Counting Down The Days!

With just one week to go, I am literally counting down the days until I depart for Thailand. To be honest, the weather here in Australia is getting me down. This is the first winter I have spent in Perth, and it has been bloody horrible; it literally feels like it has been raining for months. Tonight, I have just walked home from work, and I am soaked to the skin. This isn't just a bit of rain, this is a deluge, and it's just gone on and on. I am constantly told it will be over soon, but nevertheless, it just can't come soon enough.

Yesterday was the first day of spring, but it feels like we are still in the depths of winter. I am just grateful, we will be leaving Western Australia for a few weeks on Friday and both of us can finally relax for a bit. I haven't had a break from work since January, so I just need some downtime, where I can sit, reflect, write and reaffirm my travelling credentials. Bangkok and Chiang Mai, will allow me to do what I love best; I can leave the reality of life behind for a short while, and dream my days away, in one of the most glorious places on Earth.

Darrell and I have a huge affection for Thailand, after our trip there last year, and in many ways this will be like reconnecting with an old friend. Last year, staying in Bangkok, gave us the opportunity to finally be a couple again, after several months of turmoil in the UK. After our busy visit to family in Croatia, we were able to just chill and take in the sites and sounds of Bangkok, doing things that were important to us. Sitting outside our favourite restaurant 'So Samsen' in Pranakorn, both of us felt at home and welcomed by the girls who worked there. This little place appeared safe and friendly, after all the anxiety and stress we endured. We both felt privileged to have met such wonderful people on our journey. Of course, we hope to do the same thing all over again, but also travel to Chaing Mai, and experience life in this northern Thailand city. This holiday is about rekindling old footsteps, but it is also about experiencing a different culture and enjoying a way of life, both of us love.

Last week was the busiest week I have had in a long time. Work commitments have taken up a lot of time, especially as I prepare to hand over the reigns to my second in charge while I am away. I am planning for every eventuality, and have been putting in a lot of extra hours, in order to ensure the shop runs like clockwork while I'm away. I am extremely lucky to have a wonderful team, who are quite willing and able to take on more responsibility. Nevertheless, it is difficult going on holiday at such a busy time here in Australia, at the beginning of spring.

With summer just around the corner, the 'burn offs' are in full swing. Preparing for the intense summer temperatures is important, and much of the overgrown undergrowth is burnt off in order to prevent serious wildfires. With Midland being close to the bush and surrounding hills, we are in prime danger territory, so it isn't unusual to smell fires burning at this time of year.

On Thursday, however, when I left for work at 7am, there was thick fog and smoke everywhere I looked. The stench of burning was in the air, my eyes were stinging, swollen and red and I could barely see in front of me. The freak weather conditions, damp atmosphere and burn offs, had caused a thick smog to engulf Perth. As I left the house, the scene that greeted me outside was eerie, unlike anything I had seen before; all part of the course living in Australia, apparently.

Every house should have an emergency evacuation plan and do everything it can to avoid fires spreading in the local area. Luckily for us, we have just replaced an old wooden fence with a new metal one, and much of the greenery that surrounded our house has now been removed. Living here is so different from the UK, it is just a matter of adjusting your mindset, to take account of your changing circumstances. Yes, it is scary at first, but once you understand the dangers of living in a hot climate, rather like we did in Spain, it just starts to come naturally.

Occasionally, there are sunny days at the moment, even though they seem few and far between and with the temperature in the mid-twenties, Darrell and I managed to go into the city for a pint or two last weekend. We popped into our favourite Irish bar and settled down to a great Sunday roast, talking about our trip to Thailand. Darrell, like me, works long hours and despite the good wages, we do need to take time out. We are far more fortunate than most and can afford to go out every weekend, but we do work hard. Since moving to Australia, I have discovered that if you are prepared for hard graft, you will reap the rewards. Wages are two, three times what they are in the UK and even though I do moan about this place at times, I know deep down, how lucky I am; I could never have afforded this lifestyle in the UK, especially after buying a house.

Next time I blog, I will be in Bangkok and aim to write every day, as I did on my last trip to Thailand. Travel writing is what I enjoy most, and I hope to once again give you a taste of Thailand in my usual way. For me, this will be a bit of a busman's holiday, but writing helps me relax in a way nothing else does. Even tonight, after a ten-hour shift, I am sat writing this blog - it doesn't feel like a chore, and it isn't anxiety inducing. Blogging, is the one thing that has kept me sane these last nine years and I hope I will be doing it for many more years to come. With my notepad and pen poised, I hope to hear from you all in Bangkok... Until then, Chao for now!

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