Friday, August 17, 2007

It's Friday!

Hi Everyone......it's Friday and I'm so excited it's the weekend!

Hmmm, what have I done this week???

Well, I've been attempting to get to the gym as much as possible.....between being in China and being in Chicago I've put on about 10 pounds......aarrrgghhhh. So need to peel it off again....if only I could peel it off!

Last weekend was reasonably quiet, but on Sunday I went to have a couple "quiet" drinks with Ryan, Sam and Pam at the Boathouse in Central Park. Ended up being there for like four hours and numerous very strong Long Island Ice Teas and Mojitos....needless to say, I was very merry....then suceeded in making many drunken phone calls, as per usual. Oh well, lots of fun and the weather has been amazing! Also, chatted to Phil a couple times....nice, cute and very excited about the whole thing!

This week has been fairly uneventful.....other than work and gym. Had dinner with Justus and Laurie at their apartment....had been about 8 months since I'd seen them so it was a really great catch up.....scary how quickly time flies! We had Jambalaya for dinner and then cherrys and strawberries with chocolate fondue for dessert....yummy!!

So today's Friday, at lunch I went out with Pam for sushi and it was great to catch up before she heads out on holiday. I think I be leaving work a little early as they're trying to identify a new deal for me. Head to the gymbo and then am going up to my friend kristines on the upper westside to watch the baseball, have takeout and some white wine spritzers (darling!)....maybe haru for dinner!

No big weekend plans....my friend Berit from work has invited me for Dim Sim tomorrow....so sounds like an adventure to china town.

Also think it's time for a good throw out of clothes and shoes I no longer wear......you know how it is...they just seem to accumulate!

Well, very boring I know.....but hope you're all well and shoot me an email to let me know what you're all up to!

Have great weekends

Love Kim

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

OK....so I've been a slacker!!

Hi People!

So I know I've been terrible......if it's any consolation I've been somewhat busy.

As mentioned in previous blog I got banished to work out in Chicago and ended up out there until the end of July.....could have been until December + so I'm totally not complaining. Lot's of early mornings, flights, hotels and working......so it's really really nice to be back in the city and settling into what resembles a somewhat normal life!

Hmmmmmm, what else have I been up to. A bunch of different things....in the weekends in July...ventured out for a BBQ to CT and saw a bunch of people I hadn't seen for just too long. Then the following week cousin Steve was in town for Friday night, had dinner out at Haru and a few drinks! Then when he disappeared on Saturday for a wedding in Princeton, NJ, I went to the burbs again and visited Ryan and Samantha....had a nice swim and a pina colada! lol Also, have hung out a bit with my friend Pam. She's got a new apartment on 77th with a deck that we can have BBQ's on....very jealous....but great to know!

The following weekend Steve was in the city again.....had a blast on Fri and Sat going to dinners and drinking and a couple live music places. Also, discovered the 79th street boat basin....drinkies (specifically frozen margarita's) alongside the hudson. Fun! Shame Steve can just move over here and be my permanent weekend pal!

Last weekend, although it was supposed to be quiet ended up reasonabley busy. Friday was the PwC promotion day celebrations....after a few too many cocktails at Cellar Bar....stumbled into bed around 9pm....I'm such a lightweight! The next day I ....hmmm, got a haircut and hung at home, then had dinner at an Italian place on the upper east to help Benny and Pam carbo load for the following days half marathon! On Sunday, a work mate Simon came around and helped (or should I say totally) hang up my blinds.......finally, after over a year, my neighbours don't have to see me wandering around my apartment.....all very exciting!!! Then went to the Yankees game....yay we won 8-5 over Kansas City....I know....but a win is a win!! Then some more margaritas before an early night!

So it's now Tuesday and I'm on a new deal....hopefully this will start to increase my levels of work motivation!!

Well my peep's keep cool till after school.

Kimbo

Friday, July 6, 2007

I'm BACK!!

So....I'm now back in reality in New York and working again. Have been assigned a job where I'll be in Chicago for at least a month.....bugger!

Sorry for not blogging more during the trip but we didn't have regular access to internet cafes and China blocks a lot of websites, which prevented me from seeing my blog and posting was tricky! Not too mention that I was kept busy seeing things and sitting on buses and in 4x4's!!

The remainder of the trip was amazing....Everest is spectacular .....a couple on our trip actually got engaged up at base camp....very cool! Then onto Nepal and Kathmandu.....absoluately beautiful and lush countryside ...definately will have to try and get back there to do a bit more travelling and maybe even hiking. Such different terrain to the dry and arrid desert like Tibet. Nothing grows there cause of the altitude.

Once I download some photos I'll upload them and you'll get to see what I got up to.

Although it's kinda sad to be back home....have to say it was nice sleeping in my own bed and having a beautiful toilet to use.....it's the small things right!

So, don't know what's next on the travel agenda. But totally looking forward to a visit from Dad and Mum over the next few months and showing them around this city that I love. Then I think it may be time to plan my next steps from a life perspective!

Anyway, keep checking back....I'll keep updating this thing with the latest going's on.....

Tonight/tomorrow....getting a desperately overdue haircut and dye job!!!! Grrr the grays are showing badly!!!

Friday, June 22, 2007

shigatze.....

so all i am now in the second biggest town in tibet called shigatze.....predominantely chinese unfortunately, but gives us a bit of a pit stop before some fairly heavy travel days.....

over the last couple days we've travelled here from lhasa in a convoy of landcruisers, we stayed in a monestary/climed a mountain (no showers etc.....very smelly toilets) then yesterday we had 10 hours of driving through the mountains to arrive at gantze. the views were totally amazing .....ended up at a 5000m pass over looking the most beautiful sapphire blue lake...later we did a little off roading and in doing so past many little houses and people working on the fields and on the edge of the track. it truely astounds me how friendly, inquisitive and happy these people seem to be even though they have nothing....absolutely nothing (especially not showers!!). one thing that's really georgeous is that every body hugs each other as they walk down the street, they're very affectionate..

hmmm, nothing much else to tell.....just loving being here and understanding the culture here an the political things that have gone on over the last 50 years.

do tell me what you're up to people.....feeling rather disconnected from the world. hope you're all well ..

love kim xx

Friday, June 15, 2007

Lhasa

Hi Folks

Sorry its been a long time since I've posted. At certain places in China they don't seem to allow this site.....censorship and all that I guess.

Well I've come along way since then...we are now in Lhasa the main city in Tibet. Very isolated but the Potala palace and general city vibe are great. I'm about to have a Tibetean language lesson to help us through the rest of the trip and we're going to see people painting Thankas (pictures of buddas etc).

Since I last wrote we've since been to a bunch of Amdo Tibetean monestaries and had fun meeting the people.....they're so inquisitive, they come up and poke certain bits of you to see if you're the same as them. We have this guy Tom in our group who is about 6ft7 and they're all facinated by him....he's a real celebrity. We also stayed with a Nomad family in their winterhouse (2 very small rooms) on the grasslands near Langmusi....it was great....no electricity and all the meals they made we're on a Yak dung fire....amazing....such hard workers but characters all the same. We also went into a school near there and met some kids and spoke english with them. So much poverty....on average a family earns approx. $250 USD a year. Despite that they seem extremely happy and content with their way of life.....i guess cause they know no other life. Also.....have been eating Yak...mainly in the form of burgers....very tasty!

Well my lessons are nearly about to begin so I must run. If you need to contact me remember my hotmail address......kim_e_ward@hotmail.com.

I'll update you before we leave Lhasa for the road to Kathmandu!

Kim xx

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Xi'an

so folks....just a short note to say hello! today I'm in Labrang, home of the 2nd biggest monestery in the world, we've just finished a 5 hour drive after a night on the train. the countryside is truly spectacular.....the fields all seem carved out of the mountain. have seen a few yaks and goat and unfortunately entered a number of ghastly toilets....apparently they only get worse from here on out! ;-) joy

we're now at altitude so have to drink a bunch of water....3 litres at least a day in order to help prevent altitude sickness.

last couple of days were spent in Xi'an, an old historic city in central china and home to the terracotta warriors....very cool to see...also the city has a full city wall that you can bike around and catch the views...very cool. you should see some of the places we've eaten at.....can't quite believe it! no yet sick so that's a bonus....hopefully it stays that way. other point to add is that xi'an had the worst pollution...just a thick heavy haze in the air constantly....that's why it's really great to now be in the countryside with clear skies.

well must run....keep in touch with what's going on in the real world

kim

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Ni Hao China!

Hi Everyone!

So I've now been in China 3 days....first time connected to the world and it feels great! The flight was great we flew over the north pole..so could look out at the ice flows and stuff....got 5 hours sleep so I can't complain. Beijing is pretty stinky although I think i'm now used to it......

The first day Helen and I went to the Summer Place where the Emperors and Empresses hung out in ...you guessed it summer. Quite amazing...this GIANT man made lake. It's very cute.....european people are pretty rare here, so chinese people will point at us and get there kids to say "hello"....very cute! The women here are hilarious, dressed up to the nines with heels and everything...whilst trekking up and down hills and for miles at a time. I'll have to explain the craziness of their foot stocking fetish and the use of parisoles..... After the Summer Place we headed to the Hutongs, basically local traditional housing networks....where we hitched a ride on a rickshaw and then had a beer on a rooftop. Is quite surreal sometimes being in foreign lands chilling out!

Must say....language is a struggle...not many speak english at all. Helen and I were in a taxi the other day and we couldn't get him to stop! It's quite hilarious thinking about it....we were yelling he was yelling....we worked it out in the end and then had to walk half a km back to where we wanted to be.

Yesterday we went to the Great Wall....very cool....killer hike up there but got to luge down from the top! After that we hit the markets where helen picked up a 70L pack for lik US$10! She's a definate hard arse in the bargining department!

Today the tour hit Tianimen Square (forgive the spelling) and the Forbidden City.......quite spectacular! You'll see photo's later I'm sure.

Tonight is the first of our night train and tomorrow we drive 6 hours to the terracotta warriors......things are not all fun!

Also! Have heard that sometimes....we'll have to share toilets no walls and no sense of space woman are lined up to use the toilet and there are no DOORS....this is NOT good...problem is that at altitude you have to drink a lot not to get sick.....YUXCK YUCK YCUK....more to come

hope you're all well....talk soon

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Remember - Ritchie will save the world


People.....while I'm away it's very important that you watch the rugby and cheer on ritchie for me while I'm away!! I enclose a picture just so you don't forget who you're supporting! What a QT!


Working in Florida

So here I am working in middle of nowhere Floriday......or perhaps it's actually a retirement mecca! Best bit is that once I get back to New York on Thursday....only 2 more sleeps till I go to China! Yay

Birthday Piccy's








The following are some piccy's of my birthday dinner and drinkies with my peeps! Thanks lily for the photos!


Friday, May 25, 2007

Memorial Day Weekend!!

So.....summer has finally arrived! It's memorial day weekend....and fleet week here in the city. There's so many people around.

This morning I got the last of my shots for my trip.....Rabies, Japenese Encephilitus and Hep B. That was round three....so nice to have them all done and feel a little safer! Now just need to stock up on Tylenol and Immodium for the trip! Got my hiking boots the other day, which are much pinker than they were in the pictures on the internet. Oh well.

Tonight the girls and I are off for an early drink at Tonic, hopefully we'll get out to the rooftop bar. I suspect many people will be thinking the same thing! Nothing other than a yankees game (sunday) and packing this weekend before heading to Florida on monday for work. Perhaps will head over to long island city "beach" for a few beverages tomorrow afternoon too.

Hope you're all well.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Lucky Me!

So last night my friend Ryan calls me an asks if I want to go to the Yankees v Red Sox game that night! YES! Why not.

So, we had these killer seats about 8 row from the Boston dug-out. How cool!!

Not only that but the Yanks won! 6-2......we're making a come back.

Tour Details

So this is the link to my trip https://www.intrepidtravel.com/trips/fsn in case you're interested in following my tour and also in case anyone needs to contact the tour company.

I'm leaving on the June 4th departure of the mountains and monestaries tour.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Photos

This was the group of us that walked together. I'm just learning how this whole blog thing works!


12 days to go before vacation!

Very excited.

Had my birthday yesterday. A great day starting with a 10km walk for AIDs through central park and then down Riveriside Dr. Met some new people from PwC and ended up hanging out with them and having a late lunch in a bar near Columbus Circle. Very nice people. I'll attach a photo of us eating!

Kristine had arranged for some of my friends and I to meet for drinks (at the Ganesvoort Hotel rooftop bar) and then dinner at Vento in the meatpacking district. Was a really great night....lots of laugh and tasty food. Also a few firefighters making a guest appearance....unfortunately remained fully clothed! ;-) Got some cool pressies. Thanks for all the gifts....will all come in handy!

Now officially have my visa's for China and Nepal. So I'm definately going! Bought some hiking boots online today, and they are the last thing I need. I am going to be working out of town next week, only arriving back in NYC the night before I leave! So will have to essentially pack for my adventure this weekend!

Must run....

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Running! and other things

Also.....am starting to run. Have been building up over the last week and am doing 3kms...building up at 0.3miles a day. Trying to start doing some running with the NY runners club.

Also, on Monday got a bunch of shots done for my trip to China. Need to go back next Monday for more.....incl. Hep A, Hep. C, RABIES, Japanese Encephilitus, Polio! Crazy and sore arms! Same day I got my visa for Nepal, just have to get the one for China now. Starting to get excited about my trip....feel like I haven't done any exciting travel for ages!

Dumb arse!

To set up what I did I need to explain that in NY most women will walk to work in flat shoes and then switch to high heels. Some keep pairs at the office, others take them with them.

So...here I am walking to work carrying the heels and enjoying my comfy flat shoes! I arrive at work only to find that the "pair" of shoes I brought to wear was in fact 1 purple shoe and 1 black shoe! Such an idiot....as a result I went about my day in the flat unworklike shoes!

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Latest and greatest

So, haven't had the most exciting of weeks.....although on the work front things have gotten quieter so much more enjoyable!

The date last friday went well, but oh I don't know, I guess I was just not really into him....unfortunately have been bombarded with emails from him since, so have been employing slow down/I'm busy tactics! Which are not all completely untrue. Have decided I may actually be scared of entering into anything serious.....although my rationalization for it is that no point being in something that isn't what you really want!

I'm trying to get back on track with diet and exercise before this China trip. Have lined up another fun walk/run for AIDS on my birthday! 10kms....should be nice, hopefully by then it'll be a little warmer. Am also thinking of planning an outing the the "Champange School" for my b'day too....they do these one night courses on diff types of Champas! Would be fun I'm sure.

Of course next weekend, I have a double header, with the Breast Cancer fun run 5kms from Time Square to Central Park and the next day the 42mile 5 borough bike ride which will be fun, the views of the city are supposed to be great! Plus I've never been to Staten Island.....The ride involves cycling through all five boroughs of New York (Manhattan (start in central park), Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island)..they shut down all the highways and roads and 35000 people cycle through!....an all day affair, I'm sure my butt will be v. sore on Monday! Am starting to get a little nervous on the actual level of exercise and fitness required for Nepal....I'm sure I'll battle my way through it.

Also, just signed up for the executive health exam at work, apparently they give a complete going over with all cancer, heart disease and anything you can imagine tests....plus I'm going to get all my shots for my trip at the same time! Perfect.....hopefully there won't be bad news!

So what's a head for the weekend! Tomorrow night drinkies with my friend Michelle at Arctica (just about 8 blocks/700m from my apt)...may run into the cute Irish barman! Hopefully things don't get too crazy. On sat there's this ANZAC day party run by the NY aussie football club that I'm thinking of heading to with some people from OZ, alternatively may go with an alcohol free dinner and drinks with my friend Kristine (she's a partner here in nz that i stayed with back in 2003). Sunday, I'm doing my kiwi thing and going to an ANZAC day memorial at the Rockefella centre......at 10.30am, in true NY style...is not a dawn parade.

I'm supposed to go out to a BBQ on Sun, but will see how the weather is, may be time for the first outing to central park for some people watching and book reading....might gather the girls together for a gossip!

So people....tell me what you're all up to in a comment or on the phone!

Friday, April 13, 2007

TGIF

Thank god it's Friday....and lucky me....a nice empty weekend ahead!

Soooo.....tonight I'm going on a date....first date! Hate those. What I thought was going to be a few drinks after work is now ending up as going to a live music venue in the village....which should be fun (but far more than I was expecting). Not really sure how things will go, but stay tuned. The guy works in a private equity firm here in the city and funnily enough we live about five blocks from one another. Anyway....is alway nice when the boys do the arranging!

Tomorrow NZ play South Africa so I'm planning on going to a bar to watch with a couple friends. Although, to be honest, I have very little faith in the boys coming through....so maybe I'll monitor from afar rather than inflicting all that pain live and in person (surrounded by a ton of saffa's).

Sunday I've been invited to a Braii (BBQ Sth African style) out in Westchester....not sure I want to go, am keen to maybe get up to the park and just chill out rather than trekking out of the city.

Well, hope you all are having or had a great weekend.

Kim

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Reprieve!

All very exciting. Today my deal died, which means I'm somewhat quieter at work.....just awaiting my fate as to what I'll work on next!

NZ doing terribly (and suspect will lose) against Sri Lanka in the cricket super 8 today. Yet again I build faith in our team and they disappoint!! I keep getting hassled by various aussie and saffa people around that we're chokers! I tell ya what I damn well hope Ritchie and the boys come through later this year.

So think I'm going to go shopping or at least walkies around before heading home. Am loving the new ipod nano i just bought.....very tiny and cool. Hopefully it won't rain as it was raining earlier.

At the moment cause things have been so hectic at work....I totally look forward to laxing out on the couch. Have just started getting the DVD's from Netflix for "House M.D." and have three new episode to watch!

Jeez.....I live life on the edge!

Although am going to drinkies with a boy tomorrow......probably another shocker. But we'll see. I do hate first dates......

TTYS Kimbo x

Friday, April 6, 2007

New Thing

So, I've decided to do a blog....will help you guys to keep and I on me and make sure I'm up to no good......

Figure it'll be useful when I travel etc to keep in touch.

Talk soon