Prague Adventure

The last few weeks have bought times of exciting developments and adventure, as well as some times of reflection and relaxation. It has been a good break but I just don't want to go back to work tomorrow!
I've visited my first 'new' country on a break in Prague in the Czech Republic. It was amazing! Beautiful, inspiring and unique - it is a city I would recommend anyone visit. Awesome architecture at every turn, fantastic places to eat and drink and cheap, easy-to-use public transport. The beer was particularly good (although not very friendly to the waistline!). It is the perfect place for a holiday.
It was incredibly cold, but that was a good excuse to hide in some lovely bars and cafe's. Unfortunately, Moira had her purse stolen on the first day which was annoying to say the least, but it did mean I got to visit a Czech Police station and meet the particularly hunky interpreter who worked there! The guidebooks had warned us that in general service could be quite abrupt (as a distant attitude is seen as more professional) but the staff at our hotel were downright rude.
However, it says a lot about the magic of Prague that none of this dampened the excitement of the experience at all. Best of all was the feeling of being somewhere new, somewhere alien to my previous experience. The travel bug has bitten me hard and only fired up my urge to see more of the world.

My photos can be seen on my flickr here. I recommend you view them as a slideshow - if you can be bothered :0)

On my return (as well as a lovely clean house - thanks to my Mum) I found my provisional driving license had arrived in the post. Hooray! Been looking at Driving Schools and hope to book my first lessons for the week after next as I have a horribly busy week back at college when I return. Bit nervous but can't wait.

Getting Better

Thanks to everyone wishing so hard (and my clever Doctor's diagnosis) I am now almost all better. I still have 3 days of anti-biotics
to go but throat is not painful anymore and I am eating big-girls'
grown up dinners now. I never thought I would be sick of the sight of
ice-cream but I well and truly am. Still have some pretty strange
shooting pains going up my face every now and then but I have decided
to take the highly scientific approach of pretending they aren't there
in the hope that they will go away. Moira is still pretty poorly, but is as determined as I to get cracking with our adventure.
I have been packing and re-packing (each time I change my mind about outfits and shoes) for Prague and getting very excited. Just cannot wait to get there now! The weather is predicted to be around 4 degrees Celsius with snow showers on one of the days we are to be there so I am wrapping up very, very well. Expect many a photograph of me with my glamorous ear muffs and 300 scarves on when I return :0)

Poorly Girl

I have severe tonsillitis (which I thought only under 10's got, but I
am clearly wrong). Feeling sorry for myself but more importantly
worried as I am due to fly to Prague on Monday for the first visit to a
'new' country! I would like everyone reading this to wish very, very
hard that my tonsils will have returned to somewhere near normal size
before Monday. At the moment I can't eat anything except cold soup,
fruit juice and ice-cream (not helping the diet) which could cause
problems and if I am still in pain it will dampen the adventure
somewhat.
So wish hard please! If you have any wishing left please
also wish that my friend Moira, who is going to Prague with me,
recovers from her virus by then too!

Walking the walk

The planned trip to Ingleton at the weekend turned into a trip to Malham Cove instead, due to unpredictable weather and too much faffing about before we set off. It was lovely and the 2.5 round trip walk was a good way to get back into the 'walking for fun' game. As before I always forget how much I actually enjoy walking in the countryside and came back really refreshed. I have decided I need some proper walking boots so anyone with recommendations for reliable boots in wide-fittings should form an orderly queue.

This week I have started the diet proper, after a week of entertaining different folks last week (hello Sue, Sharon, Janet, Jamie, Isaac, Moira and Aaron!). I'm aiming to keep down to 1000 calories a day and do 20 minutes on the exercise bike (at a steady pace) five times a week. On top of that I will be building in regular walks and making my 20 minutes walk from the bus to college and back as brisk as possible. I've bought a smoothie maker so that I have no excuse when I haven't got time to make porridge of a morning too.
Trying to remove all the potential excuses for myself at every turn! Got my Race for Life pack through with my number in it (I am going to be 4343 - how exciting) and already 20% of the way there to my fundraising target. Pic of Mum and I taken at Malham for my fundraising page as this was officially our first 'training' for the event (and because, although she doesn't believe in it, it was Mothers' Day).
Apart from that I am planning to see several films at the Bradford International Film Fest and the new Cartier-Bresson exhibition (one of my all time heroes) at the Media Museum. I also have just got the first disc of Season 6 of Scrubs through from LoveFilm so have this evenings activity all sewn up!