Barcelona

After everything that happened on Thursday night, or Friday morning if you like, the last thing I felt like doing was going to Barcelona. Twin A convinced me that it was what I needed though and knowing I couldn’t just change my mind at the last minute; I set out to meet Helene and Robbie whom I was going with. I was half an hour late due to a few things I had to sort out and due to the fact that I almost managed to leave without my passport, but when I finally got there, we went to a lovely Italian restaurant where Robbie used to be the manager, where we ate so much we were full till late lunch next day. After a short, but good night’s sleep at Robbie’s, we jumped in the prepaid cab to the airport. We got there early which was good. I hate rushing and so does Helene. The flight was even ahead of schedule and we arrived in sunny Barcelona half an hour earlier than planned.

Last time I was in the north of Spain where there were little or no tourists, I was 8. I fell in love with it in a way I never did with the more touristy parts of the country. I was reminded why I fell for it so much as we were walking down the street to find a somewhere to have lunch. We didn’t even live in the touristy part of Barcelona, so most of the people we encountered spoke Spanish. I got to practice what little Spanish I know. During the whole trip in fact, I spoke a mix of French, Spanish and English. I even managed to get a little bit of Italian and Norwegian in there as well. There’s something about the atmosphere of Spain. Everyone seems to go about life so happily. Lay back but efficient at the same time. I like the narrow streets and the music coming out from the by passing cars and windows. We found an adorable little place serving mainly fish and seafood where we decided to stop for lunch. We had joined with the Paris team as well now, so we were five. I ordered fish of the day, which was a grilled type of fish, so nicely done it was like it melted n my mouth. The fish was accompanied by perfectly fried potatoes, or fries, and we all shared a big salad as well as bread with garlic and chopped tomato.
After the lunch, the three of us from London went home to have a quick shower before joining the Paris team at Hilton where the important dinner was going to be held. Franck, the French waiter, or dark room manager, as was his title, showed me and Robbie around the dark room. We got assigned a table each, and now we would have to wait for nearly five hours until there was worked to do. Franck was well cool, so I spent lots of time chatting to him, but it was kind of boring not having anything to do.

The staff dinner, our dinner before we were due to start work was beyond fantastic! For starters we had hams and cheeses and for the main course we had black rice with fish. It tasted a little bit like Paella. With the food we had red wine, which surprised me since at the restaurant in London; we’re not really allowed to drink before work. We only had time for a shared fruit plate and some coffee before hurrying into the dark room where the dinner was due to be served. We went over the final details once more and then it was time to take the people in. After having seated them, they first had to listen to an audio report of formula 1 before the dinner was due to start. I can’t go into why this dinner was being held and staff, because some of them might stumble across this blog and I’ve written lots of details already. Anyway, most of them were important PR people and life style journalist from all over Europe as well as the US and Japan. I sat with my customers, which I don’t do when I work in London, talking them through their experience in the dark. One of the Polish journalists was really sweet and kissed my hand every time I walked passed. Franck and I also had fun dancing to the music unseen by everyone. Unlike both the London and Paris dark restaurants where you see your waiter, or guide, before you go in, the people here had not seen us as we’d only met them when they were through the last of the three sets of curtains leading into the room. After dinner therefore, was the first time they got to see us. We conversed with them for a bit before they departed and we did a few necessary things before heading out to discover Barcelona’s night life.

We went from bar to bar, club to club. It was lively everywhere and I didn’t by a single drink because I had three French guys who were more than willing to by me some. We were talking, dancing and suddenly, I’d had enough alcohol. I told them that I needed to go home or I’d lose it completely. I had anyway, but at least I was conscious enough to do it. It was passed four anyway, but I really wish I’d not mixed or I could have stayed out even longer which some of the others did.

When I woke up the next morning, I knew that the person in the bed next to me wasn’t Helene. I figured it must be a man since we were the only women on the trip, but who the hell could it be? And why was he in my room? Had my drink been spiked? Had I done something I couldn’t remember? I knew I’d flirted a little with one of the French technicians, but as far as I was concerned I wasn’t interested in sleeping with anyone beside A. I turned over and waited till it sounded like the man was waking up. “Who is there?” I said. It took a while before his replied. Taking time to wake up. “It’s F.” F is the boss of all the events like that and he’s very cool. “Why are you sleeping here if you don’t mind me asking? What happened?” It was quiet for a bit, and then we both started laughing at the same time. The situation was so strange! “Well, Helene left with the technician,” F said. “I needed somewhere to sleep so she and I had to swap rooms for the night. You were fast asleep when I came in.” So, nothing worse then. Not that he’s ugly. Quite the opposite in fact, but it wouldn’t have made me look very decent if I’d slept with him out of pure drunkenness. His wife called at that exact moment and he explained to her what had happened. She though it was hilarious too. I didn’t have much time to get ready. We were leaving for the airport in 30 minutes, so I got up, had a quick shower and went downstairs where all the others where. F and I kept saying things like “Last night was so wonderful sweetie,” to wind the others up.

The trip back went fine, although I’ve been in better shape. I had a bit of a headache and as I may have mentioned I did spend that evening as a’s place being sick. Anyway, despite a couple of things, the trip was perfect and it was sad to get back to London.
A few other things which have been good lately are that KS and I are friends again. We haven’t spoken at all for a month and it’s good to have him back in my life. He’s heavy on his weed and I doubt whether we’ll get together again at any point, but we’re friends and that’s the good thing. I also understand now one of the reasons A exploded last week. Apparently, he went to the hospital on Monday because he felt itchy and he has this very minor STD which he said I must have given him since he hasn’t been with anyone else. I haven’t been with anyone else either, so I don’t even know if I have something. I’ve booked an appointment to get tested though, but they didn’t have anything free before the 12. Of this month. I’ve received my satnav system, so I’m gonna pull myself together and read the manuals to get started.

Going back to London

I’m just writing a very quick post to say I’m going back to London today. I’ve had a good time here despite frustrations with parents and others. It’ll be good to come back though. A text me last night and said he’s ordered a table at the Italian restaurant we had our very first date at. Tomorrow is my job interview, so hopefully I’ll have some hot sex and media to report on tomorrow!

The past few days

Let me start with my birthday dinner. It all started like it usually does when my friends and I are having a get together, in other words, everyone being late. In this case two people, E and R were on time and I felt bad letting them wait a Leicester square on there own, so I decided to go ahead from Hammersmith where TG, KS and I were waiting for MM. I just thought it better to wait with my own guests. I arrived in Leicester square half an hour after the planned time, but had already informed E and R that I was going to be delayed so they didn’t stand around waiting. Anyway, KS, who didn’t see that some people were with me when they finally arrived at Leicester square had a go at me for being impatient, but shut up quickly when I introduced him to e and R.

When everyone had arrived, we went to pizza express. It was 8 of us. A missing. I tried calling him repeatedly remembering him saying that he was going to come, but he did not answer his phone. I gave up after a while thinking he probably had a good reason for not being there, but was very angry because he didn’t have the decency to call and tell me he couldn’t make it.

The dinner went well. You know what it’s like when you bring a few of your different friends together? Them all knowing you, but you not knowing if they will get on with each other? They all did, and the conversation was lively and friendly. The food was excellent. I had a pizza with Italian sausage, and olives. It was after dinner when the drama began. E and R had left and back in the restaurant were KS, TG, M, MM’s friend H, GH, a colleague from the restaurant and sincerely yours. We were about to leave and we’d all had a few drinks which is quite normal for a birthday dinner. KS was being physical. Wrapping one arm around me when we were talking and calling me hunny, baby and all those names. I didn’t feel comfortable with this, but didn’t say anything as I was gonna go with TG and GH to the restaurant anyway and we were gonna go clubbing from there. TG was gonna say by to her boyfriend who was going on holiday. For reasons I’m not quite sure of, I think it was because MM went the wrong way from the restaurant and TG didn’t wanna wait around, TG and GH left rather quickly and I was stuck with H, MM and KS. Now I was really starting to feel uncomfortable about the fact that KS was holding me and I took a step back to which he responded by stepping after me. I said politely that I really needed my own physical space and could he please give that to me? Not being on very good terms with my ex at the moment I very soon lost patience with him. I had repeated myself a few times and I was starting to get annoyed by his soppy behaviour. As I’ve mentioned before, I am not the most pleasant person to be around when I’m angry. A few drinks and the fact that the person my anger was aimed at was my ex didn’t make it any better. I can’t quite remember what I said, but I did say a few things that made KS switch. I have never seen anyone that mad in my entire life. I thought for a second he was going to kill me with his bare hands, but instead he chose to almost break the glass wall of the building we were leaning up against. MM had to calm him down and H had to assure me that he wasn’t gonna harm me in any way. A thing KS also had done to make me angry was to state that all Jamaican guys are players and he added, even guys like A.
After KS had calmed down from calling me lovely names like S L U T and telling everyone who cared to listen how I was “So below his league” and after I felt assured nothing was going to happen, we got on the tube. I must admit I wasn’t exactly at my best behaviour repeating how bloody unfair it was that TG had disappeared like that and how I wanted to go clubbing since it was my birthday dinner. I was thinking about how much fun TG probably had clubbing with our French colleagues. At Hammersmith things didn’t go so well between me and MM. MM bluntly told me how I was all wrong and KS was all right in what had happened, since I hurt him, he had the right to react the way he did. However, since I didn’t let him hold me and talk to me like I was still his GF, I didn’t have the right to tell him off. Well, that’s at least how I saw it then. MM also managed to start a disability related discussion and got pissed off with me when I said that only the disabled people who could present themselves well should be let out in the public and left, but he gave me a hug, so we might still be friends. Obviously I didn’t mean that, but my relationship to everything disability related is rather complex. We met TG and Twin A when H Ks and I got to the bust stop to go home. TG hadn’t been out clubbing because she was in a bad mood. Still sulking because I had to go home, I got on the bus, next to Ks who had apologized but still annoyed me. I had apologized to him as well. The good thing was, when I came home I fell asleep almost straight away. I’ll just focus on that first part of the night when I think back, because that was a good one.

The next day, I finally got hold of A. He apologized for not having contacted me, but said he had changed his mind last minute as KS was gonna be there and he didn’t feel comfortable. I was cool with that, but did tell him to never ignore me like that again and at least leave a message or phone call if he couldn’t or wouldn’t keep an appointment. He made up for it though. That evening, he picked me up in a cab and we went for a 6 or 7 or something courses Chinese meal which was delicious. We had wine and after the meal he came and sat next to me in the restaurant as opposed to opposite me which was what he had done all that night. We were full after the crispy duck, sizzling beef, sweet and sour chicken, special fried rice, crispy seaweed, prone crackers, and all the other dishes, so he just sat there holding me and giving me compliments. In order not to be seen together by KS or his brother, we had to say goodbye to each other at the bus stop near where I live and the cab took me to my gate.

Yesterday was the last day before I was travelling to Norway for my Easter break. I worked, luckily only one sitting, because one of the other waiters managed to spill red wine all over the starters I was gonna give out so I was very delayed. When I got home, A came around to say goodbye. We sat on my bed holding each other and talking. Both of us wanted to make love, but decided to wait till I came back to make it more special. He was wearing a golden necklaisse that night. It was thick and heavy with an Egyptian styled cross dangling from it. The kind of crosses which are circular on top. He had had this especially made for himself, so on the cross was a figure of Christ. It was beautiful and he honoured me by letting me try it on. The gold was cool and heavy around my neck. I pressed the cross against my heart, knowing that this was a piece of jewellery he valued a lot.

This morning I had to get at 04.30. After confirming that the taxi I had ordered wasn’t going to arrive, I phoned another company, and by 05.30 I had a cab. I got to Liverpool street station before the morning rush hour began and got to Stanstead an hour before my flight was due to depart. Perfect timing. Being at home is nice, although I always have mixed feelings about seeing my mum. She gives me the feeling of being a failure, because I don’t do things exactly her way. I buy the wrong food brands, soap brands, washing up liquid brands etc. And she loves finding things to criticize me for, my hair, my clothes, you name it. I really should get used to it, but it gets to me every time. Ah well, in 9 days, she’ll have shaped me back to who she wants me to be and it will only take a few days to become myself again when I get back to London.
On a light note, a large media company is interested in me and I’m having a job interview in 10 days. I don’t wanna hope so much this time in case I get disappointed. It’s for a communications assistant role.

Cape town Cape town

I have been dreaming a lot about South Africa lately. I went on holiday there in February 2000 to celebrate the millennium. We were three families going together and we were travelling through the whole country. We started in Johannesburg and travelled through places like Durban, Port Elisabeth, and Knysna, Swaziland and ended up in Cape Town. I immediately fell in love with that city. I think it was something about the friendliness of it. A big contrast to Johannesburg where we had bodyguards following us around. People were friendly there as well, but the atmosphere in Cape Town seemed a lot more relaxed. More black and white people mixing together, a lot more music in the streets and the food was really excellent!

I really want to go back to Cape Town! Hmm, maybe I shall look for a job that will take me there for a month or two?

The end of one year and the beginning of another

Lumut is one of the many tropical paradises on earth. Beautiful, but not really special. We arrived around lunch time on the 30th and installed our things in our rooms. Parents went golfing and Sister and I went to find something to eat before going to the beach. What I absolutely hate about resorts, is that they make you feel so damn rich! You are not allowed to carry your own luggage and I’m sure they’d feed you if they had the resources! Anyway, we sat down in what seemed like a really posh restaurant, the main one there actually and had Malaysian styled paella. Afterwards, we ventured down to the beach. The sand wasn’t as nice and fine as it usually is on teaches like that, but I think that had something to do with the fact that when we took our first walk along the beach, we walked the wrong way. It was nicer when we walked the other way. Lots of dead fishes on the ground though. The sound of the waves was lovely and somewhat soothing. However, we decided to go ly by the crowded pool instead. After a few hours there, Mum joined us and a bit later we went up to have a shower and then for dinner. Sister is only 17 year old and has just started her drinking career. She and I were alone in the bar, well not alone, but parents went to bed early, so we got ourselves some cocktails like Singapore sling and Marguerita. On Malaysian resorts, there’s always a band performing at night. These bands are always consisting of a few Filipino girls and a guy and they all sing cover songs. The band on that first night was really good. They could sing, and the guy was wicked on the guitar! There were quite a lot of people in the bar. All different nationalities! In one of the band’s breaks, the lead singer came and sat at our table. She thought Sister and I were twins despite the fact that I’m five years older and that we’re non-biological sisters. We got talking and she asked if there were any songs we wanted to hear. We said that it would be cool if she could sing Sway with Bic Runga, the one from the American Pie movie. She knew which song we meant, but not really the lyrics. Silly me, who had said I was singing as well, said that I knew it, so she said I should sing it. “I’m not going up there,” I said. The thing is, I love performing. I’m never more happy than when I’m singing on stage in front of a cheering audience, but I didn’t feel this was the right place and time for a performance, so she said that she’d come down with the mic instead. Luckily though, they ran out of time, so there was no time for me singing, which I didn’t mind at all!

Yesterday, which was New-years-eve, Sister and I went to the hotel spa to book a massage. While waiting for it, we laid by the pool listening to an extremely funny book. I had been looking forward to the massage long before I even left for Malaysia. I felt stiff everywhere and it would be good with a proper, professional massage. The massage was just as good as expected. It was better even, because we didn’t know it was gonna be a full body massage. The therapists were extremely polite and called us Miss all the time and when they wanted us to turn around or lift our heads, arms or legs, they always said: “Excuse me miss, but can you please…. Afterwards, we both felt like a cup of tea and funnily enough, we were seated and given two Chinese styled cups of hot tea. The tea wasn’t just hot as in very warm, but it was spicy. At first it was good, but then it turned horrible. For therapeutic effects though, we finished it all. We both felt like new creatures afterwards.

After the massage, we went to the beach. I had started to get a little sun burned, so I stayed in the shadow while Sister stayed in the sun. There was this Chinese guy on the beach next to us. He listened to very loud Chinese music on his mobile and he kept looking our way all the time. After Sister and I had dipped ourselves in the warm Indian Ocean, the guy started speaking to us. He seemed like a nice guy, but his English was terrible, so it was hard to understand what he was saying. Eventually he came and sat right next to us and we started sending each other music via Bluetooth on our phones. We managed to have a fairly interesting chat but his English was so bad we had to ask him to repeat himself. Then, he didn’t understand me and Sister when we spoke English. He wanted to meet us in the evening, but both Sister and I hate rejecting people said that we had to stay with our parents and that he would see us if he was lucky. He got our numbers as well, which I realise was kind of stupid.

We were the only once in the restaurant when we went to dine at nine in the evening. Most of the guests were in the buffet restaurant, but dad’s so sick of Asian buffet food so he insisted on eating at an A La Carte restaurant. We got New Year hats, whistles and some other click things plus bangles that flashed in the dark. Sister and I ordered Mongolian kebab with rice, mum some fish and dad a horrible chicken dish none of us liked. China guy phoned while we were eating and asked when we would be there. Kind of annoying since we’d said we had to stay with our parents, but we said we didn’t know. After dinner, we went to the main restaurant and bar was the big party was. We ordered Singapore Slings yet again and sat and watched the games. Not that it was easy to follow what was going on. Some Malays do have quite a difficult accent to understand, plus the music was loud, but Sister got picked to join one game which was to find various items on the general public in the bar. We met China guy eventually by the pool and talked for about ten minutes before we went back for our drinks. We told him that we weren’t allowed to stay away from our parents, which wasn’t true at all. Don’t know if he even believed us, but who cares. He kept calling and texting us during the night and we finally gave in and said he could come join the family in the bar. He thought we were kidding, so when he saw mum and dad leave, he came in to the bar to find us. The Filipino band that night was awful, so Sister and I didn’t wanna stay for too long. All the count down and fun was over anyway. He was just a couple of meters away from us, but didn’t see us, so called my mobile, which I just ignore. This was the conversation Sister and I had: Me: “So shall we just go then? The band sucks.”
Sister: “I know, but there he is!”
Me: “/where?”
Sister: “Right in front of us, he can’t see us, but he’s trying to call you now I think
My phone starts ringing.
Me:” I’m ignoring it, anyway I can’t hear it I can just feel it, so let’s go huh?”
“Sister: But I think he’ll spot us if we stand up.” Me: “Is there really no back door or something?”
Sister: “Hmmm, don’t think so, ok let’s go right now!”

So we started walking very fast without him seeing us, we think and headed to our room. Nothing at all wrong with the guy, but none of us felt like speaking baby English for another couple of hours and because of the language barriers, we’d ran out of things to talk to. Perhaps we’d given him a chance if his English was better. He was very disappointed when he called me and found out we had gone to bed because, “We were so unbelievably tired.” I woke up in the morning with 10 texts from him on my phone. I think it was the same text sent many times. Weird. We felt kind of bad for running away from him like that, but justified it by saying to each other that he shouldn’t base his night on two indecisive girls when he could spend it with good friends in stead.

We didn’t see him this morning when we went to have a last sunny beach hour before going back to KL. I’m quite tanned now and feel good from all the exercising and good food. It’s gonna be good to go back to London. I phoned Shayne briefly last night to say happy New Year and I think I might be falling for the guy. I know that’s kind of silly. I mean I just broke up with M and all. Oh, and I was bad girl in Lumut I sent him a drunken text. Whatever, he isn’t gonna read it until he’s back from Canada anyway. I shouldn’t go for something new so quickly, but I wanna have fun. So, London, it’s gonna be good to be back home, but I’m gonna miss the heat, sounds and smells from Malaysia.
2007 has been an eventful year. Here are some of the things that have happened to me in the past year.

February: I broke up with Dazzler
March: I had my first broadcast on national radio
April: The luxurious birthday party of my friend Le petit Prince whom I’ll write more about later.
May: Working with a Glasgow radio station and my final exams. Getting to know M and Bee
June: Going to Norway for the summer. Creative writing camp in Oslo.
July: Graduation, KJ’s hen party, the long conversation with M where we confessed our feelings, KJ and wedding, M breaking up with Bee
August: Moving to London. My lovely months with M
October: Things start to look bad with regards to how M feels about his life.
November: Trip to Bergen in Norway to see family for a christening, M breaking up with me, Erotica 2007,
December: Sympathy trip to Norway, Meeting KS, going to Malaysia.
I can’t complain that my year has been dull. Also, I must not forget all my lovely new London friends.

Goals for 2008.
Try to find a gym near me that doesn’t cost too much. Get a proper job. Do at least three things I’ve never done before, but I haven’t yet decided what that’s gonna be. Do everything I can to stay in London. Sort out my love life. Keep having fun with my friends and get involved with the band in my church.

Thank you God, for 2007. Hello 2008!

Merry Christmas!!

I had a really weirdd, but quite vivid dream last night. I dreamed that I was checking my email and that I had received an email from a journalist who I quite admire and who happens to have this blog address. This is how the email in my dream went:

Hi,

I’ve had a look at your blog. You do write really well and there’s lots of good stuff here. However, your blog isn’t funny at all and it lacks sense of humour. Maybe you could do something about that?

On a lighter note, I think you should sign your blog up for the annual, British Weblog award. I think you’ll have some good chances there but do take my advice please and make your blog more fun to read.

Don’t give up.

Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year and looking forward to go drinking with you when you’re back in London.

Weird or what? I often remember my dreams down to little details like that. My friends think I’m a bit of a freak because of it, but at least it perhaps made you, my readers laugh a little, or at least smile. Hmm. Should I try to make this blog funnier? I don’t quite know how to. Maybe writing down some of my weird dreams would help?

Anyway, Christmas is over now. At least the main part of it. Being Norwegian, we celebrated Christmas Eve. After a morning walk in the jungle and a climb up 272 stairs to a Hindu temple, we went home, showered, dressed and my sister and I watched the Czech version of Cinderella which is on TV in Norway every year on Christmas Eve. Afterwards we had pork rib, sausage and vegetables. We ate till we got stuffed and then we opened our gifts. It’s not like when I was a kid, when opening of Christmas presents took hours and I got so much I could hardly carry it all with me. I got a book by my favourite author, Liza Marklund, a few silver bangles from Bali, a wine bottle stopper with a Santa on top, sports bra and bikini and some kitchen stuff.

Afterwards, my parents headed off to bed and sister and I watched season 5 of Friends which she got and ate ourselves silly on crisps, chocolate and loads more crap.

This morning we had a long work out session to run off any weight we might have gained the day before, sent some time by the pool where we swam a bit and listened to the book I got, before we went down to KLCC where we looked around a few shops and then went for a meal and watched the twin towers.

Tomorrow, we’re going back to China town to do some shopping! I’ll get all presents for my friends while I’m there.

I wish you all a very happy Chrismas and that you’re all having a fab time!

Loving Malaysia

What I love so much about tropical countries are the sounds and smells you doesn’t get in the cold Northern hemisphere. For instance I love sitting on the balcony listening to the cicada’s singing. When I was a little girl, somebody told me that they take seven years to hatch and then live for a week. It reminds me of this poem about the guy who lived for a week:

Born on Monday
Christened on Tuesday
Married on Wednesday
Ill on Thursday
Grew worse on Friday
Buried on Sunday.

I mean, what’s the point of staying in an egg for seven year and then live and sing for seven days? God really is hard to understand sometimes.

Sister and I got up fairly early yesterday morning. I didn’t feel too bad in terms of being jetlagged, but hat kicked in later however. Mum had cooked us a nice breakfast with fried eggs, bacon and we had yoghurt and fresh fruits, which is also something I love about being in the tropics. The fresh fruit that is. Then, we went to the gym in the basement where we had an hour long work out before we went to swim in the pool and sun bade a little.

In the evening we headed to my favourite part of KL. Petaling Street, the street where China town is. It’s a long street, and it has a more Asian exotic feel tot it than the rest of KL. They have stands everywhere as well as shops where you can by everything you please. Sister and I went from shop to shop and stand to stand accompanied by men shouting things like “Beautiful princess, come here!” when we passed them. One even had the balls to grudge up against my butt, so I turned around and knocked what I hope was a hand in a pocket away.

Afterwards we went to a restaurant in China town where we had Satay and egg fried rice while live musicians where singing old pop songs nearby.

We were shattered when we got home and decided that we were gonna go back to China town for a shopping trip on Boxing Day.
This morning I woke up feeling a lot better than the day before. My eyes that had been dry from air condition and jetlag the day before, where normal and I I’ve managed to stay awake all day.
We went down to Bangsar shopping centre, where Sister and I went to the hair dresser and had a manicure and pedicure, all three at the same time. I felt like a queen, or shall I say Quenesse? They have a funny way of washing hair over here. Rather than wetting your hair first, they shampoo it while it’s dry and then rinse it out. While shampooing, they give you a thorough head massage which feels wonderful. They also do this when putting conditioner, but they do that the way we’re used to in the west. It all took two and a half hours and refreshed and feeling beautiful, we went to meet mum in a cafe and had lunch.

This evening we baked ginger cookies and helped mum prepared for a party she’s throwing tomorrow. We also did some Christmas Eve preparations. Norwegian celebrates Christmas Eve rather than Christmas day, so our big day will be Monday.

It’s great being here. I do have a somewhat tense relationship with my parents, but I don’t see them that often, so it’s ok. They do drive me mad sometimes though. Especially mum who wants tings to be done her way. Dad’s kind of scary. I never know what his mood is, so I always keep a low profile when he’s around. Tonight though, we had a great conversation about anything and everything. What also annoys me a little is the size of this apartment. My mobility is usually quite good, but this flat is 400 square meters and very open, so it’s hard to find my way around. The first floor, or rather the 12th isn’t as big as the ground floor or the 11th, the bedrooms are huge, all with en suite bathrooms.

In the tropics at last!

I did not get the job! I couldn’t believe it when the BBC phoned me yesterday morning to tell me the bad news. I’ve felt bad when I didn’t get something before, but I so wanted this, I was angry and sad and I think the woman, one of the interviewers from the previous day could sense my despair, because she sounded sorry about it. She said though, that I had impressed a lot and that they should keep me on the files. Not really any short term consolation.

KS and our friend MM came down to see me straight after the phone call, which I guess wasn’t all that great seeing as I was not exactly bright and shining with happiness, even though I was gonna go to Malaysia in a few hours. When MM left, I started crying too. I know it’s silly, but it’s a big thing for me to come and live in London from Norway, or Scotland, hoping to get a job where you’ve always wanted it, but then, when you were that close didn’t get it. I guess it’s a similar feeling to people who, hungry and thirsty in the middle of the desert sees a stream and run towards it only to discover the whole ting was Mir ash. So there I was crying like a baby. KS held me and told me it was going to be OK. That I was gonna get something quickly, that I was strong and shouldn’t give up. For a long time he sat like this. He, like me is a Christian, and had been praying for me to get the job a lot during my interview.

Then it was time for me to leave. I got to the airport ok, and met Sister in Amsterdam. The flight over to Malaysia went alright. It’s a very long flight, 11 hours, so we were happy when we finally got there. The journey wasn’t too bad though. We managed to sleep for at least half of it. I was sorry I didn’t have good news about my job to my parents who also had great’s hopes and faith min me. In my mind I had been fantasising about telling them that I got it while we had our first meal out in Bangsar, the part of KL where they live. For those of you who don’t know, KL is short for Kuala Lumpur. I feel I don’t really have anything to come back to when I go to London. Ok, I’ve got my friends, my flat, a great social life and a great place to go back to, but no job worth talking about!!!!

I am sitting very comfortably on the double bed I share with sister. I know that’s weird, but there are only double beds in this flat and sister and I have always slept together so it would be strange not to.

It’s good being here despite anything though. KS played me a lovely tune before I left. Its lyrics are beautiful, and I’ll find it and put it here. It’s by Dj Ironik and it’s called, So Nice.

“So Nice”
Alryt Itz Ironik Rite Now Yea I Gotta Big Up Rudekid On Da Produktion Man Coz Diz Tune Is Beutifull Like Ima Break It Down Foh U Lot In Da Bst Posible
Way Listen Tuu Da Word Man Carfully Look…

Im In Love With The Way That You Smile And The Way You Look In My Eyes Its So Nice… Im In Love With The Tings We Do Wen We Go Out It Feels Right Its
So Nice… Im In Love With The Way We Chat All Night Get Along And Ave No Fights Its So Nice… Who Says Relasionships Cant Work Out Man I Swear Down Dats
Not Rite Look… Im In Love With The Way That You Talk Im In Love With The Way That You Walk Its So Nice… Im In Love With The Perfume You Wear I Swear
No1 Cant Say Dats Not Nice…. Im In Love With The Way That You Say I Love You All The Time I Swear Its So Nice… Im In Love With The Way That Your All
Mine And Im In Love With The Way That Your So Rite… Im In Love With The Way That You Sing Along To Dis Song Everytime You Hear It Comin On And Im In
Love With The Way You Cry Sometimes Wen I Make A Mistake Its So Nice… So Nice… So Nice… Im In Love And I Can Feel It Cze Its So Rite And Its So
Nice… Im In Love With The Way That You Can Relate To Dis Song Everytime You Hear Comin On And Im In Love With The Way That You Come To My Shows And
Show Your Support Its So Nice… Im In Love With The Things That You Do And Im In Love With The Way That You Dont Ave A Clue Look Im In Love With You
Man… Its True Storys Man Look Im In Love With The Way That You Tell Your Frendz Dat U Love Me All Da Tyme Itz So Nice… Im In Love With The Way That
You Sleep And Im In Love With The Way That You Speak Itz So Nice…. Im In Love With The Way Tha We Come So Far In A Relationship Itz So Nice… Hu Says
Relationshipz Cant Last Years Man I Swear Dats Not Rite…. Im In Love With The Way That U Sing Along To Dis Song Everytime U Hear It Comin On And Im In
Love With The Way That U Cry Sumtymz Wen I Make A Mistake Itz So Nice… So Nice… So Nice… Im In Love I Can Feel It Cze Its So Rite And Its So Nice…

I Love Everything You Do Im In Love I No Its True Your Apart Of Wot I Do Im In Love And Itz Onli You… So Nice… So Nice… (Hey Sing Along Agen Man)
I Love Everything You Do Im In Love I No Its True Your Apart Of Wot I Do Im In Love And Itz Onli You… Yeah Yeah Its So Nice Yeah Oi Man Itz Ironik Listen…
Im In Love With The Way That U Sing Along To Dis Song Everytime U Hear It Comin On And Im In Love With The Way That U Cry Sumtymz Wen I Make A Mistake
Itz So Nice… So Nice… So Nice… Im In Love I Can Feel It Cze Its So Rite And Its So Nice… Im In Love With The Way That We Make Love And Im In Love
With The Way That Yur Laydee Like And Dont Say Dumb Words Like Brov… Itz So Nice… Everytingz Perfect And Im In Love With The Way That Yur Werfit
Im In Love With The Way That U Turf Dem Dem Dumb Boiz, Dem Hungry Guyz I Dont Care Coz Dere Not Werfit Im In Love With The Way Im Yur Man Im In Love
With The Way That U Respect Ma Fanz Im In Love With The Way That We Can Walk In The Streetz And Still Hold Hands (Itz So Nice) Im In Love With Ur Heart
(And Soul) Im In Love With The Way That Ur Beutiful Im In Love With D’z Lyrics Dere Meaninfull Im In Love With Its True Storys Haa I Swear Down Like…Dats All I Got Tuu Say But Dat Shud B E Nuff Yeah

Two more days!!

Today, I finally realised how soon I am leaving this cold, but oh so lovely city to a tropical warm place where I will swim, eat lots of good food, excersise, spend quality time with family, go for jungle walks and loads more. I am almost feeling like a little child. You know that familiar feeling of looking forward to something so much waiting seems impossible?

Before the joys of travelling though, it is the BBC interview to do. I am feeling quite confident with regards to that one. I’ve worked for them freelance before and know a lot about the organization, so I’ll use my knowledge to my advantage. I am really passionate about the BBC and really want this job! Feeling quite nervous though.

Tonight KS’s coming over. He has promised me a full massage, so that’s also something to look forward to!

Back to the big smoke

I’m back in London. It feels good being surrounded by my own things again, but I kind of wish I was in Norway still. Being outside this country somehow makes everything with M seem so much less bad. I got all the love and care I could have asked for in Norway and I left Hamar yesterday afternoon thinking how lucky I am to have so many great people around me. As I turned my English phone on, I had a small hope that M had left me a voicemail or a text, which he, of course hadn’t. It’sa good thing I am going to Malaysia soon, because then I won’t be tempted to try contacting him. Heæs gonna be in Canada anyway. I have to stay strong not just to email him and say that nobody in the world cares more about him than I do!. My plan is to contact him in January when we’re both back. A casual email asking how he’s doing and all. I know that if I do it now, I’ll just act like a complete bitch and say things I don’t mean, because I am sad and angry.
Instead, I’m going to focus on Christmas coming soon, good time with friends in London, and last but not least, the job interview I am going for in a few hours. I want this job, I want it I want it!

No doubt, I’ll be writing later to let you know how it went.