DAY 527-A MUCH DESERVED DAY OF REST

WEATHER: Hot and 30C

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: The breakfast buffet

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Can't think of a single thing

WORD OF THE DAY: Office day  

BUDDHA QUOTE FOR THE DAY:

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others. 

FINALLY, a day off.  The last 5 days have been full on.

We travelled from Galle to Colombo-full day

I flew 19 hours to get from Colombo to Manila

I had a half day tour and then a flight to Cebu-full day

I had a half day city tour of Cebu

And lastly possibly the longest day tour ever of 16.5 hours to Bohol

FINALLY, a day off and what was I going to do with that day?  SFA.  That is what.  The only time I had to keep today was I had to be at breakfast by 10am.  Lucky I still set my alarm for 8.45am as I think I may have just slept through past 10am and trust me you wouldn’t want to miss a breakfast like the one that the Marco Polo throws each morning.  It is a MONSTER.  There is a bakery station, not a table, a whole station.  There is a hot food station, not a table, a station.  There was an Asian station, not a table but a station.  There was a fruit station, not a table, but a station.  There was a cold salad/meat station, not a table, a station; there was a juice bar with 7 different juices and a small cereal bar as well.  I’m telling you I have seen some buffet’s in my life time but this one takes the cake. 

I had my IPod with me and my Contiki Husband was online, so we stated to chat via Facebook and he told me to jump onto Skype.  Well Kate had downloaded Skype on my IPod when I was in South America but I had never used it and then when I was in Las Vegas, Tippy’s 12 year old son made me a new account, but I had never used it.  So this was the first time that I would be jumping on and after Marc found me, I finished breakfast, headed back to my room and before I knew it we had been chatting for an HOUR and it was all FREE!!!  Can you believe that!  What an amazing invention.  Why haven’t I been using it before now?  It really wouldn’t help with my communication with Zeme and the internet connection in Ethiopia is crap anyway and from last I knew Skype was illegal in the country as the only phone company, government owned, was losing money with people using it and hence made it illegal, because they can I suppose.  But I could have kept in better contact with the Elkins and spoken to the girls more, but texting suited us better with the time difference most times in my defence.  But no use thinking about that now, I can’t change it, but I am now on Skype and my name to find me is Berniezeme if anyone wants to hook up.  It was great to have a chat to some-one, I have missed that and even though today is a new day, I need to have a serious think about things and I am now a little more positive.  I really am in a difficult place and I am just not sure how it can be fixed. 

I spoke to Zeme today.  I still try and phone him once a week when I can.  The Filipino telecommunications don’t seem too expensive.  I topped up the mobile I was given from the gift shop downstairs and I spoke to Zeme for 20 minutes for a cost of 12AUD and trust me that is a great rate.  I checked with the business center on how much a call would call to Ethiopia and they quoted 2AUD a minute, which again from a 5 star hotel room I didn’t think that was too bad either.  It is always great to hear his voice.  The early afternoon was spent watching a movie and getting a blog written, I am nearly out of Sri Lanka and when I am writing nearly a week behind, even though I hate being that far back, it is always nice to relive what was such a great tour.  I also made this an office day.  I had emails I had to respond to, a few bills to pay and Facebook messages to reply to.  I also emailed my storage guys to see what was involved in getting my container out and delivered for a week or so for me to go through it and they replied back saying they can’t deliver, but I am more than welcome to go through it at the depot.  The more I think about it the more I think I will need a small storage unit, just to put a few things that I will not be able to toss out yet, like some of my mums stuff and some personal items.  I know I have a lot of crap and it can all be replaced, so I am just going to have to work out what will be the easiest way to get rid of it all.  Facebook and try and sell crap-give it away-give it to Vinnie’s.  I won’t have a lot of time on my side and it is starting to stress me out a little, but until I know what is in there, I guess there is no point in worrying about it till I get home.  But it will be a MASSIVE job. 

I needed a break from the computer and it was 4pm and time to eat.  So I had a late lunch downstairs by the pool with no IPod and no computer and just took my book downstairs to just chillax with no gadgets.  The staff here has been amazing and they are very attentive.  I got a margarita for 4.50AUD which again for a 5 star hotel is really a great price, so I had 2, ate my lunch and read my book for a few hours downstairs.  It was nice, it wasn’t too hot and the great to hear children laughing, playing in the pool.  Life just keeps on ticking by, no matter what is happening in your life and you need to just suck it up and keep on moving or you can let it get you down and make you a real misery.  I am always a bouncer, but when you are just not so sure of what lies ahead for your future it can be a little disconcerting, but I think I am back on track now, some decisions to be made, but there is now rush at this point for that and I just need to make sure that I enjoy the last of my travels, look forward to going home for Christmas and then things will hopefully seem clearer. 

What a great was to spend the day.  I am off to Boracay tomorrow and from what I have heard I am expecting BIG things.  My skin has just recovered from my sunburn I got in Sri Lanka so a little R&R on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world sounds right up my alley.