Last Few Days On The Other Side Of The World

Publicado por Janine

Caught in the Sun, originally uploaded by Janina Kiwi.

Mid june: I finished up teaching my 70 or so rascals, and my last 2 weeks were converted into holidays with a fantastic end-of-contract bonus. I wanted to spend my last weeks lazing on the beach, but typical Basque weather set in and it rained nearly everyday. Bummer.

Slowly I packed up my beautiful room, taking many memories off the wall, and carefully stuffing them into my bulging hiking pack. Luckily i had taken back a bunch of thinkgs at Easter, but even so, i had to leave a lot of clothes/things behind, and send a few packages also.

I left my flat on Friday morning, rather hungover from the farewell party the night before - my last time seeing my friends!!! Took a plane with Susi and Gema to Madrid, where Susi and i stayed the night with her cousin Vanessa and María José. We all went out that night....

Coincidence would have it that it was the European Gay Pride Festival that weekend, and the place, namely Chueca (Madrids gay suburb) was packed!!! We all had so much fun drinking on the terraces and watching a concert and absorbing the nightlife in general. A shame that we missed out on the huge parade the next day!

On Saturday Susi and i went to Segovia, 2 hours from Madrid in train, for our final opportunity for time together relaxing. We had a beautiful hotel - a mini palace with cool views and a patio restaurant in the middle. Another unplanned coincidence was that that weekend was a Segovia Folk Festival, so we had devine music wafting up into our room, and various concerts spread out around the city. Segovia itself is precious, with a big and tall Roman aquaduct, a huge cathedral, and enormous fortressed castle with (empty) moat included!! We were there 2 nights, and it was an enchanting and unforgettable few days alone. If only it could have lasted forever.

Went back to Madrid on monday, and all too quickly, Tuesday the 3rd of July 2007 arrived. The day I´d been dreading for nearly 2 years suddenly loomed upon me and swallowed me whole.

Though I almost wasn´t allowed on the plane......more of that in part 2.

I am sitting in the Hong Kong airport at the moment, and my laptop is about to dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

See you all tomorrow.....................................................
Janine