HTMW Recaps: November 2018
I normally add a quote to the beginning of each post that sums up or enhances my writing. However, I’m going to use my monthly recaps as an opportunity to sum up the month – be it the mood, the weather, my feelings… Anything really. A particular event in November reminded me exactly why I love my job. It also showed me how incredible and inspiring other human beings can be. I witnessed how others have triumphed over adversity. I’m talking about the JustGiving Awards. I’ve written more about the awards later in this post, but the quote reminds me of this brilliant night!
‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
In January 2017, I announced I was going to start monthly recaps on my blog. If you missed last month’s recap, you can find it here. This November 2018 recap comes much later than I normally post, so apologies about that!
November 2018 feels like it has been packed, with loads going on, especially around the middle of the month. I enjoyed a trip back to Wales and attended the JustGiving Awards. I also visited the Shard one rainy Saturday! I’ve been preparing for my big upcoming trip in December. This involves buying supplies, thinking about packing and saying goodbye to people who I won’t see until January.
The Highlights – November 2018
Volunteering for Missing Maps.
I am hoping to do some more volunteering in 2019. As such, I attended a Missing Maps session in November. Missing Maps aim to put the world’s vulnerable people on the map. By mapping areas of the world, charities such as Doctors Without Borders and British Red Cross can distribute aid more quickly. Missing Maps are helping them take aid directly to the people who need it most.
While the evening I attended was a little chaotic, now that I’ve had my basic mapping training, I can do it from home! I found mapping to be seriously relaxing. You focus in on one tiny section of the world in some remote country far away and draw lines on the screen. I’d definitely recommend it if you ever want to participate in some low effort, high impact volunteer work!
A trip up the Shard with A.
As her 30th birthday present, I took A up the Shard as she had never been before. Unfortunately, the day I booked turned rainy and cloudy just as we were due to ascend. Luckily, it didn’t let it spoil our fun. A seemed to really enjoy herself. We pinpointed every landmark we could see through the gloom, then sat and chatted about everything over a glass of Prosecco as it got dark.
A and I don’t spend heaps of time together, but time spent with her for me is healing, soothing and rejuvenating. She is one of my closest confidants and allies. A is someone who backs me through thick and thin and sometimes knows me better than I know myself. I was thrilled I could share a Shard experience with her, even if it was a bit wet!
An evening with Levison Wood.
Levison Wood is an explorer. He has walked the length of the Nile, traversed the Himalayas from Afghanistan to Tibet and walked all the way through Central America. He’s written some excellent books about his adventures. I booked my ticket to hear him talk at the Shepherd’s Bush O2 months ago.
The evening was wonderful. Wood spoke eloquently about his most recent trip around the Middle East. He joined paramilitary troops in Iraq and saw both sides of the conflict between Palestine and Israel. The biggest challenge was being illegally smuggled into Yemen and then smuggled back out!. It was a fascinating evening and fuelled my desire to return to the Middle East at some point in the future.
Jurassic Park night at home.
P and I were going to book tickets to see Jurassic Park at the Prince Charles Cinema. In the end, we decided to stay home, cook dinner and have our own movie night. Thus followed an evening devoted to Jurassic Park! We made a delicious pasta bake and had all the movie treats, at a fraction of the cost than if we’d gone to the cinema! Winner!
Taking a trip back to Wales.
I took a long weekend trip back to Wales in mid November. It was wonderful to spend a few days relaxing at home with my parents and one of my sisters. I also had an enjoyable evening out for the Mid Wales Beer Fest with a few of my friends.
I’ll miss Christmas at home. However, Mum’s epic roast dinner that she cooked for us more than made up for missing Christmas dinner! In 2019, I’m going to make a big effort to spend more time in Wales. I’m beginning to feel like my trips back are never long enough and always just a little too rushed!
The JustGiving Awards.
I generally keep the identity of the company I work for quiet on my blog and on social media. I do this because I like to ensure there’s a clear disassociation between my viewpoints and opinions and my place of work. However, this month I made an exception to my rule. I spent an entire evening shouting from the rooftops about just how awesome it is to work at JustGiving.
The JustGiving Awards happen once a year and are a celebration of our amazing fundraisers and charities. It’s a chance for our low-key, casual office to get dressed up. We are reminded exactly why we do what we do. I’ve been to three awards now and this year was by far the best. We had wonderful food, inspiring company and a generally fantastic atmosphere. The evening lifted my spirits and made me proud to work in the charity sector, albeit not for a charity itself.
The Lowlights – November 2018
I didn’t manage to publish any other blog posts this month!
It’s been an incredibly busy month. I’ve been tired. I had some epic hangovers. I haven’t felt like writing… They’re all poor excuses but they’re also all true. I feel a bit rubbish about the fact I haven’t posted any new content in November. However, I know there’ll be time to write more in the next couple of months.
Posts This Month – November 2018.
Na-da, zilch, zero. With more time in December and January, I intend to get many articles written and ready for posting in the coming months.
My 2018 Reading Challenge Book of the Month – November 2018.
NB: The list on my reading challenge post is constantly updated as I tick off books that I’ve read and add new books I want to read, so flick back to it from time to time to keep up to date with where I’m at!
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.
What to say about this book…
As much as I love P, I have to say that we have very different tastes when it comes to books and reading. He said this book made a big impression on him, whereas I am struggling to soldier on through it. In fact, I’m finding it such a tough read that I’ll admit I’m only 40% of the way through, and we’re already several days into December.
I think it’ll be a case of forcing myself to finish the book. I’ve generally found it hard-to-follow, with no scintillating story line. All the characters share names, making the plot harder to follow as it drifts from generation to generation. Each generation proceeds to make similar mistakes to their predecessors and so it continues. Year after year, decade after decade.
Needless to say, I’m finding it a somewhat wearisome read. However… December has come. I have other books picked out for the month. This is my favourite part of the pre-travel process – buying the books I’ll read on my trip! If I really struggle, I will put down this book. There’s no point forcing myself to read something I’m hating!
So far, this book is sitting low on my ratings, a solid 2/5 from me… It’s rated 4.05/5 on GoodReads and it’s a solid split between people who either love it, or absolutely hate it. I fear I am falling into the latter camp!
Next up in December: Blitzed – Drugs in Nazi Germany by Norman Ohler.
In November 2018, I also read:
My Thoughts Exactly by Lily Allen.
I picked up this memoir out of curiosity. I’ve never been a big fan of Lily Allen. However, I heard several people talking about how great her book was and one friend mentioned that she liked Lily Allen a lot more having read her book. So, I decided I’d read the book too, and see if my opinion of Lily changed at all.
Well, my opinion of Lily Allen didn’t change one jot. However, I was moved to feel some compassion for her. She has had some tough experiences! She’s been the victim of stalking, suffered a horrific miscarriage and generally has had some rough parts to her life. The book did not make me change my mind about her music, but it did help me recognise what has shaped her into the person she is today. I guess that often this is all you can ask of a memoir.
It was an interesting read and something easy to skip through in a couple of days at the beginning of the month.
Instagram Pictures of the Month – November 2018
I choose these three images based on which got the most likes on Instagram and then tell the story behind the picture. Disclaimer: They are not necessarily my favourite photos!
The View from the Shard, Southwark, London.
Proof that London can look beautiful in the rain! This was taken when A and I visited earlier in November. The photo garnered the most likes of the month. Battling against raindrops on glass when taking photos is irritating, so I finally just decided to incorporate them into the image. Turns out, people liked the idea!
Sunset on the Hills, Wales.
Full confession: I didn’t take this photo. Photo credits go firmly to Esther, my sister, for this amazing photo of one glorious sunset in Wales.
I witnessed the sunset myself, but out on a separate walk with Mum. I forgot to take my camera, therefore not capturing the moment. It was a lovely, peaceful moment. The sun turned coral pink before sliding behind the familiar hills to the west and the light began to fade properly.
Snow on Lindis Pass, New Zealand.
I posted this photo a few days ago, with only a week to go until my flight to New Zealand. As I write this post, it’s only two full days until I leave UK soil for six weeks… I can barely believe this trip has come around so quickly!
I’ve driven Lindis Pass a few times, but this was definitely the most beautiful it looked, with a thin frosting of snow covering the hills. It’s doubtful whether I’ll drive this way during my upcoming trip. I’m hoping there’ll be plenty of amazing photo opportunities, especially on the South Island when I head back there in January!
Coming Up in December
Well, this is the big travel month of the year… I have only five days in London, before I head off to the southern hemisphere for my six week long adventure in New Zealand and Australia. You can read my itinerary here, but key things coming up in December include my oldest friend getting married, Christmas spent in Port Douglas, snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef and visiting Taranaki for the first time. As well as this, I’ll visit friends in NZ and Australia and return to Wellington, which I’m super excited about. Before I leave the UK, I have a couple of festive activities planned, such as a Sunday roast with a group of friends on the 2nd December. It looks set to be a wonderful end of 2018, and full of adventure, fun and activity!
Be sure to keep up to date with my trip throughout December on my Instagram feed and stories!!
