Hello and Happy New Year to my global community of special (and very lovely) friends.

My inbox is looking a bit empty lately (save all the penis enlargement 'special offers' and half price bulk buy viagra deals) so I thought I'd say hello to the outside world and hope to receive some love, enlightenment and news from far flung destinations.

As those who keep track of me will know, I am back home in England, braving the winter weather, living with my sister and working hard to save up pennies and pounds to get this little hobo back out into the big wide world again, and you'll be pleased to hear that I'm right on track with my flights booked and my pack half stuffed already?. yippee!!!

This was my first Christmas home in 5 years, and despite my fears of unbearable tackiness & waste, it was happy sparkly & fun.  Although the rest of the
country did go completely laalaa over the silly season, I was pleased that my
family at least retained a certain amount of restraint and I had a couple of
really nice days with them (Edward, my 'ickle baby nephew being the centre of
attention of course).   I spent the rest of the holidays working shift after
double shift in the restaurant of a 'family' holiday park (you can judge
the kind of place when the first question on the application form is "how
many Asbo's do you have??)!!!.

I must have made a thousand and one cappuccinos, lattes, doppios and hot
chocolates not to mention at least a million and two cups of tea (oh how the
British do love their tea), plus gallons upon gallons of chemically flavoured
slurpshakes and florescent coloured slush-puppies served to a bunch of
ungrateful hyperactive kids. most of the staff were teenage mums and the
catering manager walked out on Christmas Day.... still it paid for my
flight to Bangkok (almost) and was quite a good laugh really..

In addition to this I have been working in as a receptionist in the National
Health Services executive offices during the mornings and in the afternoons I
change my hat and become a 'patient advice & liaison' officer which is
fascinating since the NHS is renowned for being one the worst run organisation
in the entire universe and I get all kinds of queries from confused, irate,
distressed & bereaved callers that have no-where else to turn.  Just like a
chameleon I have temporarily adapted to this new environment and am doing quite
a good job (the realisation that my brain does function and that I actually
enjoy it is a wee bit scary) but ALAS!! I've just realised that after today,
I only have 10 more days left work and I can get back to being a trippy hippy
again....yahoo!!!

I am heading up north to bonny Scotland first for a wee holiday with my good
friend Jacquie (of Taupo fame) who lives in Edinburgh.  Despite growing up 100
miles from the border, I have never been to Scotland before so I am very
excited and am looking forward to seeing all those 2 legged haggis hopping
around the snowy fells in brightly coloured skirts, my thermal underwear and
woolly jumpers are most definitely at the ready!!!

After that there?ll be just enough time for me to swap my winter woollies for
bikinis and board shorts before I head off to Thailand on 16th Feb.....
phew, back to the sunshine at last...some hammock time and a good book are
definitely in order.    I'm hoping to arrange a flight in Bangkok to get me
back to Australia during the first week in March and then I'll head off to
India 6 months later for something entirely different...bring it on!!!
it's a vague plan and always subject to change but since I always follow my
dreams and read the signs along the way I'm sure to be to wherever I'm
going whenever I get there, and I hope to see some of you again along the way
too ;o)

Well that's all from my little world at the moment, it's somewhat different
from my usual rainbow coloured bubble of loveliness but I'm still smiling and
bouncing along happily, I'd love to hear your stories, dreams and realities so
get those fingers tapping and drop me a line.