My leaving cake made by Sarah P
We went to Whitby today, one of my favorite places in Yorkshire. It was wet and windy and as we strolled along the sea front the waves came crashing in drenching us through. How different it will be where we are going? We sat gently steaming away at the Magpie Cafe whilst eating fish and chips and bought ice-creams in the freezing cold on the way back to the car. When in Rome…
I going to miss all this…
Night night
DW xxx
Amongst all the preparations for our October Christmas dinner, we spent a wonderful evening in the company of some very good friends. Having just got back from ten days in Greece they cooked up a Greek storm like no other I have seen and that even includes times I have actually been in Greece.
We arrived at their house tired from a long week at work and they proceeded to ply us with plenty of white wine, great home made food and a dash of greek music courtesy of youtube just to help set the scene. I love staying with them, its like a boutique hotel…you always get rolled up moohoosive spa-esqe towels, a snuggly under sheet on the bed (I can never be bothered at home but love it when I stay somewhere that does it) home cooked food, plenty of white wine and in the morning you get brunch! I have even stayed over when I have been working the next day and come down to a packed lunch – AMAZING!
Whilst chatting through their holiday shananigans they coyly added it was time to give us our holiday gifts. They brought out a small packet and handed it over the table. We opened it up to find snuggled inside two beautiful hand made bracelets. They explained that when they were on holiday they had found a beautiful church with nuns making these bracelets by hand, they asked nuns to bless the bracelets because they had two friends who are going traveling and they wanted us to have them for added protection (sometimes traditional insurance just does not cover it) so the nuns duly blessed them by sending a prayer and touching them to the deity within the church. Suitably boosted with spiritual protection they brought them home to give to us.
I was so touched. Its gestures like that, that really matter, deep down that is the real stuff friendships are made of. Something so kind and thoughtful really makes you stop and think and it makes me want to be a better friend in return. So with that in mind I pledge that I will dig out that old Passenger CD you wanted and asked me for at least 18 months ago. Doesn’t come close to the gift that you gave to us but at least its a start hey?
Much love Petra and Annoushka xxx
Thanks for reading
DW xxx
Today John and I got both our families together to cook them a surprise Christmas dinner in October – it was brilliant. We came up the idea ages ago when we first decided to go traveling and knew we would miss Christmas with everybody. We have genuinely been looking forward to doing this for ages. None of them knew what we were up to, we got them settled in the lounge with drinks and headed off into the dining room, doors firmly closed and with strict instructions not to enter so we could decorate the table and make it look pretty. We had been into the loft to fish out all the decorations, bought crackers, lit candles, sorted out cheesy xmas music and decorated a tree. We even put together bags full of little gifts for everybody to take home.
Once we got everything done in the kitchen we prepped a bottle of fizz and turned the xmas music up really loud so they could hear it next door (just to set the scene its separated by french doors) all of a sudden the chatter stopped and we opened the doors to “the snow is falling…all around us….children playing….having fun….” blasting out and we shouted “Merry Christmas!” I wish I had a picture of all their faces, it was so lovely to see because they truly had no idea. Everybody piled in and we set about drinking and eating about 7 courses of food. The mums made the puddings: chocolate roulade and pavalova which was just the icing on the cake – you just cant beat puddings made by mums. John made three different types of stews with dumplings and they were all so tasty that everybody went in for seconds.
It was so nice to have everybody around a table taking time to talk, eat, drink and just enjoy being in each other’s company. I loved every single minute of it, it makes me think we don’t do it enough. We wanted to spoil our families and show them how much we love and appreciate everything they do for us. This is a bit cheesy I know but its so true – John and I are so lucky to have such an amazing family supporting us all the way. We really do love you all.
We are shattered now so its off to bedforshire we go. Thanks for reading my post – you gotta love a bit of sentimentality.
Night
DW xxx
This is the view i’ve looked at for nearly 5 years (thanks for making it so beautiful Liz T). I’m going to miss the people who have made working here so much fun but I am looking forward to what the future holds and to all the ever changing views we hope to experience while we are traveling – each day something different to see and do, new places to go, new people to meet and best of all food, food, food – all the different types we can try along the way. Bring it on!
I spent the morning clearing away in preparation for the new starter next Monday. Packing up my files and books and polishing my desk, i think, for the first time since i started. It was a strange sensation – happiness, excitement, nervousness, hope and sadness all rolled into one. I don’t think such an adjective exists to describe it – safe to say i have not felt like this before.
I thought i would be ok but it seems my feelings have gone into autopilot and I have surprised even myself. Its like they are at opposing ends of the spectrum – I know i am the luckiest girl alive, i have dreamed, planned and saved for this moment for what seems like an age, but then on the flip side, i guess i have got used to my life and its hum drum patterns, where i sit, what i do, when i go home and all the other flotsam and jetsam that goes with me. It is all so familiar and safe. On the one hand i hate it and on the other i love it and the bit of me in the middle cant figure it out. I must admit its a nice dilemma to have and i am not complaining just trying to understand myself.
I thought i was the sort of person that embraced change and thrived on it. Or at least i wanted to be that person. The whole process has made me step right outside of my comfort zone and look closely at my life, what aspects of it i like, what i would like to change and what i have taken for granted up until now. I started off this post about tidying away my desk but i guess it symbolically means so much more than that. I am packing away my old life putting it in a box and labeling it ‘open again in eight months time’. I wonder what it will be like coming back to it all again? Will i be different or will i be exactly the same? Cant wait to find out.
Deciding to do this blog and write about our experiences i hope will be a wonderful way to capture the whole process from start to finish – the good the bad and the ugly, i want to be totally honest and open here. I hope when i am old and wrinkly John and i can look back and remember that we were the sort of 30 something couple that took chances in life – no matter what – we took chances. That’s such a nice feeling to have. No regrets.
All my love
DW
The inspiration for the blog title. Beautiful song.
DW
XXX
I am feeling a little bit nervous about the prospect of a 14 day hike up a 5,500m mountain in Nepal. Here are a few things I have learnt so far in training:
1. My feet don’t like being in shoes of any kind especially big, heavy hiking boots
2. I have prominent heels (don’t ask!)
2a. My hands get all swollen.
3. I need to invest in water proofs. Sweaty Betty is just not going to cut it
4. When I get hungry I get angry. Poor John
5. I loved the challenge and was determined to Get.Up.That.Sodding.Hill.
6. Came as a complete surprise to me but Nobody can beat me when it comes to going downhill. I’m like “s**t off a stick” as John politely described it. I just wanted to get back down and put my flip flops on.
Overall I’m a bit nervous. I need to rise to the challenge and get on with it. As long as I pack my flip flops I am sure I will be ok. I just feel sorry for John because I know at some point he will end looking like a local Sherpa with my back pack strapped to his front but I think that is a reality he is prepared for.
Does anybody know if GHD do wireless travel straighteners? No…seriously?
DW
Up Whernside in the dales. Zero visibility and no view! We did have a nice picnic though!
THE MOON AND I 