Monday 11 April 2011

It's been a while...

A few things to start off,

I am no longer in the uk. For the last six months I have been living in Australia, and two weeks ago I moved to a cattle station just outside Katherine, in the northern territory. It's a long way from my Kentish village.

Alot has happened since I started up my travels again. To begin with, I got stranded in south Africa for a day, traveled the west coast of oz, lived in Melbourne staying and working in a hostel, and now, moved to the outback.

After spending way too much of my money living in the city, it was time to move on and experience another aspect of travelling in Australia. For many a backpacker, the three months farm work is not just a must to receive your second year working holiday visa, it's a way of getting out of the cities and seeing 'the real Australia.' not really what that means but all I know is this;
• I needed to save money
• I needed farm work
• some where completley foreign to me was preferable.

And here I am, after applying for an advert on gumtree, I backed up my back and booked a flight to Darwin.

One thing is for sure, I am making the most of the Internet available at the station.

Monday 6 September 2010

A little glimpse of India and Nepal

Its been over a month since I returned to the UK from India and still when people ask me what was it like, I can't quite explain it properly. If I'm honest one statement can honestly describe it.
"It was an Experience."Over the three and a half months I was away, this is the best generalisation. Mentally and physically my boundaries were pushed to their limits. I was hospitalised, diagnosed with a tropical disease, and lost a stone in weight. There were the hordes of beggars, evil monkeys, sweltering heat, 'onephoto mam!', epic public bus journeys, dust oh so much dust and hawkers. There were also beautiful landscapes, amazing architecture, vivid colours, elephants, cute kids, roaming cows and some of the kindest strangers I've ever met.
Once I entered Nepal, everything came a lot calmer, the terrain more jungle like, much was the same but so much was different.

As a picture says a thousand words, here are 10 pictures that might help sum up my time. Noted this does not include any of the children I taught for two months, their families or the awesome friends I made along the way. But maybe one day....
'Monkey Temple,' Katmandu. 
Monkey and baby, Shimla, India.
Part of the India/Pakistan border closing ceremony, Punjab, India.
The Golden Temple, Amristar, India.
Taj Mahal. innit.

When I grow up, I want to be as beautiful as this woman. Photo taken Patan, Nepal.

Jaipur, Rajastan, India.

Ceremony outside wooden Temple, Vashist, India.
Himalayas, India.
Shimla, India.

Friday 3 September 2010

Having a nose...

Placing myself into a self-imposed quarantine to save money, I've become somewhat of a fashion blog addict.  I'm completely hooked on Delightfully Tacky's blog, who, with her amazing tresses and a bitching camper van, is pretty much living the dream. 

I'm especially impressed by her embracing the curls and its really inspired me to try and accept my frizz ball in the next do I have.  

There is also her use of transportation in her pictures that appeals to the traveller in me!!!! 
Although I've been picking out dresses and skirts for potential looks, I need to be practical.  I'll only be able to take around with me what I can carry and I have no idea when I'll be able to settle down somewhere.  So far I know I'll be taking my walking boots and faithful super warm sweaty Betty hoodie from my old stock, a couple of items I've bought. 


          
                                                                               * Pictures courtesy of Delightfully Tacky


Any hopeful looks will  need to be low maintenance and practical for someone hauling their life around on their shoulders! with that in mind, here are a few that caught my eye.














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Wednesday 1 September 2010

Introductions

Hello. That's probably the best way to start this.  Well, maybe not the best, or original at that , but its a beginning we're all familiar with.

Hello. My name is Lady Earl Grey and I'm a tea addict. I've been drinking since I was knee high and have no plans on giving it up. ever. Its probably caused by some deep trauma in my childhood - If I ever remember it, I'll let you know. Rather, I'd like to blame it on the fact I'm British and that some how drinking mugs of the stuff is part of the genetic make-up. Much more plausible in my eyes.
Any-hoo as far as vices go, it's pretty much the softest you could have, every morning I can wake up with a fresh mug in my hand and say 'at least its not crack.'

So you can be assured, that through writing my posts, come rain or shine, a cuppa will be at my lips. 

The main part of this blog will hopefully be taken up by my travel stories, general mishaps that occur in my life and if I get inspired, some creative writing. At the moment clothes are taking over my head but that is not the focus point of this blog (I think but who knows). I envision pictures and videos too, but one step at a time.

Currently I'm playing the waiting game. In less than a month I leave England and I have no idea when I'll be back. I've bought a ticket to Australia where all the fun and games will begin, working my way around as much a I can. Right now I'm just organising  and finishing a TEFL course (just in case). Sorting through a life time of crap is also a tedious task that has to be done before I leave, and its not going well. I've sold items on ebay and made a few trips to charity shops,  but there are some objects I can't part with. Thank god I can store things at my parents.  

Part of my personality, that I thought had gone, has come back. I've been searching for ideas on how to update my look - what to keep and what doesn't suit who I am anymore. I've found sites such as LookBook and Polyvore really useful.  Although I still have my trusty scrapbook with magazine clippings, I've now stopped buying hard copies (too much money for so many adverts!). I find online content gives you so much more freedom to play around with and for the first time in an age, I want to experiment again.  I'm even considering a drastic hard change.
 However, lookbook is also making me extremely jealous of all the people out there with amazing cameras. For now I'll just have to get by with my trusty canon.  But due to the fact I've been unable to find work for the two months I've spent back in the UK,  budget has become my latest buzz word.

Welcome to the rants of a caffeine junkie.