Warm weather and training to trek

I was thoroughly exhausted after a grueling 2-hour case conference (family meeting) on Friday, and had managed to come down with another cold-- what's going on here, I thought I had more than served my time this "winter"?!-- so I spent most of the weekend in bed. Although I sound better today, I still feel totally drained, and can't get rid of a persistent (sinus?) headache.

I will get into the case conference at some point this week, but at the moment, it's still too tiring to think about.

A couple of things. Not to brag (especially since I was stuck in bed this weekend, not out enjoying some fresh air), but I've been hearing reports of it being bitterly cold on the East Coast for several weeks now. Over here, aside from the one day we had snow, it has consistently been in the 40s to even low 50s at times this winter. It goes down into the 30s at night. I think most people are pleased about this, but not me...I like my winter thank you very much, and it feels like we skipped right over it into spring! Okay, a really wacky spring, where it was getting dark around 4pm, but these days it's now pretty light when I leave work.

Viv and I have now booked all flights, and the only thing left to do is make sure we're in trekking shape by the end of March. To that end, I'm trying to run at least 3 times a week, have started going to a very challenging class at a yoga studio in Bethnal Green 2 times a week (the athletic power flow version of yoga, not the meditative static kind), and also try to lift weights 3 times a week. Housemate Nicole wants me to sign up for a bike ride from London to Brighton this summer, so she has someone to train with, which I would do, but I can't seem to find the time to go looking for a good quality used road bike.

News

Hello hello! I am back. And what an amazing, gorgeous, refreshing weekend I had in Cymru! (Or Cambria, or Wales even-- all names for the same stunning corner of land in the UK.) We were based at Buckland Hall, in Bwlch, which pretty much turned out to be 5-star accommodation. We had twin ensuite rooms, and the entire manor to ourselves, a very attentive staff, open coffee bar, big wood fires in every room of the main part of the manor, amazing gourmet vegetarian food, 2 sessions of yoga per day, with hours of sun-drenched/misty hiking in between (yes, in Wales you can combine sunny and misty), and the gorgeous grounds of the manor itself to explore. Not to mention the wonderful people I met, and fascinating conversations we had- boy, do I have food for thought! I have loads of pictures, but it's about bedtime here, and I've spent so much time this evening organizing other things, the pics will have to wait.

Big news- Viv and I have booked our trip to......Machu Picchu!!!!! This has been Allison at my best, ridiculously indecisive to the last. Viv was no help (well, you weren't, at least not until the final moments), and each day I'd wake up and think ok, Costa Rica, we're booking that today, and I'd say something to Viv to that effect, and then be texting her the following day to say, no it's Peru. And so on and so forth. To the point where I'd finally decided upon Costa Rica today, picked a package that I loved, which has a stay at a gorgeous eco lodge as part of it since Viv keeps talking about this program she saw on eco lodges in Costa Rica, or little bungalows as she says. I'd filled out the confirmation form, entered credit card numbers and everything, when Viv called and said we should do Peru since I've had my heart set on it. Long story short (too late, I know), we have put down a deposit on Peru! And actually, what Viv said was we should do both- save the other one for the end of the year ;) Somehow I think it may be a bit longer than that until we get there, especially if we actually do intend to do Thailand and Philippines next spring. I can't believe it, I'm going to see Machu Picchu at long last! My fascination with the Incas began with a report I did in the 6th grade, but that's a story for another time.

I was also trying to coordinate a chunk of 2-3 days while I'm home to go and see my grandfather in Michigan-- it's a bit tricky, what with the wedding in Boston and the trip to Peru, and trying to work with my parents' schedules, so I don't know if it will happen yet. Unfortunately, no one was at home when I called this evening, so I haven't gotten very far at this point.

However, I am going to Dartmoor National Park with a bunch of people on another Backabush tour for the first holiday weekend in May. And I've started to look at fares for Vermont week with the fam (Heilalas and Johnsons and Burks, oh my) in July. Heard back from Virgin Airways finally, in regard to my complaint following my flight back to the UK after Christmas. They gave me 5000 miles back in my account, which I suppose is something, although I would have appreciated say 250 pounds toward a future flight a lot more. Especially knowing I will need flights to the States mid-summer and again in November for Jenn's wedding. Ah well.

I hope to post more about Wales and put up some pics tomorrow night. Namaste. :)