Caribbean Adventures part II

The Good:

The Bad:

And the Ugly:

Of the Caribbean wildlife anyway. Those mosquitoes are seriously vicious, the bites swell and go really red, and itch for days! Those ones are 4 or 5 days old now! Hopefully I don't scar!

This is just proof of me on a tropical island. Of course it could be a film set I suppose, but that would be a whole other adventure to tell you about! No, this is the beach at the resort, immaculate of course. Windy that day too, but sunny at least .


And lastly the view from the villa. It really is lovely especially first thing in the morning while it is still cool and covered in soft light and a bit of mist. I love having a view again!

That is all I've managed for pictures for now folks, but when I get a chance, I am so going after more of the wildlife with a camera. I want one with monkeys that aren't running away! They aren't always running away, just when they see a camera. And the crabs. I want a picture of those crabs. They're so cool!

Caribbean Adventures part I

A 10 minute taxi ride, 30 minute train ride, 3 minute shuttle-train ride, 10 hour aeroplane ride, 15 minute taxi ride, 40 minute boat ride, 10 minute golf-cart ride. This is the travel required to reach an exceptionally awesome house on an island in the Caribbean.

I honestly can't say what my favourite thing is, the climate, the wild monkeys (!!!!!), the jacuzzi, table-service while you lie on the beach, the pretty shells all over the beach. Oh and the crabs, the crabs are pretty neat (I'm totally gonna get a picture of those crabs)... Probably the wild monkeys. I do like monkeys, and seeing them running free is the best way to see monkeys. Yay monkeys!!! The fact that you have to go on a boat to get here is pretty spiffy too, I like remote. Although the whole American-style resort kinda diverts from that illusion.

So, as you have probably gathered, I have arrived well and good. Tired, and slightly jet-lagged, although not too bad, just a bit muddled. And I am liking this version of my new job, it's good. Not that I didn't like it in London, but really, being here is going to vastly improve pretty much any job, and nannying is vastly open to environmental influences. The much more relaxed routine is good too, I feel like more of a fun nanny, less of a grinch hurrying the kids from one activity to the next. And hopefully tomorrow I will be a bit less tired. I really appreciated getting to sleep on the plane, I had a lot of sleep to catch up on at that point, and I sure needed it later! Oh and then the kids woke up at 5am, because in London, that would be super-late for them, being like 10am there or something. *yawn* either way, 5am is still 5am so far as I'm concerned.

I had so many thoughts going through my head today about this place, and everything I want to tell everyone, that I can't remember any of it. Again, Monkeys.

At times it reminds me of home. Particularly when I'm sitting on a beach playing with kids in the sand. Some things don't change :-) I love how green it is too, and the sand isn't as white as the internet would have you believe. Hills clearly the product of volcanoes and earthquakes rise out of the sea, hazy blue-green and shrouded in clouds. If you don't look at the details (like wild monkeys!!!) it even looks a fair bit like home. Oh and it comes with the "Live-at-the-beach" life of my childhood, which is really just a short-cut to winning my heart.

In short, life is good; adventure is fantastic!

A new job, a new adventure

I appear to have finally succeeded in finding a job that suits me- back to nannying, and an awesome job at that! I'm based in South Kensington, i.e. a super-posh part of London, close to all the best museums (seriously, I share a tube stop with the Science Museum, Natural History Museum and the V&A), close to Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, etc. etc. Generally speaking, the location couldn't be better. Better still is that the kids are pretty good, I have some new challenges, but within my capabilities I think, and I get on with all of them well. But, better *still* is the travel :-D Apparently they travel pretty much every school holidays (Not sure about mid-terms, but that's still at least three trips a year), and at the end of this week, you guessed it, school holidays! Awesome timing to start a job! It seems I shall be spending Christmas in the Caribbean- watch me pretend to be a pirate, just you wait, I'm gonna be an awesome pirate. Especially as I have small kids to dress up with!!! My inner child was revealed for all to see the other day when I realised I was dancing to Abba under disco lights and a bubble machine... and enjoying myself!!! Hahaha six year olds have the best birthday parties (you should have seen that magician!), I think I'm gonna have a 2+5=7 years old party next year. Is that a good enough reason to hire Mr Lolly to come and do my birthday party? He was awesome. AND he gave out lollipops at the end.

Ahem. I swear I will update you on my French holiday at some point. Probably while I'm in the Caribbean. I mean, I don't have the excuse that I'm busy looking for work any more, or that I've already spent all day starting at my laptop. Although I do have the excuse that I 'work' 24hrs per day for five days a week. But hopefully I will adjust to that eventually.

On that note, it is time to go sort out my suitcase for being in warmer places. It's full of woolly jumpers and other things to be replaced by bathing suits and shorts. Yay it's gonna be summer again already! I totally love this job (just wait till I'm dizzy with heatstroke and trying to put sunscreen on crying, screaming children and make me say that again).

Not coming home

With an election result like that I feel less inclined than ever to come home. I almost feel betrayed that I leave the country and they re-elect a moron, with even more support than last time. They almost let him govern alone for goodness sake! A slimy git who is perceived as a good 'leader' over sound policy? Come on New Zealand, grow up.

Still kicking around

Mostly just a quick post to say hello and yes I am still kicking about in England. Essentially still looking for a job, although I do have a trial starting on Monday. Hoping that goes well, it seems like a pretty awesome job if it works out, it ticks all my required boxes, although the kids are borderline too old for me- 3 and 5, but I'm fine with that because it means broadening my experience. So, all good really. I'm definitely ready for a new job, can't wait to get started! It will be nice to be back in London too, and the location is totally win. *crosses fingers*

Okay time to sort out Christmas cards and possibly a few presents. I've already got a few from France over the summer so it's all good.

Commentary in society:

Last time I caught a late morning train to London we thought I had found the daytime equivalent to the nutter train (traditionally your last train home at night). That may be true of that service, but today I sat across from a couple of business managers/owners. I did actually contemplate moving as they irritated me with their general conversation. But mostly I couldn't be bothered. The girl across the carriage had an interesting looking book, 'the attack on university' or some such. I put on my headphones and life continued.

I was glad I didn't move, as girl with the book started chatting to them and it sounded debate-y so I took out my headphones. Brilliant, jobs, recession and benefit cheats. That is the best time I've spent on the train, we were joined by an MA student, and an ex-university lecturer, who basically ended up being arbitrator. More train rides should be like this!

New Job :-)

Back to London for me!

That's all for now. Much excitement and stuff. I will totally make sure I update properly later this week. There, I've written it on the internet now, it must happen.

xx