Alghero day 2!

After my first journal entry in Alghero, I wrote a letter to Peter while he slept. 

My sweet meems,
I love traveling with you. I love seeing new things and experiencing brand new adventures with you. I am so happy we found each other and still have our whole lives still to look forward to so many more exciting times ahead. What did I do to become so lucky? You're my best friend; I wouldn't want to be here, and in this moment with anyone else in the world. I love sharing these special moments with you. Thank you for making these adventures possible, and so wonderful. I love you!

Day 2:
This morning, I woke up 10 minutes before our alarm went off. They are doing work on the buildings outside and unfortunately it was pretty loud. We got ready and went into the kitchen for OMG, the best breakfast buffet. Bruno had put out 2 homemade cakes, one was a ricotta coffee crumble and the other was a banana chocolate cake which I didn't actually try (but I will tomorrow). There was an italian couple that seemed really friendly having breakfast - we joined them. I tried a small (so delightful) slice (of heaven!) of the ricotta coffee cake, a small bit of salami and a few slivers of cheese. Then we shared a banana. with black coffee. YUM. Bruno came out and chatted with us for a little bit and he couldn't believe we were about to ride our bikes to the Neptune Grotto. After breakfast we went straight to the information office to make sure the caves were open since the wind had made it difficult the day before. They were open. The man who helped us was so helpful and so friendly. Peter and I both agreed that his voice was really calming and relaxing. He gave us a few maps and pointed out the bike paths. And he suggested a shop to rent the bikes from. We walked there, eventually finding it, and started our ride. My bike had a basket, which I really enjoyed in the end, although it did get really heavy with all my stuff in it. After we got off the bike path, not long after we started, my chain fell off! Course both of our hands were so gross after we put it back on. While I got situated again, Peter ran across the street to find a spot to go pee....when he came back, he had pee all over his shorts!!!! Apparently the leaf he peed on sent it straight back at him!! haha! I guess they don't have palm trees in England!!! ;-) 

It turned out that the entire journey was uphill. It wasn't too bad but it did feel like it took us forever. I loved the views and the temperature. We stopped off at the panoramic view point just before the Grotto for a few snapshots and had some fruit and pistachios. We ended up seeing the couple who sat next to Peter on the airplane which was funny. They also ended up on the same Grotto tour as us.

When we made it to the Grotto, we had to walk down 35 flights of stairs to get to the caves. It was the most beautiful walk!

The caves were pretty spectacular though maybe not €26 worth. But it was fun and really stunning. They date to 3 billion years ago which is amazing. Then after our tour was the death walk back up the stairs (don't forget we'd just ridden 15 miles up hill to get there!). It went quick though. We stopped off at the shop for a water and a coke before our ride back. The ride back was also a lot quicker (obv) and we ended up stopping at some ruins to have a quick look. After returning our bikes, we could barely walk - haha. We made the walk back, super slowly, showered, had a quick chat with Bruno while he ironed, and got ready for our dinner hunt. We took two of Bruno's suggestions; the first was fully booked and so we tried the second and were so happy. The server was so sweet (mind the language barrier) and that makes a huge difference. I ordered a pasta dish with lots of yummy seafood.

After dinner, we walked along the seafront to find Kings (the really nice restaurant we decided to treat ourselves to on our last night) and made reservations for the following evening - again, I practiced making these reservations in Italian for nearly the duration of our walk. They understood English but it's obvious that they appreciate the effort! Then we got gelato. Obviously. We sat, watched the glorious sunset, then went back to our favorite server at the skybar for a drink. Perfect!!

SARDINIA!

A few months ago, when the weather was cold and wet and I was missing home, Peter and I discussed two options to bring sunshine and happiness back into our world:

1. Send me home solo for a dose of sunshine, family and friends, or
2. Find cheap flights in Europe to somewhere warm and within our budget

Since our savings is currently on hold for my next visa application, his "send me home" fund would be coming out of his hard-earned photography account. This is the sweetest offer and I am so lucky for that, but I wouldn't have it. 

We looked at Spain and the South of France for a few weeks but I wasn't really convinced. Honestly I wanted to go even further south for the most sun possible. Malta. Morocco. I would have even said yes to Africa! (That's how desperate I was feeling). 

Then one afternoon I opened my skyscanner alert and saw that the 'lucky dip' that week was to Sardinia. After a quick Google image search, I was convinced and had to make this happen. We worked out dates, got them quickly approved by both of our bosses and booked them. £39.99 round trip, each, Thank you very much. 

We flew from Luton (slightly more out of the way than Gatwick or Heathrow) but we had an early flight so we left early anyway and missed any sign of traffic on the M1. I took my journal with me and wrote in it each night to remember everything we did (and for the purpose of this blog), so I'll swap over for more details.

Day 1:
We made it! This morning was an early one for us. Last night, I packed my little suitcase full of the summer dresses, swimsuits and sandals that I've been so excited to finally wear. This made me so happy and also made for a surprisingly light suitcase, perfect! This morning our alarms started buzzing around 3am, I was out of bed around 3.15 and we were out the door by 4. We got to Luton quicker than anticipated - 5.30 so we parked on the road and waited for a half and hour since our car park ticket wasn't scheduled to start until 6. After parking and getting out of the car, I was in shock at how cold it was outside. I'm not joking, I was shivering. Once in the airport, I had my special security check (non-EU) and we headed to security where we felt like we were attached to a ball and chain in the endlessly long zig-zagged line. We grabbed a coffee and headed to our gate once we were through. On the plane, we sat in row 23 and Peter let me have the window seat. When we came above the clouds and into sunshine and blue sky (this sounds really dramatic, I know, but...) I literally got emotional. Peter slept during the flight and I was relaxed and warm with the sun on my shoulder. When we landed in Alghero, we realized the ticket machine wasn't working to print out bus tickets. Looking back now, this was our ONLY bad experience in the entire 3 days we were there. At the bus stop, I stood and quickly learned how to say "two single tickets to Via Catalogna please," in Italian. Go me! Only, when I tried to pay for the tickets, the driver was obviously annoyed and frustrated with something. Since I was only second in line, I couldn't figure out why. It was after watching him have the same reaction to a handful of others that I quickly realized what it was. Our tickets came to €3 and I paid with a €5 note. Apparently he was trying to tell me that he wanted me to pay in change because he didn't have enough spare change himself. Annoyingly, I thought he was trying to tell me that each ticket was €3 so when I offered him another €5 (equaling €10 now!) he took it!! And only gave me €2 back! After I realized the tickets were in fact only €3 , I went back and got my €5 back and didn't care how annoyed/frustrated/upset he was!

Our bus ride wasn't long when we made it to the Lido and heart of Alghero. And it didn't take us very long to find the B&B since it's just on the main road, a few blocks away from the high street. Bruno, our host, came out to greet us and carried my suitcase up to the second floor where we were staying. He welcomed us into his lovely place, it smelled amazing and had the coziest feel to it. I noticed lots of attention to detail, it was so clean and just perfect for us. We chatted with Bruno for a little and eventually we found out that he'd lived in London AND SAN DIEGO before!! Apparently he knows the owner of Heaven Scent desserts in Northpark! Small world or what!

We put our stuff away in our room, freshened up and asked for his advice on where to head to for food. He gave us tons of suggestions and we went on our way to find one and explore. We found the focacceria he'd suggested and couldn't believe the cheap prices. We could see the size of the sandwiches around us and really couldn't believe they were only €2.50

After our late lunch, we went back to the B&B to grab our sweaters so we could stay out and explore the rest of the evening. We found the high street and marveled at the sweetness of the shops and buildings. Of course, we couldn't help ourselves to trying out the gelato (it's hard not to when it's everywhere!!) and that was amazing too. Then we headed to the sky bar that Bruno suggested for a panoramic view of the town. Seriously, stunning views up there. I was in awe and felt so darn grateful to be there at that moment. Everything about that moment was so perfect. We ordered drinks and were pleasantly surprised to find that our drinks came with traditional tapas. Again, we were shocked by how cheap it was...€7! I honestly would have been happy to pay that much just to sit up there. On our way back, we stopped in a grocery store and grabbed a few snacks for our bike ride the following day then went back to the room to relax and sleep! My overall thoughts on Alghero: I love the climate. It feels like home and is SO ME. I love Italian food. I love prosciutto  Gelato. Everything. I love how gorgeous Alghero is. 

I Dare You to Do Better

Peter introduced me to the newest Star Trek (2009) a few weeks ago since the second one came out in theater recently. I admit, didn't think I would like it and it took a little persuading for me to finally watch it. What do you think has happened since? I've seen it almost 3 times and volunteered to see the second in theater - of course, I loved them!

We watched it again last night and I felt really connected to a few quotes. If you're thinking about making some changes right now, either in life, your career, or just in general, then these quotes are definitely something to ponder:

I dare you to do better

Do you feel like you were meant for something better? Something special?

I think we've all probably been in that boat where you don't quite know what you want to do for the rest of your life. Obviously, so much of our time is spent working so it's important to do find a career we love. Something we're passionate about. Something bigger than ourselves. A job that gives us reason and purpose - a job that gets us out of bed everyday. Right now, unfortunately I feel like I am sort of sitting back comfortably, I'm definitely not challenging myself as much as I should be. I know I'm not in my career right now. I know I need to stop blaming the job market and get up and push myself. Because I know I am meant for something much bigger. If you're feeling the same way, watch the clip above and just as Pike dares Kirk, I dare you to do better.

Spock, in this case, do yourself a favor: Put aside logic. Do what feels right.

I admit that recently I've been feeling torn by a few things because they aren't logical. But one thing I've learned is that going with your gut feeling is so darn important. I think it's the only way to truly be happy. And succeed. And even if you fail, at least you have learnt a valuable lesson and you're one step closer to getting where you want to be. Remember Steve Jobs' graduation speech at Stanford? Remember when he admits to dropping out of college? He did it because it felt right. Remember those classes he took that didn't have any purpose at the time? He took them because they felt right. He trusted that those dots would eventually connect, and they did. Course there's no way to know that your dots will connect when you're looking ahead, it's ONLY looking back, but you just have to trust that they will. I know doing what feels right when it goes against logic is so much easier said than done. But I did it when I married Peter. When some of my closest friends and family told me I was too young or didn't know him well enough yet. So why'd I do it anyway, despite logic and everyone's rational opinions? IT FELT RIGHT. They are the feelings only you feel, the ones you cannot explain to others or justify. When you feel those, follow them.

Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Thanks to the book I'm reading, Start with WHY by Simon Sinek, I have a new appreciation for mission statements. I read a blog a few months ago about coming up with a mission statement for your life and I'm still struggling. Mind you, it does suggest sitting down for however long it takes (hopefully no more than a few hours!) and writing a number of mission statements until you know you've finally nailed it. (Apparently you'll know it when it moves you to tears ... slightly sappy, I know, sorry). Anyway, it shouldn't be any surprise then that when I heard the Enterprises' mission statement above, I was pretty much in awe. Boldly go where no one has gone before. Completely reiterates all of the above. Don't simply follow the well-worn path, it's no fun that way anyway.  Dare yourself to do better, to follow your gut, find that something that's bigger than you and GO. 

Bringing sexy back

I sometimes find myself complaining about things I could easily give advice on to other people. Isn't it funny how easily you can give advice but then not listen to it yourself? For example: feeling fat. When I feel fat, I feel far from sexy.  If any of my friends were to come to me complaining about feeling fat, or not feeling sexy anymore, here are some things I'd tell them. (Note to self.)

1. Get fit. Probably my favorite thing ever. But I've found it really difficult to stick a normal routine in this country - something about the weather but I won't go into that. I admit I'm not the best gym member. Running on a treadmill bores me t o  d e a t h. It's not something I could stick to daily. Classes on the other hand, are more my cup of tea. I like the feeling of community in classes. You get to know the people in there (especially if they're fairly small classes like mine) and you can in a way, hold each other accountable to coming and doing better. Since I'm competitive, I tend to do well with others around when it comes to pushing myself. So, if you're having a hard time keeping fit, here are some suggestions besides joining classes at the gym (my favorites are spin and body pump by the way). Run. Or jog if you're a newbie. Set yourself an attainable goal. If you've never run a 5k/10k before, sign up for one in the next few months. Just do it. Then, google training guides & create one for yourself. Then stick to it. I can bet that eventually you're going to end up really enjoying the way you feel when you run, and the feeling after, and you're going to forget that your whole plan was to get fit all together.  If you're a runner now or you've run before but have said that you could never do a half marathon/full marathon, guess what? You can! So sign up for one. But give yourself plenty of time to train. If you're going for a half, I'd say 2-3 months is perfect training time, and for a full, anywhere from 6-8 months should do. If you get bored on runs, or have a hard time on the longer ones, find a running buddy! Or join a running club! I joined a club when I trained for my marathon & don't regret it for a single second. Not only did I enjoy the long runs much more, but I made some really great friends along the way! And don't forget to make time for stretching. My favorite time is just before bed stretched out on a yoga mat, it's so relaxing! Alternately, take a few yoga classes to not only treat your muscles well but to give yourself a space to clear your mind a little too. Once you start to get more fit, you will find that your whole attitude has changed for the better...and your clothes will certainly fit better too!
1. This section also includes those times you're invited out for a drink or a coffee with your friends/family. Instead of catching up while over-indulging in high caloric drinks, ask your friends if they'd like to catch up over a walk or a hike (in this country those mean the same thing, haha).  Maybe a bike ride? A game of tennis/squash, etc. I've found that some of my best listening and heart-spilling moments have happened on a walk or bike ride with someone. There's something about those endorphins that make you a much better listener and opens your mind.
2. Eat breakfast - preferably, a healthy one! I read somewhere that the earlier you eat breakfast in the mornings, the faster your body starts metabolizing for the day. My favorite breakfasts (when I make time to make them - see I need to listen to myself!) include: Fresh fruit smoothies. French toast with berries. Cereal with berries. Oatmeal. Toast with peanut butter & milk {sometimes chocolate milk, I admit}. For the times I haven't given myself a lot of time to eat breakfast, I'll sometimes take a breakfast bar like Clif or similar, or breakfast crackers with either coffee or milk. Now, when I make smoothies, I usually use almond milk and/or orange juice {or any juice}, whatever berries I have in the fridge (frozen work just as well!), usually a banana, if I have some spinach, I'll add a few leaves, a few ice cubes & hit blend for pure goodness. Yum, yum. 
3. Drink lots of water. Like, lots. More than the called for 8 oz per day. Make it your new goal to aim for about 1.5-2 liters a day. And for those moments you're feeling peckish, you're probably just thirsty, so drink some water. If you're reading this in the UK and you love tea, opt out on the sugar - especially if you have more than one cuppa a day. That 'one sugar' really adds up! 
4. Eat healthier. Or make the necessary changes - you'll know what needs to be eliminated from your diet. Sugar, crisps, hot cocoa powder in your coffee (guilty again!!), cakes, croissants, muffins, etc. Trust yourself to be the judge of the changes you need to make. And you don't have to class this section as a "going on a diet." I've never really believed in diets, but I do believe in making changes and challenging yourself to at least try to keep those things out of your diet. At least for a certain number of days (30-90 is a good start) and by then you should feel much better & realize that you don't actually need those foods anymore! Also, just to state the obvious, add/replace with more fruits and veggies. 
5. Buy some new lingerie. Or a new nailpolish, or a new dress, whatever might inspire you to look and feel happy in front of the mirror. After I've done numbers 1-4, a new bra or new pair of underwear make me feel a lot sexier. Sometimes even something as small as a new nail polish will change the way I'm feeling, but obviously this is just short-term, so that's why numbers 1-4 are really important first!
6. Get a new haircut. I always feel good after a fresh haircut & I'll even admit to checking myself out in the mirror every now and again after. And it always feels good when people notice and compliment your new haircut, too!

I hope this helps a little for anyone out there feeling un-sexy or just plain unmotivated! Do you have any more helpful tips?
Cheers!

Lindsay

Testing: 1, 2, 3?

Is anyone out there?

The past week I've fallen into a little blogging funk. I know I don't blog on a regular basis or anything, but I am starting to wonder if anyone even reads my blog. Or if that's even the point in having a blog. I do check my dashboard on pretty regularly and read blogs of those who are posting. It may also be because I'm a all or nothing kinda gal, and when I can't put my whole heart and soul into a meaningful blog all the time, I start to lose my connection to it all together.

The sole purpose of creating this blog a few years ago was because I was constantly updating people on what was happening on this side of the pond and I found it a great way to update everyone at once simply by sending or posting my blog link. Although I do still update on what we're up to, most of my family and friends keep in touch either through facebook or texting so the blog has become less...purposeful? I'm not even sure anyone even knows or checks my link! I don't have loads of traffic or pageviews and I'm just starting to wonder if my effort is worth the time. I guess blogs aren't really about popularity?

Is it appropriate then to turn the blog into somewhat of a journal? Where I can express ideas, thoughts, breakthroughs, dreams, goals, etc? Is that fun to read? Or just fun to look back on to track progress. 

Maybe I'm just getting bored. Especially after reading other bloggers' super exciting posts - but then again they're also the ones who update regularly.

If you're out there and you enjoy reading, can you let me know?

Are you a regular reader or did you just happen to stumble upon this link?

Any feedback?

Thanks a bunch.

Cat & Andrews Blessing

Friends and family in the UK obviously already know Cat and Andrew's story. But for anyone who doesn't, I'll delve into it a little.

Andrew and I met in 7th grade at Spring Valley Middle School. After that one year together, he then moved to Seattle and kept in touch with a few of us Californians. Him and I mostly stayed in touch through AOL instant messenger (aka: AIM) and then eventually became pen-pals and ventured into  hand written letters. We visited each other a few times, there were a few summer visits, a high school dance, a thanksgiving and my graduation to name a few - and by the way, San Diego to Seattle  is just a short flight with fabulous views of Mount St. Helens. Anyway, Andrew came to our wedding where him and Cat met and really from then on, "the rest is history."  They came across a handful of hurdles (maybe a few more) while dating, but that didn't stop them from being together in the end. Cat eventually went to Canada where they had an outdoor wedding ceremony with a some of Andrew's close family. Then Andrew made the jump to England this February and they had a wedding blessing on May 4th for Cat's family and friends. Andrew's family also came over for the blessing, along with Andrew's best man Travis; it was so wonderful to see them again.  You'll see in the video that they are so happy together and really make the perfect couple. So far, fate is winning!


Cat & Andrew May 4, 2013 from Lindsay Reynolds on Vimeo.

London Marathon 2013

My boy completed the London Marathon this year in record time!
3 hours and 42 minutes!

He had run the London Marathon before in 2010 where he secured a place and raised money for Cancer Research (in honour of his nan). This year, after we all got our denial letters (magazines!) in the post, I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer and he immediately signed up with UNICEF. At first he was torn between charities and almost went with guide dogs for the blind, but we thought UNICEF might be the better route as it's a global charity that everyone around the world is aware of and can donate to. He quickly became friends with the staff at UNICEF - it seemed like a weekly occasion that he was getting goodies from them in the post! Stuff for his quiz night, posters, balloons, collecting pots, t-shirts, the list goes on. Speaking of his quiz night, what a massive success! He had nearly 85 people show up to Etchinghill Village Hall where Janet had prepared all of the  questions and rounds, and John (and Roma) helped in the kitchen with the most delicious ploughmans I've ever had!  In total, the quiz night produced nearly £1,200 in donations! I must admit, aside from the food being so worth the £8 per person, there were some very good prizes. To enter the drawing, it was £2 a raffle ticket.....unfortunately Peter wouldn't let me donate all of my £50 to the drawing alone, so  I was only allowed to buy £20 worth of tickets. It was okay though because in the end, I was the second person to have my number drawn!!! I couldn't decide between the £50 Deeson's voucher or a new Super dry hoodie, but since I adored the color of the hoodie, I chose that.

Enough about me!

After the quiz night, Peter was just shy of his £2000 target. It was amazing to see our family and friends donating to his cause. It's an incredibly special thing to witness people doing such wonderful, selfless acts.
On the day of the marathon, Peter's parents came to pick us up (Peter, JP and myself).  not long after we were driving, Peter realized he forgot to bring the Garmin to watch his pace and time. When we got into London, Peter's dad pulled over on the road near enough where Peter's starting point was and it felt all too soon that I had to say goodbye & 'see you at the finish line.' I'd been watching Peter train for this moment for months. I've seen him put so much hard work into his workout routine, watched his confidence blossom as the mileage and weights increased, I'd been there at the finish lines of all his long, brutal, wet runs. I've watched him brave through injuries, heard about the blisters and all the other joys that come with marathon training - and then, we were there - we'd finally reached the moment he'd worked so hard for. I honestly surprised myself when I started to tear and choke up in the car once he'd left. I immediately text him to make sure he was okay, not drinking too much water, not walking too fast, knew where he was going, and admitted that I wished I'd gotten out to see him start. It wasn't long after saying our quick goodbye though that Peter's dad found the most amazing parking spot - just under Parliament (Big Ben). Granted, it was £35 for the day, but he was determined (and I think also extremely proud to be there and happy to support in any way he could, obviously). Him and Janet took JP and I on the most exciting route to our spot. We got off the tube near the Tower of London, walked over Tower bridge - where you could already see and feel the buzz - and got to our spot around mile 12. Soon after, Kerry and Heather found us & it felt like just minutes after that that the runners with disabilities were coming past. Not long after them, the elite women came, then the elite men - including of course, Mo Farah. Peter was aiming to finish around 3:45 and I'd eventually got enough reception on my phone to pull up his online tracker so I could estimate about when he should be passing us. We knew he was on his way when we saw the 3:45 pacer go by as he was right on schedule for a 3:45 finish time.
We eventually saw him once more around mile 26 - everywhere along the course was absolutely jam-packed (in a really good way!) so I was anxious we might miss him, but we did see him again and this time he saw us all and even had enough energy to high-five us! 
I won't ever forget how proud (and teary) I felt that entire day. He did such a wonderful job reaching his goal and finishing quicker than he hoped for, the crowd and support was just incredible and I knew he was having the time of his life. 
Have a watch of the video below, the first half is from the marathon expo a few days before the marathon where we met Stephen Kiprotich, the Olympic gold medalist for the marathon in the 2012 London Olympics!
Enjoy!

 
London Marathon 2013 from Lindsay Reynolds on Vimeo.