Today was stressful but it was a really good day.

Work sux balls. Actually I think it's just the whole PA thing that I'm over with. And the actual work that I do. I want to think again, I want to learn, I want to be challenged, I want to question things. If I'm not challenged I get bored very easily. Although I am quite enjoying working with the people around me. I feel like I've become more part of the team over the last couple of months and that's important to me. But that won't keep me there.

I was told today that I should have notified X of me extending my leave to 30 July before X went on leave themselves a few weeks ago. Now X has to go back to R and request that the temp filling in for me be extended to 30 July. I advised X I did and emailed them before I went on leave. I then get told I should get out all of the files for the temp so they'll know where the files are to put the filing on them. My reply 'I don't have time for that. The files are in the lawyers' office, I'm sure the temp can go in there and open a cupboard door and find the files, or they can ask'. Probably a bit of a knee jerk reaction by me but I don't care. They're pissed because I gave them 4 weeks notice and not 6 months so they can organise relief in my absence. You know what, life doesn't work like that. My opportunity is now and I'm taking it. Why do I want to 'do right by the firm' when the firm isn't going to do right by me anytime soon. I learnt that after my exit from my last firm. I always did things to make things easier for THEM. I'd go to work sick because I didn't want to let anyone down. I felt GUILTY if I took a sick day even if I was sick. Not anymore. Sure I care, but at the end of the day no-one is going to take care of me but ME.

Rach called and I'm so happy and excited to be travelling with her. It'll be weird having someone there all the time - I'm so used to being alone. I've always travelled alone. But this time around I just didn't want to. I'm sick of it. Eating alone sucks. I hate it. It's also that thing of sharing an experience or a moment or just pure wonder and amazement at what is in front of you and I turn around and oh yeah, there's no one there to look at and know they see/think/feel the same thing or talk to about the day. I was lucky enough to meet Michelle on my Intrepid trip through Budapest, Romania (oh I could go on about Romania for hours), Bulgaria (go see the Bears!!!, it's about the most rewarding thing in Bulgaria) and Istanbul (how I love Istanbul). We clicked and hit it off straight away. She has the most fantastic humour, is intelligent (she's a doctor! she does cancer stuff), creative, imaginative, well travelled, loves her super nice clothes and boots, and the best to travel with. She's down to earth and just wonderful and without her I wouldn't have enjoyed the trip so much. The first night we shared a room it was in Romania at a housestay. We had to share a bed together. We barely knew each other. I thought we'd been asleep for about 5 minutes (I take forever to get to sleep generally) and I heard the rain pouring down outside. I got very excited and sat up, looked outside and proclaimed rather loudly in excitement 'It's raining!'. We'd been asleep for an hour, or Shell had at least. I woke her up. Thankfully she never held it against me and it became one of our running jokes on the trip. Want a chocolate biscuit? No. Want a carrot? No thanks. Want a chocolate biscuit?

So going with Rach will be awesome. We're pretty much on the same page and like the same things. I'm the more organised/planning type of the two of us and she's more laid back, yeah whatever go with the flow. I've been taking on her way of things with respect to this trip and feeling very relaxed about the whole thing. Nothing is planned, aside from our flights and where we're staying. I just want to absorb. And lick the dirt and pollution and sand off the Colosseum's walls. It's always been my dream to see the Colosseum. I don't know where this came from, it's just always been there. I'm scared I might be disappointed because I want to see it for real so badly. That the reality won't be as wonderful as the dream. And I don't live in reality, I never have. My world is a dream world. So I'm not thinking about it. Until it's there right in front of me. We think that the underground section where the slaves were kept for fighting and where the animals were housed before being hoisted up on the arena will be opened to the public for the first time when we're there. That is so damn exciting. And I want to see the catacombs. That's my two things for Rome. Everything else will be a bonus. And the Vatican. I'm not religious in any way but I do have a fascination with it and the history of it all. And the art. Don't forget the art. Oh my goodness.... it will be art overload. I can't wait to just spend a day in the Louvre.... I want to see what other people don't bother to see. You can have your Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.... take me somewhere else in there to get lost and admire and absorb and wonder and question... My aim is to obtain an original piece of art in each place we go to. At least Paris and Rome anyway.

Am I excited? No. I don't get excited until I'm there... maybe a little on the plane. It's not actually real until I'm at the other end. Walking out of the airport asking myself how do I get to the city? Which bus do I get on.... oh they don't speak English and I don't understand the money. That happened when I got to Praha. There was hardly anyone at the airport, I couldn't access money from my account so had to draw against my credit card (which wasn't an issue) and then I just jumped on whatever bus was sitting there after finally getting enough change for a ticket. The bus terminated at some stop I had no idea where I was. But I just followed people down to the train station and picked a train that went close enough to Wencelaus square. I got confused walking down a street trying to find my apartment and a lovely girl who spoke English helped me out. I've never needed anybody to hold my hand in life, I'm too stubborn and independent for that, but it'll be nice to have someone there that if I want to hold their hand, I can.