I've been really slow in coming up with a post to describe my 2010 year in review, much like my final posts for 2009. I am currently holidaying in my home country, which is currently taking up all my time. I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now, but it's only now that I can put aside some time to write something for this blog.
In reflecting on 2010, it has been a rather unsettled year for me. For most of the year I've been on the move, living out of my suitcase and generally not knowing where I'm staying most of the time. This kind of experience can be quite daunting and it has affected my personal life somewhat as I've had to live away from most of my friends in the UK.
I've also had some trouble figuring out my Top Ten of 2010, partly because I didn't really have the type of experiences that I had in 2009. But I'm pleased to say that I managed to make this list after a long and hard think.
Having said that, the year of the Tiger has taught me new things - to be courageous, bold and self-assured in whatever I embark on and encounter along the way. Now I'm not a horoscope follower, but who knows what 2011 and the year of the Rabbit will behold. Perhaps a faster marathon time, as fast as the fabled rabbit instead of the tortoise?
Anyway, without further ado, I'll start the countdown, starting at number 10.
10: My uncanny knack for avoiding natural disasters that cripple entire cities, countries and continents
This definitely deserves a mention, but only in regards to how fortunate I've been with travel. With all the freakish winter weather playing havoc across parts of Europe, I was hoping not to be affected when travelling back to the UK, and ultimately NZ for Christmas. However the flight home from London was one of the nearest misses I could've experienced. Two hours before take-off, the winter day was as clear and brisk as you could get. But upon boarding the plane, I couldn't believe how thick and fast the snow was falling. We still boarded the plane, but there was an hour delay de-icing the plane. After that, millions of passengers had their holiday plans wrecked by Mother Nature, causing scenes like this.
Then there was that Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull. On Wednesday 14th April, I was flying back to the UK from Amsterdam on a delayed easyJet flight. Arriving in to the UK late at night couldn't come soon enough - after all I had to endure a 90 min train journey back home. 12 hours later, I first heard the news reports that UK and Europe airspace had been closed, affecting millions of passengers around the world. I honestly couldn't believe how lucky I was to get home on time!
All in all, two near misses and still no need to sleep in Heathrow Airport. I think that deserves a mention in a top ten list, don't you think?
9: New additions to the UK family
The UK is a very popular place for Kiwis to spend their OE, and this year a couple more Kiwis have made the commitment to live in the UK to work, travel and gain much needed experience. One of my colleagues from NZ, who I've lobbied very hard for her to join the region, is here at last. And so is my brother who has settled in rather nicely in London. A month into his stint here and he's already did something which I've not managed to do - watch a match on Centre Court at Wimbledon. The lucky fulla!
Yes that is Nadal, one of my sporting heroes!
This part of the world (talking about Europe) will be less foreign as more familiar faces arrive to join the family. Lunch gatherings at nice restaurants are an often-frequented activity of ours, though, being based in Oslo (more on that later), I don't get to attend these as often as the others.
8: Moving back to UK
I mentioned last year that moving to Spain was number 3 in my Top Ten for 2009. I have to say that it was a very premature statement. The visa process was a draining experience and the foreignness of it all was a little bit too much for me. Hot weather, lack of English speakers, language barrier, unusual routines (lunch times at 2 p.m. anyone?) to name a few.
But I have no regrets. The opportunity to work in a truly foreign country where English is not widely spoken was invaluable. The food was delicious and I got to learn a few bits of Spanish. If I stuck it out and weathered the storm, I suppose I could've settled in Spain. But I chose not to. Nowadays when people ask me why I didn't want to stay longer I normally respond with "it just didn't work out". I don't really go in to detail.
It was a relief to head back to the UK, where the weather is cooler and the lifestyle a lot more familiar. It might sound ridiculous but riding on a train from Gatwick to Reading felt like a surreal experience!
7: Running 3 marathons in a year
As I discovered, running multiple marathons in a year is a mammoth exercise. The planning, the training and the logistics behind it all are huge tasks to manage. Originally I planned to run 5 marathons in 2010. It looked like a simple goal on paper, but looks are deceiving and in the end I was only able to run 3. One of the marathons was too close to my target race and I felt it wouldn't do me any good to run it. As for the other marathon, I was so burnt out after Berlin (my target race to break 3 hours, more on that later) that I decided to withdraw.
Would I ever do this multiple marathon business again? Absolutely not! I'm going to limit myself to 1-2 marathons a year. I'm far too competitive and it's only natural for me to chase down a fast time in all my efforts, which isn't possible for me when doing 3 or more in a year.
6: Seeing Jean Michel Jarre in concert
Ask anyone who wasn't born before the 80s (gosh, I do feel old) if they've ever heard of Jean Michel Jarre and you'd most likely get a blank look. I first heard of Jarre in English class when I had to study the movie Gallipoli starring Mel Gibson. Then I learned that he was the pioneer of electronic music and that his concerts are outdoor spectacles featuring laser light shows and fireworks, and attracting millions of people. Jarre holds several Guinness world records for the largest audience that attend his concerts.
Festningen 2010 in Oslo wasn't going to attract those large numbers of people, but it was an outdoor concert and that only meant that Jarre was going to organise another outdoor spectacle which he is so famous for. With him playing all his greatest hits, and me being relatively close to the stage, it was truly an unforgettable night (the concert started at 10:30 p.m.). Even though it was raining, making the ground suitable for a bit of mud wrestling, it didn't dampen the mood of the audience and frogs like rain anyway! This was a video of Jarre playing Chronologie 2, which was the finale song of the concert and the time when the fireworks were really going off (coinciding with midnight).
That's all I have time for today. Stay tuned for the second half of my Top Ten of 2010.
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