Phi Phi Island.... winding down (or up)

OK so anyway I don't have long left now, and then it's back home. Oh, that's right, I don't have a home... I'm going to be living with my sister, Sarah, and Brett and Will. Oh, and I don't have a car. Oh, and I don't know what job I'm going to be doing. Oh, and I'm single. In fact, must check if even have a job. Oh, and like a million people have gotten married had babies come out gotten pregnant forgotten me.....

.....my family and my lay-dees haven't though. I cannot wait to see them. I'm booked chockablock from the moment I get off the plane Saturday morning (starting with babycinos with my nephew) until Sunday morning (waking up at MBenn's with an 80's hangover)....

All of this should be anxiety provoking, but I'm surprisingly calm.... I have after all:

• covered about 35,000km by air


• covered about 12,000km by land (without a car), and all of it not wearing a seatbelt.....


• walked about 200km of it (I mean trekking before you call me a lazy shyte - I did a lot more walking around as well)


• covered about 1,000km by water


• been homeless for six months


• been robbed


• broken bones with only cups of tea and tiger balm for pain!


• held my own as I've been hit on by creeps seeking visas in practically every country except the US. I mean, I got hit on in the US, but they think they are too good to live in Australia anyway. LOL.


• drunk rum upside down on a bar singing Like a Prayer - and still got home with all my personal belongings and SELF intact - I believe I was a victim of drink spiking (in the form of non-standard pours)


• Jordan. That's all I'm going to say about that.


• nearly been arrested for being dirty twice in one evening


• been offered jobs in countries where I can't even speak the language. And, proper jobs.

I'm pretty sure I now have the resources to take it as it comes. A lot of people will be in Melbourne between now and the end of the year that I've met around the world, so I look forward to catching up with them (assuming I end up based in Melbourne, which may or may not happen... who knows).

Anyway. Thankfully I had the foresight to book a week on an island to deal with all these perplexing issues before I get back to Australia. And it's Day 1, and they've been dealt with, so that leaves another 6 days of good food, sun and massages on the beach. And reading the stack of obscenely expensive magazines in English that I bought at BKK Airport.

Phi Phi Island is the most beautiful island I've been to. Not much more to say, really. I love it.

Knowing a Travel Agent is fabulous. Within an hour of getting here, I met some great people who are travelling similarly to me (mostly solo, mostly on a budget, mostly for a long time) and have been hanging out with them since - of course when they asked where I stayed, I had to um and ah and admit that I was staying at nearly the best resort on the island with a great view, and hot water, and a TV and cable and a big white fluffy bed.... they are all at the cockroach infested shacks a million miles away - while I'm in beachside but away from the noise.... sigh. And they are paying more for the privilege. Heaven. Thank you God....

So anyway, with any luck during my stopover in Sydney, I'll really be able to finish my trip with a bang. The ideal time would go like this:

• Landing an interview at the UN, being given a job on the spot and them relocating all my furniture for me within 24 hours and paying me $1M a year as a stepping stone to being the next Kofi Annan (now, I know there's a new bloke but can't remember his name).


• Shagging someone incredibly Famous


• Eating at the Opera House again on a company account

Hmmm. Pretty sure that I won't be that lucky, and it will be a very quiet time staring at the inside of a hotel room, like a cat on a hot tin roof super excited to get home and see my fam and friends.

Oh, and this is what I'm doing for the next week:

See y'all soon!!!!! xox