When the Cheshire emerges...

On this day one year ago I did a pretty good wrap of my 2012 highlights and I was excited for 2013. Now I'm hanging out for it to be tomorrow so I can start afresh and get my life re-sorted.

I don't really know what I should say about 2013 as a year.

It started great with my trips to the Australian Open and Brisbane/Port Stephens. I have nothing but good memories with those, so can't complain about the summer really.

But then it just fell to pieces by the time winter came along. There were so many things not clicking in different parts of my life and I felt rather lost. I was unhappy with work, which didn't make for a healthy mind, and felt helpless.

The last few months have really helped in restoring what I thought was gone. I'm still getting there, but I really feel anything's going to be better than the rollercoaster of the last 12 months. My connections with friends in Dubbo strengthened when I needed them most, and for that I'm eternally grateful.

And importantly, I landed a job that piqued my curiosity as well as that of many who know my new employer's reputation.

This year has made me doubt my abilities as a journalist, and I still have those doubts sometimes. But in Darwin I've been given the chance to give it a red-hot go and that's all I ask. In a completely different vibe from Dubbo, I've been socially active from the start with people that want my company - no questions asked. You couldn't imagine the difference it makes, whether you know people in a place (as I actually do here) or not.

Having said all of that, it's over. There were lessons learned, as outlined perfectly by this blogger. January 1 brings that fresh start we all need at this time, that knowledge anything's possible. There's plenty for me to look forward to in 2014, namely my World Cup trip and two weddings to attend. I have hope, and that's all I wish for everyone else.

Happy New Year to you all. Sorry for the soppiness. x

Photo: tenplay.com.au

Having immersed myself in the latest season of Glee this week as part of an ongoing TV catch-up post-move, I wanted to talk about a couple of things regarding the show.

1: The Cory Monteith tribute episode.

I didn't watch it at the time; the news of his death was horrible, I was particularly busy and I hadn't watched the episodes before it. Finally getting to it a couple of months later though, it was still incredibly sad. Glee has always dealt with strong topical issues, from school shootings to gay acceptance, and Monteith's death was dealt with accordingly.

If I'd watched the Cory Monteith tribute ep of @GLEEonFOX when it aired I would've been a right mess. Still am after watching it only now...
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) December 23, 2013

2: The Beatles episodes.

I can't say I've ever been a huge Beatles fan. The only song of theirs I think I have on my iPod is Get Back because that's what my dad had downloaded once (and I was influenced by his taste for different pop/rock music). But listening to the Glee crew singing their way through a snippet of their illustrious catalogue, I was touched by the simple lyrics and melodies. It's actually made me want to go and buy their 1 album.

I love that five seasons in, Glee has the ability to still influence younger generations into appreciating good music - while still embracing modern and perhaps dubious acts like twerking.

I've only briefly mentioned on here that I will be at the World Cup next year, but with things moving quickly a lot has happened and my planned trip is really coming together.

With the help of my wonderful travel agent in Sydney, I first tried to figure out if the Fanatics option was cheapest/the best. After deciding yes and getting frantic about the Rio de Janiero start of the tour selling out, I still managed to get on the Sao Paulo start. I'm really happy about that now because there'll be less people to start with, and we're taking in the atmosphere of opening night in the host city.

So who else has been screwed over by the Aerolineas Argentinas pull-out? Was only told today my #Brazil2014 #WorldCup flight was cancelled.
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) November 13, 2013

To get to Rio I had booked a G Adventures tour starting in Buenos Aires, and found some really cheap fares from Sydney there with Aerolineas Argentinas. Soon before moving from Dubbo I get a call telling me they were pulling out of all Australia flights effective April. So I had to rebook flights wtih another airline, stopping in Auckland and Santiago before Buenos Aires. On top of that, with the move to Darwin I now need a domestic connection and because of the bad flight time I cut a day of South America time to accommodate that. On the plus side, I'm now in Santiago for the last two days of my trip so I'm taking in four countries (Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Chile).

Aaaaaand so the waiting for tickets begins... #WorldCup #Brazil2014 #ihopeijustgetticketsalready pic.twitter.com/RCBVPcQkri
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) November 11, 2013

Tickets to the games came to me much more successfully than I'd imagined, so for that I'm grateful. On visiting my agent in Sydney, I was told there was a first in, first served sale different to the major ballots. Finding myself in an internet cafe at 10.30pm, I'm surrounded by a ticket seller and his assistants who are struggling to get good tickets - for anything. After I realise the most effective way to refresh for any updates (a process in itself), a Category 1 3-game ticket comes up. Winning.

It's done. @Socceroos #WorldCup group stage tickets BOUGHT #Brazil2014 #excellent #bloodyexcited
— Katina V (@Katiinkaa) November 11, 2013

The next day I stupidly didn't buy a pair of hiking shoes that were probably worth forking out a bit for, and since then I've managed to book a two-week Peru tour and at least get cheap hiking pants. The real adventurer begins to come out...

After a rush to try and figure out whether internal flights to two of the Socceroos games were cheaper to DIY I just went with the Fanatics package (although their flights were crazy for being chartered, they weren't all that much dearer, and at least they're direct). It then comes to today and the reason I wanted to write on this.

I received notice that an updated itinerary for the Fanatics World Cup 2014 trip has been put on their website. I knew from the beginning I would be in Brazil as one of those crazies in the green and gold. But on reading the itinerary, I got goosebumps. And watery in the eyes.

Seriously. I didn't think I'd be so emotional about it. But it's only five months away...



Maybe I can be that girl in Brazil somewhere... Photo: smh.com.au