability for any public display of affection AND not having 'boys' over, I was seriously beginning to feel like a 13 year old trying to enjoy a chaperoned date. So, needless to say I am over the moon about this new addition!

Further more, I got some newer furniture and my apartment almost looks like it matches and belongs to a grown up! We requested 'new' furniture back in January and it's still a tit-for-tat battle as to who actually does the work. I swear this country wastes about a bajillion man hours working to avoid work and about 10 hours actually working. Not that I'm hatin' on anyone, just to make that clear.

I'm on duty this week, then I'm off to Paris next weekend. Rory finally got the time off approved, so we get to spend a whole 3 days together! No work, no moral police, just US....freedom.....and an exciting adventure together :) Let me hear you say, FUCK YEAH!

Travel photos to come.