India calling ... urgently

I had coffee with a friend on Thursday, and we stayed until the place closed, talking and reminiscing of Asia. The rickshaws, the bargaining, the colours, the aromas, the many good and kind hearts.

I want to go back. I have been browsing AIESEC internships, and found some truly great hotel traineeships.

I shared my findings with Cem, and she asked why I hadn't applied yet. I replied that a four+ month journey abroad was a big undertaking (that's the length of these ones). Again, she questioned me - "but you love India!".

Yes, my dear friend speaks sense. I do love India.

Watch this space.

Big idea

One transcendent, big idea:

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." - Vincent van Gogh

Wow.

Redhead come blonde

I found a great chicken paella recipe.

I headed off to the shops this morning, ingredient list written out. Onion, peppers ... garlic, stock, rice ... green beans, chopped tomatoes ... check, check, check. Local Sainsburys came up trumps and stocked everything but turmeric - a trek to the big Sainsburys soon solved that.

This was about six hours ago. I shopped to my heart's content this afternoon, coming back just in time to start cooking. Very chuffed with the complexity of what I was about to attempt (remember this is me), I ran through the ingredients, trying to estimate preparation time.

Something didn't quite seem right. I checked over my list and looked through my shelf - yes, I had got everything. But it seemed that something was missing.

Ah.

The chicken.

It's funny, but chicken paella doesn't quite work without the chicken.

Yes, I might officially be wonderwoman ... but I swear, I should have been blonde.