ROME

This city is positively buzzing! If I could speak Italian (which I will one day) I would come live in this city in a heartbeat!

It's so fast paced like a regular city yet it has such a mystical ancient feel to it. Not to mention some of the most beautiful men and women God ever put on this earth.

Another amazing thing God put in Rome is the best Pizza in the world... MY GOODNESS HEAVEN ON EARTH!!! long live Mozzarella cheese and tomatos!!!

The city is full of beautiful reminders of it's history. The Trevy Fountain, the Colleseum, The wedding cake building (it has a real name but it's escaped me at the moment) and a whole bunch of Roman ruins randomly spread throughout the city.

Obviously I ventured to St Peters Basilica, which is one hell of a church if I ever saw one, and just our luck the day we were in Vatican city the Pope was talking so got to brush shoulders with him too! If you go, do climb to the very top just be warned it's A LOT of stairs sheesh!!

If there was only one European City to visit I think Rome just might be it!

Pisa

Just a quick stop in Pisa... And I understand why. It's basically the ghetto of Italy. We did get to see the leaning tower though which I was pretty cool. Myself being a dancer and my friend Kate as a Gymnast decided to get creative with our leaning on the tower pictures... please see my facebook for the evidence!

Florence.

Let it be said that I just adore Italy (all of it). Florence however was not at the top of my most favorite places. Don't get me wrong It was great, I didn't have a bad time here or not enjoy the city just for me personally (in terms of Italy) it just wasn't my favorite. The first night we were there we enjoyed an AMZING 5 course meal. Antipasto followed by roast beef salad followed by Lasagne followed by tiramasu ending in a cheese platter. If this wasn't enough we had a never ending supply of wine. When one bottle became empty the waiter would just bring you another and this was all included in the price. After dinner we went out the a very interesting club called the "space disco-techa" all round messy night really. I ended up outside with my friend Jodie who was literally rolling in her own vomit haha I'm sooooo never going to let her live that down. Reversing the Vomit I did find a food here in florence which almost made me believe in God for a short moment. THE CHIP PIZZA! that's right folks pizza base with red pizza sauce, Mozzarella cheese, a layer of Chips (or French Fries for you yanks) and then another layer of cheese on top. So basically carbs covered in fat covered in carbs covered in fat... summary never been happier LOL...

Nice

I was looking so forward to Nice. All I've ever heard about the place is how sunny it is and how beautiful it is and I was not let down.

Just a 40 minute drive to Monacco and Monte Carlo from here it is the ideal holiday destination. It is now on my list of places I would like to have my honeymoon.

The Promenade stretches the entire length of the beach. We hired roller blades and glided down the whole stretch. (by glided I mean staggered as we were not all that gifted in the roller blading department.) I took out a woman on a bike who appeared to be in her late 70's... ooops!

We visited a French perfumery and the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo. We also found a lovely little Australian bar got completely smashed and then wondered the streets of Nice for a good hour trying to find our hotel. I ended up having to call my mum and get her to google the address of our hotel and then talk us through the way home like she was my own personal GPS.

Beautiful Beautiful Nice...

BARCELONA

Barcelona!... The most festive city in the world.

I envy the Spanish and the life they lead. They work to live, not live to work like us.

Work starts at about 10am go until 2pm and then afternoon SIESTA!! they all go home and have a massive 3 course lunch and sometimes a nap. This goes on until about 5pm when they then go back to work until 7pm. This is however very annoying when you are a tourist as all the shops and restaurants close from 2 till 5.

The sun is so bright in spain and the sky the most amazing bright blue. How could you not be happy living in a place so bright that allows afternoon naps?

on the second night in Barcelona I went to a live Flamenco show and all I can say is WOW! such passion, and fierce energy. They danced for 2 hours straight and did not start to fade at any point. The guitarist was unreal and after 2 hours of playing the way he did I'm surprised his fingers did not bleed.

Went out to a club on the pier after this and for 2 Euro a drink I got completely hammered. Not as much however as our tour manager Dan who Rhys and I had to escort home. The next day when someone asked "Dan, how did you manage to get home last night?" His reply was "no fucking clue!"

Overall I love Barcelona and Spain in general...

Look out for my return... Long live SUN, SANGRIA and SIESTA!!

LYON

Such a shame we only got one night in this stunning medieval French city. Also a shame that it was literally pissing down with rain!

I did however try escargo' (snails) and they weren't all that bad!

the rain did cause a night in snuggling with Rhys on the lounge so not so sad about the weather after all...

LUCERNE...

Oh my, how I love Switzerland...

I don't think I'll ever find the words to describe just how beautiful it is, therefore I'm begging everyone to just go for yourself.

The air is so un-earthly fresh and clean. The water is so clear you can see the stones at the bottom. The mountains are grand. Green at the bottom, shimmering white at the top. It's cold but incredibly sunny.

I went to a cheese fondu for lunch with live Swiss entertainment... a woman yodeling, a man flag throwing, broomstick playing, horn blowing... such culture!

And of course the SWISS CHOCOLATE... fairly sure I don't need to mention how good it is!

The night life in switzerland is not so bad either... got myself fairly drunk and (along with Rhys) decided it would be a good idea to break into our motel as we were to drunk to figure out how to open the front door... it's ok we put the window back into place, I just feel for the next person who tries to open it... ooops!

I will return to Switzerland. this place is MAGIC!

PARIS...

I adore this city!

Romance, Wine, Beauty, Style...

The parisians really are in their own world.

I ventured to the Moulin Rouge where I discovered where the universe is keeping 40 of their most beautiful women and possibly their most camp men. The dancing and choreography was complete and utter rubbish but when the girls are so tall skinny and STUNNING for some reason it doesn't really matter, SO amazing!!!

I drank a lot of french wine and gosh I enjoyed it... perhaps this is why I love Paris?

This is where I met my newest Danika love... We kissed outside the Moulin Rouge and It all went from there...

I Wish I could figure out how to not fall for people and just have fun but NO and it all started in Paris!

you will be missed...

Dont let love bring you down, dont chase something that u no deep down in your heart is over, everything happens for a reason even if it leaves you broken hearted. The most important relationship you have is the one with yourself, so do what you gotta do so you can be what you want to be.

For my BFF...

Food for thought?

Just a paragraph from the book I'm reading:

I do know these drugs made my misery feel less catastrophic. So I'm Grateful for that. But I'm deeply ambivalent about mood-altering medications. I'm awed by their power, but concerned by their prevalence. I think they need to be prescribed and used with much more restraint in this country, and NEVER without the parallel treatment of psychological counseling.

Those pills might have saved my life, but they did so only in conjunction with about twenty other efforts I was making simultaneously during that same period to rescue myself.

HEAVEN...

Pajamas...

Face mask...

Chocolate...

A pot of coffee...

& Desperate Housewives...

What better way to spend a cold rainy night?

shhhhh.... don't tell anyone!

I'm secretly really excited to be coming home...

This last month I've really started to miss people...

ANNEKA, MY MUM, MY DAD, MY BROTHER, MY COUSINS, CARLY, ELISSA....

see you all soon!

L

O

V

E...

Walking in a winter wonderland...

8 sleeps until I'm leaving for a month of intense European discovery and hopefully also a month of personal discovery...

I'm flying solo... It's an amazing feeling yet terrifying at the same time.

The trip I'm doing is called "Winter Wanderer" even the name of it gets me excited!

The entire trip is by bus and for the whole month you are with the same bus load of people. This time last year I would have cringed at the thought of having to meet and socialize with 40 strangers for a whole month but now (especially due to recent events and heartbreak) I can't wait!

I'm not going to lie, I am totally going to pack my slutty self into my suitcase coz this is a once in a life time opportunity and I don't want to look back years from now wishing I had of just chilled out and been more promiscuous. I'm letting down all my guards for the entirety of this trip. I'm going to eat what I want, drink what I want, buy what I want and sleep with who I want and that my friends is that!

so in writing here is the "Winter Wanderer"

Paris

Lucerne

Lyon

Barcelona

Nice

Monaco

Florence

Tuscany

Pisa

Rome

Vatican City

Venice

Vienna

Munich

Prague

Berlin &.....

Amsterdam!!!

I've had the most AMAZING and LIFE CHANGING year of my life living in beautiful London...

I can't think of a better way to finish off!....

Will keep you posted...

Ciao x

say please...

Please please please
No apologies
At best they buy you time
Until you next step out of line...

London's High Streets...

going shopping when you're upset = bad things!!!!
I shouldn't be spending money right now...
I am the proud new owner of some very pretty shoes though...

Promise...

What you think about this?
I been holding it in now I'm letting it flow
What you think about this?
I'm gonna do my own thing yeah I'm flying solo so
Don't tell me how its gonna be
On my own
And the thing of it is
There's nothing round here that I'm gonna miss
Cause you're holding me down
I just wanna fly
There comes a time when I gotta say goodbye
To the life that you see me in
Here's where I begin

And I promise myself
I ain't nobody's, I just wanna be free
And I promise myself
Even though it don't always come easy
Gonna learn from my pain
Never explain
Do it my way, that's what I say
Promise myself
I'm the only one who will believe me

There's a voice in my head
Telling me come on, come on, move on
There's a voice in my head
Telling me I know my right from wrong
They say what doesn't kill you can
Make you strong
Now I know what it means
You can try to bend but you ain't breakin my dreams
I'll be making mistakes
Comin up at a loss
I'll be tumbling down
But Like MC shake it off
I'll stay cool cause I know who's boss
Of me, myself, and I

And I promise myself
I ain't nobody's, I just wanna be free
And I promise myself
Even though it don't always come easy
Gonna learn from my pain
Never explain
Do it my way, that's what I say
Promise myself
I'm the only one who will believe me

I'll keep movin even when the beat is gone (I will)
I'll keep doin what i got to do to carry on (I will)
So don't hold me down cause i'm gonna fly
and the time has come and gotta say goodbye
To the life that you see me in
Here's where I begin

And I promise myself
I ain't nobody's, I just wanna be free
And I promise myself
Even though it don't always come easy
Gonna learn from my pain
Never explain
Do it my way, that's what I say
Promise myself
I'm the only one who will believe me....

A not so happy ending!

As I fight back the tears to prove my strength to him, on the inside my stomach is twisting. The words I'm searching for? I hate you!

"Danika you've become my best friend"

I want more than that, & I don't think I can sit back pretending that I don't.

I'm the girl who is everyones friend.

"Dan you have such an amazing personality and one day you're going to meet an amazing guy who will just be the luckiest guy on earth to be with you"... Thanks for the words of inspiration. Don't suppose you'd care to give me any insight as to why you don't desire to be that lucky guy?

Tonight for the first time in a very long time I felt completely alone...

...............This is not the ending I had written in my head.................

Reality Vs Expectations!

My expectations were High

The reality was low,

it's as simple as that

I guess this helps me grow.

He looks at me with love

but never does he act,

don't think I'll ever be good enough

and have to live with that.

I know I make him laugh

I definitely make him smile,

So what the fuck is up

just be with me for a while.

I fell in love once

I promised never more,

the hurt that he left me with

was so much more than sore.

And here I am again

loving with all my might,

unfortunately this time

I'm not strong enough for the fight!

I Hate Magicians...

So it turns out as magically as he was able mend my heart he quickly managed to break it again. I guess this was to ensure it was left exactly the way he found it? kind of like when they chop up the woman in the box & then put her back together again... top job magician... !

I should have written it all down...

Underneath the ANGER is HURT,

But underneath the HURT is LOVE...

I learnt that a few years back, I think I must have forgotten....

I was reminded again today!

Q & A

when someone says "what if it doesn't work out?"

Reply with "what if it does?"

When someone says "why?"

Reply with "why not?"

When someone says "I don't think I can"

Reply with "I do"

When someone says "maybe it's just meant to be"

Reply with, "nothing is meant to be unless you want it to be"

It's harder to get by on your own, listen to other people, accept compliments & as much as it's gonna sting you in the guts... be positive... or at least try...

The Magician came to town

I once had a boy who broke my heart. In fact he more than broke my heart, he left it with a scar tissue so deep that I thought it'd be there forever, hideous and raw for everyone to see.

Like all scars I learnt to live with it, forget it's there until someone mentions it and you remember for a moment how you got it. This is the way it was until I met the other boy. The other boy who turned out to be a magician... He asked me if I had only one wish what it would be, and I replied "to make this scar go away" & so he did. He healed my scar and my heart started to beat again. I hope some day I can repay the Magician boy, at the least I hope he lets me...

Take the wheel and steer

In order to succeed, your desire for success must be greater than your fear of failure...

Wise yes, but how?

How do you go about being fearless? is it becoming more knowledegable? is it being more prepared and prepared for the worse? is it just in ones nature to not be afraid?

my opinion... Everyone fails, it's how you bounce back that counts. If you learn to not take failure personally I think your desire to succeed grows. Whatever it is you are aiming for GO FOR IT!!! have a plan, have a plan B and always remember Failure is not the end it's an opportunity to change tactic...

first day at school

So I'm new to this whole blogging thing... in the past I probably would have only resorted to something like this if I was feeling down, which I was a good 90% of the time, but I've recently learnt how to live again and I don't remember a time I was happier.

I'm not saying my life is perfect and by no means will it ever be, and anyone out there who thinks there is a person on this planet who doesn't have at least one thing about there life that makes them want to be someone else for a day then you are kidding yourself, but I have learnt to take the shit that life throws me, except it and not let it drown the magic of the fact I'm alive.

Sometimes I forget to remember that I get this shot at life once. I don't believe in Heaven or Hell and I don't believe in reincarnation but I do believe that your soul never dies, and when that day comes that my soul is floating around wherever souls float I want it to be happy, I don't want it to look back at earth watching people making the most of their lives wishing I had of done things differently.

A not so great friend of mine told me over and over again that "happiness is a choice" and every time she said it to me I literally wanted to kick or skinny blonde ass so far into the future I would never see her again, until one day I realized she wasn't just telling me to wake up & flick the happy switch on, she was telling me that happiness is a choice if you choose to work hard for it. You need to build the strength to not let bullshit rip you apart, you need to learn to be your own biggest fan so when it feels like everyone else hates you, you still have yourself, and you need to know that you can always start over, nothing has to follow you around unless you let it...

I had to move all the way to the other side of the world to figure all this out, away from all my friends and my family, and I missed them all every single day. I'm coming home soon and my time away was so worth it because when I get back I really am going to start over and from now on, I wont waste another minute!