I hope 2009 has started out well for you. My Christmas in Glasgow was quiet but pleasant. A friend of mine, Pape, who works as a chef cooked me a divine Christmas Dinner topped with his homemade gravy. It brought me home. Ahh, to recieve the gift of glorious food! The quiet came to an abrupt halt upon my brother, Jeff's, arrival on December 27th. During our time together in Glasgow we partied by night and relaxed in my flat by day. A few days after celebrating Hogamanay 2009, we hired a car and headed North for a roadie to the Scottish Highlands. Co dos to Jeff for tolerating stick shift, left sided driving, extremely narrow roads and my poor navigation skillz. We managed to survive the roads and spent one night in an Inverness B&B and two nights at Fairmont St. Andrew's. Being on the coast of St.Andrews was true bliss for me: see photo of gravesite overlooking the ocean. In retrospect, I realize that what binds Jeff and I so closely is the fact that we are so alike yet so different. Such a dynamic results in belly aching laughter and unnecessary drama. Goodbyes are always bittersweet, so grateful for the memory but sad about the separation. Thank you for the visit dear brother ;)
A few weeks of working at the two jobs day in and out I began to itch for some more adventure. Last weekend I spontaneously decided visit my Canadian mate, Robyn (see photo of laughing ladies.) She launched her European travels in November and is now temporarily residing on the outskirts of London in a town called East Ham. In our reunification came slow mornings, spontaneity, baked beans, laughter and the exchange of music, clothes, jewelry and perspective. Looking forward to more memories, next time...the Mediterranean.
Other exciting news, I booked my one way ticket to Paris for February 8th! I am leaving the UK after spending a memorable 5 months of working, travelling, learning, and building friendships here. I plan to spend three nights in Paris then travel down the West Coast of France to stay in Bordeaux, and arriving in Barcelona on Friday February 13th. I have been arranging most of my future accommodation through http://www.couchsurfers.com/ . Couch Surfers is a great service for travellers who would like to meet locals and travel inexpensively. It is a good alternative to staying at hostels and hotels. However, you can never over plan or be too alert. Once in Barcelona, I would like to start working part time in service while setting up a freelance English tutoring service. I have gotten some teaching materials together and am (trying) to learn basic Spanish. It'll be very interesting for both me and you to see how it all pans out. In Spain I will not only discover good weather and coastal beaches but also true perseverance.
Thinking of you all.....
Carlee XOX
