Art & drama in London...

We continue to keep busy. The pace is relentless and the list of destinations is seemingly endless.

I'll admit to craving a day of rest. A day where we can stay local, stay away from London underground, a day where we can hang out and do pretty much nothing... But then, as we did this morning, we look again at the list of things we still want to do and realise there really isn't time to rest. For now in any case.

Today, as every day, it was worth the extra burst of energy.

First up this morning we headed to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, followed by the Tate Modern. Both were high on our must see list, and both were new destinations since the last time I was in London.

The Globe Theatre is open by tour only and was introduced to us by a very theatrical and excellent guide. It is a remarkable building and it was easy to imagine a play on the stage. Unfortunately the season is over for this year so we were unable to view a performance, but it was still well worth a visit.






After we had finished there, we walked less than 5 minutes to the converted Bankside power station next door, which is now home to the Tate Modern.

The 7 levels of modern art ranging from photography and sculpture to multimedia, painting and art installations is extensive and too much to absorb in one visit. But wow.

I was especially taken with a temporary exhibition by artist Taryn Simon called "A living man declared dead and other chapters. I-XVIII" which was created over the course of 4 years. It was a touching and insightful photographic display and narrative. Well worth a visit if you happen to be in London anytime before January 2nd 2012. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you get to see it.

Tomorrow we are having a break of sorts... a day out of town with a trip to Oxford. At least on the trip there and back we get to sit down for a while!

Turn your face to the sun...

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.
~Maori Proverb

I have a lot on my mind right now. 

Big decisions. 

Frightening, exciting, exhilarating, terrifying decisions.

To avoid them, to take the easy, comfortable, stay-stuck-in-a-rut direction, would be to turn away from the sun.

And you all know how much I like the sun.

No answers, just more questions...

Years ago I had a workmate who would take 2 weeks annual leave every year, the same time every year, and to much the same destination every year. He would talk about it for months before his trip. Off he would go with his family, returning 2 weeks later suntanned and looking relaxed. And within the week, he would be planning the next year's leave and the treadmill would start rotating again.

I used to look at him and think that was not the way I wanted to live my life. I was determined my life would be more than just 2 weeks of sunshine every year. That my work life balance would be... well, more balanced!

And yet, here I was (prior to my recent trip to the States) not having had a holiday for nearly 3 years! Not only was I not living his dream, I was living my nightmare! It is hardly surprising that people are now saying I look like a new person. That I look younger. That I am more relaxed!

It was long overdue, and the holiday was the break I needed.

Having said that, it wasn't quite what I had planned... I was hoping during my 6 and a half weeks away, to spend some time thinking about what it was I wanted to do. With my job, with my flat, with my (non-existent) relationship. With my life. My job, my home and my relationships all need change.

I had planned on taking time out to reflect... to really explore the things in my life that were making me unhappy. To make some decisions as to where I needed to go to start turning things around. And to put some plans together as to how to do it.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for all I have. My friends, my family, my home... even my job. But the fact is, I don't feel happy. I feel like I am treading water. Surviving. One day at a time.

And the thing is, in the end, it didn't quite go the way I was planning anyway... As I said, I had a great time, it felt like I was away f o r e v e r. And maybe just taking that time out, set things in motion.

Because just the day before I left, I was told that my job was changing. That by the time I returned, another person would be employed to run the studio and I would return to a more 'hands on' role. Back to being a mac operator while someone else took the reigns. It came as quite a shock. And of course, while I was away it was on my mind quite a bit. It left me in a state of uncertainty, over which I had absolutely no control.

True to their word, on the day I returned to work, there was a new studio manager starting in my old role, and my working life changed significantly.

What does this mean?

Where am I heading?

How do I feel?

What next?

Right now, I don't have a clue.

I am just going with it and enjoying being back as part of the team.

Letting go. Holding on.

Winging it in the USA and holding onto adventure...

I have been meaning to add an update post to my blog for ages, but because my plans have been changing (and more countdown posts were getting a little bit boring), it was hard to know where to start. And on top of all that, I have been super busy.

All the planning (tickets/itinerary/accommodation/contacting friends)

The paper work (passport/money/visa)

Organising my life and home in my absence (house sitter/bills to be paid/work replacement)
Making decisions (where to go/what to do/where to stay)

Google has become my best computer buddy, taking over temporarily from my bff - blogging. Any free time I have had, has been spent researching, planning, changing plans and thinking about other plans.

As if procrastination isn't bad enough, add in indecision (a slightly different affliction) and a touch of nervousness and the plans have been rotating and changing on a daily basis.

The internet, in some ways makes it all a little too accessible, too easy to plan everything before even boarding the plane. Down to an itinerary for each and every day, each moment accounted for, each meal, tour and destination planned. But where is the adventure in that?

So, instead of over planning, I have decided to wing it a little.

I had plans. Lots of them.

Maybe too many.

Some have changed.

Some remain the same.

Many more will no doubt change along the way...

And so, as far as telling you my plans, I can't tell you that much at all.
What I do know of my six weeks in the USA is this...
I be staying in Maine for the first week and renewing my love for beautiful New England.
I am staying with old friends and we will be having a small reunion with a few others too.
I am spending ten nights in NYC, and at least three in Washington DC.

I am meeting up with some blogging friends.

And the rest?
There are many options of course, but right now, I am trying to hold on a little to the adventure of not knowing what might happen... being open to all the possibilities, embracing the freedom, relaxing... and remembering to breathe. At least three of the six weeks are a mystery at this stage, and that is how it's going to stay for now.

Maybe it's a little bit crazy, but it's pretty exciting too!

And so you know, it's just over two weeks to go...

48 Sleeps

On this day in 7 weeks I will be getting on a plane to NYC, USA.


I will be away for a total of 6 and a half weeks. I can barely believe it is happening! It seems like an age since I have had a holiday and I really do need the break, and 6.5 weeks is bliss.

My Mum (Mom) and I will be traveling together. We have agreed to spend 4 weeks together and 2 weeks 'doing our own thing', so that I can get the escape from 'my world' that I have been craving, and we can hang out together for the rest of it. Thankfully we are good travel companions, so it will be a great combination.

There has been some planning (though this weekend will see more when Mum and I get together) and this is where it stands at this stage...

Arrive NYC, August 5th.
Head straight to Maine for the first week or two. We will hang out with friends and visit Camp Tanglewood where I worked as a summer camp counsellor 20 years ago. I would love to rent a house (or better still be invited to house sit or stay with friends) on the Maine coast.

Picture all those New England postcards you may have seen of little seaside towns with stark white homes and tiny shops huddled around a small bay and that's where we'll be. With luck we will see the Northern Lights.

For those first one to two weeks, my ideal would be relaxing in the summer sun and soaking up good old USA hospitality. No pressure to do anything but grab a book, write a journal, do some drawing, take a walk, sit in a cafe and watch the world go by.

Be still. And breathe. Deeply.

From there it's largely unplanned. At this stage we are going to stay in the northern states as I traveled to California and other southern states 20 years ago.

What I do know... There will be a trip to Niagara Falls. Maybe a few days in Boston. Two weeks of mystery adventures. And then, across the last two weeks I will be in Washington DC for the long weekend in September (where I hope to meet a lovely blogging friend), traveling south to Southern Maryland to visit another friend (due to have twins in the next few weeks) and then ten nights in NYC.

It already sounds busy, but I don't want to over plan as I want to leave some of it to chance. Though I am keen to organise accommodation in NYC so that we can head there and not have to worry about where we will be staying.

I'm expecting there may be some readers who are a little envious (I know this because I know the jealousy I have experienced when reading posts about other blogger's travels) and maybe wish you could be doing the same trip... that right now you are thinking of all the things you would do if you were in the USA for 6 weeks!

I would love to hear your thoughts.

If you had 6 weeks in the USA where would you go and what would you do?
Is there anything you just wouldn't want to miss?
Have you been to NYC? Would you recommend anywhere to stay?
Are there markets you would like to visit? Stores? Galleries?
Hidden treasures you'd like to share.
Workshops you would like to take?
I would love some specifics. Or just general comments are fine too.

Luna Park Fun... how can it be called the scenic railway, when your eyes are tightly shut?

My Christmas gift to my cousin Jen and her 4 kids was to take them to Luna Park. It took a while, but we finally made it today.

I was determined to be brave and go on everything they did. No backing out. If I was scared, there was no way they were going to know a thing about it.

All good in theory, until we went on our first ride. Violet (the second youngest) was with me and I could feel her heart beating as she sat snugly against me. She asked me to hold on to her tightly. No problems, I thought, just who's holding on to me?

When we got off just two short minutes later, she was fine. Said she had a great time. Me on the other hand... my face was pale and sweaty and I am told I looked rather sickly. And I sure as hell felt it!

I don't remember the ride's name...
I call it the nauseator.
Two words...
NEVER AGAIN


Stunning day of sunshine and craziness.
And just in case you are wondering?
No. I didn't.
Not after the nauseator.


I did however, manage the Scenic Railway. The rollercoaster that has been scaring people witless for generations. What I don't understand is the name... yes I know it's high, I know it runs the border of the park, I know the view stretches to the beach and across the entire park... but how can it be called scenic, when your eyes are tightly shut?


Dodgem Speedster Monty.
You're never too young, or too old for the dodgems. So much fun, even for me at 42!


G-Force. And in the background, just part of the tracks for the Scenic Railway.


There were smiles all round.


This is the crew.


It was always going to be fun, with such a crazy bunch!
Thanks guys, I had a great day.


Glad to see I wasn't the only one exhausted at the end of it all!