Gallery 44

It's only been 3 months since the last time I wrote anything on here, which by the gaps between my other posts is actually a really short break! I am currently on my way to Singapore, with 2 hours to go and feeling like I might puke, probably the tiredness, jetlag, 13+ hours in a plane and sleep deprivation, or I'm just having a bad day! It's been more than 9 years since I last visited Asia, although I'll only be in Singapore for 3 days with another 3 in Hong Kong before a 14+ flight to London to connect to get back to Scotland, I'm so fortunate and grateful to have this privilege. I do think 10-11 hours is my limit for no sleep flights and should also plan better my arrival times so I get there in the morning, and can sleep on the flight, oh well, maybe next time... The AWS Summit in London was fantastic, and I just wrapped up writing a blog around it actually. It's much more my vibe than re:Invent, and since London is 1 hour away, think I'll take that to L...

Well, this time it took me less than 2 years to return, actually, just a bit over 1 if we're counting! This new year has found me in a new year of my life too, almost at the 30 mark, so I thought it's about time to sit down and write down what's been happening and where we are in this new year, 2022. Now the good news is that the pandemic restrictions are starting to lift across the world, the even better news is that I'm typing this from my newly setup office by our lovely Dave, in the newly acquired house I purchased in June 2021, who knew that it will all work out after writing that last post in May of last year. The list of achievements doesn't stop there though, indeed, the MSc has been completed with a distinction, unfortunately, no graduation yet, but guess what, I just got an email today that it might happen in July 2022, yes, apparently it's never too late to wear a silly gown and shake hands (although after the pandemic not sure how much handshaking wi...

The only bad thing about moving to Zambia for 2 months is the neverending flight that you have to take to get here! Now enough with the moaning, and on with the story. I left Romania and came back to London to catch my flight, after seeing my friends and some lucky encounters I managed to make it in time for my flight to Amsterdam. That was the easy bit, as the flight from Amsterdam to Lusaka take aprox 12.30 hrs and first stops in Harare, in Zimbabwe. The flight was quite tiring but the view and the entertainment made up for it, vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea at first, then the joining of water and land as we passed above the countries bordering the African territories, then neverending Saharian dessert and dunes, with temperatures so high that they made the air turn into clouds of heat and then, as the sun set on the horizon, the glimmering lights of Zambia's captal, the sea of lights, that drew me in as we touched the tarmac. When I first set my feet on Zambian gro...

Another month gone, another country crossed off the list! I promised myself that by the time I move to Belgium in September I will visit the UK, a little bit of every part of it. However, I still have to do Wales and being so strapped for time I think I might squeeeze it in for August. I am in Dublin, lovely city, waiting on my flight back to my English home, Oxford, this becomes a habit, to write from airports, watching the sunset turn into darkness and the  filling the city skyline with lights that remind me of the life that flows through all these beautiful capitals, of the people I met and the kindness I encountered! Dublin has taken my breath away and after Edinburgh, it is a city in which I want to live in, don't know when, don't know how, but I definitely want to give it a go. I was talking to my Irish friend, that convinced me to visit, that we would love to retire here, live in a coastal house, next to the beach, have two dogs and a cat, and all sorts of silly dre...

And other day has passed in new and exciting India. Today was eventful and gave us more of a taste of how India actually lives and breathes. When we arrived at the YMCA we were greeted by some very friendly receptionists and somehow managed to finish our check in just before 5 AM, although the bus journey took a little under 2 hours, and then settled in our rooms.  I did not want to sleep as I thought that if I keep going until the evening my sleep pattern will adjust itself but how wrong was I.  During breakfast we planned to go out exploring and that is exactly what we did, in the heat of the morning we set out to see New Delhi for the first time and we were greeted by a noisy, fast-paced and wonderful city. We all were on the same flight and made friends really fast and that is what I love about having a diverse group, you get to meet people that will inspire you and support you just because you are thrown in life's challenges together. One of our friends, man...

I first became in love with India when I was back home,through the novels of a great religion historian, Mircea Eliade. He was also a writer and in his novels he portrayed this magical land he had adored and all the its beauties, it was India. Further on, I understood through history lectures that during the 20th century it had been given a name worth of its treasures, the Pearl of the British Empire. My journey to, through and from India does not begin in a port,like it did for the beforementioned author, but in an airport. As soon as I left the bus,faith made it so happen that a talented young gentleman from Seattle would tag along in the search for terminal 4 and, as we lost each other during check-in, faith reunited us again when we realized we were queing besides each other at the coffee shop. We spent an enjoyable 3 hours together,keeping us entertained and discussing politics, music, media and journalism among others, and knowing that one day we will meet again either in...

So this is it, here I stand with my friend beside me, after spending my last night at home, with my friends sleeping over. Starting to feel anxious about leaving, bags all packed, lists all checked, goodbye almost all said. I still have some things left to do but they will be enough to keep me busy all day and stop me from thinking about the DEPARTURE. Hope my luggages won't be too heavy and the whole flight will go smoothly, and with a bit of luck this weekend I will already be all settled it in my new house with new housemates. I will have to meet up with some old friends which I am excited about and hope will keep my mind off the things back home. I get by with a little help from my friends :) Full day ahead so will keep the post short. Lots of tears on the way and a lot of things that won't be said but life goes on and you have to seize every opportunity to enjoy yourself along the way.