All Work and No Play….

Well I’ve been working hard since my last post. Well…working a lot anyways, I’m not sure if I can really justify the term ‘hard’.

I have found time to play though I must say. We recently celebrated Anzac day with my fellow Aussies here in Cork. Had the girls come over and I made Chicken Parmagiana – the Aussie Pub staple! Washed it down with a few bottles of good old Coopers Pale. After that we headed to the Bru, which is a Kiwi owned Bar/Hostel where Alison has been staying. They had some of the Coopers in for the night as well, so we talked to a bunch of Aussies and Kiwi’s, listened to songs from home, and actually watched the last 20 minutes of the movie Gallipoli. Overall it was a really good night.

Recently had my first Saturday night off since I started working both jobs and made the most of it. It was Katrina’s flatmates 30th so we all went out and got on it. Typically, we ended up at Chambers at the end of the night anyways. Always seems to happen. We get away from work for the night, and yet by the end of the night we’re either at Chambers, Reardens or Havana’s, which is where we all work! Cant get away from the places!

I’ve 99% decided on my travel for the year. Looking at starting once I’m finished here in Cork (around September) flying into Morocco, then travelling up from there through Spain and Portugal for around 4-6 weeks all up, before living in Galway for a month or two. I’m heading back over to England next month to spend a few days with Bel and Mark which will be cool. I’m also considering trying to squeeze Turkey into my travel plans somewhere, but I will have to wait and see on that!

I’ve decided to try and learn Spanish. The goal is to have basic stuff covered for my trip around Spain, and try to speak it as much as possible so I can learn as much as I can for when I travel through South America (whenever that turns out to be). So that’s the plan, but now I need to put it into action. Has anyone actually learnt another language at an older age? Any hints and tips would be hugely appreciated! It’s a little harder at the moment with my computer being so damn unreliable, but I’m sure theres ways around it.

I’ve basically decided I want to spend as long as possible in South America, probably doing a few volunteer projects in places like Peru and Argentina. So it will help no end to be able to speak as much of the language as I can before getting there. I have time though, because before I get there I’m gonna be doing my time back in Aus for a few months, and my year in Canada – but I do need to get started now!

I hear that back home in Aus the drought has gotten even worse, with people talking more and more about recycled water and – heaven forbid – rainwater tanks!! Desperate times. Makes you wonder why stuff like that hasn’t been compulsory for a long long time!

Cant complain about the weather here I must say. Maybe the dry has found me over here, but its just not raining hardly at all – not that I’m complaining. I think in the eight weeks I’ve had this job, its rained a little on me once or twice walking to work and that’s it. It’s actually kinda weird being in a place you expect to be so cold and miserable and its so damn fine. They’re all saying its gonna be a great summer, but I know the lucks gonna run out!

Things are changing a little here. Kim is moving on to greener pastures – Galway. She’s finished her contract up so shes decided to see a different city. Galway is definitely on my travel plans too, but not just yet. Not quite done with Cork yet.

I’ve just updated my photo pages (link on the right) with some pics of Xmas06, my Paddy wagon tour and some of here in Cork – including before and after my little tumble that lead to a little bump on the head! I was going to put some more pics up again real soon, but my computer has packed it in once more (it was working for a few weeks there) so they will have to wait. Also if anyone has any pics of me from back home email them through to me. I’ve started a photo wall in my room as a way of kind of getting over the little bits of home sickness. All contributions are welcome!