Another year over - BAM! Last January - planning my trip around the world, this January - buying tickets home. Yes maam, I am coming home! 

In recent weeks I have sunk back inside myself and found escape in books and sleep. Home sickness has gotten to me quite a bit. It sneaks up on me through tiredness and introvertedness. To think I sometimes prefer my own company? News flash! 

Tho, it dawned on me the other day that even "home" (as how I remember it) is going to be very different. Friends are dispersing to Syd and Melb, and apparently Weston Creek has developed (What the...?!). I can't stand change (I'm realising this a lot while travelling). I find myself fighting against having to adopt something different (ie. southern gun culture). Looking forward to relaxing to some familiar cups of milos, aussie slang and seeing the gum trees & kangas again. To think, I miss the 'sunburned country'!

What this year is going to bring is uncertain. Job? Location? Who knows! Last year brought a lot of surprises, both good and bad. Meeting a wonderful guy, while also losing one tragically. I'm learning slowly about how to manage the highs and lows of life. That my emotions should not be dictated by circumstances but my joy should be in God and the multiple blessings I have. I need to live with some uncertainties and just trust God knows what he's doing and will lead me. 

I've also found this trip revitalising. I've been able to let go of past experiences and find myself capable of forgiving. It's nice to experience life afresh, have an opportunity to change without memories or people pinning me down. New voices in my life really helped me to see things differently and to see where my weaknesses lay, and how I need to change them. To stop for a minute, and have time to reflect without a constant barrage of social activity - has been quite beneficial.

This trip has shown me my limits - how travelling constantly takes its toll on me out and I need to remember to touch base with friends and home more. I also struggle with stepping out enough and exploring - despite the fact I've been to 3 different countries on this trip. It's crazy when you challenge your comfort zones how even though you desire to step out you also fight against it. 

Anyway, cheers to a new year! Look forward to seeing most of you soon! 

Oh, How I miss you. 

my time with the poms...

Our Cute Lil' Rental Car!

Am sitting in heathrow airport after 3 weeks in rainy England. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting, and had some interesting experiences going down country lanes where you had to manoeuvre past cars on a one lane road with hedges reaching to the skies.

In the gardens outside of Warwick Castle!

I particularly enjoyed meeting up with my two friends, Sam and then Iggy. I saw a lot of the country side with them. We went to Bath and checked out the Roman Baths - and got swooped back to ancient times. I explored old heritage listed houses and got dressed up in old English dresses and sat daintily on cute oval window sills and extremely old couches. It was an experience to see a castle and go into the dungeons that smelt of urine and have actors jump out from behind walls and spook you out! but all in good fun!

Having lunch at a English pub! 

I enjoyed particularly going to the English pubs, and eating excellent meals like roasted duck, seafood platters, and roasted chicken. They were delicious and I enjoyed a good English beer with it. I was surprised at how nice they all were - nothing like the Aussie pubs we have back home where you just get deeply fried chips and a beer and that'll do just fine.

I met a lot of English lasses and lads over cups of teas in lounge-rooms, eating pudding (which is pretty much just dessert) and laughing at phrases like "you alrigh'?" and "innit".

London was incredible with all the large old buildings, and large parks marked with geese and squirrels. I did enjoy spending most of my time eating picnic foods like cheese and crackers, dips and wine. And seeing the whole view of England while twirling around on swings high in the sky!