Not so miscellaneous ramblings

Welcome!

So I’ve started a blog. And now I have to write in it.

It’s actually quite intimidating, creating your own website and waiting for inspiration from which to fill it with meaningful copy that will (hopefully) entertain and enlighten those bored enough to read it.
Fortunately for you I’m living the high life in London and there always seem to be random observations to be made, and stories to be told which I’m sure are the highlight of your day! (or week, or year… :)

So where to start… October was a brilliantly ‘normal’ month. I banned myself from any travel-related activities - for the sake of my health, as well as that of my bank account. Pete was also away which meant it was a me-month; I joined a gym and got into the habit of going 3–4 days a week. I even saw a (predictably good-looking) personal trainer twice, but subsequently ruined all my hard work by spending equal amounts of time in pubs and bars catching up with friends, allowing Heathrow to re-inject itself right back with a vengeance.

October was also a month in which the weather got progressively worse – colder and colder by the day, which brings me back to my previous unexplained reference to what happens when I freeze my butt off at a football game (or elsewhere).
Apparently I get blotchy red, itchy patches on my skin (mainly arms & legs), which are the result of a charming condition called Urticaria. Urticaria is effectively an allergic reaction, and in my case the cause is none other than the cold itself! Wonderful. Perfect for living in London and all that.
Following separate appointments and matching diagnoses from a doctor and a dermatologist, I was put on daily medication (antihistamines) which I now take preventatively each morning. Touch wood I haven’t had any problems since I’ve been on them - other than the psychological trauma of feeling like a grandma taking my daily meds before I pop in my false teeth and get ready to face the day.

But medical condition aside, I’ve been well. Work’s going great as always; I actually had a break from crazy busy-ness for a few weeks recently and surprisingly was too bored to enjoy it. Apparently I’m so used to doing ten things at once that simple tasks and ample time were a bit too much for me.

So following my self-imposed travel ban in October, I was needless to say anticipating a return to my odd normality of travelling around Europe in November and beyond.

First (well, next) stop – Barcelona.

I flew over on a Friday afternoon (a week and a half ago now) and met my friend BG (Belinda, who lives in Paris) at our hostel that evening. She’d arrived a few hours earlier and had already picked out a funky tapas bar for us to visit for dinner, so after admiring the purchases she’d also had the time to make (!) we set off for the first amazing tapas & sangria meal of the weekend.


The weekend overall was what one would predict, given an executive summary of ‘an Aussie girl living in London and an Aussie girl living Paris, meeting in Barcelona for the weekend’.
LOTS of talking - apparently I’m starting to sound English (whereas BG has forgotten how to speak English :)
Lots of shopping - if Paris is cheaper than London, Barcelona is half price again… hello!!
Lots of eating and drinking – tapas, paellas, sangrias…
Lots of sightseeing – seeing the gorgeous, colourful sights whilst walking off abovementioned tapas, paellas, sangrias…
Brilliant!

I’m proud to say we got through the weekend with an impressive combination of BG’s Spanglish and my Spalian (Spanish / Italian) – surprising how far you can get with only a few words. Saying ‘I’m allergic to nuts’ was a bit of a tricky one though, so our downfall was BG switching to a unique combination of English and mime before ordering every meal, just to be safe.

Overall we had a brilliant time, and loved the city. Can’t wait to go back to Spain (again).
Next stop on Jasmina’s Tour de Europe = Salzburg!

Heading off on Friday with work for our Christmas party – should be brilliant!
Then, when everyone is miserably filing back onto our chartered plane for the flight back to London on Saturday morning, I’ll be relying on Berocca to work its’ magic for the day of sight-seeing ahead with Pete (who’s meeting me there for the weekend), followed by a Mozart concert that evening. We’re all class.
I’ve already booked the Sound of Music tour for Sunday morning too – admittedly BEFORE I made Pete watch the movie, but it’s still on. Can’t wait!

I’ve also finally sorted out my plans for Christmas and will be going on an 8-day tour around Eastern Europe – Berlin to Prague via Krakow & Warsaw in Poland. Should be brilliant! More detail on that one after the event… no exciting activities booked as yet, just the tour and a couple of ridiculously expensive flights.

And that’s it (for now)!
This isn’t really a blog, is it? I think the point of a blog is to write about random stuff rather than life updates but not to worry, it’s a start.

Hope all’s well back home - let me know what you're all up to, and I'll see you (somewhere outdoors, where I can work on my tan whilst catching up) in about six weeks!

x