there's a word for it ...

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Travelday - Pisa

Remember how this blog used to have semi-regular posts about the holiday that The Sparky and I took last year? No? I can't say I blame you, it has been quite a while.

I hit a bit of a stumbling block when my photos from Pisa refused to upload properly, an issue which I still haven't been able to sort out ...

So, in light of both that and the fact that I hope to be able to keep posting while in Queenstown soon (!), I have decided it's time to pull the iPad back out and start posting from it again.

The other problem I have had with posting about Pisa is an issue with what to say ... I want to tell you about how we were offered real coffee from a real barrister on a real machine when we checked in, the hundreds and hundreds of bikes outside the school that we walked past on our way into town, the kebabs that were supposed to be a quick and easy lunch but instead ended up being the best kebabs we have ever tasted (the pita that was made fresh before our eyes and baked in the pizza oven was just the begining), the gorgeous buildings and vibrant university feel in the town, the supermarket with its fun array of delicious foods, the best breakfast buffet of the trip (our accommodation must have been on super special when I booked it for it to have been within budget) and so many other things about our less-than-24hrs in Pisa but somehow it feels a little strange to say any more about them than that. These are memories that mean a lot to us but that don't transfer well into stories when put in writing ... if we even meet up in real life, remind me to tell you all about them.

For the moment though let's just say that, despite photogrphic evidence, we enjoyed Pisa for more than just its tower.

Oh, and if you ever find yourself there and someone asks you to take a photo of them infront of said tower, this is not exactly what they're after ...

Monday's Manifestos

Admittedly manifesto is probably too grand a word for what I hope to do with this series but I was after a little alliteration and so manifesto it is.

My health, fitness, wellbeing and organisation have been back on my mind again lately, things began to slide a little at some point during my Thirteen Weeks of Summer challenge and have progressively become worse throughout the year. I am reasonably aware of the reasons why that happened and, even though I have no control over some of them, I have decided to not let those reasons rule my life.

After my comment last week in particular I have noticed that a lot of the things I had starting working so hard for have not simply stalled but have gone backwards ... I actually got puffed the other day walking back to work, that hasn't happened in a very long time!

The plan is to jump on this space every Monday and loudly proclaim five things that I will do in the week to follow. Three health and wellbeing related (exercise, eating habits, physical health or mental health), one long term organisational (a new habit, or an old one that needs to be reignited) and one short term organisational (a one off item that needs to come off my ever expanding to do list).

So, without further ado (because these posts will probably be boring enough without me babbling on) I proclaim that this week:

1 - I will walk to the train station every work morning and not to the bus stop;

2 - I will walk down the stairs at work and not take the lift (unfortunately I can't come back up that way because the door is locked from the stairwell side for security reasons);

3 - I will do a 15-minute workout before work at least twice;

4 - I will start setting the alarm for 5:30 a.m. again;

5 - I will finish my application for recognition of prior learning to a point where it is ready for lodgement (finally!)

and there you have it ... I'll be back next week to let you know how I went.

* I actually don't honestly expect any of you to comment or be particularly involved in this series, I just found last time that the accountability that comes with 'putting it out there' was a really good motivator.