So, Ive spent the last couple of days making the most of Sharron's (Tom's mum) vintage Jenome sewing machine.  It's been SO nice to sew again after a good 4 month break from sewing what with work and packing up all my stuff and moving out of the studio.
Thought I would keep you guys up to date with the creations and put some photos up here of what Ive been making!
I made Sharron a copy of one of her favourite dresses as a christmas prezzie, it was made out of white cotton with really cool pockets and mix/matched red beads, I havnt got a photo of this one yet but will get onto that.  It was pretty hard to take a copy of it, as it has lots of darts in it, but i managed and it looks really lovely on.
I also made Tom a waistcoat for christmas with a thick cotton linen mix and a purple lining, pics to follow.
Today (boxing day) I made myself a really pretty dress from a vintage pattern i customised a while back.  Ive made the pattern a few times as tops and dresses and its really flattering.  Today I used some beautiful hand blocked cotton Tom and I bought in Fitzroy, Melbourne when we were looking for waistcoat material for him.
Here it is!

The fabric is dusty pinky colour with black paisley/indian block print on it.  I cut the fabric so it looks like it has a waistband but its actually just the print of the fabric....pretty cool though huh!
Well, hope you guys all had a lovely xmas, you englishies will be waking up to boxing day now, and lots of turkey sandwiches!!! hehe. xxx

Merry Christmas everyone! Im writing this from Ruffy, taking a little break from the family merriment of christmas day with Toms family.  We arrived here yesterday from the city, so nice to finally get back here after 2 weeks in the city when i was only intending to be away for 3 days!!
Its been a really interesting couple of weeks in the city, staying with friends and family of Tom, particularly the Hartman family who really took me under their wing, and i was staying on my own with them for quite a few days whilst tom came back to ruffy.  I tried and failed at getting a job, then tried and succeeded, so im heading back to the city in a couple of days before new year to start work waitressing on the harbour in port melbourne.  Its a really swanky location right on the peir, and double the pay of what i get in england so cant complain. 
Really missing all you english roses, had a bit of a teary day thinking about what you guys are all up to on your christmas eves and mornings.  Looking forward to some jolly christmas skyping later with the parentals and chatting to my christmassed sisters ;-)
Here are some photos of the last couple of weeks :

 this is Ruffy, properly out in the sticks! Makes buxton look cosmopolitan!

This is Degraves street in Melbourne, best coffee in town, and great for people watching too.

 Anna Hartman, John her boyfriend, and Tom eating at the Auction Rooms in North Melbourne, taaaasty!

So much love to you all and more to come soon! Ill be back in Melbourne on the 27th, moving into our new room in North Carlton, then starting work on the 28th.  Xxx

6/12/11

Cant believe its December, its July really and the calendars just pretending! Dont think i could ever get used to this whole season switch thing, march being the beginning of Autumn....nnnnnaaaahhhhhh!
Spent the last few days chilling at the family home in Ruffy, doing some hardcore Macrame making (been making a macrame pocket belt-photos to follow when its finito), lots of The Wire watching and general lazy summer sun worshipping.  Tom was away from saturday til monday night which was a bit strange, making myself at home in his parents house while he was away, and meeting his bro and bro's lady without him there.  Bit nervewracking but all good.  Tom was off at a friend reunion with some of his ol'time homeschooling chums, sounded like he had a good old chin wag.
Spent some lovely evenings eating outside in the dusky sunsets with the family...its so nice to be able to congregate outside at the end of the day and have a bit of a feast.  Yesterday we lit the home made clay pizza oven outside and made tastey crazy pizzas with the most random toppings- courgette flowers, potato slices- and tastey mozzarella and olives nom nom nom! Was so beautiful out there with lots of mosquito candles all like and a big fire lit next to the oven to keep us warm.  I took some pictures that ill add at the end.  Its still pretty chilly here in the mornings and after sunset, toms parents say its more like spring weather right now then summer (which is a bit worrying as to me its super hot already during the day!).  Me and tom had a go at the raspberry bushes this afternoon, got a good little harvest from just 20mins work, id say there was still 20 times more vines to do then we picked their harvest is HUGE!  You have to wait til after the day cools, because otherwise the risk of snakes is too high to be going that much into the grass- i was pretty proud of myself that i went in there at all even though i was pretty wimpy and tom has been known to have the odd demand to carry me through long grass....self preservation i call it =)
Were heading off into the city tomorrow until sunday for a good few days of city time.  Cant wait to get out and see some more Oz! Ive been on the farm for nearlly a week without leaving because its just SO remote, so itll be super nice to see some lovelies in Melbourne and got shown the sites! <3 Going to be staying with some of Toms pals and also his bro's.
Other then that, not much new really here, got a bit of a cold coming i think or it might be hayfever so feeling a bit under the weather, but chirpy enough=) Lots of love to you all! Xxx   Zzzzzzzz!

3/12/11

Woke up at 2:30am this morning! Jetlag SUCKS! So far ive woken up at 5:30am on the first day, 4 am on the 2nd day and 2:30am this morning.... not good.  I think im going to have to be really hard on myself and not sleep at all during the day, sup away at some coffee or something to keep me awake until at least 9pm so i can try and get my body back in wak.  Its pretty full on, really wasnt expecting it to be this bad!
Toms just in the garden with his dad having fun with a chainsaw and moving lots of logs around, they're in their element =) Him and his mum are heading off to the city in a bit, tom to go to a gathering with all his homeschooling pals, and his mum to pick up toms brother and his american girlfriend Kim and bring them back to the house.  I decided to stay in the country over the weekend and get over the jetlag, instead of going to the meeting tonight and meeting up with the lovely Judith who is a Melbourne BV member i met in india this year. 
Gonna spend the next couple of days chillin outside in the sunshine, getting a bit browner (without roasting! the sun is SOOO hot here!hole in Ozone layer etc etc), and making some more makrame jewellery with the plan to sell at some point.  I made this bracelet whilst i was waiting for my flight when i was in Bristol...but i dont have any more stones to play with....wish id brought more when i was in India last time! Tom's pretty dead set on heading out there in February for a few weeks, so maybe Ill get a chance to sooner rather then later, money trees providing!

Had a lovely skypeyskypey catch up with the gorgeous miss jenni this morning which was a really nice treat, though connections are pretty shocking here and I could see her lovely face but she couldnt see mine. Wish i could transport you to the warm for a bit Jennibum! <3
Much love to you all and more pics and updates soon xxx

1/12/11

FIRST DAY IN OZ! I arrived into Melbourne Airport at 7:30pm yesterday afternoon with the best airport greeting since Love Actually.  The journey was pretty hellish: travelling back from the family farm at 11am on Monday and arriving back into bristol for 4, failing at getting some shut eye before my coach at 2:30am to Heathrow which took nearlly 3 hours, 3 hours wait in the airport, 6 1/2 hour flight to Abu Dhabi, 2 hours wait and then 14 hour flight to Melbourne, and 2 hours drive to Ruffy! What a journey!!
Within the first 20mins of the drive to Ruffy I saw (and this is not an exaduration) a good 200 Kangas, and as we were pulling into Ruffy there was a Koala crossing the road which looked at us for a sec then bounced off up a eucalyptus tree near by =) Pretty amazing start to life in Oz.

Despite being really exhausted it felt like trying to go to sleep at midday, when we went to bed at 11pm.  Tom's still suffering from jetlag 5days in, and I can see that its not going to be as easy as i thought to nip it in the bud.  We were both wide awake at 5:30am this morning, snuggled up in Toms gorgeous family home in the bush in a little hamlet called Ruffy.  The house is gorgeous and the gardens even more so, it looks like a big tree house surrounded by fruit trees and flowers and vegetable patches.  The house was built by Toms dad, John, and is all wood except for a bit of stone work on the outside where you can see that the house used to be an old church.  Theres a beautiful wood stove inside that heats the house, and its so beautiful and cosy! Its pretty chilly here when the sun goes in, so weve been cosying up and keeping warm next to the stove when we havnt been catching some spring sunshine outside, picking strawberries, and making pancakes and strawberry crumble! What a gorgeous first day =) Toms dad is a wood sculptor as well as amazing at all things DIY, and he has a studio out in the gardens with some gorgeous wood sculptures hanging around in there and out near the trees.  I took some pics of them which will be at the bottom of this entry.
So the plan is to relax here tomorrow, then were both going to head into the city on Saturday, Tom to a reunion with his friends, and me to catch up with some pals and do my first BV open meeting from Melbourne!
Sleepily excited and so happy to be here, love to you all and enjoy the pics =) <3 xxx

1 week.

This time next week Ill be waiting to get on a coach to the airport in a few hours! Its amazing, I cant believe it is all going to happen so soon.  Its monday today and tom flies on friday this week, then Im off with dad up north to drop of my stuff being stored at the farmhouse, and spend a few days with mum and jon and the girlies, then back down to brizzle on the monday and coach at 2:30am on the tuesday morning to the airport for a flight at 9am.  Eek.  I am so excited =)

Had a gorgeous leaving do on friday, so lovely to collect so many people to play, we ate delicious Thali's at the Thali Cafe in easton, and went for drinks after.  It really hit home what was about to happen when i was sitting next to ash and jen, lots of happiness but also sadness.  But life is made for adventures and im sure my lovely ladies will soon be galavanting off around the globe on their own adventures, Ash already has plans for another Brazil visit in 2012 which sounds amazing!

So, yeh, 7days to go, 2 1/2 days left with the lovely Milo boy ive been nannying since August, and my last cafe shift tomorrow!  Some more serious packing needing to take place this week, which im secretly looking forward to.

Speak soon, maybe from my new home of Melbourne. All my love, until then,
Bex xx

Barcelona!

Its mine and tom's first night in Barcelona and we're chilling in our amazing shared apartment overlooking the hustle and bustle of a busy saturday night on the Grand de Garcia, a gorgeous district in the north west of central barcelona.  We seem to have landed in a mediteranean inspired idyll in the centre of the city, a huge apartment complete with 2 balconies and stunning traditional tiled floors.  After a bit of a bone shaking easyjet flight for yours truly, we arrived a little tired after our early morning start, but seriously happy to be greeted by the warm sunshine of november in the mediteranean.  The streets were alive with locals and tourists alike, all sporting flipflops and tshirts instead of the customary british puffa jackets and boots of this time of year.  I quickly noticed that my furry jacket was not going to be needed for the next 5 days and switched into sunshine mode.  We spent our first afternoon miandering around the back streets of the area surrounding the Placa de Catalunya, surrounded by a beautiful maze of tall apartment buildings and tree lined streets.  We had some tastey grub at a cafe we stumbled upon through an archway hidden down a bustling back street, spent some time slurping on syruppy frappe lattes and pondering what on earth to order on a menu that looked like a dyslexic english person had written it; half guessing at words that might be what they look like but at the same time could well be a far cry from what we intended to order! We luckily ended up, thanks to a very friendly customer who spoke a little english and could translate our gobbldigook to the lovely waitress, with the tastiest salad with fresh tomato, buffalo mozzarella, pesto and lettuce, and a salmon toasted roll.  The food was delicious, especially when eaten in a foreign city surrounded by the mysterious language and sights of a city that was waiting to be explored!
Bed and an early night cosied up watching movies calls, with plans of many adventures for our first full day in Barcelona tomorrow!

Until then =) xxx

10 months on...

So much has happened since I last used this blog- it was so lovely refinding this and reading through my last post on here and really remembering the beginnings of this year and my journey with Balanced View.  I stayed in India until the 20th April, spending up until the middle of March in Arambol working and studying at the Balanced View centre there and also taking a 7day intensive massage course with a lovely man that I met at the centre called Tapesh.  I went off around Hampi and Kerala with a lovely girl called Miriam that I met whilst taking part in the massage course, and then headed up north through Delhi with a gorgeous spanish gal called Gabbi and up to Himanchal Pradesh and Baksu.  I stayed in Baksu for my last couple of weeks, camped up in a beautiful communal living space high up in the foothills of the himalayas with some wonderful friends including the lovely rosie borey who i had wanted to catch up with the whole trip.  Such a lovely way to end my trip and experience the calmness of the north in summer.  Gorgeous memories.
After flying back from India, ridiculously skint, I managed to land a fantastic temporary nanny role with a family in Bath for 3 weeks, looking after their 2 sets of twins.  Intense thing to do pretty much straight away after landing but great for the bank account as I earnt over a grand tax free for 3 weeks work.  The bank manager was smiling.  During this time I also heard news via facebook that Chai Wallahs the festival crew, were recruiting for the 2011 festival season, and applied for a job with them.  I managed to get a reference from Nutmegs ex who had worked for them in 2010 and after a lovely summertime interview with Toast who manages the cafe section, secured the job! So I toured around with the chai wallah stage from the beginning of June until the end of August, doing 7 festivals and a lot of travelling!  During this time I started seeing a lovely aussie fella called Tom who was a fellow newbie to the Chai Wallah crew.  Working for the Chai's was pretty tough at points and really hard work, but such an awesome experience and being with Tom throughout was so lovely.  Since finishing working with the Chai Walli's I have been pretty much perminently been living with Tom in Bristol, and have secure a job nannying a little 1 year old boy called Milo in Clifton, Bristol.  I started working with Milo 3 days after my last festival, and he is such a joy to look after!  My most recent news is that I am in just over 3 weeks moving to Melbourne Australia with Tom =) whos return flight is on the 25th Nov.   I am to fly on the 29th with Etihad airways via AbuDhabi, and due to land after a 23 hour flight.  Its such a big step after just under 5 months of being together, but it felt such a natural thing to do, and is the only way to give our relationship a chance to grow... meeting Tom has been such an amazing experience, and seeing how I have changed during this year is pretty phenominal.  I know for a fact that I would not be in this relationship if it wasnt for my Balanced View training and the support of the Mainstays, and since Tom has started attending and taken part in his first intro training our connection seems to become more and more amazing.
So that is a bit of an update of my 2011 year so far since I last wrote.  Im intending to write quite regularly with updates from Australia, and photos etc.
Until then,
Over and out =) xxx

Hey guys!
Wow, its the 2week benchmark...one of those where you cant work out whether time has gone mega fast or slow, a pretty intense 14days but so amazing in ways that I couldnt ever explain fully.  When i decided to come to india a large part of it was escapism from being unsatisfied with my life in bristol...more then anything I think to escape my own head(!).  I wanted to go to India to find the cure- Haha...the age ol' quest to find yourself in India.  What is astonishing and highly unexpected is that I actually seem to be doing just that.  Jen- Im having a good old giggle to myself about that mural in the restaurant in Padangbai Indonesia ''you will not find the meaning of life whilst travelling'', hahaha! Legends.  This journeys plans are already changed massively, and as a control freak and a mega Capricorn that is progress in itself =P
Goa is beautiful, and Goa is full of points of view.  Its India whether it believes it or not and its full of extremes- extreme poverty, disabled people/elderly/kids begging...their only interaction with westerners being askign for money with muddy sad faces and miming hungry signals.  A universal language that is the same in any country.  And more hippies then you could swing a dreadlock at! Guys, Im talking Primal Screaming workshops, finding your inner shamon, 'Love yoga'....questionable.  Its hilarious.  Buying kilos and kilos of hippie gear (and i count myself in this description!) and eating samosas and pizza in this strange east-meet-west unharmonious clash of cultures.  Its vibrant ill give you that, and it gets people really talking about the meaning of everything...whether we have more to gain from indian culture then we would happily let on, and i suppose vice versa.  Im learning a happy balance between trying my hardest to suppress my western guilt and finding ways of giving I feel more comfortable with, like giving half of my food away or sharing my water...or just being silly and going rockpooling with a gaggle of little naked indian kiddies, with their kohl-ed eyes and hindi waist belts swinging away bringing them good luck as they play.  Ive started funny little relationships, like giving half my apple every day to the same little begger girl that sits right next to the fruit stand...she must be around the same age as freya and has never been to school just.like.her....that always makes me smile, what a funny ol'world i have grown up in(!) that we have the opportunity to go to school but choose not to.  As much as I am pro-homeschooling it does make me cringe a little to think of how many more possibilities these little'uns would have with a better education.  I met a girl called Premadona(what a name!) on the beach selling sarongs to tourists- she is 17 and being forced unhappily into a marriage with a 67yr old man because she is from a low caste and has never been to school...her parents cant afford a good dowry so its her only obvious option.
Ive moved rooms now 3 times in Arambol, now away from the beach a little and into a cheaper room (200rp a day).  My intentions of travelling to Hampi and then volunteering at Sadhana have been superseded by my taking part in more courses and being more involved in the community at the Balanced View centre here.  I was really really up for going to these places and still fully intend to in the future, but the sacrifice doesnt even begin to compare to how much stability and enjoyment I am gaining here.  Im finding my inner calm and couldnt recommend it more (www.balancedview.com - a bit of shameless promotion but thats the last of it i swear).  So yeh, my days revolve around yummy meals, trainings, open meetings, sunset hula jams in the drumming circles on the beach...and lots of lovely people in between.  The last 3 days Ive been doing a 3 day intensive training at the centre which is pretty much 7hours a day as well as coming early to open meetings to help out within the community. Im gaining so much from the whole process and loving being part of the community and the fact that there are so many Bristolians here (random!) makes me so much more grounded to my home city and really looking forward to my return and new beginnings- so many lifelong friends being made, with such amazing talents and skills and laughs!  Makes me miss you all and appreciate you all even more!  What a motley crew you all are =)  Love you all so much...
So bex is finding her inner optimist and her inner contentment finally.  Its been a long time coming and happening so simply in a situation I never dreamed I would be part of.  Isnt life a funny ol'thing?!
Lots of plans a brewing to visit new found friends around europe in the near future, and a real pull to start dreaming up new ways to make my money- I wonder if selling flapjack could pay the rent? (joking, joking....kinda).  Im also really considering getting Offsted registered so as to be able to childmind properly (means that the family can get the money available to them for childcare from the gov, which in turn means im more likely to get a yoghurt-weaver sorta family!), pretty expensive process but should be pretty fulfilling in the long run.  Also really looking forward to my massage course starting in March, and hopefully all the doors that will open.
So yeh~ So much excitement and so much enthusiasm at the possibilities we all have...dont get me wrong-im still feeling lonely..overwhelmed....tired, but learning slowly that I am fine with all that.  Feeling strong!
Lots and lots of love to you all,
Bexi xxx

Hey Peeps =)
Well I managed 10days in India without belly getting the better of me, i count my blessings.  Im living on a cocktail of random herbal remedies that random travellers keep on giving me- from coconut husk which turns to jelly in your stomach and flushes out impruties (called Satisubgol in Goan), to natural antiparasite capsules from Amsterdam, and herbal tea from Israel... as well as the usual troweling through the numerous homeopathic remedies i have with me.  Im afraid to say that so far, Ibuprofen wins hands down.  I feel my hippie mumma cringing ;-)
So Ive been taking it nice and easy...my body seems not to want me to be in the sun so ive been spending lots of time helping out and going to meetings at the Balanced View centre ive been doing workshops in.  I spent last night at the Teepee village that my new friend Leah is staying at...Its a beautiful place, and if i end up spending next season in goa id love to live there.  Its about 20mins walk from town along the beach and is a bit of a closed community run by an excentric old hippie lady who's smoked a little bit too much Charis in her day and popped a few too many pills =P Lovely lady though and great fun to spent time there.  She has 2 MASSIVE pigs that just wander around the teepees, about 4dogs and a new born puppy who i have been looking after while leah is doing her workshop- SOOOO cute! Jenni, you would have been in puppy heaven.  Its one month old, eats a diet of puppy biscuits, rice and dahl, and falls asleep across your belly getting his nose as close to your armpit as he can manage.  We've been thinking of lots of different names, none of which he seems too chuffed about =)
So i start my next workshop tomorrow, a 4 day workshop at the Balanced View Centre, which finishes on Saturday, and then Im heading off into the sunset....for a joyous 18hr 'Sleeper' bus (irony in words!) to Chennai and then a local 7hr train to Pondicherry, to get to Sadhana Forest just outside of the city.  Looking forward to truly getting stuck into India....Goa is getting a bit too easy for my liking now, haha. And DEFINITELY too expensive.  Im spending almost double what i intended so looking forward to volunteering and easing off the ol'bank account a bit! Ive bought nearlly all of my pressi's and going to post them back before I leave Arambol.  Lots of pretties for my pretties =)
So yeh, Ive collected a couple of nice blokies who are gonna travel with me to Sadhana...a swedish bloke called Hampus and also an english guy called Steve who may come too.  Will be nice to have some company and man-protection, though they are both not the most manly of blokes, hehe.
Lots of love and hugs,
Will try to sort out an Indian simmcard soon so I can call you guys cheaply.
Much love and thinking of you all.  Off to eat some dry toast....fun fun fun!
Xxx

Hey guys! =)
Despite plans to head on to Hampi tomorrow im still in Arambol in Goa, ive been distracted by a really nice project called 'Balanced View' which are doing workshops over the next few months here, so am going to hang around until the 30th and then quickly blast my way through to Pondicherry to start my volunteering with Sadhana Forest... Beach life is nice, been getting myself slightly less white slowly slowly and relaxing.  Keep on meeting more and more really sound people to spend a few hours with her and there....getting involved more in Balanced View is nice too as there is a really tight community there and going to open meetings every morning brings a little structure to my day! I think im also going to do some AcroYoga while im here for another week, and maybe some yoga.  There is sooooo much to choose from-seriously Goa is a hippie mecca.  Pocketbelts and leather skirts galore....im struggling not to spend all my money and failing DISMALLY.  The only thing that is saving me is that i know i will have to lug it all around India for another 3months, hehe!
Ive managed to get over a horrible bout of cold i had for a couple of days and feeling SO much better now, spent all of yesterday in bed, henna-ing every exposed piece of skin to ward of boredom and drinking lots of ginger tea.  It seems to have done the trick =) Ive just been to dinner with a really sound girl from Balanced View called Leah from UK who will be moving to Brizzzzle when she gets back, shes a born and bred goan hippie and has got the accent and head wiggle down-to-a-friggin-artform.  Its all the entertainment you need, forget Eastenders.....
So yeh, all is hunkydory, a lot happier in my own company....spend most of my day on my own but usually ending up to chatting to enough people to keep me happily (in)sane.  Managed to get the ol'eating-on-your-own-in-a-restaurant-thing down, and can now multitask and eat and breath all at the same time, a very useful skill to have.
Been taking lots of photos, im afraid im hardly in any of them as its just me and im not touristy enough to take japanese style photos of myself next to a street urchin with a peace sign and a cheesy grin, that'll be tomorrows job ;-) My memory card reader seems to have given up the ghost so uploading may be tricky but ill try my best before i leave reasonable internet land to upload some pretty pics for you all soon.

LOVE YOU ALL! XXXX <3

'Ello Peeps =) sorry its taken me a few days to blog...hopefully i remembered to text most of you i arrived safely on friday? I wanted to wait a little while until i acclimatised to write a coherent blog =P
Despite my repeatedly negative FaceCrack profiles, im actually doing really well- The first 2 days were really stressful and emotional and at points if im honest I really wasnt sure that I would last staying out here, but since waking up yesterday morning(3rd day) im feeling a lot more grounded in myself and my surroundings...happy being in my own company, and even starting to enjoy the hustle and bustle of india.
Ive settled in Arambol, Goa for a little while, its a nice easy step before heading off, and really awesome for getting un-lonely-planet-like personal accounts of awesome places.  Ive been staying in town in a pretty hectic guesthouse really close to the beach for 200rp (approx 2.75p) a night, but now ive moved to a beach hut right on the sand.  Its beautiful and im looking forward to waking up to the sound of the waves instead of store holders grollying on the pavement, haha!

i had a really easy journey here, if not very VERY long and tiring.  I had the joy of possibly the most grumpy airport security lady ive ever encountered (saying something!) which wasnt the most enjoyable first experience of india....i then had to beg myself onto my connecting flight to goa as for some reason i wasnt on their system- I was actually hallucinating by this point i was so tired, seeing patterns crawling up blank walls =S!
I overheard a conversation from a guy in mumbai on the bus airport transfer that he was going to Arambol, so we decided to meet in Goa airport when both our flights landed and share the taxi cost together- it turns out that i later recognized his face and he was a DiveMaster on the Gili Islands when me and Jen were there in 2007/08.  Small SMALL world! He helped me find my first room which was a relief not to have to think about after a 40 hr journey. 

Yesterday(saturday) I met up with Gems who is a fellow hooper and I know briefly from a hooping orkshop in Bristol, her and her boyfriend are in Arambol until tomorrow morning when they head off to perform in Thailand/Burmese refugee camps, with Performers Without Borders.  Had a really lovely day with them, and met some of their mates (one of which i got on REALLY well with and hopefully will be able to keep in contact and maybe travel with at somepoint in the next few months-she is Argentinian and travelling on her own also...so would be lovely).  There is a really lovely big gathering of pretty much everyone in Arambol at sunset every evening where musicians come and play, while people play with hoops and poi and all manner of other crazy trickstery toys...and dance like flowerpower children(!)...its so beautiful to be part of it all with a lot of locals gathering also and really lovely communal vibes.  Ive also been getting up really early just naturally cos its so bright and walking along the beach.  There is a European bloke who creates amazing geometric sand drawings at sunrise and ive caught him in the act a few times.
 
Ive just come back from a really lovely open meeting at a centre which is part of the 'Balanced View' foundation.  This is where Deedee, a girlie a know briefly from bristol, is studying and the meeting was really interesting.  I think I may go again for a day course and see what more they have to say....there are quite a few people from Bristol doing the long workshop there that i recognise. (Mum-its pretty similar to the Byron Katie work that we do).  Nice, and wholesome and really lovely to feel part of a community and connected with people.

Now....im off to the beach to meet up with Gems before she goes and grab some dahl and rice for lunch, yumyum!

Lots of love to you all, thinking of you very very much and missing you all.  Wish you were here to see this beautiful place for yourselves...though i think its really good me doing this on my own (im starting to feel more able to communicate with strangers now and i know it will only get easier with time).

Bexi xxx

Sooooo! Im off tomorrow...!  Just came back from a delicious meal at Jen's house, anna and mikey and sean were there too so it was a really lovely send off.  The BEST veggi cottage pie EVER for my last dinner in the country before I go tomorrow lunchtime, yum yum yum <3
Im all packed and ready to go, bloomin' impressed with my packing this time- i think ive finally learnt my lesson not to bring too much stuff.  My bags only half full so plenty of space to collect things on the way =)
By the sounds of things everyone wants me to buy them lots of pressies so i think i am going to have to ship a few parcels back when im out there too.
Fun, Fun, Fun! Its funny, Im moving from really calm and a little bit excited, to sudden jolts of tummy nerves.  Im sure its normal...I just think that I havnt had the opportunity to even think about going over the last few days so now its only just kicking in.
Ive had an absolute nightmare couple of days: Daz,mine and ash's other housemate, decided to storm off and move out yesterday, after us having a row on monday evening.  The row was by no means massive, more of a letting loose of some many annoyances that I had tried to keep inside to keep the peace... It all came out though when she started having a go at me for not getting onto the Agency more about sorting out problems with the house.  Drama insude to say the least, she storms out, and the next thing I know I walk in on her moving out all her stuff the next day- no notice, no bills, no council tax, no finding of someone to take on her room, nothing.  She blames me for forcing her out, I blame her for being completely immature/inconsiderate.  Ghastly situation =( Ive had lots of abusive emails, sent some back....its been bloody stressful.  And Ive spent my last 2 days in the country frantically trying to advertise her old room...not something one wants to have to deal with when they are flying the next day.  NIGHTMARE!
But anyway, whats done is done....she isnt paying me back any money she owes me so there is nothing I can do over that.  Cant cry over spilt milk...Im sure she'll get what she deserves one way or another, not exactly good Karma is it really?!
So yeh....will try not to get to RYLED up about that situation again!
Nice things, nice things- INDIA! hehe. bloody hell =S
Next post will be from India.... so long for now peeps =)
Xxx

Ash left for Nepal on my birthday yesterday: This is her leaving photo =)

Dont think Nepal knows what they are allowing into their country- Bloody hippie =P

I've had a really lovely chilled out birthday this year...lots of nice drinking and dancing with friends, lovely gifts (all really practical thankfully so not too much clutter to pack away, horrah!) and good cheer.  Dad took me out for a birthday pub dinner on thursday evening and then tea and birthday brownie on my birthday morning with ash.  Ash was gone by about 2ish on her way to the train station, had a really lovely chilled out moment with her in our garden before she left and rolled her a cheeky rollie to take with her for that moment of panic that was due to occur somewhere along the journey to london.  Now she's gone, the house is REALLY quiet- Daz has been pretty absent recently so im really really glad Mills is going to be moving in this weekend...nice to have someone around and about =).  Ash will be fast snoozy asleep in her second night in Nepal- I wish I could ask her how its all going and hear the gossip, its so annoying not being able to be nosey! <3

Ive properly packed up my bag now.  Still got lots of space left even after adding 2 big boxes of crayons and a massive collection of coloured paper that I got in the kids scrapstore, thought it would be nice to have gifts or the Sadhana Forest kindergarten that they sponsor in the local village.  Im also going to try and buy a big collection of pens to give away too while im travelling, cos I remember a lot of the beggar children asking for pens...which I FAR prefer giving to money (most beggar kids are employed by adults to beg and dont actually get the money you give them in the first place).  I like having small gifts and also some food to give out instead.  Its funny seeing my pack in my room, especially as I have lots of Mill's stuff in my room and other stuff that needs to go into the attic still...doesnt feel that its actually about to happen yet.  But only 4 days left in the country and lots to do still!!!

For now, bye bye! <3

Its officially the 7th January, and with 30 mins to spare! Im now officially 23 years old, and in a few hours Ash will be off to Nepal.  MADNESS, the worlds gone mad! I can't seem to get past the point that I am now 23, let alone the fact that this time next week I will be well and truly on my way to India! Lots of change, lots of new experiences, and hopefully lots of adventures and fun to be had in the coming year =)
I was jumping around the house earlier, because I got woken up by Mr Postie with a passport and a SHINY NEW VISA in it! No more trips to london at 5am for me for a while thankgod... I never want to see that bloody visa office e.v.e.r. a.g.a.i.n!!!
I went to the scrapstore in St Werbs today and picked up a whole load of coloured card and crayons to take with me to Sadhana Forest for the local Kindergarten that they sponsor...thought it would be nice to bring them a treat from the UK.  I'd really love to get involved and do some work with the kids while Im at Sadhana...
Also my pops has been in Brizzle today, we had a wander around St Werbs and then into town for cider and pub grub... it was all very lovely, and now he's a'snoozin' in the livingroom.  We realised that he hasnt actually SEEN me on my birthday since I was about 5, hehe.  Will be nice to have a b'day breaky with him in the morning.  I got some money to help me out in India (seriously appreciated!), and a couple of awesome folky CDs (john mccusker and steel eye span) to add to the old Itunes.

So all is grand, all is birthday wishes full, and tomorrow will be filled with fond fairwells to Ash on her travels...and nice birthday grub and drinks and smiley faces.  Warm birthday girl glow to new beginnings and adventures and to the lovely people I know and have yet to meet =) Xx

I've been trying to restrain myself slightly from writing lots of silly posts filled with excitements at mundane pre-travel tasks like picking which mosquito net to buy and deciding how many pairs of pants to take.... and I've decided that, as its exactly 10 days until I leave (3rd Jan already!), and the organising of a trip is actually quite often the most exciting bit, I'd surrender to my need to chat shit a bit ;-) and hope that you'll forgive my weakness!
It's been a totally different experience organising this trip, to any of my other travels.  I think the main reasons being that, it was decided quite on a whim... less then 6weeks ago, and also that it's a totally different experience when you are organising and setting off on your own.  When I was deciding and planning my trips with Jen, it was months in the planning and earning...getting through 40-50 hr weeks by chatting and giggling about adventures we were about to have.  It's a great feeling bouncing off of each other and the excitement gets soooo massive by the time you are all packed up and ready to go!  This time though, its been a real calm and gentle ride, after the abrupt decision making and buying of tickets at the end of november (only a couple of days after I got fired from my horrible job-the deciding factor).  Money is pretty tight, especially as I was relying on a reasonable profit from the Clothes Show which wasnt nearlly as lucrative as it should have been.  But its possible, and though I will be pretty much fully overdrawn and penniless when I return Im hoping it will be worth it and hopefully I should come back with new skills and ideas and inspiration for a more holistic lifestyle.  A good shake up is most DEFINATELY needed <3!
I knew that as soon as Christmas came and I headed up north to see the family time would fly by and before I know it it would be time to go, but I dont think I am really able to take on just how quickly time creeps up.  Its now the 3rd of Jan, Solstice, Christmas and New Year have passes (with lots of beautiful people and beautiful smiles), and my birthday celebrations are on their way (gathering on the 5th, seeing dad on the 6th, my birthday and saying goodbye to ash on the 7th....and then 6days of final prep and im off on the 13th!),  I only have 3 days left with Ash and 3 1/2 months before I see her again...and only a couple of weeks left of Jen before I have to say goodbye to her too.  I'm feeling the pull of having no mum there to sort me out when Im being ridiculous....no friends to support me at a moments notice and keep me sane.... No lovely gentleman to keep my heart smiling and my brain preoccupied.  Mmm, at the moment it feels a little bit like exile, though a very exciting one i might add.  I think I just need to get on with it now and stop worrying about the travelling alone, cos Im sure I will be fine really...and its normal to be nervous when its something so big and new.
I spent a lovely new year with the beautiful Nutmeg and Miss Moon... squishy and cosy =) embrassing our yoghurt-weaver sides and sending our new year wishes to stars.  I asked for appreciation and contentment to come more easily for me, and decided to take heed of some amazing advice given to me by a lovely bluebell faerie: to live and be present within each moment that I live.

But all that squishyness aside: I've had a great laugh trying to sort out the horrible bureaucracy that is the India Visa offices of london.  They have in the last month changed the whole system so that all visas are now dealt with not by the embassy but through a affiliated private company, who i might add have succeeded in being actually less able and more frustratingly awful then the previous lot....an impressive task it must be said.  I sent off my finished postal application for an India visa in the post on the 10th Dec (the most confusing process known to man!) only to receive my passport back without a visa in it on the 30th Dec with a one sentance explanation that I had not put in the correct number of photos.  After searching the website and calling up the customer service line (cost 90p a minute and took 10 mins on hold to get through to a woman who could barely speak english) it becomes apparent that I am going to have to go to London the next day to the visa office and re-apply in person.  So on the train I am at 5:30am to get to their Victoria office before they open at 8:30 to beat the queue.  3 hour of queueing and bureaucracy later I am totally confused (turned out i didnt get my visa through in the first place because my photo was the wrong size- they dont accept PASSPORT photos oh no no no! They have to be an extra 1/2" wider ho ho ho!), thoroughly unconvinced I will in fact receive a visa or a passport back, and back on the train to Bristol...new years eve morning at its best =P   So the Visa situation is still very rocky, I dont trust at all the ability of the people I left my visa/passport in the hands off.. So fingers and toes crossed, as if this doesnt work I dont see how I will be going anywhere?!
Other then that, Its been the fun of deciding on a brand spanking new mosquito net (you'll be interested to know I settled on a LifeSystems Double BoxNet...at a steal in the xmas sales for £19 down from £35, oh yeh!)...and making lots of different piles of belongings- big piles to go up in the attic, and smaller piles to be put in a certain rucksack.  Ill finally be able to breath when(!) the visa comes through throughyl attached to passport, and I can finally start the journey and get cracking.  In the meantime Ill just have to be content with stealing peoples music to create the perfect travel IPOD collection and deciding on the perfect number of pants to take....  <3