G'day all! Well, - the latest is that as of yesterday, I put a non refundable deposit of $100 toward a GAP 14 day tour from Bangkok to Singapore!!! The tour is an overland one, it starts at Bangkok with some of the stops including Krabi, (Phuket area and around), Penang, Cameron Highlands, Kuala Lumper, Melaka, then winding up in Singapore! I am scheduled to depart Bangkok on 22 Sept this year. The tour group size averages 10 apparently but can be up to 15 with the agegroup being between 18-39. When I walked into the STA travel agent to dicuss a couple of tours/dates etc.......one of the first things he asked is 'are you under 39'!!!!! Not a nice thing to be asked when only 31......I was about to leave and have a sulk! You'd want to look obviously young enough......not be asked that :-( Ageing fast is something I'm a bit paranoid about, - but my facial skin is good at the moment, no zits, hardly any creases.
Then I noticed I was looking daggy, no makeup on, sneakers and socks, (forgot to change to my thongs), long lightweight stretchy daggy denim shorts just past knees, regrowth with messy tied back hair, (with more greys now) and a baggy top. I'd just come from two games of laser tag and worked up a sweat with them!
I had no intention of putting any deposits on trips yesterday. I just wanted to find out dates, opinions etc of the two I was most keen on. The other one was a kayak, cycling, hiking on around Thailand, a little more costly but I found out that tour won't operate after June at all.....so it made my choice easy. Then the agent said there is a New Year 15% off tour sale that ends today, - reducing the tour cost by $200 or so and I could claim that with a $100 deposit. So I took a bit to think about it........then bang, did it!!!
The first job will be saving weekly, then booking the flights, then paying off the tour, then organising travel insurance and accommodation for both ends of the trip, then spending $$$. I need to work weekly toward this...........while still putting away my $100 a week to invest which is a habit I developed almost 2 years ago and don't want to break at all......unless I invest brilliantly to grow, buy/build a home one day or retire LOL!
Actually my finances are going to be a struggle over the next few weeks unless I make first ever dip to savings......through faults of my own. Over Christmas/New Year period I was calling NZ far too much and calls have gone up in price! I discovered I have a $304 phone bill due next week, then similar due mid Feb already racked up.......so am banning phone for international calls and texts unless of real emergencies now, - sorry peeps! With also joining the gym recently, other bills that leaves too precious little for my liking! $70 max budget for food the next few weeks! E-mails, facebook, Skype sometimes etc instead. I'm scared to make a savings dip as I never have in this account, and in previous accounts if I dipped once......I kept finding reasons and excuses to keep dipping until account was run right down undoing hard work saving!
Gym and online challenge is going well. Am stoked with my doings last week. Weights, rower machine, outdoor cycling, running outdoors and on treadmill plus normal day to day stuff for training. No alcohol at all this week, (7 consecutive days with none), no other habits I dislike to compensate for it either so all good. I did weigh in today, - still 1kg more than my last weigh in on Xmas morn last year, - but I'm sure 2kg down on this time last week, - not that I saw the number a week ago!
So that's it for now, talk soon!
Pip :-)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Happy New Year All!!!
G'day!
As you will see, I have just had a bit of fun with the photos! I was uploading some of the ones from my recent New Years Camping trip in Kalbarri, trying to edit and straighten, do panarama or crop them somewhat with Picasa 3, (a program I managed to get for free on my computer). I was also having a go with editing on the free program that was installed on this computer! It was fun trying to also brighten up the pictures taken at dusk. I also put some various frames around a couple of pictures but think it's best I don't upload these ones here!
I went camping with my best mate, her BF, her Mum and her Mum's partner and we had a great time. Activities included going kayaking, (but I don't deem any of those pictures suitable to post here), taking a dinghy out on the river for a day. The day we took the dinghy out I didn't take my camera though......and that turned out to be a good idea as because of the current, the whole inside of the boat got good 'splash' inside and I ended up getting wet! I'm sure wet cameras aren't such good things......unless they are the waterproof ones! We also did a bit of walking/swimming around the river/beaches and went walking/climbing up and down rocks around the nearby gorges at Kalbarri!
Kalbarri is a coastal little holiday town with a permanent population of less than 2000, and would be about a 6 and a half hour drive north of Perth and this was my first visit! The population swells a bit at peak times but there is a very relaxed feel there. The main industry is crayfish/lobster fishing. There seems a bit to do there......I saw lots of families about. There are the gorges where numerous walks/hikes can be undertaken and we did a few. The riverfront is a nice place to swim, or hire a kayak or waterbike. Dinghy's can be hired such as we did. I saw brochures describing abseiling, skydiving, 4 wheel motorbike tours, fishing trips and more. Oh, and the sunsets are amazing! It doesn't feel overly commercialised either.
We had warm weather, - but not hot hot weather! Normally it's ususally around 40 odd degrees at New Year, - this year I think the days hit maybe early 30's at max and the nights cooled down to about 17/18 or so.......almost could have done a light jumper but it wasn't quite cool enough to buy one! We even had light rain two mornings, - hence me deciding to wear my new bright pink raincoat off hiking! It turned out to be a nice cheap trip which was great as well......great company of course too :-)
Back at work now. Am watching the budget. I've got a target I want my long savings to hit by the end of this year. I'm going home to NZ at Christmas this year for at least 2 weeks, (my first Christmas at home since 2007). I've seen some cheap fun deals in Thailand and am seriously considering going there for 7-10 days in about September. (It will be a hiking/kayaking/cycling but cultural type of tour I'd probably opt for). It's that....or a week skiing in NZ in August........but I'm considering going for the unknown new adventure since I'm going home for Christmas! And Thailand and Asia is quite cheap from Perth.
Lastly........last month I signed up for a 12 week fitness challenge which I opted to start next Monday, 9 Jan. I am sure it can be noted by recent photos that I'm not as lean or as fit as I was mid last year, (due to slackness/lack of commitment) and I decided for a change.......to be accountable to a trainer and work to a more organised weights regime along with my cardio which will remain mainly running with some cycling and swimming. So I'm out to get that body back.....re-fit my size 10's again and even see if eventually I can make some new PB's all round! I will keep you posted regarding progress with that!
Will talk soon!
Pip :-)
As you will see, I have just had a bit of fun with the photos! I was uploading some of the ones from my recent New Years Camping trip in Kalbarri, trying to edit and straighten, do panarama or crop them somewhat with Picasa 3, (a program I managed to get for free on my computer). I was also having a go with editing on the free program that was installed on this computer! It was fun trying to also brighten up the pictures taken at dusk. I also put some various frames around a couple of pictures but think it's best I don't upload these ones here!
I went camping with my best mate, her BF, her Mum and her Mum's partner and we had a great time. Activities included going kayaking, (but I don't deem any of those pictures suitable to post here), taking a dinghy out on the river for a day. The day we took the dinghy out I didn't take my camera though......and that turned out to be a good idea as because of the current, the whole inside of the boat got good 'splash' inside and I ended up getting wet! I'm sure wet cameras aren't such good things......unless they are the waterproof ones! We also did a bit of walking/swimming around the river/beaches and went walking/climbing up and down rocks around the nearby gorges at Kalbarri!
Kalbarri is a coastal little holiday town with a permanent population of less than 2000, and would be about a 6 and a half hour drive north of Perth and this was my first visit! The population swells a bit at peak times but there is a very relaxed feel there. The main industry is crayfish/lobster fishing. There seems a bit to do there......I saw lots of families about. There are the gorges where numerous walks/hikes can be undertaken and we did a few. The riverfront is a nice place to swim, or hire a kayak or waterbike. Dinghy's can be hired such as we did. I saw brochures describing abseiling, skydiving, 4 wheel motorbike tours, fishing trips and more. Oh, and the sunsets are amazing! It doesn't feel overly commercialised either.
We had warm weather, - but not hot hot weather! Normally it's ususally around 40 odd degrees at New Year, - this year I think the days hit maybe early 30's at max and the nights cooled down to about 17/18 or so.......almost could have done a light jumper but it wasn't quite cool enough to buy one! We even had light rain two mornings, - hence me deciding to wear my new bright pink raincoat off hiking! It turned out to be a nice cheap trip which was great as well......great company of course too :-)
Back at work now. Am watching the budget. I've got a target I want my long savings to hit by the end of this year. I'm going home to NZ at Christmas this year for at least 2 weeks, (my first Christmas at home since 2007). I've seen some cheap fun deals in Thailand and am seriously considering going there for 7-10 days in about September. (It will be a hiking/kayaking/cycling but cultural type of tour I'd probably opt for). It's that....or a week skiing in NZ in August........but I'm considering going for the unknown new adventure since I'm going home for Christmas! And Thailand and Asia is quite cheap from Perth.
Lastly........last month I signed up for a 12 week fitness challenge which I opted to start next Monday, 9 Jan. I am sure it can be noted by recent photos that I'm not as lean or as fit as I was mid last year, (due to slackness/lack of commitment) and I decided for a change.......to be accountable to a trainer and work to a more organised weights regime along with my cardio which will remain mainly running with some cycling and swimming. So I'm out to get that body back.....re-fit my size 10's again and even see if eventually I can make some new PB's all round! I will keep you posted regarding progress with that!
Will talk soon!
Pip :-)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Christmas Day 2011 pics
These 3 pics are from my Christmas Day! My best mate organised a terrific day for some of her family/relations, her BF and myself! I was spoilt with seafood!!! Natural oysters, crayfish, prawns, salmon, of course turkey and I didn't even get to the chicken, ham and other savouries! I was spoilt with pressies too! My mate gave me rollerblades!!!! I'd wanted them for years........have done a little skating around her carshed but I look to progress!
My family spoilt me with my new colourful necklace and many nice tops, a jacket, underwear and a nighty plus a few more things!
More soon! I have just spent the New Years Weekend camping at Kalbarri......pics will be up soon!
Happy 2012 to all :-)
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