And this is what you missed - the happy edition.

Guys, I’m suffering from serious writer’s block today. I had one of these weeks that just flowed past with ease, grace, and bubbly. Though I thoroughly enjoyed myself, I think it makes for uninteresting writing. Maybe because I feel little inspired to rub into your face how perfect my week was. I shall anyhow, but just a tiny bit…

I taught lots of classes and got a big head from all the kind words people told me in response. It made me feel truly blessed and this is not a term I use lightly.
V day, the most dreaded day of the year for a single girl, ended over dinner with not one, but two guys. Yes, you heard me and please feel free to envy me, because there was wine and pasta and cupcakes too.
The highlight was probably an unexpected phone call from my Mum giving me some unexpected funding for my Yay-I’m-Going-To-Vietnam-Fund and my Dad who basically emailed me an entire travel guide with food tips already (No thank you! to the fertilized egg omelette though). Thus I have been whistling One Night in Bangkok a bit too much – again!
Then there was also a Biscuit Mill followed by sneaking to a hotel pool afternoon, a bachelorette party, luckily sans penis straws, and a stargazing evening on my balcony.

It seems I am a lucky girl. When I realize that I’m too content to even write much about it, it makes me a happy one as well.

I love you.

Just in time for the V day I wrote another list, appropriately themed Ways in which you can love others. Many ways came to mind for me. Obviously most of them included making pizza or pasta, because we know the love-stomach connection and how I cannot really cook anything else. But then I thought about the times when I felt especially loved and I remembered how my first boyfriend would write me letters all the time. I kept them in a box for years and sometimes, long after we were no more, I would take them out and it would make me really happy to read them again. It made me happy to know that someone had loved me like he did and to sort of hold the proof of it…to have it in writing.
Is it conceited to presume it means something to someone that I love them? Maybe. But just in case it does, I thought I should pay it forward and also put it writing.

I've got mail.

Yesterday I was in a bit of a mood. Justified or not I felt very neglected and unloved by all my friends, had the realization that all men do in fact want a twenty-something, little blonde, and Valentine's Day is almost upon us with me sans date. I have written many times that I don't like it and think the concept silly, but this year I realized this statement only sounds convincing if I had in fact an offer which to gracefully decline. Otherwise it just makes me look a bit bitter. Anyhow…be that as it may.
Things got better though when a little package arrived after lunch. From Canada and no, don't judge! I was very excited to see that there are actually still people who not only send handwritten Christmas cards around the world, chocolate and pictures too. Luckily not of the family wearing matching reindeer jerseys in front of a fake Santa kind, but in my case reminiscences of me, my camel, and newfound friends in the Moroccan desert.
I had met Christe and Scott on my trip in August and upon return we all stayed in touch via Facebook. Eventually she inquired about my address and how long mail travels to Cape Town. Well, longer than even I expected, but I don't want to complain, because presents received when you have actually forgotten that there was a thing called Christmas, are actually the best. Especially when they arrive on a day like yesterday. I felt very touched and much loved from halfway around the world. Thank you, Christe, thank you, Scott – you guys made my day!

Dinner Party in Fez, no hands camel riding and Micky Mouse* looking a bit grumpy with Christe's hat she put on. Good timing with her picture though as the hat went flying a second later.
*Still not sure how I came up with that name...

Valentine's delight.

I wanted to write this very enthusiastic post about Valentine ’s Day this year and start with a snarky remark á la ‘only single people complain about Valentine’s…’, but I actually lost all interest. Can you tell that the headline is dripping in sarcasm? Maybe I should have stuck with a re-run of last year’s post, which I thought actually summed things up quite nicely and my cupid picture just made me laugh again. But here we go… Yesterday started well enough with a little present from one of our hotel contacts – exactly the right amount of heart-shaped cheesiness I can enjoy. Due to a lack of proper boyfriend material in prior years I had made very sure that this year would be different.

Since men tend to complain that women never say what they really want, I spilled it out to Ian: I want to do something nice with you on Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile thinking: I don’t care if you don’t want to as I will give you chocolates and wear red underwear to make up for it in return.

Guys, this just is the deal for V-day. Get over it.

Ian got over it, at least in mind. Unfortunately his stomach didn’t agree. Of course I was teasing him he did it on purpose to wiggle out of it. Apparently not. There was champagne and take away sushi on the beach planned, but instead I ran salt cracker and Panado errands and had a semi-sleepless night due to a bed too small for two grown-ups who don’t want to lie on top of each other due to sickness. So here I sit today, grumpy, tired, and my cold again in full force trying to convince myself that Valentine’s is in fact overrated to manage the disappointment. Who am I kidding?

So instead of leaving this post on a clever note, I am kindly asking you to share your misery if you also had a crappy Valentine’s. If you were all lovey-dovey and bubbly and happy – great for you! – but please don’t tell me.

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks it weird that even my ink cartridge supplier wishes me a happy Valentine's??

happy v day.

It appears to be that one has no choice, but somehow wish the entire world happy v day today. I am personally not a huge fan of the celebration, but if I am very honest it might just be because there is no one here to send me chocolates and roses. So my ill attempt to deal with it, is being sarcastic about everything pink or red or heartshaped and thinking I would ditch any man giving me a pink, heartprinted fleece blanket today (as men do according to Woolies). I know I know...as I said it's an ill attempt of conceiling the envy deep inside of me.

I am secretly quite happy that one friend had send me a happy v day email at 00h14 last night and another promised to have chocolate truffles shipped from his favourite confisserie shop in a small town in the alps. Not that I think these chocolates will ever make it here, but it's nice to dream...

So here you go - for all single and/or sarcastic non-valentine's followers, something to make you smile. I am proud to present Cupid!

Halloween a few years back in New York. Curling my hair like that took about two hours, making 15 gold and 15 lead arrows another two...but I think it was worth it - at least I always have a laugh when I look at myself in this picture!