Happy New Year

I have re-emerged from the depths of nowhere - 3 days holed up in a quaint little cottage with a log fire, ample food, an excess of alcohol and access to a heated indoor pool has rejuvenated me. On New Years Day we all went down to the beach at Westward Ho! (the only place in the UK with an exclamation mark in it's name I believe) despite the bitter cold winds and pouring rain. Glorious.

Now that we've reached 2005 I feel that I should at least commemorate the highlights and lowlights of last year before I can fully start to appreciate the new year so here we go:

Highlights of 2004

• Dodging rockets in Prague on New Years Eve 2003 (also a lowlight as I am petrified of fireworks)


• Singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a Hello Kitty Karaoke bar in Tokyo with Nao and Akiko-san


• Basking in the sun outside the tinfoil marvel that is the Guggenheim in Bilbao


• Meeting my hero Gordon Ramsey at a booksigning in Canary Wharf (mmmmm)


• viperx's leaving drinks - witnessed events that made my jaw drop - even for someone as liberated as me


• Standing on top of a mountain in Jasper - feeling like I was on top of the world - so beautiful it made my heart ache


• Meeting my brethren in the most amazing festival I have seen in Hong Kong. Family is everything.

Lowlights of 2004

• My grandad finally passing away in Hong Kong and not being able to attend the funeral


• The wedding of my uncle to a girl 7 years my junior


• The re-election of George W Bush as US president


• Too many champange hangovers


• Watching so many people I like leave the company I work for


• Turning 25


• Having to quit japanese class as my teacher was crap (gomenesai Nishimura-sensei but it's true)

Hopes for 2005

I have lots of hopes for this year. Some are more realistic than others.
I hope that:

• the process of evolution will speed up and I will grow another 4 inches so that I can reach things


• alternatively sprout wings so I can fly


• Get to JLPT4


• Take a sabbatical and go travelling. Possible destinations: 3 months across China, the Inca Trail, Cambodia, Thailand


• Learn to read maps so I don't get lost whilst travelling


• Learn to pole-dance. Just so I can. (also may come in handy whilst travelling as it earns more money than waitressing)


• kiss someone who thinks I'm wonderful (I copied this from someone else's blog - I think it's lovely)


• The world celebrates the achievers, not the dreamers. I would like to stop thinking and start doing.


• Stop drinking champagne. I am convinced that this will improve my life.