'Joyeuse Pacques'

Got my mac, wellies, scarves, gloves, hot-water bottle, fleece, beanie and ear muffs at the ready for Jo'burg. Also have my pepper spray, panic button and baton safely stowed in my handbag. I leave Friday morning – finding a lift to the airport proved more difficult than I thought. After asking seven friends who all gave me the same 'I'm going to be too hungover' response, I almost gave up hope.  Then I realised it's best to ask friends who are running the 2 Oceans since they've all been tee total for an unrealistically long time by now – (don't know how they do it). Jo'burg is kicking off to a fab start – with rain and an empty bank account. So until payday am stuck in the confines of my Houghton home listening to the mother rattle on about what an untidy, unkempt, unreliable, irresponsible human being I've morphed into because I've left my bed unmade, my towel on the floor and a coffee mug next to my bed. But when you go home those things are totally meant to be done for you, right? Why else do we go home?!

Am looking forward to Easter. CHOCOLATE!! Easter is like Christmas in my house. CHOCOLATE!! Everyone gets excitedly childish (CHOCOLATE!!), we all go to church and the table is laid with eggs for Africa (I specified in advance that I will eat Lindt bunnies, and only Lindt bunnies). CHOCOLATE!! How EGGciting! However, Mum has decided my brother and I are too old for an Easter Egg hunt this year. Whatever –  'Chocolate is the poor man's Champagne' (Daniel Worona) so I will be hunting inside my step dad's booze cupboard instead. I know he has a stash of French Champagne for special occasions. Just having me home should be special enough, Easter or no Easter!

So one more day of work! Then I only have four days of work till I depart on the longest flight I've ever booked (unfortunately my savings would only cover a flight that made a few stops) to lovely happy London, then on to a distant Turkish Delightful land with Lovely Boyfriend and tanning oil in tow. If I don't get on here before the Easter weekend, Happy Easter to all, and to all an EGGcellent break!

"For I remember it is Easter morn,
And life and love and peace are all new born"  ~Alice Freeman Palmer

Setting sail...

You see that? That's a yacht. Do you know where it is? It's in Turkey. Do you know who is going there? MEEEEEEEE! 

Picture spoilt-brat me sprawled across a Turkish deck chair, the Turkish wind in my hair, 5th Turkish G&T in my hand, the Turkish catch of the day in my tum, a Turkish olive tan (I hope) and the endless unparalleled views of the Turkish coast, and maybe some good-looking Turkish boat crew. Yup – am now a very important journalist being whipped off on a travel story for my wonderful, amazing, fabulous magazine, which consists of a week's sailing down Turkey's coastline with none other than Lovely Boyfriend on a luxury 14-person 'ketcha' (ya, me neither). So I have one month to tone up, find my sea legs (sure I put them somewhere), and wangle some highlights out of my mother (if not, I heard lemon works?). And also to save – despite it being an all-expenses-paid trip, I doubt this will cover my obsession with buying rings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, sarongs (I could go on) in foreign countries. Last time I was in Turkey I'm pretty sure I bought enough jewellery to accessorize my entire extended family. 

Anyway – great news to start the weekend with. I think it'll be a real Turkish Delight (see what I did there?). This calls for some bubbly...!