I nearly died on my birthday in London

Ola readers!!

I know, I know, I said I was back but I never really returned!  I'd love to say I have some legit excuses, which I probably do, but the truth is I could have probably kept this up had I really put my mind to it.

But none the less, I am back giving this another whack with a brand new format.

So you know what I have been up to, I've started my own business and since I last wrote, have been studying in the USA and now living in London - but more on that later.

Also, my sweet grandmother passed away a few weeks after my last post.  Sad yes, but it was time for god to have some better company.  He told be he was getting bored with everyone else and needed someone more exciting.  I haven't heard from him since, so I guess he's pretty happy having her as a guest! :)

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my birthday in London. It actually went over a whole week which was really nice! Many people took me out for many a drink and some lovely London experiences.

So without further waiting... lets get into it that story...

I hate organising parties for myself. I mean, I really hate it, which is sad because I am really good at it.  I think it comes from having stage managed a number of theatre shows and also working as a event manager for a number of years.  If I need to do it for someone else, or for work, thats no problem because I like seeing how it makes everyone else happy. But I am happy sitting in a room with my friends and some wine and good music... so I do question the return on the effort.

None the less, my flat mate was getting annoyed at me and sent me a list of restaurants and basically told me to pick one.  I had been sick for about a week and a half, so cared less than I normally would about my birthday, but settles for a nice turkish restaurant in Leicester Square called Souk Bazaar (website here).  I was really impressed with the area we were given. It was "semi private" but was a reasonable sized room sectioned off from everywhere else by a heavy curtain.  There were two set menu's to choose from which basically amounted to small and large, the larger obviously just having more on the list.

Souk Bazaar

The food was actually really good, and being a Friday we got a free belly dancing celebration.  I had no idea women could do such movements with their breasts! I was expecting shaking hips (which our dancer didn't really have much off) but she replaced that with tittie thrusts!  It kind of reminded my of Nicki Minaj in "Pound the Alarm"...

Pound that alarm, Nicki!!

The only thing REALLY annoying about this place was the service.  Noone at my party knew anyone else, common problem when just moving somewhere and you bring together all your random friends, and there is only one solution to that little pickle... Booze.  Lots of booze coming fast and hard.  Unfortunately, it was always a mission to get anyone to bring us anything, so as soon as we had finished eating we decided to go to Freedom Bar in Soho to decrease the level of blood in our alcohol!

Everyone together at Freedom!!

Freedom was offing great!! Booze came hard and fast and in doubles! All my lovely friends ensured I constantly had a drink or shot (and in numerous cases both) in my hand so we could party til lthe club closed.

Not only did Freedom bar have an actual bar, it had a dance floor, "shot man" who kep giving me shots because it was my birthday (or maybe someone was paying for them later in the night - who can remember) AND THE BAR HAD DANCING POLES!!!!!

Later the next week, two of my friends invited my to their house for dinner, as they double booked on my birthday, and thank the god of winter cold they did because my present as a pair of ugg boot like slippers acquired... someone foreign.  Thea had bought them for Jock but his feet were too big so I scored them! Cheering!

Here I am wearing them like an absolute champ in my wife beater and pink jeans!!  ... :D

It's called fashion people.








Then, my final birthday celebration involved me being taken out to dinner at a restaurant called Burger and Lobster.  You can check this awesome place out here. Burger and Lobster has three menu choices, all costing 20 pound: a burger, lobster or a "lobster roll".  The lobster roll looked a bit too much a a mixed seafood sub from subway for me (though in much better bun and better ingredients) and well, lobster trumps burger anyway.  Each menu item is served with chips and a salad. The only small issue with this restaurant was the wait - nearly two hours.  Luckily, this venue also has a bar, so we could sit, drink a bottle of gossip, order our next one and an espresso martini before sitting down.

It was definitely worth the wait though, and anyone wanting a bite in Mayfair should definitely check this place out!  Just get there earlier than 6:15 on a Friday evening.

After this we checked out a local bar and headed home.  Running down Regent Street for the bus I slid over in my newly heeled boots. My feet came completely out from under me and I slid off the cobblestone path, out in front of a taxi which needed to swerve to miss me while I was dragging myself off the road.  How does one receiver from that?  I just stood up, looked the police officer, who happened to be standing next to me, right in the eye, quipped "wow, that was lucky" and faced the other way!

Anyway, that is all from me. But what about you?

What have you ever done to celebrate your birthday overseas? (and did you nearly die?)

Until next time,

Daniel

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Twitter @TheDanFactor

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What was important to you in 2011? Mine is YOU!

OK, so it's the last day of 2011.  I have no idea where the frick 2011 went mind you, but its gone and it its place remain memories, friends, and passport stamps.

Since I began writing this I have starting reading some other blogs a bit more, to see what works, what I like, etc, and a lot seem to do stuff like, "my top 10 blogs", or "look what I got in 2011", which is a bit tiring.  But, it is nice to reflect on things that have past to get a sense of satisfaction to reassure ourselves that time past was not time lost.

So, this morning I was sitting in my villa in Koh Samui (my coffee was brought to me without asking exactly how I like it, thanks to my amazing house staff), I was trying to think of the places I had been this year.  It wasn't a bad list, but not overly impressive either!  I managed to get to Bali, Indonesia, for a family friends' wedding and stayed at the beautiful Karma Kandara (website here). Then later in the year I, obviously, came to Asia and have visited Cambodia and now Thailand.  So, three countries in one year, which has been pretty standard for me over the last few years. In fairness though, usually that has been for work.  As I ran study tours and worked for Curtin University I was often in Malaysia (often going through Brunei), China and Vietnam.

When I thought about it though, this years travels seems that much more awesome.  Probably because I wasn't working! But because of that, the ability to focus on the travel, I met some really awesome people. Seriously, this year I have meet some of the coolest cats I know or reconnected with people who I had lost contact with and, for me, that is one of the beauties of travelling.

Then I got thinking more, still on the same topic, and thought about all the travelling I had done within Australia, and I was blown away with what relationships I had managed to make and maintain.

To give you a run down of the year:

I brought in the 2011 year in Tasmania at the Falls Festival with one of my best mates Benjie, his partner Narisha, and his friends Jimmy, Peter and Fleur, and Kajsa  We spent four days listening to bands, and sneaking about with contraband alcohol, before touring Tassie for a day or two. (We had also gone to the Taste of Tasmana food show in Hobart just after Christmas where I had managed to catch up with fellow Perthian/JCLA'er/GV alum Tristan, and my JCLA buddy/down right LEGEND Aimee).

Jimmy,Kajsa and I.  Fall Festival, Tasmania, Australia 

Benji and Narisha

This lead to numerous trips to Melbourne as I started a new job in April for not for profit company called Teach for Australia (website) and required me flying to Melbourne every six weeks or so.  The TFA guys were, hands down, some of the coolest people I have ever worked for! Not only that, the vision of the company (an Australia where every child has access to quality eduction) is a very humble, noble, and achievable one.

The travel to Melbourne for work saw me being able to catch up with my cousin Tim (and finally see his house in the hills - amazing) and Uncle Dave. Go out with the TFA crew for the Melbourne comedy festival (I got belly ache from laughing so hard), catching up with Mattie and Liam (and getting our party on before dropping me - bastards!! ;) ), being in Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final (offing Collingwood!), Brendan and the new TJ, also dead set legends, catching up with good friend and fashion blogger Carly (Lady Smaggle, blog here) and some how, yet again, turning lunch into an 11 hour adventure of coffee, ales, tapa's and ciders.... Then going back to Naked for Satan an hour after we left because everything was just far too good), catching up with one of dad's best mates Steve... the list goes on...

The TFA crew, Melbourne, Australia

Half way through the year was Bali and Gili T, as I said, which saw me meeting Katie and so many friends of the Kotovski clan (if you know the Kotovski's, you are in the clan.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're not.  Just... no).  The wedding and the venue truly made the wedding trip a moment where friendship could be made over a few days and you could have some awesome times.  For example, I spent over a million on tequila on the wedding night... ONE MILLION... rupiah.. :)  It was just awesome meeting Asheesh, Ravi's mates, Claire et al.

This is the after Moet glow.... Katie and I, Bali, Indonesia

After my TFA contract expired, I took a few weeks off.  I hung around to see some champions of champions graduate from the John Curtin Leadership Academy before heading to Asia.

JCLA grads!!!!

Since hitting Asia, I have met some awesome people from Europe, Johanna and Rose specifically from Siem Reap, Manu and Rachel from Koh Rong who I will be seeing again shortly,  and in Thailand I am now in a villa with 8 other awesome peeps, all relationships I hope will endure.

Johanna and I in Siem Reap

Ludo and I rocking it out

My partner in crime, Tash and I, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Rachel and I, Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia.

I have to be honest, I am seriously downright shocked as to how many hits this page is getting.   Russian reverse span bots aside, I love that it helps me remain connected to everyone I have met while travelling, and also my friends am family back home.  I, of course, love you comments and messages on FB.

Koh Samui, Thailand

So, my 2011 was incredible because I managed to meet a bunch of wicked people and remain connected via the wonders of technology!!

But, what made 2011 big for you?  Let me know!!

Until next time, and 2012!!

Daniel

Follow me on Twitter @TheDanFactor