2013

Two years on and my mission to have adventures is still going strong. To recap the checklist...

Jan 2011
- to travel with my sister adventurous-times.blogspot.com from Kathmandu, Nepal to Goa, India.

- to Skydive for charity http://www.justgiving.com/giselle-Silvester any sponsorship would be much appreciated!

- to have a brilliant Summer of festivals.

August 2011

- To live in London. One of the most terrifying, enticing crazy places in the world is right on my doorstep, riddled with challenge and adventure like its got warts. If I am to embrace all the world has to offer I will start in the homeland and pitch The Big Smoke as my challenger.

- To run a marathon. After a few months merely stating that 'I'd like to run a marathon' and thinking about it a lot, which definitely wont help me achieve it.

- to finally go to a secret cinema event...secret surprises are always exciting!

Jan 2012 Resolutions/challenges made collectively with friends...

1. Stop Being a Dick

2. begin a youtube channel or blog

3. Learn a new song on a new instrument

4. be on a T.V. gameshow

5. Officially break a world record

6. Learn to tap dance

7. Volunteer for a day/week/month

8. Tell someone new that you love them

So 9 out of 14 is pretty good going??! 

2012 has been brilliant, highlights of this year have included...

The birth of IMOGEN PLANT, dancing with my fellow M&Ms, laughing until I cry on too many occasions, watching my first live boxing match, cigars in treetops, silly photos in photo booths, dinners overlooking London, murder mystery, curry, Jack White, cycling, camp fires, CHAI CHAPEL, dinosaurs in Cambridge, new friends, visitors from the USA, coffee, Dublin, Thorpe Park, running with my dog, SURFING, Brew Dog, hot water bottles in a caravan, wigwams in the sky, drawing aliens, pavilion breakfasts, PANTOMIME. 

Every day I have been reminded how much I value my friendships and none more so than from the amount of support Clare and I were given when running the marathon. Running 26.2 miles and then coming home to a group of people I couldn't live without has to be the best moment of 2012.

Thank you xxx

p.s. Roisin Keogh this year we know you can do it!

2013 year began with a party and in the same manner as last, my friends and I each placed a resolution in to a bag and picked one out at random...my new years resolution for 2013:

- to visit an old friend once a month. 

My personal resolution is:

- to learn a language.

Bring it on 2013. 

NYR fail.

New years resolutions are meant to add some new dimension to your life, make something more interesting, like last years 'have more adventures'. Currently I am bored of blogging therefore I am scrapping that aspect of my new year res. Everything else is still intact but I will probably keep it to myself. Lesson learned...don't make up a boring new years resolution that takes up time when you could be reading a good book...you will inevitably fail. Scrap consistency, variety is the spice of life.

The New Adventures of 2012

Goodbye to the most amazing year. 2011, you were good to me.

This time last year I made a resolution to have more adventures and it began. In the space of twelve months I have travelled to Nepal, India and Ireland. I have ridden camels, elephants and motorbikes. I've fallen 10,000 feet, shaved my head and begun training for a marathon. I swam in the Arabian sea, paddled in the Atlantic, and woke up at 6am to take freezing dip in the North Sea. I watched the sunrise in the Thar desert, as I floated in a boat down the Ganges, and as I traipsed home from working at a bar in London. I watched the sunset on the Taj Mahal, whilst riding my bike through country lanes, and over the tent filled fields at Glastonbury. I have seen fireworks over Jaipur as India won the cricket world cup, on the beach as my sister and I said goodbye to Goa, and finally over London with amazing friends to welcome in the New Year. Every step has been incredible but would not be the same without the people who shared them. Life is for living.

And so it continues....
For 2012 my resolutions... I will now focus on New Adventures with a purpose: Every week I will try a new food, drink or recipe; I will see something new, be it a film, show or exhibition; and I will create something new, be it a painting, photograph or wooly jumper. On top of this and as a result of our new year shenanigans my friends and I have a list of 8 resolutions to complete:

1. Stop Being a Dick
2. begin a youtube channel or blog
3. Learn a new song on a new instrument
4. be on a T.V. gameshow
5. Officially break a world record
6. Learn to tapdance
7. Volunteer for a day/week/month
8. Tell someone new that you love them


I will continue accepting as many New Adventures as possible as well and fulfil everything started last year. London Marathon here I come!

Happy New Year to All! See you on a weekly basis. 2012 will be AMAZING xxx 

fun with a yellow 100mm rubber ball.

Juggling. I am focussing my attention across three disciplines which is slow but steady...3 ball, club and contact. My arm muscles and concentration are improving and I have made some new friends in the form of Lincoln Juggling Club. Juggling is the way forwards.

I would also like to sway you to read a fantastic blog by my new Glastonbury friend Sara, she is the only person I've ever met, who I firmly believe could actually be a fairy in disguise. By any terms this means you should take notice of all the important things she has to say...i wish i was a giant anteater... 

On to business...
So far this adventurous calling has not let me down, I'm having a fantastic year. With the festival season drawing to a close, signifying the end of what I have come to class as 'Summer' it is time to assess the mission. I have completed my initially confirmed adventure plans:


'So far the the adventures I have lined up are:
- to travel with my sister adventurous-times.blogspot.com from Kathmandu, Nepal to Goa, India.
- to Skydive for charity http://www.justgiving.com/giselle-Silvester any sponsorship would be much appreciated!
- to have a brilliant Summer of festivals.'

These and many more adventures have been amazing.


Although my general aim is not to snub any new frontier be it learning to recognise garden bird sounds, learning to balance a sphere on my head or swimming in the north sea at 6am (all of which are wondrous adventures I've embarked on in the last month), I feel things become more purposeful and that I can tackle bigger challenges with a hard and fast focus. So I am confirming some plans and tickling the mission with more ferocity:

- To live in London. One of the most terrifying, enticing crazy places in the world is right on my doorstep, riddled with challenge and adventure like its got warts. If I am to embrace all the world has to offer I will start in the homeland and pitch The Big Smoke as my challenger.

- To run a marathon. After a few months merely stating that 'I'd like to run a marathon' and thinking about it a lot, which definitely wont help me achieve it, I have decided to take on a 24 week plan. Week 1 in progress.
I am yet to commit to a run but if anyone has one and is planning, or would also like to put some focus in to this with me, then let me know and we can take steps together. After this I want to Joggle a marathon...I wont be satisfied that true adventure has been fulfilled unless i do.

- to finally go to a secret cinema event...secret surprises are always exciting!

Massive Love
The Adventurous Future Spice Shop Owner. 

They definitely drink whisky in Heaven.

I can see it now... all the happy colourful folk sat around a toasty fire at dawn (because that's the best time of day) reminiscing about their past lives, playing music, sharing secrets, eating all the most delicious foods from around the world followed by swigging of the finest whisky ever imagined. Undeniably heaven.

Nothing in particular has happened today except for the introduction of some amazing new music in to my life. One of my new festival friends, fondly known as Monkey Boy, set me up an ingenious little thing called a dropbox, where we can share files. He has promised to send me an album of the week because my favourite way to learn about new music is from others. The first instalment came today and, ultimately, I am in love:

Eulogy for Evolution by Ólafur Arnalds. 
If anyone has listened to The Single Man soundtrack, it reminds me of this. Mostly strings and piano, you can't go wrong with evocative violin, I will probably listen to little else all week!


Today has been a day for daydreaming, juggling and listening to beauty.

The New Obsession

P.S If anyone else fancies supplying me with a constant stream of music please do!

Fresh Irish air

So, I'm currently in Ireland, Parrot sitting on the beautiful Donegal coast. Inside I've got Jack the African Grey and Buttercup the budgie for conversation and when I step out of the door it is just me and the Atlantic ocean, the wind is salty and cool with a hint of cow from the field across the way. I can bird watch to my hearts content, herons, sea gulls, sparrows, blue tits, swallows, maybe a sparrow hawk if I'm lucky, and frequent visits from 'Matilda' the hooded crow with her boyfriend, and 'Tup Tup' the pheasant with his hens. Perfect.'The freshest air in Europe' my Granddad says, and it feels it.

A wee reminder that I'm fundraising for the wonderful charity Read International, I will be jumping out of a plane in July. If you can spare even £1 that would be fantastic, you can find out more and donate direct to the charity online at http://www.justgiving.com/Giselle-Silvester , it takes a few seconds an will really be appreciated by me, the team and the people of Tanzania.

Massive love to Everyone
xxx

Jaipur pushes us to the peak of irritation.

My first diary entry of the day was written in the angriest implicative tone of voice possible...

'Alicia has lost our first aid kit, I still have the drugs (paracetamol etc.).

We both have sore feet and need plasters!'

It is followed rather quickly with a sense of self congratulation, 

'All is fine, I found it on the bed after all.'

After this minor fiasco we take our usual walk into town with the relentless rickshaw drivers and tour guides snapping at our heels the whole way. The sun is sweltering and I feel much like a shrivelled tomato worthy of a Mediterranean dinner. 

Happy Birthday Tom Bristow x

Alicia 'Do you think if I marry an optician I can get cheap glasses?' 'Why dont you just marry a rich man?'

2/4/11
After our meander into and out of town yesterday we were ravenous. Unfortunately or fortunately, however you want to see it, we walked into Nero's which happens to have the iciest air-conditioning and the iciest iced tea I have ever known. It also happens to be rather pricey but what can you do when you have entered the room? The alternate of stepping back outside into the scorching sun was worth paying to avoid, so we stayed and had a pricey yet delicious meal.

3/4/11
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
The walk to town was in no way improved and we have come to the conclusion there is nothing you can do in Jaipur to deter the rickshaw drivers and young men from pestering you. We resiliently plough forth and make our way to 'The Palace of Winds' or 'Hawa Mahal'

'you look like shakira' , 'nice boobs' , 'shit, wakka wakka', ''what country is missing you' 'can i take your photo, can i have a kiss?'...Jaipur, the city apparently inhabited by the most irritating men in the world.

1st April, am sad to miss April fools day :( because it is one of the best days of the year, i suspect it may not be met with such jollity by ususpecting Indians. We didnt do very much today  except walk around and watch the 9pm movie  (the TV signal is fixed).

2nd April, We had breakfast at our hotel...the only good thing about  being at this hotel is we can order room service to our clean room.   I was entertained by a TV advert that told me something was 'Bloody cool'. We  spent our first day wondering around...the city is busy!!! Out of all the places we have been this is by far the worst place for rickshaw drivers, they relentlessly follow you down the street, sure that you cannot possibly walk two kilometers and as soon as you shake off one, another appears. The streets are also swarmed with young men asking you for chai and 'why do you always say no?' it makes getting from a to b, trying at best.

I did however love walking through the bazaars, the streets within the pink city (named because it is pinkish) are well ordered and so its almost like a crazy open air department store (really bad analogy). The textiles area was my favorite because the street was just a throng of colour and sequins. Dazzling.

In these streets though, there are some really harrowing moments that take you away. As a tourist it  becomes easy to rush around, metaphorically closing your eyes, there is a stray dog, pile of  rubbish and beggar on every corner, it would be too easy to breakdown and become absorbed with the sadness here so you put up a wall and walk by because you're not really sure what to do, but sometimes it really hits you whether you want to let it or not. In Jaipur we walked past a guy staring at the ground and following his gaze, saw a thin old man, there is a clear difference between a sleeping man and a dead body and if this man was alive, he was barely hanging on. A few more people came over and began to look so we walked away. You cannot escape from anything here, life, death, ecstasy, misery, it is all thrust into your face in the most unforgiving way you can imagine.

The shop has a name!

31/03/11
On the move again, we begin our day with a bus journey from Agra to Jaipur, Rajasthan! I am begining to enjoy the bus journeys alot, i find it relaxing to sit with or without music plaing and just think and today was a day of revelation. My future spice shop has a name...'Typical Spice Shoppy' inspired by this trip to India and my enjoyment every time I see a good sign...'Agra marble shoppy',' Typical restaurant', 'decent guesthouse', 'Ok guesthouse,' 'John is here' (I suspect 'join us here' was intended though john may very well be there' , I believe this name is perfect.

In Agra we discovered our first 'Cafe Coffee Day' which is an Indian coffee chain...who would have thought it takes a trip to India for my to finally succumb to a coffee chain, but the aircon was sooooo good! We got takeaway spinach and sweetcorn sandwiches and some biscuits for our journey. I unfortunately lost half of my sandwich to the bus curtains due to a badly times sneeze...its ok nobody noticed except Alicia. I am now on to a fresh notebook, which means I'm catching up on the blog! The first page is filled with my spice shop ramblings, a little doodle and a declaration of love for the 5rs pen I bought in Nepal, I also state that anything is possible in India and nothing is a surprise after seeing a man showering in the doorway of his bus. Literally the only thing that would shock me would be the discovery that someone is not trying to openly overcharge me!

On the bus today I see a sign..'BEWARE. ALL ROADS LEAD TO HELL'...this is not a happy thought so i hope that this sign is very wrong. There is a man and a little boy on the bus and they are the sweetest thing I have ever seen...I have also never seen eyelashes like theirs!

We arrive in Jaipur and find our way easily to some hotels...they are all claiming to be a rip off. We eventually settle on an ok price for a room and stay at hotel Kalayan. We are elated to find our rooms spotlessly clean, including a television!WOW. Unfortunately we soon come to realise that we would rather have a grubby room and useful friendly staff...this hotel was a bit of mental struggle (more so than usual).

This evening we settled down to relax and watch the 9pm movie...after a few minutes the TV signal went...Alicia nearly broke down. I enjoy India's unpredictability.

Massive love to home xxx