Delayed due to Technical Difficulties

I know I promised that I would upload photos and blog about my trip this past weekend, but my plans have been curtailed by a major technical difficulty: power outage. When I lived in PEI, the power would frequently go out for a couple of hours or so, especially in the winter when storms caused havoc on the power lines. Since moving to the UK, I don't think I have experienced a single power outage. Well, okay, there has been the occasional power "blink" - you know what I mean: off for a few seconds and then back on again. Nothing major at all. However, this weekend the power went off at 10:30 am on Sunday and remained off for several hours. By 3pm I was getting curious (and a bit tired of reading my book!). This had never happened before. Was it just me???

Sure enough, it was just me! Apparently, I had somehow blown a fuse which resulted in a switch being flipped in the wrong direction and the power had gone out in my flat only. All I had to do was flip the switch back in the opposite direction and the miracle of electrical power was back in place. Too bad I had already wasted most of the day. The good news is that I got power back just in time to watch Ghana win it's match in the the World Cup. I haven't decided who I want to cheer for yet overall, but I have to say I was impressed by Germany's side last night too. Of course, here in the UK, all the adverts are linked to England's attempt to win this year! Even the recent number one song on the UK charts is all about shouting to support England at this year's World Cup! Yeah, they're pretty into their football (aka soccer) over here. You can watch a video of the recent number 1 here:

Back in the NI

Firstly, I think I owe a huge thank you to Volcanic Ash - it stayed away during my holidays and all my flights were blissfully ash-free. I also successfully avoided the British Airways strike and the rail strike in Spain. All in all, it could have been a pretty stressful trip with travel issues, but it wasn't! Success!

So, I am back in Northern Ireland . . . straight back into work, and already staying late again in order to prepare for tomorrow. I am hoping to have time to blog properly about my trip this weekend (highlights to include: Granada, Spain; Chefchouen, Morocco; and Malaga, Spain) but in the mean time here a few highlights:

• Morocco was my first time in Africa and I really enjoyed it!
• Both me and Karen were proposed to in Morocco (we said no) and we were told we were beautiful several times a day by random men on the street
• I enjoyed many sangrias while in Spain
• The weather was HOT - too hot in Morocco (37 degrees!) yuck!
• I spent a day at a spa in Chefchouen and had my first massage - I now understand why people go on spa breaks. When can I go on my next one?
  
• Karen got robbed at our hostel on our second last night in Malaga - they took all her money (BOO) . . . but, at least it was only money. Passports, credit cards, etc are all in tact
• Swimming in the Mediterranean again = HEAVEN
• When I arrived in Malaga, Spain to start my holiday, the customs guy forgot to stamp my passport. I lived in constant fear for the rest of the trip that this might come back to haunt me. Luckily, it didn't.
• I got a total of 7 new stamps in my passport. I heart passport stamps.
• We made a point of eating ice cream at least once a day. Yum. I introduced Karen to Magnum ice cream. So. Good.
  
• This trip made me realise how much I love to travel - I want to go backpacking again soon! Luckily, I am heading to both Iceland and Canada in August: Two more months!
  

Now, back to work! :-)

Dear Volcanic Ash

Please stay away from UK and Spanish airspace over the next fortnight. I will be on holiday and would like to make it there and back on the dates and times I booked.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kathleen