New Year – Old List

I know it’s the time of year for New Years resolutions. But I’ve updated my blog with a few things that I did from my List for Living last year. From the sunshine, the lack of hair and the wigs you can tell it was many months ago. Not long afterwards I was back on the chemo and all that vomiting fatigue awfulness. I’m still on the treatment but now it’s just normal horrific. Looking at these pictures and posts makes me so happy. Fabulous memories. Thats what my List for Living is all about.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick!

No 8 on the List for Living!

8) Visit Pompeii and drive along the Amalfi coast 

It’s funny how one road trip can lead to another. A few years ago I was traveling across Italy with my friend and colleague Sean. We’d just finished a long work trip. As we drove towards Rome, Sean told me all about the beauty of the Amalfi coast. I’d never been there but it sounded so wonderful that I was determined to visit one day. I’d also wanted to go to Pompeii for a long time. To wander through its ancient streets. So I decided to put them together on my List for Living. When my friend Kath saw this she was delighted. This is one of her favourite parts in the world. Many years ago we were flatmates and since then we’ve traveled loads together. Kath has visited me in every single country I’ve lived in, sometime more than once. We’ve had some brilliant adventures around the world! Visiting Pompeii and the Amalfi coast was even more incredible than I imagined. It was one of the best holidays I’ve ever had.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No 17 on the List for Living!

17) Go into space

Yes, I’m really being sent on a mission into space!! I’ve got myself a round trip ride on to the asteroid Bennu. I will be on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx space craft. Okay, I’m not actually becoming an astronaut but my name is going into space!

I’m going to get an intergalactic adventure, sort of, without any of the dangers. My name will soon be up in the solar system with the stars. In tiny little letters, it’s going to be etched onto a microchip which will be taken aboard a spacecraft which is jetting off to the asteroid Bennu.

As far as I’m concerned this means I can tick off number 17 from my List for Living!

It’s not just me going. Last year NASA and The Planetary Society invited anyone to submit their name. Our microchip will travel into space in 2016. The robotic mission will then spend a couple of years there before returning home.

It’s going to be cosmic!

No 33 on the List for Living!

33) Fly in a hot air balloon

 

 

No 9 on the List for Living!

9) Explore the ancient ruins in Rome

Rome is one of the most wonderful cities in the world. I loved it from the first time that I visited as a teenage backpacker. I’ve been back several times and on every single occasion I have somehow managed to fail to go inside the Coliseum or the Roman Forum despite my best efforts. Last year my friends Ruth, Lynne, Lisa, AK and Carolyn helped me to put this right. Although on the first day we didn’t make it! But we tried again. Thank you girls for getting up really, really early so we could beat the queues. It was brilliant to finally see these fantastic sights and tick it off my List for Living however it was even better to have a trip away with special friends.