Sunday 28 June 2015

Gym post (sorry not sorry) and general update

It's been so awesome getting back into a regular gym routine. In the last week I've been 5 days and boy is my body saying "you worked out!". Sore everywhere and I haven't even done any weights...this I need to get onto but it's been so long that I'm a bit scared about getting back to it! I'm so sore from just body weight exercises...what's it going to be like getting back to real weights?? Anyway, I've got my plan for this week, my next day off the gym will be Friday...so that'll be 6 days in a row...

I'll figure something out in regards to the weights... I just don't want to cut out my attack or combat or jam classes...we'll see!
Also, caught up with my gorgeous friend Sandi for her b'day today. Gorged myself with delicious bbq sauce wings and poutine. All in all a pretty good weekend!

Buggered now. Think the tough workouts of yesterday and today got to me. Time to relax and keep reading this book. 

My current read is "Hap working the world" about a guy who wants to work on all the continents by the time he's 30. Currently he's in Canada...go figure! Canada is never far from my mind. It's crazy.

Anyway, time to chill out, go to sleep and get ready for another week.



Monday 22 June 2015

Awesome weekend in Sydney

My weekends in Sydney go way too fast. Went down to visit my friend Di and her partner Bill and as always had so much fun. It involves a fair amount of drinking, relaxing on the lounge and an occasional day trip. It's just so nice to get away and chill out.

Although this weekend we had an interesting conversation about what if I moved down there? This has been playing on my mind a bit since we talked about it yesterday. Honestly I think if I wasn't going back to Canada I'd be looking at moving to Sydney or Melbourne. Depending on what happens overseas, if/when I come home I'll be moving from Brisbane. It has made me realise I'm definitely stuck in a rut here and it's not really the city for me any more.

Don't get me wrong, it'll always be home and I'll come back for my family but right now I feel like it's not where it's at for me.

Just gotta stick it out a few more months. Tossing up when to tell work, playing this waiting game is hard.

Anyway, I did realise that I need to go back to Sydney sooner rather than later. Di and Bill are such good friends and it's so good to see and hang out with them.

Sunday 14 June 2015

Possible developments??

Mum made a suggestion today. Two weeks in Japan for my birthday then go to Canada. Possibility of leaving Aus on October 3 and then going to Canada on October 17. Hrm, sounds good to me!

Just writing it down so it's out there and that it will happen! This means I almost (kinda/not really) have a date to arrive. Still nothing is in concrete but it's nice to write it down though. I think if you write it down, things happen. Hoping it'll work! So far this year things have happened the way I planned so this will happen too!  Bit scary writing it down for everyone to see. lol.

It's funny cos we were kinda on the same wavelength. I was actually looking at flights today around October 15 but it's hard to decide which airline and what route and whether to get a return or one way ticket. If I leave from Australia I will probably get a return as they're pretty much the same price as a one way. If I'm going through Japan though it'll be a one way ticket. Eek! Going to Japan on the way to Canada sounds like a better plan. It's only a 9 hour direct flight and not a 14 hour flight + a 2 hour connecting flight, either between here and Sydney or LA and YVR. Winner!

Friday 12 June 2015

Exciting times ahead

It's pretty much official that I'll be going back to Canada. I was confirmed for a visa back in April and have a year to get over there to activate my visa.

Why back to Canada? Well, I started making some great friends then had to come home. Most are still there and would like to catch up with them again. Also, I'm 30 this year which means time is running out for working holiday visas. It was either Canada or the UK. To me Canada was a no brainer. As much as it would've been cool to live in the UK, I love Canada. It was both the best and toughest time of my life!

The only thing holding me back is money. I came home in January with literally no money and a small credit card debt which had to be paid off before I could start saving again. Luckily I could walk straight back into my job. One of the perks of working for the government - the ability to take time off and go straight back to your job!

So now I've been home just over 6 months and I'm almost there. I can afford an airfare now, but still need more to live off when I get there. Why is money so freaking necessary?! If it wasn't I'd be on a plane tomorrow!

Tossing up whether to stay in Vancouver for 6 months or go straight to Toronto. Initially I thought of going to Vancouver for 6 months then Toronto for the next summer but then recently I thought about going straight to Toronto. But I don't know if I could survive the winter!?! So Vancouver it is? Typical - I haven't decided yet!!

Anyway, ideally I'd like to head back in mid-October. Mostly because the current role I'm in will finish on September 30 then I can have time off to celebrate my birthday with friends and family before heading overseas. Also by that time I'll have some good savings behind me.

Plus I need to tell work...and soon lol. Hoping to do that by the end of July when there's a North American travel expo, hopefully with some good airfares. Then I'll know when I'm going. Although, if you read this, keep an eye out on any airfares between Brisbane and Vancouver or Brisbane and the USA in October!

This is the thing that's keeping me going at the moment. The last few weeks have been stressful, with a death in our family, job interviews, family illness etc etc. So there's no time than the present to work on the goals. Life's too short. But then also things take time. Can't win! We'll get there in the end though. :)

So there you have it. That's what is happening.




100 Things

As mentioned previously I'm starting this blogging thing again due to that book 100 Things.

So to kick start things here's my list so far. Hopefully I can achieve all of these!
  1. Tattoo (have had ideas for years, but so indecisive it hasn't happened yet.)
  2. Helix piercing (have wanted this for a while. Think it will happen soon.)
  3. Shark diving (whether it's in a cage in an ocean or in a tank I think it would be pretty exhilarating!)
  4. Learn to scuba dive (to go with the shark diving?? Plus did a beginner thing a few years ago and it was amazing.)
  5. International charity work
  6. Learn to speak French
  7. Live in a country where I can't speak the language
  8. Make 50 blood donations. (To date I've done 14 or 15.)
  9. Go to a spiritual retreat in India.
  10. Hike the Kokoda track
  11. No makeup for a month (only because I seem to wear something every day and it would be a challenge!)
  12. Teach ESL in a foreign country
  13. Volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary
  14. Run a half marathon (eeek! I'm not a runner at all so this would be hard!)
  15. Be a tv or movie extra
  16. Learn to ski or snowboard (can you believe I lived in Canada and never did this! Next time!)
  17. Swim with the whale sharks
  18. Adopt a dog
  19. Take a photography course
  20. Write a blog and keep it up. (Oh would you look at that!)
These are the things so far. I'm hoping to add to the list, but if anyone can help me out or come with me for any of these let me know!

Update

Recently I read a book called "100 things". Check out the link. It's basically about an Aussie dude who wrote down 100 things he wanted to achieve. This followed the death of his friend and he realised life is pretty short!

I was a bit inspired by this and started my own list. One of those things was to keep a regular blog! It initially was to be a travel blog, for next time I travel but I thought why not start now to get in the habit.  Usually when I travel, I write really long emails but blogs are better. I saw my friend April write her blog while we were in Canada together and thought next time I go away I'll do a blog! Plus people have told me I'm a good writer so we'll see what comes of it. :)

I've had a few online blogs over the years but can never seem to keep them. This time I will try again! Thought I'd better revive an old blog rather than start all over.  You will see in this blog, it's pretty random. Mostly about exercise....mmmmm.

Anyway, here's to new beginnings!