Hiking through an ocean?

So this week most of the C & B staff are off. So instead of sitting on our asses all week doing nothing; me and 3 other friends went hiking today. When I got up this morning it was a nice clear morning with no rain and not cold at all. But I packed my rain coat in case and a pair of clothes because you never know and being in guiding I am always prepared. But when we got to the start point it rained. And looking at the path I thought I'd be totally fine with my runners and I was until the descent. Now one friend we were doing this with and already been on this hike the previous week so he knew where he was going. So we followed him (and the path lol) up to the top of the "mountain" (it was in between a large hill and a mountain so I am not quite sure what to call it.) So we made it up and it was so foggy on top you couldn't see anything. So we decided to descent but we didn't follow the path down, oh no we went the adventurous way down the side of the mountain following the river. Now I do have to say I agreed to this because it was fun but my poor feet! I was wearing my runners with my sport pants. The ground was so wet and there were so many mud puddles that went knee deep on me and the amount of times we crossed that river was ridiculous! We had so much fun but I was soaked! So on the way back home, the friend that came with us and graciously drove gave me her wellies and another pair of socks to wear home in her car so we didn't make a mess lol! It was a really fun day and I am very excited for the rest of my week off. I've got big plans that you'll get to hear about next week!

Bonjour Tout le monde

Bonjour Tout le Monde,
I am back for Paris! I had a lovely time with my family exploring Paris. First thing we did when the train docked was scope out crepes! I think we must of had 1-2 crepes per person each day! So once we checked into our hotel room, we headed down to a cute little place called Pomme Rouge and indulged ourselves in crepes. We then took the metro and went for a little stroll to see the magnificent Tour de Eiffel all lit up. We then rode a carousel and just mosied around. The next morning we went to the Eiffel Tour to actually go up and due to the weather you weren't allowed to go to the top nor could you walk up. So I was a little disappointed but I didn't let it ruin my day. In total we saw the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysee, Arc du Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Seine River. Then we spent the whole next day in Versailles which is absolutely phenomenal! I loved it! All the history and the rooms and the beautiful grounds! I plan to go back in the spring do I can see Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. That's closed during the winter hours. Then we made our way to a cute little area of Paris called Monmontre and it has one of the most amazing churches ever, and even better view of Paris and tonnes of cute little shops and eateries. I loved Paris and cannot wait to go back in the spring time!

Christmas & London with the Family!

So my parents finally arrived!! The whole day I waited for them I was so anxious and excited! I could not wait to see them after 4 months. So my mom told me the bus would pull in at 4:30 and my friend Char and I were there for 4:15 well buses kept pulling in but my parents weren't getting off. 5 buses later they finally got off the bus! While there was some tears and super long embraces it was amazing to see them again. And my amazing friend Char offered to meet them with me and take them to their  B & B. So we loaded up all their suitcases and went to the B & B. We had dinner at a Wetherspoons and then walked back to my house. They stayed for a while just to meet my room mates and see the house. I spent the night at my place because I had to work the following morning. Then on Christmas eve we went into Cardiff to shop and so they could see the castle. My mom then cooked a meal (one of my fav's) and we just hung around. I spent the night at their hotel and we opened gifts and stayed up watching a movie. I then went to work the next day and the room was amazing. We had giant snowmen, a life size gingerbread house and an amazing selection of food! After work I met my parents at their hotel, got dressed and went to Char's for a Christmas spread. It was really good and filled with great conversation. I then came back home so I could pack for London and do some laundry. So the next morning I met my parents at the bus station and we were off to London! London with my parents was awesome! We saw the Changing of the Guard, we did the London eye and did a river boat down the Thames. We saw Big Ben. Westminster Abbey, and the Parliament buildings. I had loads of fun and we managed to see Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Great show! If you have time and the opportunity go see it! But on the 29th I had to come home because I had to work on the 30 and 31st. So I ate my food at 5, got on the tube at 5:08ish but it broke down and took me a total of 12 minutes. Once off the tube I had to run at least 2 blocks which isn't too bad but with a whole steak in your stomach it's pretty bad! Got my luggage and made the bus lol. Took a lot of energy but I did make it back to Newport. I then worked on the 30th and I have to work tonight. Then I am going to a friends house for some drinks after work but I have to catch the 9:25 am bus tomorrow to meet my parents back in London because I am going to..... PARIS! So on the 1st I am doing the London dungeon all by myself, meeting my parents and going to dinner and the musical We Will Rock You and in the morning we are taking the Eurostar to Paris until the 5th. I am so unbelievably excited for Paris. But in other news back home, one of my closest girl guide leaders just had her surrobabe. I am so proud of her and incredibly happy to call her my friend! Congrats Dar on the beautiful journey and the incredible joy you just gave a couple! Enjoy your Guinness tonight!
Happy New Year to everyone! See you in 2012!

Update from the last 2 weeks, because my internet was down!

I have to say I have surprised myself with how little I have felt homesick. There have been days where sure I miss my mom, my dad, my brother and my friends. But things always perk up and I feel much better. However this past month I had a sick day. I woke up at 4:30 with the intention to go to work. I got up and instantly felt dizzy; I thought it was because I stood up too quickly. So I sat back down for a second and then got up and went to the kitchen. I put in my piece of bread into the toaster and attempted to make my way up the stairs to go to the toilet. However once half way up the stairs I fainted and rolled back down 8 stairs while feeling nothing. Once I had awoken I felt so nauseous so I called in sick to work. Now fainting is a common occurrence in my life. However it hasn’t happened in 2-3 years and usually I can stop it before it happens. However this time it hit me like a ninja. Normally when I faint I go forwards and I have been standing still on flat ground. This time however I went backwards as I was walking up stairs. But usually when I am sick I like to have ginger ale. This country doesn’t have any. Then I wanted those square crackers that come in a red box and I never know there name but guess what? This country doesn’t have any. So the next best thing, Lipton’s chicken noodle soup and omg guess what? This country doesn’t have any. After realizing that food wasn’t going to comfort me on my sick day, and my mom was thousands of miles away I gave up and just slept. I slept 20 hours on my sick day. This was the first day I was truly homesick. So I decided when I woke up that evening I was going to Skype my parents but to my frustration the internet was down and was down until the 20th.. So now I had e-mail only on my phone but it’s so slow! Needless to say that was a bad day. I did not like that day. But now were going into the final stretch. My parents are going to be here in 2 days and I am so excited! It’s been 4 months since I have seen them and I cannot wait! It’ll be a nice visit and it’ll definitely be the boost I need to get my through till June!

It's beginning to look a lot like christmas!

My Christmas Tree

 Hello All,

My fireplace Mantle

I hope everyone is getting into the holiday spirit! I know I am! This christmas is going to be great. This week I bought a 4ft christmas tree for me and my room mates. I also bought a window display and some decorations for the mantle. I am a total christmas nut and I am convinced that its hereditary because my mom is one too! So my christmas tree is black, 4ft tall and covered in green,pink and gold ornaments. Needless to say it screams me! In my window is a merry christmas sign with little ornament lights and on my mantle are reindeer with color coded candles. But my room is my masterpiece. I have a snowflake on the door and star lights hanging from the ceiling. They illuminate my tinkerbell advent calendar from home (thanks mom!) The tree went up on the 1st, like its normally done in my house and there were presents underneath already by the next day. Now because my room mates are european, the big focus at christmas time is on christmas eve. That's when they have their feast, and set up the tree and thats also when they open presents. So on christmas eve my mom is going to make us a meal at our house for me and my room mates and they can open their presents then but I am going to wait till christmas morning. Oh yeah did I mention my Parents are going to be here in like 19 days!!!!! I am so excited. I haven't seen them in person since September 10th! There going to be here for 2 weeks and that is the best christmas present ever!!! I do have to work christmas day but thats alright. It's a 10-6 or 11-7 shift so I can have some time with my family on christmas morning and then afterwards my family and I are going over to Charl's house for a christmas spread. It's a whole new experience that I am looking forward to. It's nice to see how christmas traditions are different all over the world.

Another Milestone :)

Wow so I have officially been away from home for 3 ½ months and in Wales for 2 months. I cannot believe how fast it’s gone. In 4 days it will be December and I am blown away! It seems like only yesterday I was at the airport saying good bye. I have enjoyed every moment of it and I cannot wait for more! So I spent Saturday day and night London visiting some friends from high school. I bussed there, took a double Decker red bus to my hotel and then the tube to meet up with them and I didn’t get lost once. We walked down Regent Street which is the main shopping drag. We had lunch and then we walked through Hyde Park which is like the central park of London. I saw the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain which is beautiful. Then we walked through Harrod’s! OMG one day when I'm rich I plan to buy everything there! The dresses and the shoes and toys! I touched a Marchesa gown for 13,000. I felt as though if I touched something I’d ruin it. And the shoe section! My goal is own at least one thing from there before I leave. I was able to see Big Ben up and close. But what I learned is that Big Ben is attached the Parliament buildings and it’s the bell inside that’s called Big Ben.  I thought it was the clock face that was called Big Ben. I got to see the London Eye all lit up because it was dark by this point. And then we headed back to the hotel for some chilling out time. But next time I go, I plan to see Buckingham Palace better, ride the London eye, Go to the Ripley’s Believe it or not museum and I am going to do a bus sightseeing tour.

And for those of you who live under a rock... BREAKING DAWN PART 1 came out Friday. I went to the midnight showing with Charl who I probably drove crazy that night! Thanks Charl for putting up with me! But the movie was AMAZING!!! I can’t wait to go see it again! It missed a few lines that I would have liked to see in it and they got a few outfits wrong but hey its show biz. But it was great! It had a different twist to it and it portrayed Bella and Jacob’s book quite well. I even cried in the movie and I won’t tell you when or why I cried because I am assuming most of you haven’t seen it yet. But after sleeping in till 1 pm the next day, I went to my first eve UK Girl Guide sleepover! The girls had loads of fun and they’ve totally warmed up to me. I love being able to have a unit here. We did tons of crafts and a lovely campfire thanks to me! The only thing though that drove me crazy and this is because of my lovely leadersJ, the girls didn’t have to make bedrolls and they were allowed inflatable mattresses. Like plug into the wall mattresses. It drove me bonkers to sit there and watch them plug them in and pull their sleeping bags from garbage bags! But that’s how I was taught as a Girl Guide. And believe me when I start the Brownie Unit back home next year, bedrolls will be the second meeting! They’ll be going to their first camp with amazing bedrolls.  But I have had a lovely 5 days off and now it’s back to work again, including a Sunday shift L so not my favourite. I am getting better with posting though don’t ya think. This one only took me 2 weeks lol. I’ll post sometime in the next 10 days.  And to end my post I’d like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY BREEZERS!!! Wish I could be there to celebrate. Love you and miss you!

London Bound!

So I just recently found out my creeping facebook that a friend of mine is visiting another friend of mine in London. And since I have 5 days off next week I am able to go visit! So my life has done a total flip from full time high school student who played sports, and was on council and was super involved in the community to a full time working girl who has a social life. Tomorrow (as in sunday) I am going to a Welsh rememberance day ceremony with a very good friend of mine Charl. Then I work Monday-Thursday and after work on Thursday I am hoping to go straight to the movie theatre because (drum roll please) BREAKING DAWN PART 1 IS RELEASED! I have tickets for the midnight showing and I am so excited! And I am not going alone, again Charl is coming with me! Then Friday I am going to register at a gym down the road from me and I am oddly pumped about that. Then I have my first UK Girl Guide sleepover but I am not allowed to sleepover because I am not registered so I am going to leave once the girls are in bed. And on Saturday morning I am going to London for the night!I have been to london but for all of 2  hrs waiting for my bus to take me here to Newport. So I am hopeing I can at least see Big Ben from the bus. But us 3 girls will hang out and have a fun time! It'll be nice to see friends from home in person. As well I have so many tentative travel plans like ireland, edinburgh, paris and spain! Everything will be getting booked in the next 2 months. I am doing great! I have been away from home now 10 week and in Wales for 8. I am all settled in and have loads of amazing reliable friends. As well I got a new room mate. She is also from the EHA and she's very nice. Everything is great although it's getting colder and colder every day. Pretty soon were gonna have snow I think. But that's alright because I have a pair of wellies!