My ten steps to becoming rich

Ok, so thinking about this seriously, the fastest and simplest way to become rich is to marry Sir Richard Branson! He is the 254^th richest man alive, the head of the mega empire Virgin and all of its offsets, he has helped fund many environmentally friendly companies and ideas. Unfortunately for my plan... he is also Married.

You may ask, why don't I just set my sights for the younger, cuter version in Richards son Sam Branson, who also looks like he will create a splash in years to come with his crazy entrepreneur ideas? Well, there are a few reasons for this... As I have mentioned, Richard is already married, so I would have to be his 'mistress', in many ways this is the better option. I could enjoy Richards time and money without many constraints. I would not have to be in the spotlight, and I could spend my newly acquired money travelling, or spending time on my, I mean Richards many islands that he owns (preferably Antigua and Barbuda) and to be honest, he will die sooner (and by that time, I would of made my way into the Will).

So my ten steps for making this all my future -

1. The set up – I will have to become a Virgin Flight Attendant (luckily I look great in red).
2. Meet and Greet – I will get my chance to meet Richard, when I am awarded employee of the year.
3. Sparkle in his eye – Ok, so what will set me apart from all the other hot flight attendants and wannabe mistresses... Well, during my year of becoming the employee of the year, I was also in training both to become an expert in Star Trek (luckily I have the nerds on my side) and swimming! Why this odd combo???
   Well, it turns out that Richard is a Trekky (even naming his space ship after his obsession) and he is also a keen swimmer. So, my plan for making me the 'other' One -
   When I'm getting my award, and we are back stage having a drink and Richard is saying how wonderful I am, I suggest a friendly swimming race. The winner will have to take the other to dinner (oh, and I chuck in a trekky joke (you sunk my battleship???).
4. Hook the bait – So, obviously I win the race! For the dinner event (just us two), and as I know that Richard is a keen adventurer (and I want to keep it on the down low from the media) I take him to Peru for a mountain walk (dinner thrown in there), with the help of his airline. I know, I know... Probably will take more time then dinner, however I entertain him on the flight with a Trekky marathon.
5. Make the move – On our way home, Richard will be blown away by the day and tired from all the mountain climbing and wine from dinner so more relaxed and inclined to 'snuggle'.
6. Written in cement – How do I become the mistress?? After the plane ride home, I walk away. Tell him how I had a great time, and go home! No number exchange, no email exchange or facebook invite.
   See I know, that if we go back acouple of steps – I won the employee of the year. That entitles me to certain privileges (including free flights and working personally with Richard on improving client services blah blah blah). Basically, this means that Richard and I get to spend more time together, where I cement our relationship.
7. Gifts – ahhh, the fun part, this is where Richard starts to spend his money on me. Gifts, holidays, bungee jumping... all that Jazz.
8. This is the Life – Richard buys me a penthouse apartment and a car, we go on Safari. Oh, did I mention that I quit my job as a flight attendant (but keep the uniform).
9. No more steps needee as I've achieved my goals!
10. However - I make it into the Will so I'm set up for life.
    
    
    Happy Easter everyone!

Somewhere over the rainbow

The last couple of months have been abit crazy with both ups and downs, so I have not updated everyone mostly because there where allot of times that I was too home sick or I was just lazy. To make it easier on everyone and myself, I have decided to divide this blog into sections:-

Paris
A weekend in Paris....

As it turns out, the romantic notion of catching a train (even if I was not in the 50s) is the most comfortable way to travel. It only took 2 hours and once I got over my small panic attack of not understanding the language, I was on my way in the city of love.

The sights are amazing, and trying to speak the language is an effort in itself, plus I even lost my walking tour when another 'single' (as I like to call us people that travel alone) and I got side tracked at the Louvre.

As French food goes, I tried some Escargot (snails), which I really liked, kinda taste like mussels and calamari mixed together - plus the pleasure of not having a pretty woman moment.

I also went clubbing in the 'red light district' near the Moulin Rouge. That was a jasventure - I saw the scariest fight in my life. Everyone was happy drinking away, and suddenly there is a loud noise and two barman grab a guy and wrestle him outside, while the other bar guy grabs his baseball bat (in France??) and proceeds to beat the crap out of this guy, then they all calmly walk back inside, clean the blood off of the baseball bat and start serving drinks again!!!! I was so confused,  both horrified and excited by the whole situation. Until, the guy returns with a car load of people.

I seriously had images of a shoot out, and was looking for a good place to hide underneath stuff, which also presented a good viewing point. But nothing eventuated out of that as everyone just left after some yelling, and we proceeded to move on to the next place - where I had a lot of cocktails and somehow managed to get back to my hostel.

Sunday was mostly just waiting in the freezing line for the Eiffel Tower which was worth it and a beautiful lunch with a side order of sunshine (which I had not found in London).

Paris is an amazing city, and I hope to get back and do the whole thing properly, and also to see other parts of France, but for now I can survive on only the weekend.

My Birthday
As you may be aware, my plan for my birthday was to go to Bath and Stone Henge.

OMG.... I have never been so moved by a place in my life. I don't know what it was about both places, but they both seemed to be so magical. I even had a teary moment as I threw a coin into the ancient hot spa for a wish.

Stone Henge on the other hand, was something completely different.... Luckily, I paid extra to go inside the circle, as I can see how from the outside it would be boring. But, as it was sunset, and the place was cleared out of tourists - our small group had the place to ourselves. I don't know why, but the entire time was spent in whispers, and a strange kind of tingling occurred as you breached the circular barrier. I cannot begin to explain my feelings to this place, I am in love, it is truly magical and for whatever reason that it exists, it deserves to be standing as it does have a purpose. Plus, as we were driving off into the sunset, a rainbow appeared directly over the stones - so I had to listen to the song, it was just appropriate!

Scotland
Ok, so I know I have spoken allot about how beautiful everything has been... It is true, but in different ways. Paris, was man made beauty, Stone Henge/Bath was ancient beauty and now to Scotland.

Scotland is a natural beauty. I did a three day tour of the highlands, which as far as I'm concerned has hardly changed from the day that the Earth was created. For those of you who know me, you should know that I love history.. I know a fair bit about Scottish history, and I could not imagine all these Clans fighting hand to hand going to battle in this terrain. However, I can understand to some extent the reason. I would most definitely fight for a place that looked like that and is so obviously naturally rich.

I cannot even begin to remember some of the names that I went to see (as most of them where in Gaelic), but from the ones I know, we did see Fort Williams and Augustes, the Isle of Skye, Colloden Moor, a magical place similar to Stone henge, we also got to stay in a place just off from Loch Ness.

London
All of these places were amazing and the last three months have been awesome, sometimes lonely, but worth every moment. Not allot else has been going on in between my travelling, just making friends and living everyday life.

Plans for the near future - I want to do a bit more exploring around the UK, so places such as Leeds and Brighton and saving for a bigger holiday. Italy is up there, and I'm secretly aiming for that, but I also would love to go to the running of the bulls and the tomato festival in Spain (July and August). However, as that's a bit far off, we will see what I can achieve. For now, its finding a job - then saving.

But least its somewhat a plan.

Love you all and be safe.

London

Sorry for not keeping everyone updated lately, but I've been busy! Well, not interesting busy, just settling into life busy. I have found work, moved into my apartment (photo's attached) and just finding my way around London in general.

So, my apartment, Its walking distance from the London Bridge and I live with 6 other people and although that seems like a crowded house - it's really not. My first week, I only met one person as everyone has different schedules (and I think some of them just live in their rooms). The people are nice though, but generally they stick to themselves, we have are 2 Czech girls (cousins), one Spanish guy, one Indian guy and a couple from France. I seem to be the only person that gets up before midday, so that's cool with me, more shower time and when I come home at night, people are either in their rooms or at work, so I can veg out and cook (yes, cook) my dinner in peace.

My work, I am just doing office work, same as back home - but for a lot less money. However, it's a friendly place and they have extended my contract for 2 months. So, least I have some money coming in.

Plans for the near future??? I have booked a trip to Stonehenge, and although people will tell you that you can't get inside the 'inner circle', I have found a tour that promises just that. It means that I have to start off at the crack of dawn, but I think it will be worth it... Oh, and a funny thing, the only date that they had available happened to fall on the 3rd of April (my birthday), so I think its magical and really poetic. If I don't actually get inside the circle, I will be disappointed but happy just to see it.

Another plan, maybe the first week of March I am planning to go to Paris for the weekend. I know a weekend is not long, but I am so near to France plus I can't really have time off work, so hopefully another weekend soon for Scotland and Ireland. I do plan on going for longer somewhere when I am in between work assignments, but now I have to wait two months. 

Other then that, just looking around... I've been to Camden Markets, and my favourite place in London so far, the Borough Markets. Camden is very hippy and punk, mostly clothing. Borough is a fresh food market, and its huge! I love it for the smells, and the availability of different veggies, meat and fruits (which you cannot find in supermarkets anywhere). I have also been to most of the Museum's in London, I did a tour of the Globe Theatre (Shakespeare's theatre, photo's attached) and I lived in Piccadilly, so seen that. I went to Covent Garden (from My Fair Lady), Trafalgar Square, miserably I walked through Mayfair and I have seen the Change of the Guard and Buckingham Palace.


Tomorrow, I plan on going to China Town for Chinese New Year (the year of the Rabbit), but I did get a sneak peak of it today at the Borough Markets, so I'm excited for tomorrow. It would mean so far, I have had Chinese New Year and Australia Day in London.

Australia day was fun, unfortunately I had to work the next day, which was a bit tricky but it was a great night. I went to the Walkabout pub, which is a Aussie themed bar. It was packed, and although I did not know anyone, by the end of the night I was friends with everyone!

So, that's about it really, I hope everyone is safe and happy and enjoying life.

 

A photo of my new room -

The Globe Theatre

Change of the Guard

 London Bridge

 'Fresh' food from Borough Market

 A sample of Chinese New Year

Swollen Feet!

No, before you ask, I am not pregnant! I have just walked more in the last couple of days then I have my entire life combined.

However, it's not all sightseeing and in fact I have hardly seen anything other then the British Museum (and the bus tour). But, I have been productive, I have an oyster card (which will soon be replaced by a monthly pass), I have organised a sim card, an interview for an IN number (tax file number), seen a temp agency regarding work and signed a lease for an apartment.

The apartment.... I am so excited about this, even though its with 3 other people, the backpackers is great in the fact that it fulfills it's purpose, but I can't wait till I have my own bed and I don't have to share a shower with naked foreigners.... Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with naked backpackers, I just don't need to hate myself that early in the morning hahaha.

London is amazing though, I love the cold (no snow yet) and the old streets and the fact that there are shops everywhere. I promise photo's will follow soon, it's just hard to take them by oneself.

Seriously though, my feet are so swollen it's not funny, I even tried to buy boots and could not get into them... Has to be doing some good I guess, but OMG and least I'm saving money not buying shoes!

One draw back though, its that I am terribly missing home, and it was not helped by the fact that I could not figure out how to call home! Stupid, I know, but I did not realise that you take the zero away and replace it with the 61, I was just adding the 61 (Australian code). But, luckily after calling the wrong number a million times and lots of tears, I figured it out.

So, all in all, ups and downs - however that's life, and I'm loving every minute of it. Next week, hopefully I will have a job and I will be preparing to move into my own room.

I hope to keep you updated weekly, so best wishes for all and stay safe!

Month To Go

As the 'month to go' approaches, I have no time to think about being in the UK. All I can think of is getting ready to go.... What to pack? Who should I invite to my going away? Will I sell my car in time? All questions, questions, questions.

So, I will allow myself this little bit of respite to think about being in the UK. I will arrive in London in January, so it will most absolutely be Winter-time. I can't wait :) all everyone keeps on saying is that its going to be icy cold. But, you know what?? I say, bring it on! Winter in Australia does not count; But SNOW, mmmmm snow!

Another thing I can't wait for... UK is my entry gate to Europe, and all the great food, culture and shopping of Spain, Germany, Italy, etc. I can't wait to try as much food as I can (and then walk/jog as much as I can), be caught up in the romance of the ancient structures and to walk the same roads and alleyways of Napoleon, Cesar and anyone that has existed long before little ol' Australia was even thought of.

Australia is great, don't get me wrong. I love it here, the sunshine and more importantly the easy-going nature of everyone and everything. So, why am I leaving?? Well, it's like an onion - layered; Firstly, to travel and explore, secondly to take a break from 'life as I know it', step out of my comfort zone and thirdly (or firstly, not sure yet) is this feeling that I have, as if to say that this is the right thing to do.

So, please join me in this 'jasventure' of mine, as I change my entire life, leave everyone I know behind and start a new life of the unknown.