And last, but not least...

And today, in English! Because sometimes I feel much more comfortable using English that I feel using Dutch. It kind of grows on you after a year, I reckon.

Today was the day that it hit me that I am leaving in less than a week time. For the first time. Is ‘finally’ the right word to use in this context? I’m not sure. It feels like I’m leaving home, but I’m kind of glad that I finally got the realisation (shut up, spell check, that word is not with a Z down under) that it’s actually happening. My last week is packed with official goodbye parties, dinner parties and things I’m going to miss the most (salsa dancing, pub quizzing, you know). I’m trying to spend all of my time with the people I love. It almost sounds like I only have a week left to live. I've got very mixed feeling about it though, doing the things I love with people I love for maybe the very last time. Although I'm sure I will be back here at some point for some time.

Today was also the day that I had to say goodbye to a few friends. The first group of friends that I might never see again that I had to hug goodbye. Luckily we had lots of wine so I did not cry as much as I expected, but it was very, very tough. The tram trip back home was pretty strange, I can tell you.

On another note, I can share some very happy news with y’all: My thesis is all done, it’s passed the first inspection ánd there’s a good change it might get published, oh my!

Also, something that really keeps me going during my last few days is that I will arrive in Thailand in a week’s time. I’ll be spending two weeks in Thailand as a bit of a summer holiday away before heading back to the hectic life of graduation and job hunting. Trust me, I need it and I’m extremely exited over it.

So, just to keep things short, a rough overview of my planning: I am arriving on the 16th around 10 in the morning. Three days of Bangkok, including arrival day, with one morning with a cycling tour around the city and quite possible a lot of massages, the best street food, temples, heat and stickiness from the humidity. After that I’m off to Ayutthaya, one of the ancient capitals with lots of temple ruins and such. Then, a night train to Chiang Mai for Thai cooking classes and a mahout training course (where I'll practically get my own elephant to take care of for 2,5 days) and an afternoon of visiting hill tribes, white water rafting and something else that I forgot about. After 5 days in Chiang Mai it’s off to the south for a few days of chilling and doing absolutely nothing on the beach, maybe do some scuba diving, maybe some snorkelling, those things. And then it’s back to, hopefully, a by then nice and warm summer-y Holland.

I’m arriving in Dutchland on the 31st of july, at 9 in the evening.
Now, off to another dinner party. If I ever feel like writing in the next five days I have left in Melbourne, I will upload something else. Otherwise this will possibly be the very last thing you’ll hear from me while I’m Melbourne-based.

Mixed feelings, man. Mixed feelings.

Bye for now, Melbs.