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Saturday, April 26th, 2008
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5:23 pm - Gasp! Shock! Horror!
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Hey, guess what guys - I'm home!
Yeah yeah, I know I've been home *counts* 5 months and 4 days (oh good god, I wish I hadn't just counted that, now I want to cry) but being me, I haven't updated. I guess I'm only updating now because I'm feeling incredibly roadsick today (it's the opposite of homesick - I wanna be travelling), so I thought I'd come and read all the stuff I wrote while I was gone. Which actually wasn't all that much - I was kind of slack, and should really write up things about everywhere I went. I guess I can just look through the emails I had with my parents - I think they got the descriptions, rather than you lot. THEY wrote to me :P
Errrr, does anyone actually use LJ these days? I assume Inu still does since she keeps telling me I need to update. Oh, and Maz - hi Maz, if you see this and fall over in shock from the fact that I actually posted!
Anyways, I so shouldn't be here writing a blog - I should be writing my report for COMP1200: Perspectives on Computing (sounds about as interesting as it is). Which isn't actually due until Friday, and will quite easily be completed with just a couple more hours of work, so, isn't really desperate. Except that COMP1100 (Intro. to programming and algorithms) assignment 2 has just come out - and anyone who saw me spazzing out at assignment 1 is going to know why this is so bad. My brain just does not like programming. Oh, I got the results for the mid-semester back for that class as well. Failed. No surprise. By two marks. Which is a surprise - I expected it to be more. Of course, now I'm just plain annoyed, because I came SO close to that precious 50%!
*Sigh* so yeah, this is procrastination of the highest order. I wanna flee the country again. Instead, 9 hour shift tomorrow, and on the floor, not supervising, so that's going to be an interesting one. Been a while since I did a long shift on a checkout. Ah well, it's money - and I could have refused it, since I'm covering for someone!
Next few weeks are going to be interesting - Band Camp + Eisteddfod (yes, it's that time of year again, scarily), lots of work, and LOTS of assessment. Then band tour to Melbourne once I get past all the assessment. Even scarier - it's fast coming up to a year since I went overseas, and so I seem to be going 'this time last year.....' which isn't good, because I need my brain here, not in Europe!
Ah well, see you all again in another 6 months, no doubt!
current mood:  melancholy
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| Friday, November 2nd, 2007
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3:49 pm - The end of the road....
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Thought you lot might like to know I AM still alive. In paris, until tonight, when I take a bus back to London, and then retreat back to the family, because I'm at the end of my budget, and have run out of countries that I want to visit for now, lol. I've been to Paris and Salzburg this week, and both of them are gorgeous, and I've had some more fun! I have to do a more indepth post at some point, but I'm at a net cafe, and I'm running very short on time, so this is just to inform everyone that I'm still around, lol.
I'm going to be stopping using my English SIM as soon as the credit on it expires, which won't be long - but I'll send a text around reminding everyone, anyway. Afterall I've got $120 credit on there that hasn't been being used, lol. Gotta love long credit expiry dates!
I'm a little sad that I'm at the end of my travels, but I've got to say that I'm glad that I'll be home soon, because I miss everyone a lot - and I miss Canberra as well! I think the fact that Amber's not going to be there when I am home is sinking in too, because there's a lot of Apricot poodles around this city, and they keep reminding me that my poodle's not there anymore :o(
Anyway, will update properly soon.
Love ya all!
current mood:  nostalgic
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| Saturday, October 13th, 2007
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11:21 am - On the road again...
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Well, actually, it's getting pretty close to the END of the road for me! In 6 weeks I will be home, and will probably have gotten over my jetlag! Yayyyyyyy - getting home is actually pretty exciting at the moment. I'm kinda burned out from constantly moving around - which is why I'm retreating back to Grandma's for a couple of weeks before I run away again to France and Austria. Plus, I just couldn't think of anything to fill in the whole 4 weeks before the birthday season in Manchester starts, lol - I have a cousin on the 10th of November, an Aunt on the 15th, so I kinda have to spend the last couple of weeks around that area anyway.
So the current plans (and there will be very little change in them, because most of this is already booked) are, leave Dublin tonight for Manchester, then wake up my aunt and Sarah at some ridiculous hour tomorrow morning (aka 7am... to them, it's ridiculous!) to get the key to Grandma's house, because she's away for the weekend, then hang out in Bury until the 27th, and restock all those useful little things like batteries that I can pick up dirt cheap there. Oh, and hopefully fix my MP3 player - I'm suffering; it broke. Luckily, it's broken in a way that it has before, so I know how to fix it, though I'm not sure if Grandma's computer will be nice and let me. I guess we'll find out soon - if anyone gets raging text messages, I didn't manage to fix it.
Anyways, the 27th is the start of Mad Rush Mark 3. Mad rush 1 was what Chris and I did, Mad Rush 2, that 2 1/2 week period that is just ending - in other words, the first 2 mad rushes emcompassed 10 countries in just over 5 weeks. Number 3 is a little bit more controlled - it is only 2 (3 if you count england) in the space of just over a week. I shall head down to London on the 27th, then fly to Salzburg on the 28th, stay two nights, fly back to London, catch a bus to Paris, stay two nights, catch the bus BACK to London, hop on a bus to Stoke, spend 3/4 nights with my family there, then head back to Bury just in time for Jeff's birthday. And then sort of just veg out until 10 days later, when I get to hop on a plane to London from Manchester, then one from London to Singapore, then from Singapore to Sydney, and finally (nearly 48 hours later) a final plane from Sydney to Canberra. Where hopefully my parents will meet me at the airport, and take me HOME. Where I will sleep in my OWN BED for the first time in 6 months. And get to annoy my cat. I love my kitty!
The reason for this long and rambling post is that I had to check out of the hostel at 11am, and my bus is not until 8pm - and the left luggage at the hostel is only for current guests, so I have my lovely 15kg backpack (not sure how it got that heavy again... possibly has something to do with all the books in it though - I slipped under Ryanair's 15kg luggage limit by a whole 200g) with me, and have to take it everywhere. So, of course, I've set up camp in a reasonably cheap internet cafe to kill time! I think I spent a bit too long in Dublin, because with the exception of pretty boys, which I actually haven't seen many of, there isn't anything left that I want to see here. It's a lovely city, but it's not all that big, and I've seen all the main sights (I'm rather sick of churches and cathedrals, so they're just not as interesting as they used to be), and have even spent time in St Stephen's Green, the lovely park in the heart of Dublin, so I have run out of ideas. The one thing I HAVEN'T done is gone out and gotten drunk - and that's only because I'm not quite sad enough to go out on my own!
So, I shall be quite easily contactable for the next couple of weeks if anyone wants me - I will have access to phone credit, so might reliably reply to text messages without the fear that I'm going to run out of credit when I need to make an important phonecall to be rescued from the middle of [insert country name here].
Okay, that's enough rambling from Nic. For the second.
Love you lot.
current mood:  crazy
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| Sunday, October 7th, 2007
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5:11 pm - Back in Berlin...
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Well, I haven't posted for a few days, so it's time for me to pop up again. Just in case anyone's actually reading this, because I have been incredibly lazy in emailing people to tell them I'm alive, so my dear LJ - which has become a hell of a lot more commonly updated since I've been travelling - will have to do. It is incredibly odd typing when the keys you are pressing do not correspond to what the keys say they do (in other words, I am using an English layout, while typing on a German keyboard), so, I'm typing like I would at home, which is great, but when I actually look at what the keys are, then I get very, very confused. I think I shall just sick with touch typing, okay?
Wow, that last sentense actually was touch typed - I@m staring out the window at thje moment, not at either the keys or the screen, so it is a miracle that there aren't that many tupos. Apparently I have finally learned how to effectively touch type. Go me!
Anyways, I'm back in Germany. Back in Berlin to be exact. And still not seeing all the htings that I cam back to see, because I'm sick! I think, anyway. I have also discovered that the mattress I'm sleeping on is filled with feathers, so I think I have a combination of a cold and allergies, so Nic feels downright icky. And is avoiding her bed except when she entirely can't - aka when I actually have to sleep. I think there's something with Berlin - last time we were here Chris had a cold, and this time I do! However, tomorrow I shall force myself to be less lazy, and actually go somewhere, because today, I did the laundry, cooked myself a nice healthy meal, and spent loads of time on the internet - so, not entirely unproductive, but it's not seeing Germany! So, I beleive I shall go visit the Reichstag and stuff tomorrow. There's a free walking tour, but I'm not sure if I can be bothered going on a 3.5 hr tour when I feel icky - I shall probably end up S-bahn hopping, and just seeing the bits I want to!
Belgium was nice. Very nice, infact. Especially the food - the Pommes Frites really ARE good - I think they were the best chips I've had since I left home (oddly, Kingsleys are still the best...I swear they must put something in them XD) ANd as for the waffles... and the chocolate.... yummmmmm. Although, I got called a sell-out, because my waffle was from the 'Australian Ice Cream Company' XD Which is actually all over the place here, though we've never heard of it at home... or I haven't! Um, unless that's the one that used to be out front of Coles at Woden *thinks*
It's just over 6 weeks til I get home now, and that thought makes me very, very happy! I am well ready to see everyone again, and to be able to stay in the one place for more than a few days - and I want my home conforts... and my cat XD Working on the parentals for a kitten for Christmas, because I can't imagine only having one pet, and we're just not around enough to justify getting another dog. Still can't quite grasp the idea that Amber isn't going to be there when I get home. She's always been there, and it's just plain weird that she won't be anymore... I guess it's going to be hard when I get home, seeing as just thinking about the fact that she's not alive anymore still has the ability to make me teary!
Oh, my parents got my brother a chicken and a soccerball for his birthday. Now, this is highly hilarious, because they actually bought them for Oxfam in his name. So when he turns up on his birthday expecting presents, he shall be presented with these certificates telling him what he has given.It's the fact that my brother is one of the most selfish people I know that makes this funny - he shall not be impressed at all. If he bothered turning up at times when he's not either knowing that he should get money from the rellies, or is trying to milk money out of my parents, I might be a little more sympathetic to him. As it is, I'm a bit sorry that I won't be home to see his face! Though of course, I will send him a nice text message - and might even try not to pick fun at him in it. At least I remember HIS birthday.
DOn't ask where that rant came from. No idea! Missing everyone very muchly - we've got to make sure we all get together not too long after I get home. Damn you for nicking off to Dubbo, Dessie-poo... and if your parents haven't already sold your house here (EDIT: um, I mean in Canberra....as far as I know they dont have one in Berlin!), please remind them that my mum is a real estate agent XD
current mood:  snuffly
current music: Silverchair - Best of, Volume 1
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| Monday, October 1st, 2007
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9:57 am - Yes, it's me again!
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Luxembourg is cold. That is about the first thing I noticed about it. Also, my parents are liers - everyone does NOT speak English. They all speak Luxembourgish, French and German, but not English. Trilingualism is very impressive, but not really all that useful for getting directions - we ended up settling on 'immer hoch' as the directions for getting to my hostel. Which was accurate - it's a half hour walk up a very steep hill - but not very hopeful when I was already completely buggered, and the directions I was getting seemed to indicate I needed to just keep on going up the hill until I came to a chruch, and then turn left. Ah well, it only took me 45 minutes (1/2 hour is WITHOUT a 13kg pack of your back apparently!).
And it was worth it, actually. Luxembourg is very pretty, but also quite popular. There was no-where in the capital for less than €35 a night, and well, I can't afford that! But a €1.50 train fare and an hour ling ride through the picturesque countryside, past numerous pretty little villages, gets me out to this little town called Wiltz (with the station at the bottom of the big hill, the 'main' street which the hostel is off at the top), and I get a room to myself, and a free breakfast, for €15. Technically I am meant to pay an extra €3 a night because I'm not a YHA member, but they didn't ask, so I'm not offering! And the walking has hardly done me any harm!
Soon, it shall be time for me to head down to the station to go to Luxembourg City, in order to get to Brussels. The walk down only takes 10-15 minutes without a pack, so I'm figuring it at 25 with one (but then again, the weight of it might propell me down faster....I may be doing a Jack and Jill impression shortly!) The train comes once and hour, and I thought I might as well hang out at the nice warm hostel as at the not-so-nice cold train station, where there never seems to be any sign of life. Especially since the options for the internet here were either to buy a 30 minute pass for €3, or a 24 hour one for €12 - guess which I got - and I'd say I've got my money's worth out of it - Wiltz is a very small town, and there's not exactly a lot to do in the evenings. I was going to cook... but that doesn't work very well when the grocery store is closed because it's Sunday (I could have SWORN it was meant to be Monday... I seem to have gained a day in time differences somewhere...)
So, Brussels! Chocolate! Waffles! Putting on all the weight I've lost by eating sweet stuff in the 2 days I will be there!
No, not really - my sweet tooth seems to have receded. I've seen chocolate and lollies and cakes, and NOT WANTED THEM. I am going to be disowned by my relatives when I get back to England, if this continues (Yes, I have a genetic addiction to chocolate related items. It's not just me). Other than the yummy sweet stuff, Nic will be sightseeing... again. But hey, I should get to see the Mannekin Pis (yes, that is what is sounds like - a statue of someone pissing) - and after Brussels I'm off to Bruge to get a fix of tourist-trap middle ages town! Much fun :D
I'm actually enjoying travelling on my own - I only have to do what I want, and I can do it whenever I feel like doing, and I can move more at my own pace - which is rather slow, I will admit, but hey, it's mine. I do miss having someone I know to talk to though. I especially had an attack of the lonelies when I got to Luxembourg, and no-one else at this hostel spoke English (and they were all in their 40s... some sort of business doing bonding exercises or something, I think), but that was relieved by the arrival of 3 people about my age, 2 of whom are actually Aussies, and all of whom are friendly and do indeed speak English. And are grateful to me, because I found them wandering lost around the High Street looking for this place and showed them where it was - they did not have to go through my version of getting directions. Which is write the address down, look hopeless and go into a cafe and as anyone if they know where it is. I got here though!
Okay, that's enough rambling! I shall bore you all again soon!
current mood:  chipper
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| Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
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4:35 pm - Where in the World is Nic?
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Well, the answer to the subject is, for now, London. That shall change again on Saturday, becoming Luxembourg (as long as I manage to find the airport... WHY does my plane have to fly out of London City - the one airport I'm not quite sure of the location of!!!)Chris and I are going it alone for a few weeks (well, going it separately, she's meeting up with some of the other GAPers and some of her various Music-ey people) sooooo, things will be very interesting. And I will probably spend a good 3/4 of the time completely and utterly lost!
But after Luxembourg, it's off to Brussels, Bruges, Amsterdam and Berlin again, before flying to Dublin on the 9th. Henceforth Nic is going to be very busy and probably very confused. And also probably going to get very homesick, so any texts or emails would be highly appreciated - travelling on my own is no doubt gonna be a bit scary, not to mention lonely after a while. Especially when I think I'm coming down with a cold, considering how crappy I'm feeling today.
Turkey however, was brilliant. Loved it. Loved the people, the food, the hostels, and the experience. I have a load of photos from Gallipoli to post when I ever get the chance (it is absolutely beautiful and incredibly serene now), and also photos of one of the cutest kittens you will ever have seen - who lived at our hostel in Selcuk. And very nearly came home with me because she was just SOOOOO cute - you can guess where I could be found for those few days - wherever the cat was! Which is what else I love about Turkey - there's cats absolutely everywhere. Unfortunately most of them are strays who you just want to adopt and love, but they're all gorgeous - and none of them starve because all the shop/restaurant owners sneak them food.
Well, once I'm in Dublin, that's the end of the plans. Hopefully Chris, Emma and I will be going around Scotland, but God knows - the plans have changed so many timess I've given up asking. At this rate, I will probably end up spending quite a bit of time back at my Grandma's. Which isn't necessarily bad, because I am going to run out of money if I keep going through it at the rate I am!
But I have jeans - and CLEAN laundry! Yes, I finally found a laundry room. Let us all cheer - Nic stinks less now. I like my choice of London hostels muchly! Plus, if I get TOO lonely, I can always go to the pub directly under it and get drunk... like most of the other Aussies there seemed to be doing last night!
One of these days I'll actually write a little bit more about what I've been diong, but none of it really seems all that interesting - I've seen some cool sights, but I'll tell people about that once I actually have the photos to back me up.
Have fun kiddies!
Nic.
current mood:  sick
current music: Queen
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| Sunday, September 16th, 2007
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11:45 am - What I have Learnt...
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Here be a short list of things I have learnt while travelling, because I am bored of looking at flights, and feel like doing something more interesting for a minute:
- Cars in Krakow do not stop for Zebra Crossings. Neither do Horse and Carriages. Why they bother having crossings at all, I do not know. The safest way to cross the road is to make sure you are with at least 5 other people. This can involve long waits.
- There are surprisingly few laundries at hostels, leading to the next point:
- Clothes that go into a backpack dirty, and come out more than 3 days later are miraculously clean.
- Most people can speak english better than you can speak their language, so you WILL end up making a fool of yourself by asking a question in halting [insert language here] and being answered in near-perfect English.
- The only people that AREN'T brillian at English are invariably 'English Speaking' tour guides.
-School Groups in Hostels are evil.
-Hostel beds invariably squeak if I am sleeping on them.
- It is useful to read the doors in Hostels - they tell you what to do. IE: Tokens for te washing machines are available from reception, so there is no need to keep trying to shove coins into the machine.
- You become desperate to hear even the smallest bit of news from home and it is very disappointing to open email and find out that the only people who love you are your parents (hint hint people...)
- Making plans sucks, especially if you are me. I have lost count of what version of things we are on to now!
Okay, that'll do for now. Off to Prague to fly to Istanbul, tonight!
current mood:  bored
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| Saturday, September 15th, 2007
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10:41 am - The PLans (for real this time)
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Hello from Krakow! It's really very beautiful here, but there's not really that many things to see - hnce we saw them all in the 4 hours between when we got here and coule check into our hostel yesterday! Only other thing I can really say - it's COLD!!!!! It's Autmumn, but as cold as the middle of winter! We were going to go on a tour of the saltmines today, but it's a public holiday so they're not on - so tomorrow it's Auschwitz, the day after that, the Saltmines, then that night we catch the night train back to Prague.
From where we are now flying out to Istanbul, spending a week in TUrkey (mostly near Gallipoli, and in Istanbul) and flying back to London. From there there's a couple of weeks of haziness still but hey, at least we'll be in a country we know, so it's not quite as bad as not knowing where we're going from some random Eastern European country. We have flights... so now we have to stick to those dates ;o)
Not been up to a whole lot really - we met up with another Aussie when we were in prgue and did the touristy thing together - the chances of running into an Aussie on a tram that we got on because a bunch of Americans gave us directions! Sydneysider, with a lot more travel experience than us - and we actually saw EVERY major tourist destination in Prague, and in fact eventually ran out of things to see. Lots of photos from that, and they will appear everntually, I hope. If not, everyone will be bored by themw hen I get home.
DEFINITELY leaving London heathrow on the 20th of November, arriving in Canberra on teh afternoon of the 22nd thereof, at which point I will be very, very tired and jetlagged on top of it - waits between legs mean a 22 hour flight's taking nearly 48 hours!
Anyway, my life isn't really all that exciting (she says from Poland) and I don't think there's anything to tell you about that isn't either boring, or something I've already said! Except that this keyboard is in AUTRALIAN! Yes, everything is in the right places. It's a miracle! Of course, that means I have no excuse for the typos this time! Anywayssss, wou,ld someone try emailing me, because I'm feeling paranoid that nobody loves me!
current mood:  cold
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| Sunday, September 9th, 2007
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11:51 am - Random Pop-up
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Yes y'all, I am aware that I only posted a day or so ago, but I'm getting my internet fixes out of the way now, while I have easy and cheap access, as opposed to later, when I might not have any at all, and if I do, it will probably be very, very expensive!
Tis off to Prague this afternoon - we're taking the 4.45pm train, so once again we will be running around a strange city in the dark, trying to find the hostel (we have decreed that this time, we're taking a taxi... blow the money, we cut a whole chunk out of our trip, we sholud have SOME luxuries to show for it!)
Anyways: the update of what little I've been up to since I last posted!
- Bruised my ankle, but more my EGO by falling off a toilet seat. What was I doing standing on a toilet seat you ask? Well... this is me, do I really need a reason? However, in this case there was one - I was locked in the toilet cubicle. Because there was no handle on the door, and I rather stupidly pulled it closed behind me. And me being me, before yelling for help, I thought I'd better check if there was any other way to get out. Which there wasn't, so it was rather a lucky thing that Chris came in around there and I got HER to let me out, as opposed to some stranger. Although, that said... some stranger locked themselves in this morning, and I had to let THEM out, so I don't feel so silly anymore - and this was AFTER I'd already warned them not to pull the door shut!
- Yesterday, we went to Sachsenhousen - the 'first' and model Concentration Work Camp. There was a hell of an atmosphere there, and I was looking over my shoulder most of the day. Things weren't helped by the fact that it was a cold, windy, and slightly damp day, which made everything feel so much more eerie. The idea of it all really does send shivers down your spine, and makes you wonder at how people can be so evil to each other. No doubt Auschwitz is going to be much, much worse, but this was pretty horrifying already.
- We decided we wanted 'home' food, so ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe for dinner last night! Note to everyone: Germans make burgers and chips about a million times better than the Poms do!
- Our plans have changed AGAIN! Now we're going: Berlin - Prague - Krakow - Bucharest - Istabul - London - Dublin - Edinburgh - London (and in my case, continuing with - Stoke - Manchester - London), with random visits in the countries in between of course. Don't know the exact dates, and I think I'm giving up stating them, because they're changing every day!
Try commenting, so I actually know you're alive, peeps... when no-one emails me, and no-one even comments, I start to get a bit paranoid that someone bombed Canberra and forgot to tell me!
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| Friday, September 7th, 2007
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5:16 pm - The amazing travels...
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Well, I'm in Berlin! And all typos are to be forgiven on the grounds that the keyboard's in a different order to what I'm used to - they use qwertz here, not qwerty, and many other differences!
Anywasy, there's been a few changes to the trip - Asia's waiting til we have more time, money and inclination to do it, so I'll be home by the end of November - on the 22nd, to be exact :D So I'm afraid you Canberrans don't get as much of a break from me as you thought you would!
For interest's (or lack thereof) sake the trip for me is now as followed:
6th - 9th September: Berlin
9th: Travel to Prague!
9th - 11th: Prague
12th: Kutna Hora (Czech Republic)
12th (night): Travel to Krakow (poland)
13th - ???: Wander around Poland
From Poland it's flying to Turkey though I don't quite know when, from there it's to Romania.
5th October: Fly to Dublin from Bucharest
6th - 13th Obtober: Ireland
14th-20th: Scotland
21st-5th November: Fr5ance, Austria, Hungary, anwhere else we can fit in.
5th - 20th November: I'm going back to England to spend time with the rellies!
20th: Manchester - London flight, then London - Singapore
21st: Singapore - Sydney flight
22nd: Arrive in Sydney! Hopefully fly back to Canberra - that ball's in my parent's court to reorganise, I couldn't do it from here!
Anyway, internet cafe and expiring time, so love you all!
Nic.
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| Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007
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7:37 pm - G'day from Pommieland
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You know what you lot? I can't be bothered posting the entirety of what I've been doing - no-one will read it anyways because it's rather on the long side, seeing as this is me and I've been gone over 2 months. So, the good, the bad and the sad of what I've been up to, short form:
I bought a dress and heels. Don't faint. More to the point, I'm wearing them to go clubbing in Manchester this weekend.
My cousin Sarah (the one who's my age) is pregnant! I'm gonna be Auntie Nic :D
Amber sadly had to be put down a couple of weeks ago, so RIP Amber Boyd (2/7/1993-9/8/2007)
I have met rather a lot of family, up to and including my GRANDMOTHER'S cousin, and I shall be staying with one of my Mum's cousins in Cardiff just before I leave England, so I'm set to meet yet another branch of them
My cousins are all pretty cool, including the one I've had a grudge against since I was 6, so I now do not have grudges against any member of my family
It's been an interesting experience staying with people who haven't seen me since I was 6 - they're rather of the mindset that I still am, but I think that's changing, slowly.
I miss everyone BADLY!
I actually found a shop that sells Fluro Bondage Gear, so I know where to go if I get drunk on Saturday and feel the need to so a Kyrian (those of you not from Ichigos, just look confused, it's easier than explaining!)
I am now 19...less than one year to go til I hit 20! Argh, how scary a thought is that...I've got less than a year left of being a teenager!
Other than that, there's not a hell of a lot to tell that I haven't said in some form or other! But for everyone's information so they roughly know where I am (and so where to stay away from!). The latest is: 1st September, catch a train from Manchester - Cardiff, spend 3 nights there, hopefully hooking up with Chris so we can on the 4th of September bus from Cardiff - London. Then on the 6th, we leave England (Maz and any other Poms, breath a sigh of relief) to fly to Berlin.
After that, it all gets a little hazy, and will probably stay that way until I talk to Chris properly, but at the moment, it looks like we may be whizzing around Europe in just over 4 weeks, since one of her friends is booking a cottage in Ireland and one in Scotland for a week each from the 6th to the 22nd of October - meaning our 8 weeks in Europe have shrunk to 4 weeks in Europe, 2 weeks in Ireland/Scotland and the last week God know's where - that's the latest anyway, it could well change again! 2nd of November, we fly to Singapore, wander around Asia for about 8 weeks, meet Chris' mum and brother in Hong Kong for Christmas, then fly to Singapore on the 28th of December, wander around there for a day or so, and then fly back to Australia on the 30th. After which point, I expect to be invited to NYE parties, no matter how out of it, because since I miss everyone now, it will be much MUCH worse by that point and I think I shall want to see everyone as soon as possible!
And that's roughly what Nic is doing for the next few months. The gaps will be filled in as I travel, hopefully
Love you all!
current mood: chipper
current music: Powderfinger
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| Sunday, July 8th, 2007
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8:05 pm - Still Alive!
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Hijacking my cousin's internet, to inform you all that I am indeed still alive.. and since I'm hijacking my cousin's internet, olbviously I'm back in England again! Parents are leaving in 2 days, so scary time coming up, so get ready for random homesick emails from the me, people... cos I miss you all and I'm actually going to have time to realise it once my parents aren't distracting me by dragging me off everywhere!
Um, for those who don't know, I spent the past week in Wales.. hence the fact that I'm BACK in england.. no, I didn't come home and not tell anyone (although apparently KD did, but hey, it's a LITTLE cheaper for her than for me I think, lol). Anyways, I've met a whole load of family and I seem to get on with them all so far, so yay! Although, apparently Grandmothers have an inbuilt ability to fuss. Which anyone who knows me will know, being fussed over is going to drive me nuts! Not to mention that apparently I should be eating 3 times a day, at regular times.. which ain't going to happen if I can possibly help it.
Other than that, I've not been up to a whole lot other than meeting family. I've seen castles, and I never thought I'd say this, but at one point I actually thought I'd seen too MANY castles. And I adore old buildings. I have a lot of photos already, but annoyingly, every time that I have internet, I DON'T have my camera cables, which is highly annoying, because I want to free up my SD card so I can take MORE photos. And considering the fact that I have a 1 gig SD card, this does not bode well for when I'm actually travelling. I think I'm going to drive Chris nuts stopping every 10 seconds to take pictures of the pretty buildings. Although, in the 2 of us, I'm not the only one with an appreciation for pretty architecture, so I may well be in good company!
Okay, for a random 'still here and sorta update' this has got very long! I promise this thing should be getting more interesting, once I'm doing something. Other than going out with Sarah (19 yr old cousin) and getting rather nicely tipsy. And don't worry Inu, i probably CAN get my hands on fluro bondage stuff in Manchester if I want it, but I think I'll pass ;o)
Siging off for now, comment people, reassure me you're still alive, because I wouldn't know otherwise unless someone remembered to tell me!
current mood:  cheerful
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| Thursday, June 21st, 2007
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1:39 pm - Hmph!
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I'm disappointed in everybody! I haven't recieved a single email from anyone since I left.. not even the crappy forward things that we usually have floating around the place! *pouts* is there really NOTHING happening at home, peoples? I'm still on my Aussie mobile number for now.. should have brit credit soon, so I'll recieve messages whichever phone you send them to... and if you get messages at normal times of the day, it means I'm still being onsomniac. I've discovered the rather annoying fact that libararies here CHARGE for vids, DVD's, audio books etc... and they don't wanna let me join anyway *pouts* I want my boooks! AND MY CAT! aND MY FRIENDS! And not to whck capslock at odd times....
Anyways, my time's running out - one of these days I'll get around to actually posting something that tells you what's going on - I'm with one Grandma at the mo, will be going to th eothers tomorrow, and them will be trying to find out where I can get net access up thata way.
Okay, that's newsish for now!
current music: The siound of clacking keyboards
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| Friday, June 15th, 2007
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1:53 pm - Going, going, gone!
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Muahahahaha, I'm at the Airport in Sydney, and they have internet access! So of course, I thought I'd post a post here... I've only been gone from Canberra for all of 4 hrs and I alerady miss everyone XD Well, Kaz, Evie and Steph saw me off at Canberra airport, so that didn't help matters ;o) Love you guys.
Anyways, this is incredibly public and people are walking past all the time, so IO have no intention of posting much... but HI peoples, Maz I will see in a couple of weeks, the rest of you I will hopefully talk to/email the next time I have net access!
I promised I'd update this while I was gone.. haven't made it overseas yet, but this is a start, right? ;o)
Love you all!
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| Sunday, June 3rd, 2007
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7:00 pm - Counting down to Blastoff...
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Well, not really, but it's under 2 weeks here, people! And allllllllll panic stations are manned! Well, not really, but I'm getting there.
I have 5 shifts left at Woolies: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then it's out of the place where I've worked for the past 45 months - makes it sound long when I say that, doesn't it? Well, over three and a half years I've been a checkout chick at that store, and it's nearly over! Remember when I was the only one of our Melrose bunch with a job, guys? Now I'm going to be nearly the only one that DOESN'T! Although, I may end up working in England if I can find anything... my money is looking ALL too finite at the moment.
Two band rehearsals left. It's probably worrying that band and work are about all I do!
Anyways, most of you have heard/seen me going on about the Eisteddfod on MSN. We came 3rd. Out of the 3 bands in our division, lol. The adjudicator obviously didn't like us - he didn't even MENTION us when he was saying anything about the bands! Well, our little band has less than 30 players, the other 2 we were up against was the combined Grammar band (nuff said) and some interstate lot, with the most hilarious conductor - he was prancing around like a right fool. I'll agree that they deservered to win - somehow they managed not to crack up at the sight of him. While Austin (yes, Austin0-the-flute from Melrose), Tom (Sax), Annalise (flute) and I were sitting there snickering at him the whole time. We were just happy that Grammer didn't win. Again, nuff said about them, you Canberra lot will get it automatically, and the rest of you have no hope anyway! Although, our couple of Grammer people got to hear us bashing their school all night (*cough* did I mention it was HELD at Girls Grammer this year, seeing as Llewellyn's still screwed from the storms)
Back to travel! My list of stuff is WAY too long, and I don't think it's all going to fit in my 'little' backpack, so soon it shall be time to have a practice pack, again. With EVERYTHING this time - I know the clothes fit, but it's everything else that's going to take up all the room.
I have to say I'm really getting nervous - I haven't been away from home for a WEEK before without my parents, and now I'm going for nearly 7 months! I'm going to miss everyone so badly! I know I hardly see/talk to most of you, but at least I have the oportunity! I expect emails from people. Lots and lots of emails, even if they're containing utterly mundane things. And you lot can expect random manic/homesick emails back from me. And maybe text messages. Must remember to send you all the English number (I love you eternally, Maz!)
And I have no idea what else I was going to say... apart from don't forget about me while I'm gone, guys! I'll be posting here every so often, so if you don't hear from me by email, check here.
current mood:  contemplative
current music: Powderfinger
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| Saturday, May 5th, 2007
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7:53 pm - Could it be??? An UPDATE.
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We're under the six-week mark now. Yes, I officially flee the country on June 15th. Be flying out of Canberra at 9.40am, won't be back again til I think it's 5pm on the 30th of December - yes, the lot of you get a little over 6 Nic-free months. Rejoice! But do it quietly cos I'm tired and I don't want your rejoicing waking me up...
Who'da thunk that having two days off work could leave me at least as tired as work usually does ;o) Got to see the majority of the main Tuggers bunch yesterday though, which is always of the brilliant (yes, I'll admit I miss seeing everyone every day!), plus SHOCK HORROR, Evie actually made it :p Yes, she is a part of the Tuggers bunch even if she was only there for a couple months - once a Tuggers person, ALWAYS a Tuggers person, dammit!
Today was band performance, at All Souls church... I resisted the urge to look as Pagan as I possibly could *grins* winding up church-goers can be SO very amusing. Yes, I'm mean - blame the customers who have called me a satanist... I swear I'm getting more cynical by the day from the crap that being a full-time checkout chick entails taking. And not ripping their heads off and ripping them down their throats (figuratively, of COURSE. I'm not THAT violent!)
Only 3 weeks til Band Camp.. and scarily only 4 until the Eisteddfod, which means I need to PRACTICE! And then practice some more, and then some more... hopefully enough that I stop making the same stupid mistakes I make every time I play through pieces! I also need to clean my room more often - found 3 reeds today with VERY little effort when I decided to look since I was sure I should have some lying around.
Anyway, no-one cares about the clarinetist side of me, lol. The point of this post was to inform people of DATES!
Dates:
15th June: Fly Canberra-Sydney-Singapore
17th June: Fly Singapore - London
5th September: Fly London - Berlin
1st November: Fly London - Singapore
30th December: Fly Singapore - Sydney - HOME!
Yes, so if anyone's having New Year's celebrations, a very jetlagged me will be back in time to attend ;o)
Love you all.. and this is all I can think of that I meant to tell you!
current mood:  lethargic
current music: Various
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