Diganosis: chickenpox

So yeah, I was locked in this cool hotel in Brisbane with the ugliest blisters, fever and sever itching hardly doing much other than sleep, watch movies, send emails and facebook updates, eat and read in bed.

Next: more about the ship.

Working it Backwards

Some of you already know how things went terribly wrong with my so-called “the adventure of my life”.

Aside from the several occasions on which I cut myself and got sick during the trip, it was all topped off with me getting chickenpox starting from our second day in Brisbane (one of the ports of call). At that point, with no second thoughts, I decided to give it a rest and get off the ship. I was seriously sick and being held hostage in some isolation cabin on the ship was the last thing I could handle.

However, I still want to blog about it and share some of the photos. So, I'll do that.

Not that the situation in Bahrain encourages me to do anything, but I'll try. I need to put all the sources of negativity into perspective before I start the ultimate clean-up.

خليط من تعب جسدي وعاطفي يحيط بي ويعصرني.

لم يكن هذا المبتغى. كان من المفترض أن أعود مشحونة بالطاقة، بنفس جديد، برغبة في بداية جديدة وحياة مختلفة.
كان من المفترض أن أشعر كأسماك النهر، كأزهار الربيع، كمن عاد للتو من غيبوبة.
كان من المفترض أن أشعر أكثر شباباً.
كان من المفترض أن أعود مجردة من كل الرواسب التي تراكمت خلال ال ٥ سنين الفائتة وأثقلت عاطفتي.

لم يحدث شيء من مما افترضت.

لم يحدث شيء!

First Japanese Post

Made it to Kanasai International Airport (KIX), the second most important Int'l airport, located on a man-made island about 50 km south of Osaka, after a delay of 2 hours in Bahrain and another hour in Dubai. That sucked our energy and we're looking as a bunch on zombies right now waiting for theirconnecting flight to Tokyo. It's 9 pm and if the flight delay curse does not continue, we should be taking off in 30 minutes or so. The girls and guys are enjoying massage chairs and having a good laugh at basically nothing and everything. The shops in the airport are out of this world and the goods they sell are just weirdly cute! I'd say my first meal in Japan is my first Japanese adventurous experience: A sandwich referred to me by Fajer, consisting of beans jam and margarine!

Will leave you with some photos from the different stops. My laptop is running out of charge and I am running out of charge myself!

Okay.. Maybe not. Gotta run and the upload might take a while! Laters perhaps.

Safeya from Osaka!

The music in my head

I live in a musical of my own creation. Most of the thoughts and emotions that run inside me (head and heart) come with some sort of a melody/song. When I'm in love, music like Walking on Clouds by Govi or a song like Sade's Kiss of Life set my mood. If I am heart-broken and in need for something to ease my pain, I'd sometimes play Big Girls Don't Cry in my head. When I'm homesick, it's the praiseworthy Home by Michael Buble, and so on.

And now.. I've got a couple of songs to go with my upcoming sailing experience!

The English one is Sailing by Christopher Cross (Thanks for the inspiration, Maria):



And the Arabic one is "3endak Ba7reya" by Wadee3 Al 9afi:

A Message From Steve

Steve is my boss at work. He texted back saying he was so jealous I wouldn't believe it :) :) :)
I am determined to have a whale of a time!

The Preparation Phase

Here's the video I made for the reception we threw for the media, our families and friends.

The Kick Off Point

I am anticipating a revolution in my life in few days. It’s why I’m starting this blog. It’s why I am composedly accepting all the displeasures life throws at me. It’s why I am one jumpy soul at the moment. It’s why I’m unconditionally loving my world. It’s also why remembering my passwords has not been any easier. Not so coincidentally, they all have something to do with ships and Japan!

On Monday, I pack myself off to Japan where I’ll be spending 10 days before I go on a ship and sail to Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Brisbane with another 300 boys and girls from countries like: Brazil, Chile, Fiji Islands, Japan, United Mexican States, Micronesia, Oman, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Tanzania and Vanuatu. It's all part of the Ship for World Youth program.

The preparations we, as a delegation, have been taking upon ourselves have been hysterical. We’ve been working on putting our national presentation together, shopping for traditional and formal outfits, shipping cargo, selecting gifts for other delegations, seeking sponsorship, attending cultural and language sessions, thinking of the sort of activities we want to be in charge of on the ship and tens of other things.

I’m yet to pack, so I can only make this a short post.. And to the best of my ability, I’ll blog every time I have access to internet (only I cannot be more excited about having so limited access to telephone lines and internet equipped devices throughout the trip!). Also, given that I'm a photo addict, I’ll be definitely posting lots of pictures so stay tuned.