Xmas 2007 - NewYear's 2008

It's amazing how a year passes by so quickly...
ticking off the list of things I wanna do each year,
I guess I've come a long way...
almost 2.5years away from home,
I've become a different person,
or rather, I haven't stopped changing,
that's all part of the process, isnt it?
I love life, and I'm just gonna continue living it out!

Alberto n me, so happy in the snowy mountains Sierra Nevada
we spent some sunny happy time snow-fighting
n just hanging out amidst the Xmas atmosphere..

it was a beautiful day
sunshiney n snowey...

still dont have the guts nor money to go skiing lol..
its not the guts,
bt imagine swishing-swooshing thru snow
in below 0deg..it sucks...

NEW YEAR'S EVE!
Welcoming in the new year :)
The Spanish tradition never fails to intrigue me,
instead of counting down like everyone else does,
they start counting 1 to 12 only after 12am,
n with each dong, they swallow a grape..
that can be quite a mouthful..
n thereafter, the ceremony of hugging each n everyone in the house begins...
it takes almost 10mins to hug everyone! lol

His entire family celebrates it together,
it's warm n cosy,
this year round we got wigs, n disguises.. lol

Afterwhich we hit a party with Alberto's sis n cousins

A kick-start to the new year!

January has come n gone by just like that..
It's been a whole month of dashing ard,
trying to get all the bits n pieces of our trip together,
planning, booking hostels, getting visas, and vaccinations..
its SO FUCKING EXCITING!
It's getting nearer n nearer,
n I just can't believe how soon we'll be embarking on our adventure!

2 mths of travelling Egypt, Jordan, Tanzania and Ethiopia!!!
I'm planning trips to the Dead Sea, Camel trekking in the desert,
sleeping under the stars...safari in Tanzania...

Anyhow, haven't had the time to upload pics from Xmas n NY
Melissa came to visit from London,
n we had a wacky time showing her around Granada,
tapas-hopping, drinking from day till night
n just had fun hanging out n spending the festive Xmas together..

Life's been great,
just had a BIG dinner in my all-time fav haunt, TGIFridays!
after 2 weeks of torturous dieting,
I figured I had enough of munching of carrots,
but woa, ribs and brownies did it for me man!
diet no more!!!!

awww... me with my strawberry daiquiri,

Jack Daniel glazed ribs,

and brownie surprise,

I dont need anything else in this world to be happy ;)

Kenya Election crisis

'A rally in the Kenyan capital Nairobi against the re-election of President Mwai Kibaki has been called off as police fired tear gas and water cannon.

More than 300 people have been killed in Kenya and at least 70,000 driven from their homes since Sunday.

Operators began cancelling flights following Foreign Office advice that people should only take essential journeys to the East African country. '

The shocking news have left us disturbed,
images of violence, bloodshed n cruelty are shown on the news everyday..
it leaves the world sad to see how the Kenyans are killing each other in the name of democracy.

We are worried abt our impending trip to Kenya..

A Smashing 2007

So I was thinking thru about what Ive done the whole of last year..
2007 has been such a fantastic year, so much memories, so fulfilling..

I started 2007 drinkin n feasting here in Granada,
found a rewarding job teaching some fantastic pple,
learned a new language which has brought me so much tears n laughter,
hung out n partied lk crazy with the 3 locas in Madrid -that was the most fun i'd had all year,
met some friends who will stay in my life forever -Melinda and Alicia,
travelled to the beach of Alicante and Valencia with our fav Ivar in the midst of spring,
had a fucking superb roadtrip ard Turkey, seeing one of my fav places in the world Pamukkale,
booked a flight to Morocco at the last min, n ate sheep's brains n laughed at Melinda lol,
gave Alberto a birthday surprise in romantic Venice,
spent a month of summer in Eastbourne, England n had a wacky time with the kids,
went roadtrippin' from South to North of Spain, n on a Mediterranean cruise with his family
had the best summer ever!,
brought my frens from home n family all over Spain ;),
attended Rahmat's wedding in Amsterdam, n got high in the coffeeshops,
and ended the year with a smashing party in Alberto's home again!

so there, 2007 has taught me alot, changed my life in many ways
n now I am all geared up to embrace 2008
it's gonna be a fucking good one..

New Year Resolutions 2008:
1. Travel Egypt and Kenya!!!! know its gonna be fucking great..
2. Go home n be with my family n frens! (still failed to fulfill this resoln for 2007..sigh)
3. Save up n finally have a nice apartment..
4. travel Asia with Alberto! -- Japan, China, Australia.. (his turn to see new stuff)