Well it's been a while since I was online as the last month has been focused on transitioning from the UK to Asia - July was a very intense month, with multiple bouts of jet lag (travelling from Asia to Europe to North America, then back to Europe...) followed by a chaotic flurry of sorting/purging/packing 4 years of my stuff in a mere 4 days, while in the midst of sorting out logistics to move from the UK to Timor-Leste - not an easy feat, given the relatively poor level of customer service in the UK and the fact that most people have no idea where Timor-Leste is (I had one moving company ask me - is it in Africa? Obviously they were not the ones I chose to send my stuff across the world...)
Thankfully I have great neighbours and friends in the UK (and around the world!) whose support over the past few weeks has kept me sane (well, at least as sane as I was before the move...). I am so grateful to everyone who helped to find people to take my furniture, brought me meals when I had nothing left in my kitchen, offered me a place to sleep once my bedroom stuff had gone to the charity shop, and gave me such lovely gifts and cards and best wishes :-)
I was terribly sad to leave the UK, or as I call it my 'home' (whereas I call Canada my 'home-home' and Timor-Leste is now my 'new-home' - confusing I know!) - although I was only in the UK for about 4 years, it was a wonderful time of growth and I am homesick already!
On way to my new home in Timor-Leste, I have stopped in Bangkok, Thailand for 2 weeks to take some intensive training in preparation for my new job. I have received a very warm welcome here and I am enjoying exploring yet another Asian city.
My initial impressions of Bangkok are that it seems very Western (e.g. there are 7-11 stores everywhere!) and multicultural ; there is great respect for the Royal family (there are photos of the King and Queen on almost every corner); the streets are crowded with food vendors and brightly colored taxis and fancy tuk-tuks (almost like little golf carts) and the chaotic traffic makes it difficult to cross the street; people here seem really sensitive about H1N1 flu (many wearing masks); it's also truly a gastronomical delight (I love Thai food but there are tons of other options e.g. Moroccan, Indian, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Italian, eastern European, Mexican, Japanese, and even a few Irish pubs, etc); and of course, hot and humid with bouts of rain almost each day.
Pink taxi in front of an elaborate Hindu temple
A view of the part of the city taken from inside a broken down building 
'Fancy' tuk-tuk
Royalty - King of Thailand and King of Fast Food
Thai street children(...notice the face mask around the little girl's neck - she took it off to eat...)
I am heading to Timor-Leste next weekend & will write again once I get settled...
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