Bok from Croatia!

Another season in Hrvstska is underway! 4/7 tours DONE…and some hella dodgy tan lines to prove I've been working harder at my job than I have been with my tan. Where to start, where to start? My promotion! After a few months away from work I figured that when I came back I'd want a little more from my job (not so much more work… but maybe some more recognition and some more money always helps). So I told my bosses who agreed without any persuasion and BOOM she's a senior leader! Does kinda help that I'm the only leader in my destination… Groups have been spot-on so far this year. Exactly what I'd want after a few months off. We had groups of 9, 10 and 14 on upgraded boats before this most recent tour hitting 17, next up is in the low 20s till the end of my stint. It's been refreshing finding a balance between personal time, personal goals, and work. Something I did last year was give too much to work, not enough to me. So this year I'm making sure I can keep on track of my goals. My last-year-of-20 crisis has seen me recently picking up a pair of drumsticks to ry teach myself some basic rhythm…something I wish teenage me did. But hey- best time to learn would've been 20 years ago. Second best time is now! I've also picked up my jump rope and been making an almost daily habit of skipping. Reading, writing…. Don't even get me started on the cluster-fuck of languages I've been trying to get to grips with this year (Thai, Singhalese, Tamil, Khmer, daily dualingo-ing of Vietnamese and Spanish…). Taking that social break and downtime to myself and nurturing relationships I already have and want to maintain. I've also found myself getting back into music again. My teenhood passion for all things rock, punk, emo or pop. Finding new bands. Unfortunately, the live side will have to wait for another location. But it's a start! Right, back to work again. Going good! Had some fun groups! Hopefully the pictures speak for themselves. Made some good tips and some of the groups have got me my favs (sour skittles, bucket hats, and rubber ducks). Scores on the doors are smashing it- averaging 4.98/5 so far this season. I've just got the news that I'll be heading off to Japan at the end of the season, too! So another language to add to that mess. Life is good! Here's a few pics and videos to prove it.

Resting, rejuvenating, and reviving in the Reap!

New year, new me! Specifically Khmer New Year… Well, more specifically old me is back! 2024 is shaping up to be the year. Since Jan I've peddled my way 500km across southern Thailand. 1500km from the most southern point in Sri Lanka to the most northern. Spent some time at home with Mum and Dad coming to visit. Worked a little on the way, and spent a bunch of time being back to Becca again! And now typing this from a sailing boat off the coast of Hvar, Croatia. Spending the past 6 weeks in Cambodia just did my soul a whole bunch of good. Found a lot of clarity, a lot of rest, and just recharged with some of my favourite people in 5r world. Living life on my schedule. Eating too many bagels, drinking more than my liver would care to filter. Just finding a charm that I'd sacrificed over the last year to my job and finding it for myself again. I've fallen back in love with music and replenished this enthusiasm for life and learning and growing. Getting creative and appreciating the small things. Siem Reap was beaut. I hosted a Pub Run, so not quite a pub crawl…not quite a fun run. Somewhere in the middle. We run from bar-to-bar. Have a shot, have a beer, and onto the next one. A beaut day and we raised $100 for some animal rescue organisations very close to my heart. Next up was Khmer New Year. City-wide water fights. Well needed in the 40-50 degrees heat! Playing games, falling into Siem Reap River (would not recommend ). No matter how good you think you are at cycling…you’re not. My very best friend, Jared, was celebrating his 50th. So his friends from Thailand, China, Hong Kong, the UK, and his Dad from Florida came to join. Ultimate frisbee, Bokator, mosh-pits to The Anthem, pool parties, fancy dinners, and frisbee golf. What a week! Cambodia Pride tuktuk rally. Pool party day-sesh. Nerd night, nerd offs about hats. Tequila bar and karaoke. Then some late-night tuktuk bar seshes. Life is peachy. It don't get much better than this. Bringing everything back to basics, and loving the small things and giving the big. Here’s to 2024!

oops, it's been a while.

i have actually got about 3 written entries that I need to just put online somewhere saved on a computer or phone... maybe ill actually upload them one time 😂

Seeing that everyone who reads this already knoas what im up to, and im currently cycling Italy- I'm going to jump to the present now. 

For the past almost week I've been in Italy! home of pizza, pasta, and Fiat500's. What a blast it's been. 

The morning of the 6th, got my flight into Rome. after a big day of travelling, I arrived at my hostel. typically- I had booked it for OCTOBER 6th- not September. 

"I'm sorry, but we are full for tonight". I was told by the receptionist. Crap. even at an eyewatering €25 for a night in a DORM BED, that would turn out to be my only option for the evening that would be less than €50, not 10km out of the city, and not fully booked. an hour of searching every bookin app/couchsurfing/ my brain for friends inRome- it was finally sorted. the hostel would double up some mattresses on the floor in their dorm room so I'd have a roof. phew! Suddenly the €25 seemed like a great deal. even if you include the australian lad who fell off his bunk in ghe middle of the night and landed on me... 

I had found my bike! checking Facebook marketplace I'd got a mountain bike for €30. after my journey I'd return it to the people I got it from- effectively like a rental. The medical student was in awe as I told him my plans for the bike. He told me I was the easiest going person he'd ever met. I'll take that! 

Morning of the 7th I was off! a walk across Rome - passing the collesum and other sites, would bring mr to the trian station where I could get just ourside of the city to begin my journey. 

day 1 saw rolling hills, lakes, hazlenut plantations, olive trees, a castle visit, some gents giving me some ameretti biscuits "energy! energy!"

it was also the beggining of the end for my peddle. As i polised off my 40something KMs for the day- it started to rock. "tomorrows problm" I said to myself as I arrived at the lakeside campside at Lago di Vico.

A beautiful nights sleep in my hammock- even better as the predicted storm hadnt yet hit. But come 9am that's when the echoing thunder around the lake brought its storms. it hammered down. 

within an hiur it had stopped, I'd tightened my peddle the best Icould and I headed off for day 2. 

after about 3km, the whole peddle fel off. crap. luckily- the next car that passed jad a man who not only could speak english but he had a whole tool box in the back of his car and got to work fixing the peddle back on. 

"Grazie Milla!" I wa sback on my way. further up the road Id saw. massive qild boar that had been freshly hit by a car that had only overtakdn me about a kilometer back. after my lakeside ride- then came the hill. a 300m elevation- roadside blackberries there to keep me going! 

THEN came the downhill. not a greattime to realise your brakes aren't the most effective. i ended up walking down a lot of it (after almost burning a hole in my trainers as I used them to help me stop!) a bike repair shop was the first port of call when I reached Viterbo. 

and of course, when i did, it had long been closed so I tried ahain after the train ride in Chiusi. 

"You need new brakes" said the worker. 

and judging by the prices in his shop- that wouldnt be a cheap fix. I don't know as much as I should about bikes- but I was absolutely positive that I didnt. I'd had brakes with much less rubber be nuch more effective. something was very off, so I said id come back tomorrow and peddled the picturesque cycle path 8km to my campsite. 

Morning of the 9th a massive cloud covered everything. you could only see about 30m in front of you. I only 35km to cover until I would reach the venue in Umbria. before I had even left the droveway CLONK that peddle.had come off again. oops. 

after a while of calculating the best solution- I borrowed a spannr and cranked on the screw as tight as I coudl and I'd get it fixed when I was back in Chiusi 8km away. 

it lasted great- I passed a hardwear shop and the gent knew exactly what screw I needed and for 50c it looked like a shiny new fix to that problem. away I went!

8km later. CLONK. It happened again. 5km of walking- one peddle down- a kind lady asked if I jad a problem 

"Si, pocco pocco" as I held one hand in the air to accompany with small fingers...the other my peddle. 

"oh come.here! i ahat can I do to help?" so she refilled my water and after a short while she asked her builders to help me complete the last 10km ot so to Tavernelle. 

hopped in the van and after driving the hills im glad i didnt have to peddle. 

in Tavernelle I knew it was time for a real fix- so I walked around hoping for the best to find abike shop and as the thought came.into my brajn BOOM on the right was a bike shop. 

through my 2 years of italian 15 years ago, we agreed I'd come back Monday to collect it. after the wedding. i managed to message Alliey, the bride, and let her know my predicament. She fixed it up and let me know one of the party would soon be going to the supermakret so i could meet her there! 

The wedding was phenomenal. Its a bit too early to put i to words. ebery detail was amazing, and it was so beautiful to finally meet Allieys new bride! 

I'll probably do a whole post dedicated to the wedding when Im back in the UK.

as for today, the 12th, I left the wedding venue around 10. picked up the bikes, and dropped.off some leftover beer for the gent who fixed it. 25km of flats now sees me at my third campsite- right on the lake. bellissimo! 

I had to reroute my journey to meet with my arrival time at the wedding venue, so I only had about 35km planned for the whole day and a train journey go cover the rest. From Viterbo to Chiusi. the intense declines down the hills

Goodbye Wet Season, Halloween, Catching Covid, and Finally Being Free

Blink, and we are suddenly in the middle of November...how did that happen?
It's been a little while since I've updated this page. The excuse? Eh, none really. I still hate the new format for making entries though.

Work
Work has been fairly steady, which is great for me. 

I've been looking after Oofy Doofy for a small amount every month. He's my cancer survivor dog with the whole in his nose. The plan was for him to get his treatment in Thailand and go to live at a shelter there. But I've put up a protest and seeing about getting his treatment in Cambodia and finding him a home here, so he wont have to share his space with 300+ other dogs. Whenever we go out people are always saying "He's such a good boy, I wish I could adopt him" so I think finding him a forever home shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully we can keep him with...

Acnah! This good boy is still with me, completely unpaid...bt I can't complain becase I love this doggy dso mch. He's not had a bad run really- seeing that he was due to stay with me for a weekend back in April...it's now Novemeber and he still gets chicken hearts most days and about 7km of walks everyday. Not a bad life, huh Acnah? He's so healthy now and he's made a recovery that nobody woldn've expected. Especially as jst a few months ago we were still in talks about if the kinet thing to do would be to put him to sleep. This good boy has bounced back!

 

I would love for these two to find a home together as they are best friends. But let's see what we can do. In Siem Reap right now there are so many dogs that need homes, and seeing how many had owners who have now ditched them ater moving back to their home countries... they aren't going to go and live with the first person who says yes..let's put it that way. I also have another good doggy staying with me- 

Sunny. Her owners are English too, and live in Phnom Penh. She';s here so she can be set p for sucess (being kept apart from other doggies...and cats.... and so far, so good, she's been a breeze!

Aside from my dogs I have boarding, it's been fairly quiet. But now the boarders are slowly opening up I can see more travel plans are being formlated...and with Christmas and New Year on the way...I can see things picking up over the next few months. We are curfew free! Since April we've been on a 9pm curfew, alcohol ban, as well as everything else. IT's finally lifted, and some of my old favourite restrants are opening back up again.
Bt alas, this week, I have....COVID!
After Halloween celebrations it finally got me (but nobody else I know by the looks of things...) so having no smell and taste for a few days, feeling just a bit worn down- I'm back up with n immaculate house and ready to get out again! Halloween was a budle of fun. There was only 2 venues brave enogh to host events- so of corse, we all went there. Me and J decided to go as Aliens (a costme matched with the Astrodogs for the dog park competition earlier in the day) (I was a judge hehe) (Of course, Oofy won funniest dog...no bias). Then the next day, we decided to do a low-key pub crawl just the two of use. I dressed as a witch...him my side-kick kitty cat...meow!

It was nice to get ot and do something different...the last 8 months or whatever have felt pretty mch on a loop. An ything that breaks my little rotine and cycle is a win!

Talking of breaking the cycle, we went for a trip to the floating villags last week as part of an App testing thing. So that was cool... even better...FREE!

Anyway- its 4.30pm here and I have 7km of dog walks to get done before it gets dark at 6pm.

PEACE.

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