After four or so months, I'm heading home......two weeks early. Why? A few reasons.... I'm tired and need to simply "stop"....so will have 3 weeks at home before I go back to work, and sleep in ...and chill out.....am looking forward to my own bed, bathroom, a proper loungeroom, different clothes choices etc....and giving my lovely cat, lots of hugs... My shoulder and foot are also still causing me problems following the accident in Cambodia, and I want to check them out with my doctor and see what's actually wrong with them......I've been spoilt on the two tours that I've been doing, in that I had porters lugging my suitcase in and out of hotels, but in reality my shoulder won't cope with lugging it around myself (yep, it's that sore still)... Lastly, I've blown my ... read more

“Have a beautiful night” ..he said.......but that’s a story for later inside the blog...... Well, we survived the crossing of the English channel, it was rough and some people were sick, but we reached the other side and it turns out that we were the last ferry out before the port closed....not sure what we would have done if we were stuck in the UK. And so begins the “European Whirl”......a race around Europe, head-spinningly fast ....lots of cities, mountains, wheat fields, vineyards, restaurants, churches, cobbled streets, Smart cars and all manner of interesting things to see and wonder at.......countries full of history that show that Aussie history is basically still in nappies... Our first night was in......um, I seriously have to dig into my memory to let you know (I’m writing this on day 8...and ... read more

So, here I am in Rome........life has been busy, really busy........the life of a tourist is not an easy one, but for the sake of supporting the failing European community, I am here and doing my "bit"............ Ahhh, but it means that I have very little time to write and keep you posted........shame and sorry I promise to write soon...and bring you up to date, but in reality, my tales are one of eating,drinking, sightseeing..........great, but not that exciting and you could probably entertain yourself better by reading a Lonely Planet..... Back soon...........desperately need sleep........hugs, xxxxx... read more

Well, I’ve done it!!! I’ve left Cambodia (insert really sad, tear-stained face). I’m now in transit at Changi Airport, Singapore ........I feel a bit shell-shocked to be honest, ok, really shell-shocked. Last time I was here was the 18thSeptember and I was so excited about the adventure I was embarking on. Today I should be excited about heading to Europe and the next adventure, but ....sigh... (I feel like I’m on the set of Love Actually ...Christmas carols are playing and people arriving and departing etc)......... What a big week I’ve had since I last wrote....... Anyone that’s kept up with my blogs knows that while I enjoyed being at the school in Siem Reap, I was only acting as a teacher’s aide and so I didn’t get really close to the students, only a handful. ... read more

Who knew a bicycle tumble could make its way into 3 blogs..........?? Eight days after my tumble, my foot is still swollen and uncomfortable to walk on so I finally paid a visit to the hospital to get the foot checked and xray’d. It turns out that at some stage in years gone by, I’ve broken 3 bones in my foot and never had them treated.....they believe they were broken at different times, but I can only recall one time when I dropped something on the arch of my foot and it’s been sensitive ever since. I didn’t think at the time that I’d broken it though..... Anyway, what I’ve managed to do this time is “traumatise” the previously broken bones and some the ligaments – thankfully it’s not broken this time. So, my foot is ... read more

My mother always said that “pride goes before a fall”, and if the events of yesterday afternoon are anything to go by, well I guess she was right !!! I’ve been doing quite a bit of bike (bicycle) riding in Siem Reap, which is something I haven’t done for a few years, and was really enjoying it. Each time I made it home safely, I’d give myself theoretical pat on the back.....I’ve mentioned many times that there are no road rules here, and that it’s insanity on the roads...so every time I arrived home I felt a pretty decent sense of achievement. Hmmm, so what happened yesterday I hear you asking..... On Tuesday afternoon after school, Sina (one of the teachers) and I road home side by side (moto and bicycle) and had a chat about ... read more