Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Hello my lovelies
I hope you all had a splendid Christmas and a fantastic new year!!!
I spent them both on Koh Phangan with Rachel (my ozzie friend who used to live in Chengdu but is now based in Beijing). we spent our time swimming, getting massages, sun bathing and eating bbq seafood on the beach - oh a managed to squeeze in a wee bit of scubas diving as well.
a beautiful way to spend the holiday season !!!
I go back to chengdu to carry on working as a pre-school teacher at the QSI International school, and I’m planning on staying with them and therefore in chengdu and china till June 2008 !!!
then I have to rush down to NZ to squeeze in under the age restriction for the working visa.
I will be home next summer though (aug 2007) for Jerome and Sue's wedding !!!
before the wedding I plan to travel a bit around Europe - anyone wanting to join me for a week or 2 or a country or 2 is very welcome !!!
2006 has seen work and life carry on as normal but with much more frequent trips out of the country. I saw the new year in with Bryony in Tokyo - she is now home !!! and saw this new year in with mum and dad in Scotland
Chinese new year saw me freezing my arse off in Harbin with ozzie Rachel - running around looking at ice and snow sculptures with our breath freezing on our eye lashes !
and then skiing and the ballet! Now a bad way to start the year, especially as I get to do it twice (English and Chinese/ solar and lunar)
then in the spring bryony came out to visit me – I got to show her all the weird and wonderful; differences and similarities between china and Japan, and I got to show her off to my friends – she was a big hit !
Linda came out to visit in the summer and we went to some of my favourite places in yunnan and some new places in guizhou which have become a favourite – lots of hiking and outdoor pursuits – topped off with a hot air balloon ride for my birthday – magical!
Then just after she left, Aoife, an old chengdu friend came back out for a holiday and we got to catch up.
For the Chinese October break I went to Taiwan to visit an English mate who used to live in chengdu. Got my first chance to ride a scooter and became totally addicted !! wouldn’t even get off to take the photos so they are all a little blurry – had a blast riding around the island, just managing to get off long enough for hot springs and scuba diving !
Then for American thanksgiving I went to Macau for the weekend with a collegue from work – totally different from mainland china, beautiful architecture, great weather and a lot of fun gambling!
Which brings us to Christmas hols and Thailand – met Rachel in Bangkok and headed straight down to the sand and sea.
Next Chinese new year (late feb) I’m off to Malaysia to do a reccie for the Chinese may holiday when I’m meeting mum in kuala lumpa and we’re going off into the jungle to see orangutans.
So looking back I’d say I’ve had a pretty full year – you know its tough working for an international company abroad because I get all the Chinese holidays AND all the American ones – I seem to be doing ok though !!
Hope you have all had a 2006 to smile about and that 2007 brings you even more laughter and sunshine.
GREAT BIG SUN BLEACHED KISSES XXXXX
I hope you all had a splendid Christmas and a fantastic new year!!!
I spent them both on Koh Phangan with Rachel (my ozzie friend who used to live in Chengdu but is now based in Beijing). we spent our time swimming, getting massages, sun bathing and eating bbq seafood on the beach - oh a managed to squeeze in a wee bit of scubas diving as well.
a beautiful way to spend the holiday season !!!
I go back to chengdu to carry on working as a pre-school teacher at the QSI International school, and I’m planning on staying with them and therefore in chengdu and china till June 2008 !!!
then I have to rush down to NZ to squeeze in under the age restriction for the working visa.
I will be home next summer though (aug 2007) for Jerome and Sue's wedding !!!
before the wedding I plan to travel a bit around Europe - anyone wanting to join me for a week or 2 or a country or 2 is very welcome !!!
2006 has seen work and life carry on as normal but with much more frequent trips out of the country. I saw the new year in with Bryony in Tokyo - she is now home !!! and saw this new year in with mum and dad in Scotland
Chinese new year saw me freezing my arse off in Harbin with ozzie Rachel - running around looking at ice and snow sculptures with our breath freezing on our eye lashes !
and then skiing and the ballet! Now a bad way to start the year, especially as I get to do it twice (English and Chinese/ solar and lunar)
then in the spring bryony came out to visit me – I got to show her all the weird and wonderful; differences and similarities between china and Japan, and I got to show her off to my friends – she was a big hit !
Linda came out to visit in the summer and we went to some of my favourite places in yunnan and some new places in guizhou which have become a favourite – lots of hiking and outdoor pursuits – topped off with a hot air balloon ride for my birthday – magical!
Then just after she left, Aoife, an old chengdu friend came back out for a holiday and we got to catch up.
For the Chinese October break I went to Taiwan to visit an English mate who used to live in chengdu. Got my first chance to ride a scooter and became totally addicted !! wouldn’t even get off to take the photos so they are all a little blurry – had a blast riding around the island, just managing to get off long enough for hot springs and scuba diving !
Then for American thanksgiving I went to Macau for the weekend with a collegue from work – totally different from mainland china, beautiful architecture, great weather and a lot of fun gambling!
Which brings us to Christmas hols and Thailand – met Rachel in Bangkok and headed straight down to the sand and sea.
Next Chinese new year (late feb) I’m off to Malaysia to do a reccie for the Chinese may holiday when I’m meeting mum in kuala lumpa and we’re going off into the jungle to see orangutans.
So looking back I’d say I’ve had a pretty full year – you know its tough working for an international company abroad because I get all the Chinese holidays AND all the American ones – I seem to be doing ok though !!
Hope you have all had a 2006 to smile about and that 2007 brings you even more laughter and sunshine.
GREAT BIG SUN BLEACHED KISSES XXXXX
