Another Random Day

Sadly I have to start by saying there are no photos with this post I my prescious Laptop has had to go into be annalised as it is heating up and sounding like a jet engine and I am a little scared that it may crash. (if this happens I will have a small melt down so be ready for that)

The last week or so I have just been relaxing and reading a new book which I am getting quite into – there is a punch line I am sure of it but it will happen later in the book so I am looking forward to that. Steve and Dani reccomended it ¨Never let me go¨by Kazuo Ishiguro

A little note on Steve and Dani – I have come to really look up to them as people I like their outlook on life, they are both we smart (intellectual) people, active adventurous and to top it off really down to earth. I have many of these friends at home for sure but I think I have lucked out by having meet them. It is funny how life cna work out for you sometimes. They have made me very excited about the prospect of Uni next year and I am even thinking of taking on an Engligh litrature type subject (as it has become obvious my Engligh skills need much work ha ha) But no really they are fantastic people I enjoy my little chats with Dani each day, it´s the small things.

I have become inspored about photography again and very comfortable with what I believe my style to be and can see this growing as a passion also.

As in any extended holiday not every day is perfect I miss home, get hasseled by randoms at night sometimes (wankers) see more homeless beggers than I have ever before, miss my bed and especially my couch. Miss so many of my friends – but they are very few and far between days and I love that I am finding more of myself here each day I grow as a person.

Laurelle, cause I know you keep up to date and I love you for that it is special to see people keeping in touch. I know you are a little intimidated about your up and coming ventures but mate from personal experience you will never look back – take your dream and attach it to a star, each time you loose your way all you have to do is look up!

I am off to Madrid today and am very excited – I don´t really know what I am going for or am going to do but after one day of aprehension I went ¨Hey what are you here for?¨so bring it on – Here I come Madrid.

Gosh I can be so silly sometimes …. and I amuse myself

Matt and Niki took off today to start their next chapter in London – I am very excited for them and can´t wait to see where they end up. Meeting all of their connections and making some new friends has been fantastic  I will miss them but my budget will be greatful – to many good times. No really Mick and Sergio have been amazing taking us to all the little places they know of experiencing all the food and wine has been better than anything Lonely Planet could offer. Gotta love local knowledge. So until Niki´s Birthday in a few weeks when we´ll be partyingin London. Farewell guys it has been fantastic to experience this place with you both.

Well I better get back to doing some actual work – it is why I am here. ha

Until next time ….. Kell,

A day in the life of Kelly

“A pre apology to grammer ans spelling mistakes – I have limited time on line to perfect these things”

So each day I get up at about 8:30-9 ish depending on how I feel. (I am loving the late starts – see people we can have a relaxed work day) then I head downstairs to the Bakery below our apartment and get what I am finding is my favourite breakfast food – A Custard Croissant ! Yum Yum

Then I walk about 15 minutes to the metro station listening to any random music on my IPod. I get to work at about 10am and work pretty hard to get all the things done needing doing, until 2pm when the office closes and my fellow work colleagues and I go down to Eric’s Cafe, which is a little local place that only the locals seem to know about and we then enjoy a 3 course feed that each day changes. Eric and his wife are made Soccer fans and  the place is riddled with photo’s of them with ever named player there seems to have ever been (massive exaggeration) but it is pretty cool. Each day we have lunch they try to teach me a little SPanish and I try to teach them a little English it is turning out to be a great venture and I enjoy the company. Lunch costs $11.90 and you do not need to eat dinner after that – however I seem to fit it in.LOL

We say our Adios’ or Hasta Mananyas and I am off again with my trusty IPod to the metro station. The walk home seems to give me more pleasure than the morning walk maybe because I get to take my time and soak up all that is around me. The little homeless lady is there in the mornings and in the afternoons I almost find it comforting to see her each day – I wonder where she is when she isn’t there.

I respect those travellers that want to see as much of a place as possible in the shortest period of time but I have come to know that I know what make me happy and I am content with that. On this note I will say that I love to travel and experience new things but I have definitely decided that I am happy to just immerse  myself in one place and feel every part of it. Each day I experience a new thing or see something I haven’t before that give me a great big smile.

The walk home has bought me many different sights and people and places, I seem to have not yet master the very large Metro station I come out of and exit in a different street each time, at first it annoyed me but I now get to see a new area each day. From the metro I walk 15 minutes to home, walking through the little street a different way day and always end up coming into the market square near my house that comes alive with energy of people having their lunches and children playing Soccor in the middle below this massive Clock tower. As you walk around the corner there is a butcher, a bar, a gelati shop, a bakery and all the smells and sounds along with my IPod just make me smile and bounce along enjoying each moment. There are people in love here everywhere you can’t help but notice it – I love it – there should be more love in the world.

Afte I drop my backpack off home I head back down to the market and grab a few things for dinner SO CHEAP and so fresh amazing a feast can be cooked for 3 on $15, the new foods I have never experienced, colours, smells and freshness is all you really need I am eating like a hose (observed by the guys at work – “you eat a lot for a girl” is a comment I hear each day) then down to the bakery again and just on the corner below the apartment is a Bodega and the wine there is approx $4 per bottle form 2007 of local produced wines that seriously S$&T all over anything I have had at home – Except Henshky Jamie!

Relaxing on the terrace after work soaking up the sun and sounds is a great way to wind down before you cook up a feast and enjoy that. I have been getting into reading photography books and watching some podcast that I have been meaning to do for so long it is crazy – thanks Ian for the copies they have been inspiring. I hope to produce some beautiful shots from the learnings and inspirations I have gained.

The apartment is a good size, it has the smallest and weirdest quirky bathroom you have to sit sideways to go to the toilet, but the kitchen lounge, terrace and my room are just perfect. I really feel at home living with Steve and Danielle (Canadians her for 18 months) they are very cool people with a great outlook on life – they are both very smart people I really enjoy just sitting and talking about the world and people, religion (yes people religion) stimulating conversation over wine and food with good people. We have no TV and I really like that – no brain numbing. (Although I do love my brain numbing as you all know – will have a dose of Sex in the city when I return for sure)

I seem to be having enough time to reflect on a few things about my life and have the time to think about who I am as a person. It has been fantastic t have that chance and there is much more time to go so watch this space….LOL Wow that was a bit deep back to the fun stuff.

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Settling into Barcelona

My first few days into a new place were definitely an experience. My first hotel was a complete shamble’s and for what I was going to pay I was negotiating to get my money back after 2 days of travel, jet lag and humidity that made my jeans almost cling to me. My salvation was Matt and Niki’s assistance, so I got to a hotel around the corner from where Matt and Niki were staying and we then got changed and went to a Birthday party. It was a great night and I meet really amazing people.

The next day – or my official day one we ventured out into the city to se the sights – and wow was I taken back by it all. My favourite was the 360 degree hotel, seeing all the way around Barcelona city from the top of a building while sipping Gin and tonic was not hard to do at all. The food, wine, music and people on every corner and any little street that existed, I will probably keep mentioning as each day I experience another. We sat and ate Tapa’s drank wine and got a little pissy talking away all the problems of the world – and solved nothing. Thanks guys it was so great.

Matt went to meet Josh(his brother) in London so Niki and I had a few days to hang out together, we shopped, beached, saw more sights, shopped a little more (clothes here are oh my god WOW I wish I had more money type of fashions)

Barcelona has so much culture it is quite overwhelming and saddening in some ways I wish we had the kind of history that exists over here.  But then we have so many things in Australia are are a very lucky country. Economy is better, health care is better, our resources are better utilised ect.. Plusses to anywhere hey.

Started my internship and am still finding my feet there – plenty to do and for only 4 hours a day which is perfect. Like any new job take a bit before you get settled so will keep you posted there.

Changes happen in the form of many experiences both good and sometimes really something you never want to do or see again and I definitely know now I am a much stronger person than I ever thought myself to be, I have always thought I relied on others for my inner strength and now maybe I know that I am the person I want to be. Just Me! Lets just say here that I will never be the same again…

I have moved into my new home and am living with a really great Canadian couple that are based here for 18 Months while Stephen completes his MBA at on of the best schools Barcelona has, Danielle is an exceptional person and together they have done so much, ridden around South America on a motor bike was definitely my favourite adventure of theirs.

The apartment is a top floor place in the heart of Gracia – which is riddled with Catalan culture and nothing but locals we live right next door to a huge market and in the centre of all these little market squares that at night just liven up with again more music and locals, drinking wine eating food and telling the stories of their day, in what I feel is 100 miles an hour of what I am finding a beautiful language wether you understand any of it or not.

Arrival into Barcelona

Upon arriving into Barcelona – I had a little surprise Niki and Matt had waited at the Airport to meet me and I have to say that was amazing to see a friendly face.

Having their 2 Months of local knowledge has definitely helped me get started here and see some amazing sights.

Barcelona is much different to London – it is really world of it’s own.  (well one I have never seen and only dreamed of)

There is amazing art, music, theatre, the streets and lined with tall apartment buildings that you can tell house many many people, it is nice to see all the washing on balcony’s, it just feels homely here.

I am getting used to walking around the streets and keeping an eye out on my belongings. It feels safe but you definitely have to be aware, we have been followed a few times.

The entire place is riddled with art and taste. Pictures tell it all.

I have had trouble finding my way around, accommodation and communicating but feel I am finding my feet here now. The more you do on your own the more you learn and get confident.

The London Leg

The first leg of my journey away lead me to London for 2 days to see some of the sights and catch up with a great friend I went to school with, I haven’t seen in 8 years Jodie.

Upon recovering from my first experience of jet lag I ventured out into what felt like a game of Monopoly – Trafalgar Square, Strand Avenue, Piccadilly, Waterloo and more.. However I couldn’t seem to find the GO square to collect my $200 dollars. LOL

London has amazing architecture it felt like walking through Melbourne I was at home in some way, the difference was the buildings were so much older and much more beautiful. Breathtaking in their own right.

I had to go and have my picture in front of Westminster – where Kate and Wills got hitched it looked smaller than I thought it would be. So many tourists but I loved walking through St James park with the squirrels, pigeons and people – for some reason when I got to Buckingham palace there was what seemed to be a parade, I think it was the changing of the guards but I love it – perfect timing.

 

Catching up with Jodie was so great – I had my first Pimms and I think I am on to something now. Jodie took me around where she lived in Hampton and through the bushy gardens where I saw my first deer, I thought they looked like dead trees when in the long grass. I found a house I could have made my own but I expect that it is not in my price range.

Stay tuned for arrival to Barcelona.

The Journey

For a long time I thought life was going to begin. Real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This prospective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness, happiness is the way so treasure every moment you have, and remember time waits for no one.

“happiness is a journey not a destination”