My Blue Heaven

2005

8:37 pm Wed, 4th January 2006

Note: This post has been updated to include a few more categories and musings plus links to all the relevent experiences in my blog during 2005. (05/01/06 11:30am.)

Yet another year over. I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by. I can’t believe I’ve been in London for 8 months. There have been so many changes in my life over this past year. Just trying to think back and remember everything that has happened this year is giving me a headache. In summary:

• Started the year depressed, heartbroken and single
• Kicked myself in the butt, took a chance and met some awesome people who have become great friends (whom I miss very much)
• Decided to go experience more of the world whilst I was still young (and free) – so packed up my life and headed off to London
• Whilst in London – got a job, lost a job, started contracting, stopped contracting (coz I chickened out), lived in the south, west and north of London, lived in Frankfurt, lived out of a suitcase for 6 months, visited Paris, Verona, Brussels and Amsterdam, started renting my own place for the first time, met a cute british boy who rather abruptly ended my fairly short span of singledom

I’m gonna attempt to narrow down and list the 2005 experiences that really stand out for me. Very difficult task, but here goes!

Most memorable experience

This is sooo hard to narrow. I may even change my mind later. But for now.. it would have to be the time I spent living in and visiting Frankfurt. The month or so I spent there (plus the first few weekend trips) really left its mark on my memory. I actually miss Frankfurt and the people I met there. Things that stand out for me include buying a 2nd hand bicycle (and basket!) and learning to ride around Frankfurt by myself.. be it to go shopping for groceries, go to the kino (cinemas), or just for a ride by the river side. Bicycles are cool. Other things include Mystery Monday nights at the kino, the riverside street festivals, and the saunas. A close second would be my final few months in Sydney – had lots of great friends, partied hard, danced hard, felt so energised, healthy, independant, motivated and alive. I really had a great time before leaving Sydney. They were some of the best few months in my life. (Ok I didn’t do a very good job of narrowing this one down to one experience. :P)

Happiest experience

Sitting on the back of Kwai’s bicycle as he cycled through the peaceful, leafy tree-lined streets of Frankurt on a beautiful sunny sunday summers afternoon during my first weekend trip to Frankfurt.

Most fun experience

The day out at Wattamolla with good friends followed by dinner, some extremely crazy fun karaoke and very late pancakes at the rocks. Also clubbing almost every week with Romyl, Kay, Chris, Christian and crew during my final few months in Sydney.

Most scary/exciting experience

Sitting in the very front seats of the front carriage on a rollercoaster at a theme park near Frankfurt… and going down that first, near vertical drop, being forced NOT to hold on to the bars but have my hands above my head.. whilst screaming my head off! Also coming over to London, leaving home for the very first time.. that was pretty scary/exciting.. in a different way.

Coolest experience

The saunas in Frankfurt… they’re awesome! (Should be called hottest experience really! :P) And the International Dancers Workshop #3. Oh the routines were sooooo goooood. *sigh*

Most unexpected experience

Getting a boyfriend in London!

Best gigs of the year

Tie between The Cat Empire @ Shepherds Bush Empire (London), Jack Johnson @ Centennial Park (Sydney) and Wave Aid @ Sydney Cricket Ground.

Coolest new skill learnt

Salsa dancing! Sooo much fun. 🙂

Biggest shopping spree

Hands down. Brussels. Whee! 😀

Most gastranomical experience

Verona – the coffee, the gelati, the food (in particular lunch in backstreet alley deli/cafe). Nuff said. Also a certain restaurant in Montmarte, Paris – I think its called Pre Cadet. Oh, and belgian chocolates and waffles in Brussels. Mmmm… *drools*

Most cultural experience

Watching La Boheme at the Arena di Verona Annual Opera Festival in Verona, Italy.

Most bittersweet experience

Saying our first “I love you” at the airport, as my new boyfriend of 3 days left to spend 6 months in Frankfurt. And also every time we parted after a wonderful but too-short weekend together.

Most depressing experience

Suddenly really missing my parents (and crying for days) 2 weeks into arriving in London (after the initial ‘wow’ had worn off)… also the many times I’ve felt very alone and friendless in a big, cold city (have really hit some big time lows this year)… the whole process of leaving and gradually losing touch with all my friends back home. 🙁

Most stressful experience

Losing a job, and getting kicked out of accomodation at the same time. Not having any contract work for 6 weeks. And the experience of missing a flight (or 2).. and missing a eurostar train…

Most painful experience

Getting UTI. *shudders*

Most disappointing experience

The fiasco of having a contract job cancelled at the airport the day before starting. Also gaining weight due to too much eating, losing fitness due to lack of exercise, losing dancing skills due to lack of dancing, losing piano skills due to lack of playing! 🙁

So there it is. 2005. Happy 2006 to you all. A brand new year with lots more new experiences. Hopefully these will include skiing, more Europe, Australia, New York, more dancing, more salsa, more exercise, more friends, jazz piano courses, St Helens, World Cup 2006 in Frankfurt… to name a few. 😉

To extend this long post even more. I know I have changed over the past 8 months. I’ve been reflecting upon this.. and I think the change that stands out the most to me is my willingness to try new things, for the sake of trying new things. I always tended to stick to the old and familiar.. the tried and tested. I hated disappointment, and unless I was 110% sure a new experience/food/thing would be good.. I would most likely choose what I already knew to be good. But now, I find myself going for the new.. something I haven’t tried or eaten before. I guess I’ve become a lot more adventurous.

Hm. This has become a mammoth post. But its been good for me to reflect on this past year. To remember things I’ve forgotten. It helps me keep things in perspective. It helps kick me in the butt in the areas I’ve let slide. Reminds me of things I have achieved, and motivates me to continue trying, because I know I’ve done it before. So.. here’s to making 2006 a great year! 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized (Old Blog) | 5 Comments »

Tweet