Explore. Dream. Discover.



Packed and nearly on my way - there's even room left in my bag for wee Grace!


So much for not having any more alcohol until Brazil - that lasted all of one day. Endless goodbye drinks with the weekend 'Guinness Club friends', days out biking over the hills of Delamont & County Down -Cathy climbing that hill = priceless & Liza (just round the corner)..too funny, BBQ's that took forever to cook, continuous lunches, getting extra cuddles from nephews and nieces - never packed so much into a few weeks. Some funny memories of friends falling out of taxi doors, passing out, Cosh and her vivid dreams of Hanns from Norway or wherever, sharing eyebrow waxing, 'wise' words from people advising me of my security/bags/money/how to defend myself when I get mugged/my teeth kicked out! (like seriously people!!) and the usual craziness with you all. Can't understand all the fuss..I'm only away for a fortnight ;)

Once again, thanks to all my lovely friends and family. 

I head off into the skies tomorrow bound for London and then Rio de Janeiro. I'm very settled, calm and excited   Maybe that's due to the fact that it feels like a decade that this has been planned and now it has finally arrived. 

Luggage for 13 months has been packed into a bright pink (just incase the emergency services need to find a little lost Irish soul in the jungles/harsh terrain of South America) 90 litre duffel bag. Surprisingly, it only weighs 18 kgs.  A complete miracle, considering that a two week trip to Borneo last year weighed  over 20kgs and I always manage to get shafted by shitjet/Flybe or whatever aircraft carrier that flies out of Belfast.

That's it folks - the next time I'll get to blog will hopefully be in Rio,  after I surface from a bit of jet-lag.  It's winter over there and the temperatures in Rio are hitting the 'freezing' highs of 26/27 celsius - life's a bitch.  Oh and my hotel is just one block away from the Copacabana beach.  I do however, move to a crap hostel though after 2 nights of comfort. Then it's probably a tent/more zero star hostels for most of the journey across the continent of South America as I traverse from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

Of course I'll miss you all. As Padre Fleck says, "It's not good-bye, we will see each other aaaaaa..... (altogether now)gain!" - Only my workmates will get that bit!

'Sail away from the safe harbour, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.'

Big hugs x